(Evergreen Islands photo)
The City Council Wednesday night unanimously turned back a proposal to build a 13-home planned development in Skyline. The major problem was a requirement for a 50-foot buffer for a stream named Anaco Bourn.
The Hidden Shores project raised other objections, too, but the major one revolved around whether the stream running through the property is actually a stream or simply an artificial ditch through a wild life conservation area. A stream would require a 50-foot buffer, but a ditch would need only a 10-foot buffer.
The proposal, which was before the Council for the second time, proposed 13 small homes on small lots that required the stream be moved and buffered and run through several culverts.
Attorney Dennis Reynolds, representing the Hidden Shores developers, told the Council that permitting the project would actually improve the stream. He said, “Is this project is not approved, it will stay an artificial ditch.” He pointed out that the project involves small homes on small lots, something that would be good for the community. He said “This is a good project with a public benefit.”
Meanwhile, attorney Jeffrey Eustis, who spoke for the environmental group Evergreen Islands, said “There’s no evidence of ditching here. How could the developer ever restore this stream to a more natural condition that it’s in now.”
Friends of the Forest representative Andy Stewart said, “Anaco Bourn is a high priority wildlife corridor that links the Anacortes Community Forest Lands to Burrows Bay. It is vital to the health of our forest and the wildlife living in our forest lands.”
Council member Cynthia Richardson took the lead diving into the points of contention, opposing the proposed gate barring public access, creating overflow parking nearby, and the ditch-stream issue.
Richardson conceded that not all of Anaco Bourn may be a stream. Some part of it crossing the project property could be a ditch, but said, “The current channel evolved naturally,” but could still qualify for a 10 foot buffer. She said there is no evidence in the record, however, of the history of the stream before the Council declared it one of 15 wildlife conservation areas in 2003.
She said, “This permit must be denied because it does not provide a 50 foot buffer.” Fellow Council member Erica Pickett agreed, saying, “The city intended to create incentives, but adding 3 culverts in order to get cars to 3 lots doesn’t make it for me.”
Nick Petrish summed up by saying, “This project is just too large for the area of the project.”
The Council voted 6 to nothing, with Brian Geer absent, to reject the proposal. The developer is free to make some adjustments and come back with a new proposal.