Editor,

I was very interested to read about the developer withdrawing their application for the new housing development proposal on Coles Road (Nov. 30 story in the South Whidbey Record).

I hear so much about the urgent need for more housing on Whidbey Island, and yet stifling regulation requirements and long delays by the the Langley City Council has caused the developer to give up on the project.

It is time for our city and county governments to back off from their micro-management and heavy-handed regulation requirements. If they are serious about getting more housing built, they must ease the regulations and streamline the permitting process. Developers must have assurance of reasonable requirements and a timely permitting process, before they will be willing to invest in new housing in Island County.

Henry Missel

Langley