Is Gig Harbor North coming downtown?

The Gig Harbor Mayor and City Council is planning to bring the density of GH North to downtown.  It all started with those secret meetings.      

            In 2015 the Gig Harbor Mayor and Council explained a downtown rezoning committee was formed with the intent to have no recordings of words spoken. The public would be barred from attending these secret meetings.  A select group of citizens would be invited to speak.
            The notice of these meetings was on the city website needing about 3 or 4 clicks to find it.  If folks do not know to look for a meeting, no one looks for a meeting.  No one was participating in these meetings so the city had to reach out and ask people to speak.  Did they ask you?
            In 2015+2016 the City Council gave the Downtown Waterfront Alliance (DWA) $80,000.00.  The Poulsbo based Olympic Property Group developers sit on the board of directors for the DWA.  The city personally invited the DWA to speak about rezoning our Gig Harbor Waterfront. 

While developers were invited to speak, everyday citizens got nothing.

            From these secret meetings, from this gifted group receiving $80,000 has come rezoning recommendations for downtown Gig Harbor.

Thursday May 19, 4:15 and 5:15pm is an Open House to view the rezoning recommendations dreamt up from the secret meetings. 
http://www.cityofgigharbor.net/news/planning-commission-open-house-and-public-hearing-may-19-2016-on-the

      Most folks agree it would be helpful to have common language a person could understand.  Pictures and drawing would really make is clear...why don't we have those?
It is very possibly that when citizens have the powers of Initiative and Referendum you will get noticing and drawings you can understand. First we need to sign a petition to say we want those  rights.
     During the 6pm Public Hearing you have 3 minutes to speak to secret meetings and increasing density downtown. We have the right to demand better traffic flow before more development in downtown.
      There are no plans to ease the traffic flow from the additional vehicles.
      The heron colony property would go from 4 units to 8-12 units.

            While at these meetings please take a moment to sign the petition giving Gig Harbor citizens the powers of Initiative and Referendum
Thanks for sharing.

Mayor and Council email addresses:

 guernseyj@cityofgigharbor.net

 paynet@cityofgigharbor.net

 kadzikp@cityofgigharbor.net

 perrowm@cityofgigharbor.net

 malichk@cityofgigharbor.net

 EkbergS@cityofgigharbor.net

 lovrovichr@cityofgigharbor.net

 arbenzc@cityofgigharbor.net

 Citizens for the Preservation of Gig Harbor  LLC C4GH: Citizens committed to making Gig Harbor better than we found it! JOIN US!! Sign up for email: citizens4thepreservationofGH@gmail.com http://citizens4gigharbor.blogspot.com/ Give us a "like" on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Citizens4GigHarbor Mayor and 4 council seats up for re-election in 2017!

These are your rights when you ask for them.

 Hi Everyone;
  Every time there is a public hearing folks say we want better public noticing and more transparency by our city council.
" The best way to hold a council accountable between elections is when voters have the powers of Initiative and Referendum.
  Citizen’s concerned voices about gridlock traffic, density, secret meetings, safety, wildlife and other impacts created by unplanned development often fall on the deaf ears of our city council.
   In 2015 Council member Malich asked the mayor and council to discuss giving our citizens the powers of Initiative and Referendum.  Mayor Guernsey, Council members Kadzik, Payne, Lovrovich, Perrow, Arbenz, and Ekberg decided the petitions of Gig Harbor voters should not carry any weight and refused to support the people’s right to initiatives and referendums.  In March C4GH asked the council to support giving GH citizens those rights and again, we were ignored.
 

WHAT IS THE POWER OF INITIATIVE?

    Initiatives allow Gig Harbor voters to create and enact legislation directly. Gig Harbor voters will have the right to sign a petition for an initiative.  If the council does not agree with Gig Harbor voters, the initiative will go on a ballot and voters decide. 

WHAT IS THE POWER OF REFERENDUM?

    The power of referendum gives Gig Harbor voters the authority to say yes or no to a regulation before it becomes law. 

HOW DO THE CITIZENS OF GIG HARBOR GET THESE POWERS?

 The Gig Harbor city council is able to give these rights of initiative and referendum to our citizens… but they will not.

SO

 Gig Harbor voters can give ourselves these rights. With 1,440 verified signatures of Gig Harbor voters we will give the powers of initiative and referendum to ourselves.

 
Step #1.  There must be a petition saying Gig Harbor voters want these powers.      . 

