Editor,
Island County is one of the 29 fastest growing counties in Washington required to plan under the Growth Management Act regulations.
We have a severe housing shortage for working people, which is serious south, central and north. We’ve all read that Naval Air Station Whidbey Island is bringing in thousands of people, that Oak Harbor schools are over-full and that military families find they have to look for housing off the island.
Many of our South End young families moved off island during the recession to find jobs. The recession is over, the young people are returning only to find out there is nothing much to rent.
Island County is working on our 2016 comprehensive plan update. Most counties that have large seasonal population increases plan for that in their comprehensive plans. South Whidbey figures show that we have a six-month seasonal population increase from 30 percent to as high as 50 percent between mid-April to mid-October; I think the entire county has similar increases.
Who are these people? They are our parents, grandparents, cousins, friends and neighbors. Some are one-time tourists. Some are people who come to visit their kids serving at the base. Some are retired military who come home to Whidbey after service. Some are here for a day-trip to visit wineries, farms, art studios, beaches or go on whale watching trips. Some are snow-birds who enjoy summer nearly 12 months a year.
We like these people — they really are Island County.
We cannot allow the low population numbers being touted in the 2016 comprehensive plan to be finalized because they are only our lowest six-month populations, not our highest six-month populations. It’s nonsense to plan for your lowest service levels. If you ran your business like that, you’d fail.
Seasonal populations must be accounted for in all the comprehensive plans. Other counties do it, why don’t we?
Immediately, we need to build more apartments, condos and homes for our workforce populations, and for those who are retiring and no longer want to manage a home and a yard.
Take time to talk to our commissioners, our city/town councils and our planning boards. This is really critical stuff.
LEANNE FINLAY
Clinton
