June 19, 2005 Skagit County Commissioners
RE: Please Stay the Course - Address Ferry Service Hours in the Subarea Plan Process Dear Commissioners: I write this letter on behalf of Friends of Guemes Island ("Friends"). Friends urges that the BOCC not consider expanding the hours of ferry service to Guemes Island at this time. This is a critical issue to residents of Guemes Island. This issue can best be addressed by the Guemes Island Subarea Planning process. Expanding hours of ferry service to Guemes Island will likely increase the growth rate on the Island and result in significant adverse impacts to the sole source aquifer and rural character. Under the provisions of the State Environmental Policy Act ("SEPA"), expanding hours of ferry service will require preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS"). Skagit County is already committed to preparation of a community Subarea Plan for Guemes Island. Skagit County shall prepare a community plan for . . .
Comprehensive Plan Policy 4A-7.15 (emphasis supplied). The Guemes Subarea Plan will require an EIS that must specifically address ferry service. The BOCC should not independently analyze expanding hours of ferry service, but instead should review this issue and its impacts as part of the Guemes Subarea Planning process which will include an EIS for the Guemes Subarea Plan. Attachment A to this letter is a copy of Resolution No. R20030037 that initiated Subarea Planning for Guemes Island. Attachment B to this letter is copy of Resolution No. 20050025 that established the work program for the Subarea Plan. This Resolution authorizes the Guemes Advisory Committee to prepare the draft Subarea Plan for Guemes Island. The Guemes Advisory Committee is required at page 5 of the work program, to address ferry service issues, in cooperation with the ferry committee. The Subarea Plan will, at the same time, address aquifer issues (page 5) and rural character issues (page 4). Friends requests that the BOCC stay the course that it set earlier this year with the adoption of the work program for the Guemes Subarea Plan and allow the issue of expanding hours of ferry service to continue to be addressed by the Subarea Planning process and by the EIS for the Subarea Plan. This will allow coordination with the ferry committee, and will allow the broadest level of review by the public, staff, and planning commission before the BOCC makes a decision on this issue that is critical to Friends of Guemes. Please stay the course and allow the Guemes Subarea Planning process to resolve the issue of expanding hours of ferry service. Respectfully, Gerald Steel, PE GERALD STEEL, PE 2545 NE 95th STREET SEATTLE, WA 98115 Tel/fax (206) 529-8373 June 20, 2005
RE: Please Stay the Course - Follow the Guemes Task Force Recommendations Dear Commissioners: I write this letter on behalf of Friends of Guemes Island ("Friends"). The adopted Guemes Task Force Recommendation directs that hours of ferry service not be expanded at this time. Friends urges that the BOCC rely on this adopted policy until this issue can be more fully addressed in the Guemes Subarea Planning process. This is a critical issue to residents of Guemes Island. The BOCC has worked hard on setting a schedule policy with public support for the Guemes Island Ferry. Resolution R20040051 (Attachment 1 to this letter) describes how the BOCC, in March, 2003, first established the Guemes Island Ferry Schedule and Fare Task Force ("Task Force"). It also describes how the BOCC held a noticed public hearing in December, 2003 to hear public input and consider the Final Recommendations of the Task Force regarding ferry schedule policy. In February, 2004, the BOCC adopted the Guemes Task Force Final Recommendations by this Resolution. Attachment 2 to this letter is a copy of the adopted Task Force Final Recommendations. Page 2 of these Recommendations further discusses the public process. The Task Force, representing a diverse cross-section of citizens, met 10 times between March and October, 2003, and "achieved general agreement on a balanced set of recommendations." In November, 2003, the Task Force held a well-advertized public meeting on Guemes Island to consider these draft recommendations. Following this public meeting, the Task Force met two more times to develop the Final Task Force Recommendations that were adopted by the BOCC. After considering the diverse public input regarding the ferry schedule, the BOCC adopted the Task Force Recommendation to meet demand using "the currently defined schedule day." Attachment 2, page 2, first bullet. Friends of Guemes Island requests that the BOCC continue to rely on this adopted Task Force Recommendation that the demand be met using "the currently defined schedule day," at least until the BOCC adopts the Guemes Subarea Plan. Friends of Guemes Island opposes extending ferry hours beyond the current schedule day because this action will increase the growth rate on Guemes and will have significant environmental impact on the Guemes sole source aquifer and rural character. All of these issues need to be studied together and addressed together in the Subarea Plan. Attachment 3 to this letter is the latest Resolution setting policy for fares for the Guemes ferry. Attachment 4 to this letter is a Resolution that establishes a Roundtable forum composed of Public Works and the Guemes Island Ferry Committee. Friends of Guemes supports the use of this Roundtable to implement the adopted Task Force Recommendations. Friends suggests that the Roundtable develop scheduling options as consistent as possible with the adopted Task Force Recommendations and submit these options to the Guemes Advisory Committee for review in the Subarea Planning Process. This will allow for a broad level of review on all ferry schedule issues by the public, staff, and planning commission before the BOCC makes a decision on these issues and adopts a Subarea Plan. Friends of Guemes Island opposes expanding hours of ferry service at this time. This is a critical issue to Friends of Guemes Island. Friends requests that the BOCC stay the course and keep the ferry operating within the currently defined schedule day. Please allow the Guemes Subarea Planning process to resolve the issue of expanding hours of ferry service. Thank you.Respectfully, Gerald Steel, PE |