PETITION #1.  Yes to give Gig Harbor citizens the powers of Initiative and Referendum.  Signatures needed 1,440.  This petition lays the ground work and is the foundation.
     PETITION #1 is short and attached here. Signers must be registered voters in the city of Gig Harbor.  Not sure if you live in the city limits?  If your 2015 ballot included voting for city council, you live in the city limits. Or you can go on line and ask if you are in the city limits: http://www.cityofgigharbor.net/find-city-limits/

     Click and Print the petition.  Make sure it prints full size and is readable.Any problems in printing email citizensforgigharbor@gmail.com and we will send you a file.
     Get signatures.  No online signatures allowed.  We are asking you to please get 5 lines fully completed.  You, your significant other and 3 of your best friends will put you in the HERO category.  You get more than 5 lines, you are a ROCK STAR. Of course you might want to print more than one sheet and that will put you into the category of AMAZING!
     Turn in your petitions.  The original signatures must be turned in. The 2nd and 4th Mondays, 5:30 pm are the City Council meetings.  Look for C4GH team members wearing C4GH buttons to collect you petitions.  Or, if you wish to have your petitions picked up, please email citizensforgigharbor@gmail.com and we will make arrangements for pick up.  If you have problems printing email us and we will send the petition by email to you.

THANKS FOR SIGNING!!
 THANKS FOR CARING!
THANKS FOR SHARING!

"The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may maintain control over the instruments that they have created."
Washington Public Records Act RCW §42.17.251. 1972.


Citizens for the Preservation of Gig Harbor  LLC C4GH: Citizens committed to making Gig Harbor better than we found it! JOIN US!! Sign up for email: citizens4thepreservationofGH@gmail.com http://citizens4gigharbor.blogspot.com/ Give us a "like" on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Citizens4GigHarbor Mayor and 4 council seats up for re-election in 2017!

Take the bulls-eye off our Gig Harbor herons

Take the bulls-eye off our Gig Harbor Herons and their home!

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NO bulls-eye for Gig Harbor Herons!      Last Thursday evening the Planning Commission began phase 1 of rezoning downtown Gig Harbor.       The mayor and city council instructed and supported the planning department to set up secret meetings, with the intent to have no record of anyone’s words.  The council wants to see more density downtown.  If you were a member of the Downtown Waterfront Alliance, or Chamber of Commerce the Planning Department invited you to speak at the secret meetings. Otherwise, you did not receive an email, the planning department did not come to your house, club or your business and ask you to speak. Your opinion simply was not wanted.   Now begins phase 1 of POPPYCOCK      #1. Rezoning the Haub property.   This is the treed area on the corner of Soundview and Harborview Dr. that is  protected by state and federal regulations as the Gig Harbor Heron Colony.  In addition this property is currently listed as a Gig Harbor Critical Fish and Wildlife habitat area in the Municipal Code. Does it make any sense this property is still zoned for 4 houses?  The new zoning would allow 8 – 12 units, making it a more valuable piece of property to develop.  When properties are valuable, even protected wildlife could end up with a bulls-eye and violently disappear.    MAY 19, 6pm 4-6pm OPEN HOUSE 6PM Public Hearing and your chance to speak Tell the council and planning commission NO NEW ZONING FOR THE HAUB PROPERTY.  Leave our Gig Harbor herons and their home alone.     On March 29th Peter Katich, Gig Harbor senior planner sent an email to John Barline, the Haub family representative and to the Cheney family, who have expressed an interest in getting rid of our Gig Harbor herons by developing this property.  Both families were notified that this area is identified as Gig Harbor’s Great Blue Heron Rookery and no tree cutting is allowed.  This order came from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. This entire rezoning process, born of the council’s insistence on secret meetings is a phony, a fake and a sham. There is no accountability, no recording of any words said to prove anything.     These are the personal plans of the mayor and city council aimed at further obliterating our charming downtown and the lives of our precious Gig Harbor herons.    May 19 Open House 4pm.  Public Hearing 6pm.  Speak to protect our heron family.                No to rezoning the Haub property, home to our Gig Harbor herons.

Mayor and Council email addresses: 

guernseyj@cityofgigharbor.net

 paynet@cityofgigharbor.net

 kadzikp@cityofgigharbor.net 

perrowm@cityofgigharbor.net

 malichk@cityofgigharbor.net

 EkbergS@cityofgigharbor.net

 lovrovichr@cityofgigharbor.net 

arbenzc@cityofgigharbor.net

 Citizens for the Preservation of Gig Harbor  LLC C4GH: Citizens committed to making Gig Harbor better than we found it! JOIN US!! Sign up for email: citizens4thepreservationofGH@gmail.com http://citizens4gigharbor.blogspot.com/ Give us a "like" on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Citizens4GigHarbor Mayor and 4 council seats up for re-election in 2017!

More Cars. No parking. Less View. Read this!

 More Cars.  No parking.  Less View.  Read this!

3,500 sq feet restaurant.  108 chairs, 58 boat slips, ? many employees, only 34 off street parking spaces.
Council members Kadzik, Payne, Perrow, Ekberg and Arbenz voted to get rid of  parking spaces and/or allow restaurants up to 3,500 sq feet to block your view of the harbor. 

The only reason for less parking and less view is because of their votes!

            In 2014 the majority of Millville residents said please keep commercial restaurants in the commercial zone. If restaurants were to be in their Millville Waterfront neighborhood, the restaurants needed to provide parking for their customers and to have stated closing hours.

            In December 2014 the quorum majority of the Planning Commission voted NOT to recommend these restaurant changes to this historic Millville waterfront neighborhood.   

