letters
Development
Review misses the real story
The June 11 Review headline “Soil swap has south island abuzz” had it about right, although much of the “buzz” appears engendered by misinformation in the body of the story itself.
Regrettably, the negative buzz has been taken by a few environmental brown shirts as license to vandalize the site. The vandals pretend the moral high ground by an ironic “tag” to “Stop Destroying Bainbridge Island” spray painted on a project protective barrier.
Quite simply, water permeable and retentive sand from one part of the island is being moved to another part of the island. Less permeable material (by no means all “blue clay” as is clearly apparent by anyone passing the Lynwood Center site) is being placed correctly in a 100-foot by 100-foot hole.
The new material continues to be surrounded by a nearly mile long and wide deposit of sand providently left by receding glaciers from the Johnson farm south. It’s all pure and naturally occurring material just like your own property, folks. Trucking of off-island processed material further compromising our neglected island roads has been avoided by these procedures.
The fervently professed fears for the aquifer perpetuate the myth that there is but one aquifer underlying the island at uniform depth. In truth, there are many sources of water throughout the island, ranging from springs to variegated water bearing lenses at disparate depths.
The general thrust of the body of the Review article was to create the false impression that “there are no rules here anymore.” The truth is the project was vetted by the city in a nearly year-long public process that included careful and expensive engineering analysis.
Had the commentator who couldn’t “imagine something like this going on” lived on the island for very long, he would have known this site for many years provided a vital building material — sand — which likely made possible the living quarters where some of the project critics contribute some of their own pollution to the island.
I purchased the property 19 years ago and thus avoided a planned development of mini-storage warehouses and an RCA Earth Station. Throughout this long ownership, I have paid substantial property taxes that help educate some of the poorly informed critics and like miscreants in the recent vandalism at the site.
I would have welcomed the assistance of these environmental guardians as various miscreants abandoned trash and vehicles on the property. No such assistance was forthcoming then.
Should I live so long, I hope to eventually develop this strategically located property (surrounded by three busy roads, limited manufacturing zones to the north and west, a fire station and public meeting place to the east and a commercial school enterprise to the south), into a tastefully done multi-use site that will be a credit to the island.
Review readers should view skeptically the claims of those who profess to know and care more for a property than the property owner. Your own experience confirms that you care for your property more than your neighbor does. We are fortunate to have island-born-and-raised developer, Bill Nelson, who is sensitive to the history and traditions of this island. No outside dollars and sense developer would have restored Edna’s Beach House to the wonderful community gathering place it now is.
I am pleased that the Review editors in their June 14 editorial (“A treasured island tradition turns ugly”) tacitly acknowledge their responsibility not to encourage those who have no respect for the property and rights of others. Creating a “buzz” to sell newspapers is one thing, but creating an impression that people undertaking useful projects are subject to “no rules” and are therefore fair game for vandals is a dangerous disservice to the public the Review purports to serve.
BILL MOORE
Bainbridge Island
Business
Keep your cash on island
This is an appeal to Bainbridge Island citizens to patronize local businesses. I am neither a business owner nor a member of the Chamber of Commerce. I am a daily commuter to Seattle like many Island residents.
Our local businesses are a vital part of our community and help define the quality of life we have on the Island. Many of our businesses are being forced to close their doors or relocate. Some of this is due to poor business models, the greed of landlords and building owners, and simply due to a lack of business.
The margin on most businesses is very narrow, and most business owners aren’t getting rich running their businesses. These are the restaurants, retail and service businesses that allow you to go to dinner without a long drive, take a visitor out to show them around, provide you the materials for your kids’ birthday parties, quickly replace that printer cartridge, pick up a prescription and decorate your home.
These businesses sponsor our youth sports, volunteer their profits to local charities and advertise in our local paper.
Most of our Island businesses are happy to re-price something if you have found it for less elsewhere. Consider this; Silverdale will be incorporating itself into the City of Silverdale in the next year or so. The sales tax revenue generated in the myriad retail businesses there will no longer flow into the county coffers, where it is shared by all.
Instead it will be held within the new city’s budget, building infrastructure and beautifying within the boundaries of Silverdale. Kitsap County will be looking to the rest of us to make up the deficit, which is significant.
Let your sales tax dollars build island infrastructure and Island beauty. We are blessed with a great diversity of quality local businesses — let’s keep it that way. If nothing else, think about how much you’ll save in gas money.
MAUREEN HALLIGAN
Roe Road
