50 Feet Over Winslow Way

This morning, the Save Winslow Way Coalition demonstrated how high the buildings will go on the south side of Winslow Way. The huge red balloons used to mark the 50-foot point were visible from the Farmers' Market.

Buildings on the north side of Winslow Way would be permitted to go as high as 55-feet under the proposed upzoning.

Update and Call to Action

"Historically we have a very vocal and passionate group of people who frustrate things that a silent majority probably think should happen."
Councilman Chris Snow, Bainbridge Review 6/2/07


This is one Councilperson's characterization of the rising opposition to the Winslow Tomorrow plans for our downtown. We think he's wrong. The "silent majority" is all of you and thousands of other Bainbridge Island residents who, although not present or expressing their concerns at every Council and Planning Commission meeting, are firmly committed to preserving Winslow's sense of place.


Where Things Stand

The increased height and density proposed by the Winslow Tomorrow plan is still before the Planning Commission. There will be additional opportunities for the public to comment on the proposals before the Commission over the next month or two. The proposals will then go before the City Council which will make the ultimate decision on whether they become law.

The City has launched the Winslow Tomorrow Streetscape design project. It is important that the community not confuse the Streetscape project, and the campaign surrounding it, with the many other elements of the Winslow Tomorrow plan for our downtown, including the increased heights and density. The Save Winslow Way Coalition has always supported the replacement of deteriorated utilities on Winslow Way, and is glad to see that the City appears to be moving forward with that project. With regards to the Streetscape Improvements that are being developed to coincide with the excavation of Winslow Way, many questions remain unanswered. Check this blog over the next couple of weeks for more details.


The Island Needs You

The Save Winslow Way Coalition needs your help in making all of our voices heard. Our strength lies in our numbers, and in our ability to get the word out. We need help informing the entire community about what is at risk.

If we all talk to our friends about our concerns and each of them talks to other friends, together we can create a chorus of voices that cannot be ignored. To date we have over 350 signatures on our petition. We know we can get to 500, but what about 1000? If every one of you finds two people to sign the petition we will surpass that goal. That will help us to save Winslow Way and its small town character and scale.

Action Opportunities

• Talk about the proposed changes with three friends, colleagues or neighbors. Give them the address for the petition website: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/SaveWinslowWay For the latest flyer: SaveWinslowWay@gmail.com
• Write a letter to the editor.
• Contact your council members about your concerns at Council@ci.bainbridge-isl.wa.us
• Attend and/or comment at a hearing.
• Help gather petition signatures.
• Participate in an event (see announcement above right in green)
• Contribute $15 or more to help cover costs, newspaper ads (the Review and/or Islander), etc.*
  

*Checks payable to ABC, P.O. Box 10999, with notation"for SWWC" at bottom


For further information, write to: SaveWinslowWay@gmail.com

The Save Winslow Way Coalition is also looking for volunteer professional help, in addition to contributions. Please let us know if you can help with any of the following:


-Urban design and rendering.
-Accounting and financial analysis.
-Writing and editing.
-Event production.
-Marketing strategy.


It's our Island. It's our money.
Speak out!

Winslow Tomorrow has Lost it's Way

After researching the City’s proposals and speaking with hundreds of our neighbors around the Island, the Save Winslow Way Coalition remains strongly opposed to much of the Winslow Tomorrow plan for the simple reasons that the citizens of Bainbridge Island do not need it, do not want it and cannot afford it.

Islanders have moved here or remained here because of the rural character and sense of place they have found. Many of us have fled urban canyons and suburban strip malls. Under the up zoning proposed by Winslow Tomorrow, developers will profit from this sense of place and the enviable lifestyle we have today, and in the process destroy those very things.

We don’t need to rezone an entire district to resolve a handful of specific issues. We can replace the deteriorated utilities, give T&C a variance to expand, add parking and improve our current zoning ordinances– all without adopting increased heights and density and without selling out to developers.

We can already accommodate projected growth, which may or may not occur, within our current heights and densities. And let us emphasize the uncertainty surrounding that growth. Contrary to what some have written on this page in recent weeks and months, the Growth Management Act (GMA) does not force communities to take new population, it requires planning for projected growth to protect critical areas in the environment and to ensure that infrastructure will meet future needs. Not only can we not predict market forces with any certainty, but we may also have legitimate and legal reasons for limiting growth in the future.