The council did not like the Planning commissions’ NO vote

and 

ordered them to take a re-vote. 

           The only way a re-vote could happen would be for Planning Commissioner Rick Gagliano to ask for a re-vote.  No surprise here.  The councils’ ordered re vote produced a vote of “yes” recommendation for these changes in this historic waterfront neighborhood.

            Currently there are plans for restaurant row with Brix moving to Ship to Shore and a pizza parlor next door to Suzanne’s.   

            Richard Shaw and his architect have presented  preliminary plans for a restaurant to be put in the parking lot of Richard Shaw's Pleasure Craft Marina.  The architect hired to produce plans for this restaurant is Ratcliff Gagliano Architecture.

            In addition Rick Gagliano sits on the Design Review Board that has the authority to rule on the design submitted by Ratcliff Gagliano. 

            Earlier this year secret meetings were held to discuss developing downtown Gig Harbor. No recordings were made.  Rick Gagliano took hand written notes and will present to the rest of the Planning Commission his personal interpretations of what interviewees might have said about developing downtown Gig Harbor. These meetings were secret, no recordings and the public was barred from attending.   No accountability. 

Feeling uneasy about any 1 person wearing so many hats?  C4PGH is.

 

            As a member of the Planning Commission and Design Review Board, Rick Gagliano was appointed by your Gig Harbor Mayor and approved by your city council.

            A second Planning Commissioner’s firm was hired to help develop yet another project in Gig Harbor, the Cushman Trail Cottages. 

            ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. That is what most of you are saying.

Yes, you can do something about it!

And, we will. 

  These are interesting days coming up.  The council, developers are  aware citizens will be petitioning to give GH the powers of Initiative and Referendum. 
      When C4PGH makes a statement, when developers make statements, when the city makes statements always ask for references to back up those statements.  
   Thank you,
    Team at Citizens for the Preservation of Gig Harbor

 

Mayor and Council email addresses: 

guernseyj@cityofgigharbor.net

 paynet@cityofgigharbor.net

 kadzikp@cityofgigharbor.net

 perrowm@cityofgigharbor.net

 malichk@cityofgigharbor.net

 EkbergS@cityofgigharbor.net

 lovrovichr@cityofgigharbor.net

 arbenzc@cityofgigharbor.net

 Citizens for the Preservation of Gig Harbor  LLC C4GH: Citizens committed to making Gig Harbor better than we found it! JOIN US!! 
Sign up for email: citizensforgigharbor@gmail.com http://citizens4gigharbor.blogspot.com/
 Give us a "like" on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Citizens4GigHarbor
 Mayor and 4 council seats up for re-election in 2017!

growth documentation

 Hi Everyone;  If you are here to read about our GH herons, please scroll down.  

For those of you here for documentation from Washington State and the Puget Sound Regional Council to Gig Harbor on  limiting growth here is the information:

This first document is dated Feb 25, 2016 and explains why Wa State and the Puget Sound Regional Council refused to fully approve Gig Harbor's Comprehensive Plan.  

A comprehensive plan is a broad statement of goals and policies that direct the coordinated physical development of a city into the future. A comprehensive plan anticipates change and provides specific guidance for future legislative and administrative actions.

The state has said that Gig Harbor has failed to prove it is planning for the future.  It has failed to prove it is planning for limited growth.  Gig Harbor has failed to prove it is planning to handle the traffic and infrastructure before allowing for more growth.  That is why the GH Comprehensive Plan is only conditionally approved. 

 Below you will find the document sent to Gig Harbor in late 2015.  This one talks about down zoning, growing too fast and too dense.  It talks about a plan for fully funding infrastructure before allowing more growth.  It is 5 pages and well worth the read.

 The above photo is from Michelle Terhi Washington State Biologist with the Was State Fish and Wildlife.  Michelle outlined the area noted as the entire heron colony.  The writing in the white box is mine. 

As for the buffer area;  In GH Municiple code chapter 18.08 Critical Area  you will find: 
D. Buffer Requirements. If it is determined, based upon a review of the comments received on the habitat management plan, that a buffer would serve to mitigate impacts to a critical fish or wildlife habitat, an undisturbed buffer shall be required on the development site. The width of the buffer shall be based upon a recommendation of at least one of the appropriate review agencies but, in no case, shall exceed 150 feet, nor be less than 25 feet.

Mayor and Council email addresses:

 guernseyj@cityofgigharbor.net

 paynet@cityofgigharbor.net

 kadzikp@cityofgigharbor.net

 perrowm@cityofgigharbor.net 

 malichk@cityofgigharbor.net

 EkbergS@cityofgigharbor.net

 lovrovichr@cityofgigharbor.net

 arbenzc@cityofgigharbor.net 

Citizens for the Preservation of Gig Harbor  LLC C4PGH: 
Citizens committed to making Gig Harbor better than we found it! JOIN US!! Sign up for email: citizens4thepreservationofGH@gmail.com http://citizens4gigharbor.blogspot.com/ Give us a "like" on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Citizens4GigHarbor
 Mayor and 4 council seats up for re-election in 2017!