The Council Chambers was packed to overflow Tuesday night as the Council heard comments which ran the gamut from slow down on this proposal and consider it as part of a larger review to “Don’t turn your back on new retail.”
MJP Properties spokesman Jimmy Blais started off the public hearing with an outline of his proposal, backed up by a new, in fact, one day old, Economic and Community Impact report done for MJB by private research firm Hebert Research of Bellevue.
As cited by Blais, the report says there is an “opportunity gap” of around $88-million on Fidalgo Island. The opportunity gap measures the difference between what consumers spend and retail sales, in other words how much Anacortes residents spend outside of Anacortes. This is also commonly called “leakage.”
The report said the gap is even greater opportunity gap among nearby residents, a secondary market in this case, of nearly $378-million. The secondary market includes San Juan Islands and Whidbey Island.
Blais said operation of a Fred Meyer store would bring the city about $700,000 in tax revenue. He said the store would hire 90 employees.
Anacortes resident Marilyn Derig told the Council, “This proposal is an example of haphazard planning…slow down on this.” Bob Berry urged the Council to,”Take a very close look at this proposal.”
Ed Geegan said other stores will go out of business. “I’m here for my kids…grandkids…to keep this city the flavor it is.”
Former City Council member Cynthia Richardson, an architect, stunned many in the audience when she said the City council must deny the rezone request because it would be illegal to accept it. She said approval, “Would violate a specific requirement of our Comprehensive Plan.”
She quoted Goal Four of the Commercial section of the plan as saying, “Do not rezone additional areas for commercial development until existing commercial areas are fully developed or shown to be inadequate for the need.”
And, Richardson said that neither MJB nor the city staff has presented any analysis to show that existing commercial areas are fully developed.
The City Planning Commission recommended including the rezone request in the City's 2016 Comprehensive Plan update.
Mayor Gere continued the hearing until the Council’s Feb. 3 meeting.