Mayor hears views on Jenson field

Some 13 people shared their views on the Town of La Conner's half-acre Jenson field property with Mayor Marna Hanneman Saturday at the La Conner Swinomish Library.

Most had started the discussion nine days earlier at a town-organized community mingle April 25. This time Channel Drive residents Dave Buchan and Susan Macek and Pull and Be Damned resident Dana Heald came and added their perspectives.

Buchan shared his concern over the dramatically declining enrollment in the local school district, saying a lack of affordable housing prevents families with children from living in town. He also called for a master plan, developed in conjunction with The Port of Skagit. Buchan addressed one of the five issues Hanneman listed from the mingle.

Besides the need for working-class housing, that group identified leaving the property alone, as open space, a community garden, a dog park and a food forest.

Heald advocated for open space, saying, "space has a value. Leave it alone." She noted her husband, Larry Heald, was an artist, as is Maggie Wilder, the food forest advocate. Heald criticized, as others have, the loss of the Maple Avenue ballfield to the Landed Gentry housing development, repeating, "the ballfield was an open space."

La Conner must plan for 20-year growth of 124 residents under the state's Growth Management Act, Buchan pointed out.

"Five to seven houses will not solve the housing problem," Heald said.

Buchan noted the Port has been looking at workforce housing at its north end La Conner Marina property for years and pressed for a townwide assessment.

Hanneman opened the meeting saying again, "The Town wants to know what the community wants it to be" and emphasized, "the Town is not in the business of building." Instead, partnerships will be needed for any development.

Attendees recognized more housing units and the size of the school district are linked. Buchan initiated that topic, reciting the declining enrollment projections of under 450 students next year compared to 600-plus students two years ago.

Resident Linda Talman believes there are more families and children in town than commonly thought. Parents tell her they are sending their kids to private schools and other districts.

"What I hear is that some people don't have faith in the schools. Some say the kids are feral. All kids are feral," she said. Low student test scores are also troubling to parents, she said.

Channel Cove resident Al Williams shared conversations he has had with Swinomish tribal members, reporting some parents are transferring their children to schools in Tulalip and as far as Muckleshoot. Participants agreed parents on both sides of the channel are concerned with years of school staff turnover and the workloads staff carry.

Turning to the property itself, the high agricultural quality of the soil was noted as was it flooding in 2022. Residents would need flood insurance at a high cost with little benefit, said resident Jim Matthews.

Williams said Channel Cove experiences ponds and the ground sinks during heavy rains.

"You go out my back door and there is a lake," he said. Several of his neighbors agree and are against development, he said.

Jerry George remarked that a firetruck cannot pass through the 15-foot-wide easement. An agreement with Home Trust of Skagit for access through their Channel Cove property would be needed.

"It is an undevelopable property by virtue of the fact a firetruck cent get to it," George said.

Felicia Minot, the Trust's executive director, said long-term affordable housing is the vision and mission of her organization and it has to participate in any planning.

Several times Hanneman acknowledged the issue was complicated, recognizing that she was repeating herself. At the end of the hour she wrapped up, saying, "Overall, I heard just leave it alone, or a food forest." Her last words: "The conversation, everyone, will continue. A decision will not happen overnight or even in a couple of years."

Resident B.J. Carol, a member of a Skagit Transit advisory board, opened the meeting advocating for taking the bus, whether to the Anacortes ferry terminal or from Seattle to La Conner. Doing so mitigates the need for parking and reduces carbon emissions, she said. Hanneman noted there is a loop that includes Shelter Bay.