Isthmus Park Initiative Has Over 3000 Signatures

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Isthmus Park Initiative Has Over 3000 Signatures

Submitted by jlw on Thu, 09/11/2008 - 10:29am.

The Capitol Park Foundation has launched an initiative which would require the City Council to study the feasibility of turning the unoccupied parcels of the isthmus into a park. The idea is to partner up with state, federal, or private funding sources, to turn this into an attractive public space and lay the issue of high rise development on the isthmus to rest forever. That eyesore, the Capitol Center building, would be torn down in order to create this park space. Volunteers from Friends of the Waterfront who have been doorbelling in voting precincts in Olympia report that 80-90% of the people they find at home respond enthusiastically to this effort, and are happy to sign the initiative. (So much for the silent majority!) In just a few weeks, over 3000 of the required 4000 signatures have been gathered. This is a city inititiative, so only registered voters in the City of Olympia may sign.

Want to learn more? Check out the Capitol Park Foundation's website.

Want to sign? The initiative will be available for signatures at the Farmers Market all weekend. There will also be a group at the Law Enforcement Memorial on the Capitol Campus on Saturday, taking pictures and gathering signatures from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Or stop into Anne Buck's spice shop at 209 5th Avenue, across the street from the Capital Theater and sign it there.

jlw's blog
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As of April 1, 2008

Submitted by JMK on Thu, 09/11/2008 - 2:14pm.

the city had a population of 44,800 according to Wiki which I realize isn't the greatest source but a source no doubt. Information

Which only represents 6.7% of the population as of 4/1/08. (3000 signatures divided by 44,800 times 100 = 6.69)

Population is irrelevant

Submitted by jlw on Thu, 09/11/2008 - 5:37pm.

Population is irrelevant here. For a city initiative to make it onto a ballot, it requires signature by 15% of the registered voters at the time of the last general election, which in this case is slightly under 4000. I think what is significant is that so many signatures have been gathered in such a short time, and the high proportion of those people approached who are very happy to sign.

Special Place

Submitted by stevenl on Thu, 09/11/2008 - 9:46pm.

There is a detail here that was touched upon in earlier posts that I'd like to reintroduce.

This might be hard for newcomers and corporate shills to comprehend, those who are not products of the South Sound-- but the isthmus is not just another development opportunity for them to realize obscene profits. Us oldtime folks have a special association with that chunk of land.

First, it is where the salt and fresh water meet. It is indeed the very southern point of Puget Sound. It is where West Olympia joins with the rest of the city. It affords the view of the Olympic Mountains and thus inspired the name "Olympia." It is where Lakefair was held before the Capitol Center Building was constructed. King's Drive-in. It is where Capital Campus tourists, who spend money in Oly, get the Big Picture in the Sound view. It was where we could view the tacky "Christmas Island." The funky totem pole on 5th St. was constructed by Daryl Wade, a high school classmate of mine and a good guy.

In short, it is a very public chunk of property. It belongs to all of us. The city of Olympia should administer it, as it is such a shared piece of real estate.

Private concerns, of course, have the right to ignore all this. They can even hire articulate spokespeople to tell us we are stupid and ignorant for even questioning corporate development on the isthmus. As indeed they appear to be doing.

To Thad, and all 3000 who signed the petition, my best wishes.

If the FLOD is turned back into an estuary, I wonder if it would diminish the aesthetic appeal of those who would develop one of Oly's special places?

Public v. Private Interest

Submitted by Bert on Thu, 09/11/2008 - 10:00pm.

yes, yes, yes. This is a public interest issue. The public interest in maintaining existing zoning regulations outweights and overrides the developer's interests.

Rezoning and development on that parcel is not in the public interest.

3600+ signatures as of Friday

Submitted by jlw on Fri, 09/12/2008 - 3:32pm.

More than 3600 voters in the City of Olympia have now signed the initiative. We are very close to the goal of approximately 4000 signatures required to get it on the ballot. The rapid rate at which people are signing is a testament to both the hard work of the Friends of the Waterfront, who are door-belling and tabling at the Farmers Market, and to the eagerness with which people sign when they have an opportunity to do so. It's really gratifying to see a genuine grassroots effort yield such encouraging results.

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