Friday Harbor Town Council February 20, 2025

During opening public comment a resident spoke on behalf of families living on Nash Street about over bright streetlights shining in bedroom windows, noting a past commitment from the Town to have the same lighting level on the 700 block as is installed on the 600 block.  A second citizen supported this request.

The council briefly discussed a resolution shifting funding on the engineering and design contract for the Water System Final Plan to an earlier phase to address moving from pumps to gravity flow for individual filters to increase resiliency.

Ryan Erickson, Community Development Director, reported on the Purple Lane planned residential development in the Finnegan Ridge neighborhood. Initially approved in 2019 for 26 units with phased development, the permit did not have conditions for individual phases.  The plan requires a 20-foot fully screened buffer zone, allowed lower intensity for internal roads than is standard for larger sub-divisions, and a checklist of items for final approval that must be completed within five years of plan approvals. Phase 1 is complete but only 2 units are occupied with conditional use permits and Phase 2 is complete but unoccupied. Buffer zone and drainage requirements have not been met for final occupancy approval. The developer has until 2027 to meet the deadlines for unit 12-24. Phase 3 foundations are underway but await the town’s approval for roadway and parking area improvements.

Erickson said experience with this project made clear the need to amend the review and approval process for phased subdivisions to apply requirements regarding each phase.

During closing public comment two citizens spoke about problems caused by the Purple Lane project. A resident owning an apartment building below the Purple Lane developments experienced flooding, drainage problems, and blown dirt which caused expensive damage to his properties and his neighbors. A resident of the Finnegan’s Ridge development said flooding from Purple Lane damaged the road in the Finnegans’ Ridge development, which itself was not properly landscaped, and residents had to remove invasive weeds left in place by the developer.

Council Member Turnage asked to add the question of the streetlights on Nash to a future agenda.

The Town Council will meet jointly with the County Council from 9 to 12:00 at Brickworks on March 12.

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