A large convoy of Stryker vehicles was spotted (over an hour ago) traveling Southbound on I-5 in the vicinity of Federal Way. Any eyes on or near the Ports of Seattle and Everett - Please report. Is there a ship in port?

Food Mart with signs, including one saying, "Peace on Earth"

Peace on Earth, wouldn't that be great! So, it's cigarettes, ATM, lotto, energy drinks, beer, wine, and Peace on Earth.

Wow. Some weather the past few days. It felt like there was a thunderstorm brewing this afternoon.

more pictures from today

[June 30th, 2008 update: link to full length video of public testimony (from city website): olympia.granicus.com /MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=359]

I noticed that those who supported the rezone proposal were allowed to speak both first and last at last night's meeting. Is that fair?

The full hearing will be aired on TCTV, at 12 noon on Friday and 7 pm on July 8th, local channel 3 (citation).

Here's a video from theolympian.com:

link to theolympian.com video by Matt McVay

Development or protection of the quality of the open space?

Above is an image provided by Triway Enterprises depicting the Triway vision for the Larida Passage development on the downtown isthmus.

This is a picture that depicts the isthmus without any high-rise (or mid-rise) buildings. It is from Friends of the Waterfront, credit to whoever took the photo and whoever did the digital manipulation (this is a photo of the photo).

Here's a link to a set of photos from last night's hearing: Olympia Washington City Planning Commission Hearing on Proposed Urban Waterfront Rezone

Were you at last night's Planning Commission Hearing? Do you have a report back to share?

I would like to hear peoples' observations. Like for example, nearly 240 people signed up to deliver oral testimony. Only about 80 of those (an amazing feat in itself) were able to comment during the roughly 3 allotted hours.

Were all the views heard? Was everyone honest? Anything you thought was over-represented? Under-represented? Did you change your mind? Do you have increased doubts? Have you dug in your heels? Tell all!

You're welcome to make more formal remarks about the hearing and post them separately if you want, but please feel free to comment on, and discuss, last night's meeting "here."

- bert

see large

There is a proposal, brought by developer Triway Enterprises, to rezone the building height limits for the area of the city between Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet. The area, commonly known as the "isthmus," is a focal point of the city. High-rise buildings would (and one already does) obstruct the existing corridor between the River/Lake and Budd Inlet/Puget Sound.

I attended Capital City Pride. I walked with Cheryl Crist, who was in attendance. Here are photos from today's Capitol City Pride celebration:

Here's an alternate access to the photos I took: flickr.com...sets/72157605762978504/.

Here's a link to photos tagged with "20080622capitalcitypride": www.flickr.com/photos/tags/20080622capitalcitypride

p.s. you can add photos to this viewer by uploading them to Flickr and adding this tag: "20080622capitalcitypride". -bert

It seemed to me that the consensus last night was that there is a need and a desire for more housing downtown - dense urban "high rise" housing. And secondly there was consensus that the "isthmus"* is not the right place for the development of high rise buildings - for whatever purpose - and that the proposal and amendment to rezone that area should be denied swiftly and firmly.

A need for dense urban high rise living units: This need arises from ecological pressures. Our footprint as a society can be greatly reduced if we live more densely urban. On this there is wide ranging agreement. Who would disagree? Suburban sprawl has one of the most deleterious effects on ecology. It swallows up viable and useful farmland. It swallows up wilderness. It's not desirable. It's not sustainable. If we want to keep going as a culture, as a society and as a species, then we will need to "grow up." Wise and efficient land use is a major part of that equation.

The following is an excerpt from a Green Pages article written by former Mayor Bob Jacobs. He is a member of Friends of the Waterfront, a group that is opposed to a rezone proposal for urban waterfront areas on the isthmus (peninsula). The proposal would accommodate building heights (and luxury condominiums) of over 90 feet in some areas. The current building height limit is 35 (plus some roof-top utility structure.)

go to original

...

Friends of the Waterfront has been calling for a comprehensive community-wide visioning process to determine the shape of our waterfront area. The general public should determine how this vital area will be used to support the high quality of life we all want to continue to enjoy in Olympia.

The next step in the city's consideration of the isthmus rezone proposal is the public hearing before the Olympia Planning Commission at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24, at the Olympia Center. Tentatively, people will be able to sign in starting at 5:30 for a slot to testify.

Meantime, we seek Letters to the Editor in support of our position. We also have yard signs, and window signs available for distribution.

Please visit our website (www.friendsofthewaterfront.org) for all the information on this proposal and links to city files and letters to the editor. See the Images section of the website for interesting commentary on the proponents' misleading graphic depictions.

See here for information on tonight's community downtown Olympia envisioning forum: olyblog.net/speech-sponsors-community-forum-envision-downtown-olympia