My reason for supporting language in the wireless ordinance regarding impacts to property values is because it is my understanding that it is appropriate for aesthetics to be considered when drafting local wireless regulations. It is also my understanding that aesthetics and/or property values are not an appropriate consideration in the CAO update process.
I hope this is helpful.
What do you think readers? Is this helpful?
Regardless, have a look at a recent letter from one of our fellow islanders. Our citizenry continues to speak out, and the question remains whether anyone is listening.
___________________________________________________________
An Open Letter to the San Juan County Council
Re: Critical Area Ordinance (CAO) and Shoreline Master Plan (SMP) Revision For months, we have been subjected to the charade of the CAO and SMP update process. We were promised that the Best Available Science (BAS) would be used to justify changes in regulations but in reality the science that is being used is nothing but a smoke-screen for an agenda being furthered by certain elements in the County with the encouragement of the Department of Ecology (DOE) and the so-called "Friends" of
the San Juans (FSJ). This ''Troika's'' starting premise is clear but officially unstated. They believe the regulations on property owners need to be radically tightened and future development further restricted . The problem is that they have not provided ANY facts that substantiate that the existing development standards and regulations are ineffective in protecting the environment from REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.
It was apparent from the outset of the CAO and SMP update process that the County and the rest of the Troika wanted to increase the "setback" or "buffer" along the waterfront. The Troika wants us to believe that all residential development adjacent to the waterfront causes REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE to the environment. If the County continues on its current path many existing waterfront homes will end up as "non-conforming" structu res when the County increases the setback. The BAS contained in the reports provides no factual evidence of any REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE to the environment created by the construction and occupancy of residences constructed consistent with current or relatively recent regulations.
In reality, each and every one of us "impacts" the environment every day. We breathe, drink water, eat, flush the toilet, and so on. Are these actions causing any REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE to the environment? No! They produce an acceptable and minimal impact on the environment! In the overall context of life and the ecosystem we live in, a properly built residence constructed and used under the current regulations with the existing setbacks/buffers also produces an acceptable and minimal impact on the environment. Yes there are occasional actions by some individuals which do not follow the existing guidelines and these individuals need to be dealt with, but the existing regulations do work!
In a way, the Troika of the County, DOE and FSJ are intent on transforming San Juan County into a giant petri dish. This is a county-wide laboratory experiment that will be at OUR expense. There has not been any publicly disclosed Cost - Benefit Analysis undertaken by the County to demonstrate the real cost impact and supposed environmental benefits of these new regulations. It is only logical that any proposed regulations should include a Cost-Benefit Analysis to see how much the environment will gain by their imposition. With no real data documenting REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE caused by following the current regulations, the County therefore cannot describe any tangible benefit that will result from their new, more onerous regulations.
That leaves us with the incredible looming cost to everyone who lives in San Juan County. These costs will include more County staff to administer and enforce the processes and regulations, litigation costs that the County will be exposed to as property owners contest the loss of property use, costs to landowners to pay for offisland consultants to defend their routine development and property management actions, construction jobs lost, etc. Perhaps more onerous, it will make building or renovating homes or businesses in the San Juans substantially more expensive than at present which will result in the San Juans becoming more of an elitist and moneyed community. The "Friends" are probably ok with that shift as are the DOE but the County doesn't even seem to have considered the impact of the direction in which they are heading.
Look around you. San Juan County is a beautiful place. It is that way because the current regulations are effective and the vast majority of the residents care for environment they live in. Yes there are occasional violators of the current regulations and they need to be dealt with, but you do not need to impose draconian regulations that have no real justification nor tangible benefits to offset the cost burden on virtually all property owners.
Washington State law does not require the County to change the existing standards. Washington State law only requires that the County review the existing CAO and SMP regulations. If you look around it is clear that overall the existing standards are working and at most, require only some minor adjustments, not arbitrary and unjustified draconian changes.
Don Webster
Orcas Island
Re: Critical Area Ordinance (CAO) and Shoreline Master Plan (SMP) Revision For months, we have been subjected to the charade of the CAO and SMP update process. We were promised that the Best Available Science (BAS) would be used to justify changes in regulations but in reality the science that is being used is nothing but a smoke-screen for an agenda being furthered by certain elements in the County with the encouragement of the Department of Ecology (DOE) and the so-called "Friends" of
the San Juans (FSJ). This ''Troika's'' starting premise is clear but officially unstated. They believe the regulations on property owners need to be radically tightened and future development further restricted . The problem is that they have not provided ANY facts that substantiate that the existing development standards and regulations are ineffective in protecting the environment from REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.
It was apparent from the outset of the CAO and SMP update process that the County and the rest of the Troika wanted to increase the "setback" or "buffer" along the waterfront. The Troika wants us to believe that all residential development adjacent to the waterfront causes REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE to the environment. If the County continues on its current path many existing waterfront homes will end up as "non-conforming" structu res when the County increases the setback. The BAS contained in the reports provides no factual evidence of any REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE to the environment created by the construction and occupancy of residences constructed consistent with current or relatively recent regulations.
In reality, each and every one of us "impacts" the environment every day. We breathe, drink water, eat, flush the toilet, and so on. Are these actions causing any REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE to the environment? No! They produce an acceptable and minimal impact on the environment! In the overall context of life and the ecosystem we live in, a properly built residence constructed and used under the current regulations with the existing setbacks/buffers also produces an acceptable and minimal impact on the environment. Yes there are occasional actions by some individuals which do not follow the existing guidelines and these individuals need to be dealt with, but the existing regulations do work!
In a way, the Troika of the County, DOE and FSJ are intent on transforming San Juan County into a giant petri dish. This is a county-wide laboratory experiment that will be at OUR expense. There has not been any publicly disclosed Cost - Benefit Analysis undertaken by the County to demonstrate the real cost impact and supposed environmental benefits of these new regulations. It is only logical that any proposed regulations should include a Cost-Benefit Analysis to see how much the environment will gain by their imposition. With no real data documenting REAL, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE caused by following the current regulations, the County therefore cannot describe any tangible benefit that will result from their new, more onerous regulations.
That leaves us with the incredible looming cost to everyone who lives in San Juan County. These costs will include more County staff to administer and enforce the processes and regulations, litigation costs that the County will be exposed to as property owners contest the loss of property use, costs to landowners to pay for offisland consultants to defend their routine development and property management actions, construction jobs lost, etc. Perhaps more onerous, it will make building or renovating homes or businesses in the San Juans substantially more expensive than at present which will result in the San Juans becoming more of an elitist and moneyed community. The "Friends" are probably ok with that shift as are the DOE but the County doesn't even seem to have considered the impact of the direction in which they are heading.
Look around you. San Juan County is a beautiful place. It is that way because the current regulations are effective and the vast majority of the residents care for environment they live in. Yes there are occasional violators of the current regulations and they need to be dealt with, but you do not need to impose draconian regulations that have no real justification nor tangible benefits to offset the cost burden on virtually all property owners.
Washington State law does not require the County to change the existing standards. Washington State law only requires that the County review the existing CAO and SMP regulations. If you look around it is clear that overall the existing standards are working and at most, require only some minor adjustments, not arbitrary and unjustified draconian changes.
Don Webster
Orcas Island