SOUTH WHIDBEY RECORD: Port eyes grant for housing scheme (AUDIO)

Kira Erickson reports from the Island County Commissioners’ work session on Wed., Jul. 13, 2022.

During Wednesday’s work session for the Island County commissioners, officials from the Port of South Whidbey led a presentation about a project that would involve the building of new concession stands on the port-owned Whidbey Island Fairgrounds to include affordable housing units on the upper levels.

They Said It

Commissioner Janet St. Clair said the port’s project has always made sense to her because the infrastructure connecting to city utilities already exists.

“There’s an element of common sense to this being a logical place to do workforce housing,” she said.

“Citizens have a habit of stepping in and then creating tension for what we thought were allowable uses for affordable housing projects that derail the intention,” St. Clair pointed out, alluding to a recent Low Income Housing Institute project in Freeland that drew outcry because of its location in an area zoned as a business district.

St. Clair emphasized that the city must include the zoning change as part of an approved work plan or docket item, rather than just providing a letter of support for the project.

As Commissioner Jill Johnson put it, “Their enthusiasm is legally not enough to put something in a zone.”