Because there was no final decision at the end of the Planning Commission’s meeting on December 8th, they will be a voting at an upcoming meeting to decide whether or not to change verbiage in a zoning code that would allow for “high density” mobile/manufactured home park(s) to be established on the north side of H Street from Harvey Rd to Valley View Rd.
I’d like to voice my opposition to any change in zoning that would allow these “high density” parks to take place. My concern and opposition lie with the devastating effects these “high density” parks will have on our environment.
As mentioned in the letter to the Editor dated January 4th in the Northern Light by Don Kruse, the proposed park(s) are planned to sit atop of the recharge area for the aquifer for all of Blaine, Birch Bay and much of the surrounding area.
As we all know, water is one of most essential components to life. Currently, we have a clean water source that we all enjoy. By putting “high density” housing atop of our natural recharge and filtering source, we don’t just risk contaminating the aquifer that we all depend on, we guarantee its contamination.
My question to the Planning Commission is what happens then?
Do those of us who live in Blaine, Birch Bay, and surrounding areas that depend on clean water, which we currently have, need to help pay for the building of a water treatment plant?
Will those of us who live and depend on clean wells, be now required to “hook” into the city’s water system when our wells become fouled from contaminates due to “high density” housing developments?
At whose expense?
Not only does drinking water become a concern but flooding also becomes an issue. Even now, with much of the land undeveloped, there is flooding that occurs during the fall, winter and spring months. How much more flooding can we expect when acres of land that were once able to help absorb rainwater, and filter our drinking water, are covered with mass amounts of concrete and asphalt?
One of the arguments used by the developers to offset the environmental abuse and destruction a “high density” mobile/manufactured home park will have been that they are bringing “affordable” housing to the community. But are they? Bank loans on manufactured homes have as much as a 3-4% higher interest rate than that of a stick-built home. That is if one can find a bank to offer a loan, as banks are now hesitant to approve loans on mobile/manufactured homes because of the lack of equity when one does not own the property the home will be placed on.
Once a mobile or manufactured home is set, it usually is never moved. Insurance only allows for one or two moves due to structural damage that they don’t wish to cover. This can mean that a person who has their mobile or manufactured home on land that they do not own is held hostage to rent increases. A person could find themselves not being able to pay the rent for their site but then neither can they move it or get out from under rent and loan payments by selling their mobile or manufactured home because of the depreciation that goes hand in hand with a mobile or manufactured home on a rental site.
I agree that there is a need for affordable housing. However, a “high density” mobile/manufactured home park is NOT affordable housing. I would refer you to a letter submitted to the Planning Committee dated May 13, 2022, by Shanna Leeland outlining arguments why mobile/manufactured home parks are not affordable, which also lists all research resources. And do we really want to allow any “high density” population to be constructed on top of our drinking water?
I would encourage everyone in the community that is opposed to changing the zoning code and allowing “high density” mobile/manufactured home parks to be established between Harvey Rd. and Valley View Rd. to write to our Planning Commission and/or come to the next meeting regarding this matter.
Lisa Cosky
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