The two pictures above were presented to the council from Lora Petso. On the left, Lora showed the impact of a fully developed “Skipper’s” site and compared it the undeveloped site on the right. The view impact is stunning. Lora was warning the council of the impacts of doing nothing.
Skipper’s is a “Gateway site”: a site folks see when they enter or exit our town. A private developer which seeks to gain as much profit as possible will develop the site in a manner as Lora as shown. This hardly benefits the community as a whole.
The debate over the city purchasing the “Skipper’s site” is NOT an issue of fiscal responsibility as opponents have claimed. That’s just the excuse D.J Wilson has used to defend his inaction.
This clearly IS a debate over the citizens’ vision over the waterfront.
On one side are the folks that say the city needs taller buildings and numerous condos on the waterfront, or the city will be unable to “sustain” itself. They claim the city needs more “revenue”.
On the other side, folks claim that taller buildings undermine our historic small town charm, and hurt the city’s economic future in the long run. They point to the arts, our views, our parks, and our charm as the future of Edmonds. Taller buildings hurt, not help, the Edmonds economy. This is where I stand.
Purchasing the “Skipper’s property” allows the city to control the future of that gateway site. It guarantees that the building that Lora Petso wisely warned us about will not be built. Such a building hurts our economic future, it doesn’t help it. With bond financing, the city can easily afford it. Depending on the use, the city may be able to use off budget resources to pay for it as well.
The city also enjoys costs advantages by purchasing the property now. The real estate market has dropped prices on land and the city is getting a good deal. If the city waits, the price goes up, and the city looses the ability to shape the development of the waterfront. Waiting makes no economic sense.
I am proud of my vote to purchase the “Skipper’s site.” Our historic small town charm is our best economic asset. The city must take a direct role in shaping the development of the waterfront to insure that citizens’ vision of Edmonds' future becomes a reality.
