CARE

to evaluate what should or should not be allowed in the new Camano Gateway

Zone, and to address topics such as set-backs, signage, lighting and so forth. At

the end of the process there was near-unanimous agreement that gas stations

and convenience stores should not be allowed in the new Camano Gateway Zone.

held a public hearing which was attended by about 50 people. When the

attendees were asked if they wanted gas stations/convenience stores,

approximately 80-90% of the attendees said, “NO.” At a subsequent meeting of

the Planning Commission, Commissioners commented they had never received so

many letters and emails on any issue as they had on this one. Camano residents

pro-actively contacted the Planning Commission, opposing gas stationsconvenience

A majority of the members on the Gateway working group were business owners,

and none expressed a concern that more convenience stores and gas stations

were needed to serve Camano residents. In fact it was overwhelmingly expressed

that present gas stations on the island and nearby in Stanwood already serve the

needs of Island residents and will continue to do so in the future. In summary, we

disagree with the Planning Commission, both on its findings and on the manner in

which it conducted its process where it ignored sound citizen advice from diverse

that gas station/convenience stores in the Gateway would have especially

negative impacts on traffic flow which is already notoriously slow during peak

hours. CARE believes adding cars turning left and/or adding a new signal light

would dramatically slow traffic and increase hazards and the possibility of

accidents. A gas station/convenience store would have a negative impact on all

Camano residents who travel SR532 including most, if not all, C.A.R.E. members.

532 is constantly full of traffic; we use it as a thoroughfare on and off Camano

Island. Today a minor accident causes major delays. Adding another traffic signal

could add 10 to 15 minutes or more to each person’s commute.

existing Camano island businesses. Currently we are served by three gas stations

with stores (at Elger Bay Store, IGA Plaza and Huntington’s Store). One or more

of these longtime locally-owned businesses could easily collapse if another gas

station/store opens on Camano. There is absolutely no community need for

another gas station. We do not want new development to negatively impact

existing businesses, and we don’t want more empty buildings for which no tenants

can be found.

enhance the beauty, appearance, or character of the Gateway to our rural island.

a gas station and a hotel. But his vision cannot command government or dictate

what is best for an entire community. Developers take risks. There are no

guarantees when purchasing a property for future use. Implementing a new

Gateway zone is far more consistent with Camano Islanders’ vision for the future.

inclusive public process to chart the future of the Gateway. Now we wish to have

the majority of Camano residents’ vision take hold.

members have mixed views on the idea of allowing small motels, country inns, or

lodges in the Gateway Zone. Small inns with up to 20 rooms seem rural. Large

hotel-motels of 40 rooms or more do not seem consistent with the rural character

we wish to preserve, and should not be allowed.

been identified as at high risk of seawater intrusion.

The language of the proposed Ordinance purports to preserve water resources in

the following policy statement: “Overnight lodging should be designed in a

manner that does not utilize and distribute water resources beyond the intensity

typically associated with residential development that is allowed within other

RAIDs in the community.” However, it is important for the Commissioners to

understand the history of zoning for the Rural Village area, and specifically for the

Juniper Beach water service area. Interestingly, although the Juniper Beach

residential RAID was dropped from the 1998 zoning proposal because of its very

of more intensive development within the same aquifer impact area. The language

of limited-in-scale intensity and size was partially in response to the severe

limitations of water on this part of Camano. Development in the Land’s Hill area is

extremely limited by poor septic capacity and high-risk water resources. The

record shows that the mixed use zoning was added as an afterthought, as no

discussion of it is shown in the minutes. It was never the intention of the

Commissioners at that time to create an area of residential development “typically

associated with RAIDs in the community.” Now however, the creation of the

Camano Gateway Zone would extend residential RAID allowances of 2 dwelling

units/acre to the same aquifer impact area where it was previously rejected. No

analysis was done to support this change.

We know from past proposals for a hotel in this area that such a facility would

have doubled the existing draw-down of the Juniper Beach aquifer. And we know

that the only way new development can go forward is by exporting septic water to

a distant drainfield in another aquifer recharge area in a different watershed.

The Board of Island County Commissioners cannot ignore these facts in making

their decision. A statement from Island County Health that they are not concerned

regarding sea water intrusion is a reversal from their previous stance when the

Comprehensive Plan was enacted in 1998.

already allowed in Rural Zoning on Camano, with the number of rooms limited by

the size of the parcel. C.A.R.E.’s concerns have always been related to the

intensity and density of a standard hotel or motel. Many inns on Whidbey meet

the Country Inn standard. We refer you to our earlier comments to the Planning

Commission: we feel a Country Inn scale of development is more compatible with

Camano’s existing infrastructure, and is in better keeping with the rural character

we wish to preserve. Why not add Country Inn as an allowed use in the Gateway

Village Zone, as opposed to overnight lodging, which would include any typical

franchise motel?

If a County Inn is to be allowed, we strongly recommend that the minimum parcel

size be 5 acres, in other words, only one Country Inn per 5 acres, and that

subdividing the 5 acres not be allowed. The proposed ordinance would allow 20

character.

done before hotels are included in the new zone. The County stands at a decisionpoint

right now about what should be allowed in the new Gateway Zone. NOW is

the time to conduct a feasibility assessment. Doing a feasibility assessment could

help prevent a situation in which businesses try to operate and are unsuccessful,

or property is left half-finished, incomplete, or falls into disrepair from lack of use.

The Department of Trade and Economic Development should be consulted and

included before allowing hotels.

the sea water intrusion analysis requirements, particularly with respect to

cumulative impact. We recommend that Island County look at adopting provisions

similar to Bainbridge Island’s groundwater monitoring program, which addresses

both salt water intrusion and a safe yield of water.

Thank you for holding this hearing on Camano.