K2

Shared facilities already exist

Steve Abel, in his column in last week’s Beachcomber (“K2: Let’s think in terms of shared facilities”), speaks eloquently about his vision for shared community facilities. Interestingly, that is what we already have — a library that shares a park, a Vashon Park District recreation program that shares athletic facilities with our schools and KCLS programs that supplement school and community resources.

The circle of community already exists in our Town Plan, and it exists because those same people who “screamed” about change had a vision (with King County Council support and authority) of a town focused on a core emphasizing community services (library, stores and the like), pedestrian travel, parking on its perimeter and industry at its periphery. Above all, these visionaries seemed not to have a personal agenda.

By contrast, the K2 rezone, backed by Dow Constantine, our current county council chair and facilitated by Sharon Nelson, our locally grown state representative, has in one swift, back-room step abrogated our Town Plan, begun the tear that could rend the fabric of the core and eliminated the chance of attracting any industrial redevelopment that might bring badly needed jobs to our community.

The issue is, in my view: Who gets to say what our town looks like? Is it the K2 developers with their grandiose promises and a remote, autocratic KCLS management that’s taking a paternalistic attitude about what’s best for our town? Mr. Abel is correct. We need to carefully examine not only the monetary costs of these fantasies but also the more insidious cost to the thoughtfully planned heart of our town. Above all, we need to make sure that it’s the community, not individuals with their own agendas, that get to say what our town looks like.

— Allen de Steiguer

How can our voices be heard?

Relocating the Library to K2 is contrary to the intent of the 1996 Vashon Town Plan.

According to the plan, the area centered around the Bank Road/Vashon Highway intersection is the “walkable town core,” where we have concentrated our commercial, residential and public services like multi-family housing, the library, water, sewer, sidewalks, etc.

The area south of town was included in the town planning area to allow careful zoning to preserve the established businesses and prevent high-density development outside the town core. The plan states, “The opportunity to construct up to 350 homes south of town seems to circumvent the goal of concentration.”

The town plan was written by a diverse group of Islanders working together, with extensive community input, empowered by a government willing to assist us in planning our own future.

Now, 13 years later, we have the opposite situation. A small group of powerful people have their own plans. They want to take our precious library out of the center of our town and plunk it down next to an empty factory, a mile down a 40-mile-an-hour highway with no sidewalks. They plan to deny Vashon/Maury Islanders any say in the future of our own library, a public building on public land, the very heart of our sweet little town.

So the library board charges ahead. Department of Development and Environmental Services works feverishly to find excuses why we can’t rebuild at Ober Park. Our elected representative wavers. Is there nowhere to turn to have our voices heard?

— Susan Tobin

Dockton Road

Neighbors should have a say

I thought The Beachcomber’s article on the Dockton Road project was informative and well-balanced. That said, I would take issue with some of the statements by individuals who were quoted. 

First, there was a complaint that the advisory panel “seems stacked with people representing nearby neighborhoods.” Those of us who live near the project will have to deal with the consequences, so it is appropriate that we have more of a voice in what happens.

This is particularly true if Dockton Road is permanently closed, making Quartermaster Drive the sole access to Maury Island. Quartermaster is periodically impassible due to flooding, slides and repairs. If this occurred with Dockton Road closed, my house and about 300 others would be cut off from the rest of the Island. 

Most importantly, we would lose access to emergency services. Certainly improvements can be made to prevent this, but they will not be cheap.

Second, while I appreciate the willingness of people to serve on the advisory panel, I found some of their statements counterproductive. I think members of the panel should take the county’s statement that all options are on the table at face value instead of publically speculating that the decision has already been made. Such speculation tends to undermine the process and is not in anyone’s best interest.

Finally, I’d like to refresh people’s memory as to how the cantilevered sidewalk came about. When the small section of seawall by the fishing dock was replaced about eight years ago, the original plans called for a fairly narrow shoulder. Islanders requested that a sidewalk be added, with the idea that when the rest of the seawall was replaced the sidewalk would extend for the full length. This cost more money, but the county did it because we asked for it.    

— Henry Perrin

Let’s add a bridge to the project

The editorial in last week’s Beachcomber about the Tramp Harbor Road (Dockton Road) was right on target. However, the idea is only half complete.

To complete the idea, consider continuing the project to removing the man-made fill between our two islands. Maybe the pioneers had a good idea — building a bridge and letting the water flow through the opening. By doing this, the low-level, non-opening bridge would allow the flush out of Quartermaster Harbor with fresh saltwater, and the salmon would have free passage, finding their way to Judd Creek.

With a low-level bridge, the recreational boaters (kayaks, canoes, rowboats and sculls) could pass through, but the power boats would not.

Possibly, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be interested. It would be another step “back to nature.”

— Al Slaughter

Wave2Go

Check your card for overbilling

After it was suggested by friends that I examine billings on my Washington State Ferries’ “Wave2Go” fare card, I discovered that from January through April 27 we have been over-billed by approximately $140 dollars on my husband’s commuter card. This over-billing came largely in the form of automatically renewing the card with valid fares remaining and a couple of instances of double billings at the Fauntleroy dock when wanding the bar codes. My card also has over-billings in a smaller amount.

To determine if you’ve been overcharged, go to the WSF web site and click on “Wave2Go,” then type your bar code number in a box in the upper left hand corner, then click on the box and go to your card’s history. Examination of this history should reveal the facts. Happily WSF will provide a refund with no argument.

— Carolyn Munro