Dear Citizens:

On June 29th, the planner granted an administrative variance from on-site parking requirements for a North First Street project that has five visitor units facing the water on first floor and three residences upstairs on First Street. (There is also a laundry there with its requirements.) The location is commercially zoned but not historic and is between Channel Lodge and the Harlans’residence.

From our code.

15.10.1230 Variance

“Variance” means the means by which an adjustment is made in the application of a specified regulation of a zoning ordinance/code to a particular piece of property, which property, because of the special circumstances applicable to it, is deprived of privileges commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same vicinity and zone and which adjustment will remedy disparity in privileges. A grant of permission by the legislative body that authorizes the recipient to do that which, according to the strict letter of the ordinance, could not otherwise be legally done. [Ord. 671 § 2, 1995.]

1. 15.90.030 Minimum off-street parking requirements.

(3) Commercial (a) Any new construction or change in use shall comply with the off-street parking requirements set forth in this chapter, except that the property owner may pay a fee into the parking improvement fund in lieu of furnishing the required parking spaces that the owner does not or cannot provide on-site with the exception of hotels, motels, boarding houses, and bed and breakfasts, which must provide on-site facilities.

Findings of fact:

1. The Port parking is for the Port.

2. The Planner’s report to the Planning Commission did not include this code – a serious omission.

3. I would have to pay $250 to appeal in addition to $125 per hour for the hearing examiner.

4. Adjacent and identical properties provided required onsite parking.

I call upon the mayor to remedy the town-created problem through the Reconsideration process. Fair is fair. The neighbors provided parking. Why not the new project?

Regards.

Linda Talman

La Conner