We rely solely on our aquifers for potable water. There have been increasing instances of declining well levels and salt-water intrusion. No one knows how much water we have. The GMA, our Comprehensive Plan and common sense dictate that growth must not occur without adequate water resources.

Islanders have expressed clearly through our Comprehensive Plan and surveys that we do not want to promote growth. An increasing number of homeowners have expressed concern about future water availability and the potential impact on the values of their homes. So why, in light of these facts, would we up zone for taller denser buildings decades before the demand for increased density might arise?

And then there are the costs. The City has acknowledged a price tag of at least $100 million to pay for Winslow Tomorrow projects. Some experts have suggested that we may be looking at much more. Taxpayers can only afford so much to fund all of our community needs. What will we decide when asked to choose between Winslow Tomorrow projects and our Schools, Open Space, Affordable Housing, Parks, the Fire District…Financial commitments of this magnitude must be made only within the context of a complete understanding of the current and future needs of the entire community.

A significant aspect of the Winslow Tomorrow plans that has received little public attention is the selling of density bonuses to developers. The City claims that the monies collected will be used to fund open space and affordable housing and other amenities elsewhere in the Winslow Core, and yet it seeks to implement this program without having secured any land on which to create these essential public amenities. Somehow the opportunity to purchase Government Way, a large property ideally located for the provision of any number of public amenities, slipped past our City officials even as they plan to implement this bonus program.

Winslow Tomorrow began with a set of goals that mirrored those shared by most of the community. Unfortunately, the proposals developed to implement Winslow Tomorrow are not “green”, not “sustainable”, do not “preserve the community’s character”, nor “protect the environment” and as such they do not in fact embody that laudable vision.

We should expect a plan for Winslow that retains the small town character and scale of our “Main Street”, even as denser construction occurs around and behind Winslow Way. We can insist on responsible planning that requires tree retention and planting, sustainable building practices, proper stormwater treatment and public transportation. We must have a guarantee of future water availability before additional demand can be permitted. All of this and more is possible, but only if we all speak out and make ourselves heard.

Speak Out at Planning Commission

Public comment on the proposed upzoning that will allow taller and denser buildings along Winslow Way will be taken on Thursday May 24th at 7:30 before the Planning Commission. This is not a formal Public Hearing, but for citizens who have time and want to be heard, this will be one of only a few opportunities to do so.

Citizen Town Meeting Raises Many Concerns

A capacity crowd of Islanders of all ages and from across Bainbridge attended a Citizens Town Meeting on Winslow Tomorrow at the Commons Tuesday evening (5/8), hosted by the Save Winslow Way Coalition. The diverse group of citizens expressed a broad range of concerns about the future of the Island, and in particular about changes proposed for Winslow Way and the Core District.

The focus of discussion was on the Winslow Tomorrow (WT) plan and associated issues that will impact island life for everyone. WT is complex, and speakers acknowledged that it is not completely understood by anyone, including members of City Council, two of whom were at the meeting. Several speakers acknowledged that some aspects of the plan are well designed while others threaten the quality of life on the island.


Citizens commented on:

1. FUNDING - how much will this cost?

Analysis is required to:

(a) Forecast all projected taxes (sales tax, bonds, property, etc.) for all 5 taxing districts based on across-the-board community expenses over the long-term

(b) Disclose projected city expenses (capital construction, technology, etc.) over the long-term

(c) Prioritize funding - rate such community projects, including schools, open space, affordable housing, public transportation, library, fire department. Costs projected for the WT plans alone are projected to far exceed $100,000,000 over the next 20 years, not including interest.

2. ZONING/FAR - Current zoning and FARs (floor-area-ratios) are adequate and concerns were expressed about WT proposals to upzone Winslow Way from 35’ to 55’ or 5 stories. Noted that Harbor Square is 45 ft.

3. IF IT’S NOT BROKEN, DON’T FIX IT - Since downtown Winslow is working now, why is a “big fix” being discussed? Why not solve one issue at a time, such as:

(a) Utility/infrastructure repairs and upgrades
(b) parking for T&C,
(c) public transportation
(d) non motorized transportation

Further funds should not be committed to Winslow Tomorrow planning efforts unless the change is clearly needed.

