Brandon and Kate Atkinson have a good thing planned for their commercial property behind The Slider Café.

But nearby residents and lot owners believe the couple’s proposed multi-family apartment/condo building is too big, too tall, and has too many short-term rental units.

As a result, the town planning commission voted last week during its 70-minute Zoom session to recommend hearing examiner David Lowell not approve a Conditional Use Permit when he considers the project on March 31.

In doing so, commission chair Marna Hanneman and members Liz Theaker and Bruce Bradburn did not follow La Conner Town Planner Michael Davolio’s recommendation for the Atkinsons’ proposal.

In his staff report, Davolio said the 20-unit residential project, six units of which would be short-term rentals, qualifies for permit approval provided the applicants comply with 11 specific conditions.

He said no pushback has been received from state agencies that have reviewed the project.

“I can tell you from my past experience working with similar projects in other communities that the state Department of Ecology can be really strict with these kinds of proposals,” Davolio said, “DOE has made no such statement on this project.”

However, the commission weighed heavily the input received from neighboring property owners and other townspeople.

“I’ve been reading the letters, listening to comments, it’s really the scale that gives me pause,” Theaker said after the commission vote was recorded.

“I think that as a community we know we need additional housing,” Hanneman added, though suggesting that the Center Street project isn’t a good fit for La Conner.

“This development is like putting a size six dress on a size 12 body. It affects the whole community. I think we’d be going down a slippery slope and then what’s the next one going to be.”

Brandon Atkinson is doing his best to make things work.

“The zoning is there to build a three-story building if it’s commercial. To me, Center Street is a residential area. I think people would be happier with this than something else. We bought the property. We have to build something there,” he said.

Kate Atkinson, whose parents, Kathy and the late Joe Thurmond, grew up in La Conner, said the project would enhance the neighborhood.

“It will be beautiful,” she said, “and be better than what’s there now.”

Neighbors weren’t convinced. They cited concerns with the building’s height which is nearly 35 feet due to flood plain requirements. There is additional concern about potential parking and traffic impacts, lack of landscaping, and the six short-term rentals which La Conner builder Gary Nelson said are akin to having “a hotel without a manager.”

Kate Atkinson said the short-term rental units shouldn’t pose noise-related problems for neighbors.

“We have Airbnb’s in Sedro-Woolley,” she said, “and never have complaints. They’re not that kind of venue.”

Nelson retained skepticism, mindful of when the old Station House restaurant operated a tap room on the north end of the building now occupied by The Slider Café.

“I made 50 noise complaints,” he recalled, “and got no recourse.”

His wife, Heike Nelson, a civil engineer, said that while she isn’t averse to the project’s concept, she feels “it’s too big for the footprint” of the building site.

She predicted unit residents would be two-car households commuting elsewhere, and thus impacting parking and traffic in the neighborhood.

“Gary and Heike made some really good comments,” said Talman. “I would look forward to being able to speak to that (landscaping) at the hearing examiner’s meeting.”

Following the vote, Davolio reminded commissioners that since the property is zoned commercial it could be developed as a “tavern, nightclub, or bowling alley.”

“This is a difficult one,” said Hanneman. “It doesn’t just affect people there (in the neighborhood), but the whole community. We’ll see what the hearing examiner says.”