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Letter from the Editor

September 1, 2008

Dear Readers,

For those of you who've been reading GP for years you'll notice there is no "President's Message" posted in this edition. Janine Gates, SPEECH President, has been traveling outside the country with her children; they won't return until after our deadline has passed.

So, just before she took off, Janine and I spent a little time together talking about recent events around Olympia. She wanted me to let you know how very grateful she is for all the community support and participation in the forum SPEECH sponsored in June: Envisioning Downtown Olympia. This event created momentum for community response at a public hearing of the Olympia Planning Commission. The proposed re-zone would allow development of a large condominium project, "Larida Passage," on the Isthmus between Capitol Lake and South Puget Sound in downtown Olympia.

Coordinating the event took many hours of planning, collaborating, attending various meetings, and a commitment by Janine and the SPEECH board to pull this off with very little lead time. Olympians responded to this opportunity to be informed, and to have a voice regarding decisions being made by city officials. This very successful event would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of countless volunteers and interested citizens, from students to seniors, and everyone in between. Finally, the Community Sustaining Fund provided a small grant to assist with the activities. A real sense of urgency permeated the event; it was filmed for broadcast on TCTV and a written report of the commentary and concerns was provided to city officials for consideration in their deliberations.

The purpose of the forum was to ensure that the public would be informed about issues surrounding potential downtown waterfront development. The goal – to educate the public and prepare for the public hearing on the issues – was achieved. More than 150 attended the SPEECH sponsored event, and more than 600 showed up at the Planning Commission public hearing. So a hearty thank you for a job well-done to volunteers, board members, and friends in other like-minded community organizations. A special kudos to another local publication, Works in Progress, for covering the related issues so extensively.

In the end, hundreds of people both for and against the proposed zoning change spoke out on the issues. The commission's recommendation to the City Council was to adopt an alternative zoning change that would allow taller buildings, in more limited space, and would create a 'tiered' effect. In arguing against the proposal, Commissioner Roger Horne reminded his fellow commissioners of the "pricelessness of this part of the world," and the importance of the legacy we will leave for future generations. He expressed deep appreciation for the "outpouring of energy" from those who offered testimony. He and two others voted against recommending any change in zoning. The City Council has yet to make a final decision, and cannot do so until after the next public hearing. That event is scheduled for September 16 at the Washington Center. Details can be found at the City of Olympia webpage: http://www.ci.olympia.wa.us/citygovernment/meetings/

I hope you'll be there to make sure your voice is heard!

Joanne McCaughan/Managing Editor


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