On March 10, the Board of Island County Commissioners unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance that restricts property owners’ ability to use their land. This was done in spite of repeated requests and pleadings that the commissioners notify the over 1,000 affected property owners surrounding NAS Whidbey (Oak Harbor) and the OLF (Coupeville) for public participation and input.

I am one of a handful of property owners that were notified that the impending zoning would affect my ability to subdivide my property. I filed a petition against the county with the Western Washington Growth Management Act Review Board requesting that the ordinance be remanded back to the county for effective notification of the affected property owners and provision of a forum for continouous and ongoing public participation in the crafting of this ordinance. The hearings board has denied the efforts (at taxpayer expense) of the county to have the case dismissed and a hearing on the merits of the petition is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. in Coupeville.

The nonprofit group Property Owners Against Land Use Restrictions (POALUR) has been established to provide a forum in which to focus our efforts to ensure public involvement in government as it applies to our property rights.

For more information please contact Becky Spraitzar at 360-675-8438 (leave message if no answer).

Becky Spraitzer

Oak Harbor