City of Shelton Commission Meeting 5/2/11

Proposed Amendments to Mixed Use Zoning Area
North Side of Alder Between First & Seventh Streets

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis Mason County Progressive

The Monday evening City of Shelton Commissioner meeting was interesting, but only if you’re a real estate wonk: The Dept. of Community Development headed up by Steve Goins proposed several amendments to the existing Mixed Use zoning that affects an area on the north side of Alder Street, between First and Seventh.

The recent demise of an owner of several properties bordered on the West by Seventh Street and on the East by Sixth, on the South by Alder and on the north by the alley that transects the block, led to a proposal to alter the current zoning amendments in a manner that would allow the construction of an unspecified structure; unspecified in height, depth, length, ingress and egress, parking accommodations, design and usage. Otherwise, the public was told everything about the proposal the developer wanted us to know---exactly nothing.

The absence of specifics is worrisome, as it is my experience that builders who try to hide their intentions are typically doing so for very good reasons. But one thing is a certainty, and that is the adjacent residences, along with those in the immediate neighborhood, will experience significant market value depreciation if the project is allowed to go forward.

Given the best of intentions of those property owners who gambled that their leaders would see the wisdom of their investing in homes of historical significance, I am compelled to announce that no good deed goes unpunished.

More importantly, the amendment hearing was initiated by staff. That is to say, someone in the City took it upon themselves to accommodate the plans of a private individual, and that ticks me off.

Because I am a big proponent of the NIMBY process (Not In My Back Yard), if someone wants to promote an invasive project in their own back yard, because they want to accommodate a friend, I say go for it---YIYBY (Yes In Your Back Yard). But don’t throw your friend's garbage on another man’s table and try to tell them it’s steak; we may not be the sharpest tacks in the box, but we’re smart enough to recognize a con job when we see it.

Part two of the hearing will take place on Monday, May 16th, at the Civic Center. If you care about the future of historical homes, be there.