4. COMMUNITY VOICE/VOTE - A community vote should be considered for a project that will so significantly impact the community at large, both in terms of quality of life and fiscally. A community perception is that the public participation process focused on convincing the public of the “need” for Winslow Tomorrow, rather than listening to the island’s voices about their vision for the island;

5. GMA REQUIREMENTS - Why is there such a rush to accommodate significantly larger numbers when basic infrastructure prerequisites (resources, such as water, and community values) are at risk? Has the City taken any steps to identity what exemptions from the GMA requirements might apply to Bainbridge Island?

6. SENSE OF PLACE AT RISK - Winslow's authentic small town feeling, spirit, and “sense of place” would be lost with proposed zoning - we don't want "Belltown on Bainbridge;"


7. SUSTAINABILITY - The Island’s "sustainability" is dependent on potable water, adequate waste/storm water management, and a healthy infrastructure that reduces pollution and improves the ecological balance of the island. The WT “developer driven” changes do not address “sustainability”. A water assessment is needed before such significant WT plans may begin.

8. PROFILE OF WT COMMUNITY COMMISSION GOING FORWARD -Council, as the policy-making body, should be dictating the direction, scope, and policy issues surrounding WT, based on extensive and ongoing public input. Therefore, the project’s director should report to Council, rather than the Mayor.

Community comments identified community priorities that trump the WT build out as:

• Mechanisms for saving Open Space are not included in the WT plan,
• Support for our vital stores downtown should come first (parking for T&C + not making it too expensive for existing stores to stay on Winslow Way).
• There should be a 10-year plan laid out as to how the island will spend significant amounts of money and that should be submitted to a vote.
• Public transportation for community health—increase teen access (would discourage drinking) and elder access.
• Grounding the future of BI in protecting the “well-being of the community”, saving Bainbridge,
• Checks and balances are essential, and include “slow growth” + “wise growth”,
  
• Small is beautiful/let’s do the hip replacement without going on steroids,
• Too big a change without an island-wide vote.
• WT costs should be viewed as part of all island costs. What choices must we make and what will our taxes be over the next 3, 5, 10 years be, including paying for technology refunding, school capital construction, operations, community center, open space, etc.
• Potential for 20’ sea rise and other probable weather-related emergencies should be addressed.
• Our island has finite resources, and may be entitled to a GMA growth exemption if there’s not enough water. The GMA is about agriculture, open space, affordable housing and not just numbers
• Our Comprehensive Plan is our Constitution.
• We’re at risk of losing our community diversity.
• Effective community conversation is lacking, including businesses along Winslow Way.
• WT represents marketed growth and is not naturally driven.
• The impacts of the Ferry Gateway plans need to be considered simultaneously with WT when evaluating the community impact.
• The community supports the WT vision and goals. It does not support the WT plans that fail to reflect these vision/goals.

Our thanks to all who took the time to join the conversation and to share their views/ concerns/ impressions about the Winslow Tomorrow process. Our hope is that our elected and appointed officials will be able to translate theses concerns into fiscally responsible legislation that fulfills both the original commendable goals of the Winslow Tomorrow vision and the dictates of the Comprehensive Plan.

Look for more Citizens Town Meetings to be scheduled soon.


Here is a link to Rachel Pritchett's May 6th article in The Sun
http://www.kitsapsun.com/bsun/cda/article_print/0,1983,BSUN_19088_5521725_ARTICLE-DETAIL-PRINT,00.html

Looking for Your Stories

Having heard time and again from Islanders considering relocating due to the urbanization of the Island, and knowing that many people have already done so, we would love to collect those stories here.

Please submit a comment about your own feelings regarding how the Island has lost or is losing something that is special to you and how that has lead you to consider leaving, or resulted in your leaving already. If you can share a story about someone else who has left, we would love to hear that as well.

The Petition is On-line

See the link at the top of the right hand column to sign the petition on-line. We will also continue to pass the petition in the community. Thank you to the dozens of citizens who have signed so far in person and on-line. Keep spreading the word.

The Petition is Launched

The Save Winslow Way petition to preserve the character and scale of our main street was launched today and met with great success at the global warming rally at Waterfront Park. As expected, not a single Islander was in favor of 55 foot building heights on Winslow Way.


If you haven't signed the petition let us know by E-mail at SaveWinslowWay@Gmail.com and we will let you know how you can do so.