By JEAN BOSCH

On our little Island, with limited development opportunities and funding sources, many non-profits would love a chance to improve their facilities. Even the library needs a new home. What about the dream of an indoor composting facility or a year-round pool? The now-empty K2 building is so big and varied, it seems large enough to embrace every dream.

Islanders who attended the combination K2 tour/Vashon-Maury Island Community Council (VMICC) meeting in December heard Emma Amiad of the VMICC Land Use Committee read a motion supporting rezoning the K2 property to allow a broad range of community uses. Emma and the committee have been working on this question since March. There have been many public meetings, and Emma has met with many potential users and purchasers as well as county staff.

It seems like a golden opportunity. However, some voices are being raised urging caution. Jack Churchill’s column points out that we could be in danger of “malling” our Island, seeing the vital core of Vashon town shifting south. Tom Bangasser, with the VMICC Economics Committee, is a proponent of creating a nonprofit entity to manage any reuse.

Some local investors have entered into an agreement with K2 to redevelop the property on a condominium basis, making space available to non-profits and businesses. As Amiad points out in her letter (see page A4), owners of commercial property do not hold public meetings to ask about tenants. Zoning is the only public leverage. Before the community council votes on Amiad’s motion, the committee will take one more look at the wording and uses proposed. If we support rezoning, the county will probably rezone the property to allow a variety of community uses, more or less along the lines of the VMICC motion.

This is the moment to make your voice heard. Please attend the next Land Use Committee meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30.

— Jean Bosch is vice chair of the Vashon-Maury Island Community Council.