Blaine City Council revisited an interim zoning ordinance it approved last month to consider modifications for the historic Salishan neighborhood but ultimately voted against any changes during its Monday meeting.
The interim ordinance allows a one-year experiment in the city’s central business district aimed to attract developers by eliminating building height restrictions, design review and minimum parking requirements.
Council members Richard May, Sonia Hurt and Isaac Newland requested the interim ordinance be reassessed after receiving a petition with 61 signatures from Salishan residents. The neighbors requested the garden subdistrict, a narrow area that buffers the Salishan neighborhood from downtown, be removed from the interim zoning ordinance.
The ordinance was not discussed at a previous council meeting before the March 9 vote, though a public hearing notice was published online the Thursday before the Monday meeting. State law allows council to approve an interim zoning ordinance without a public hearing, provided a hearing is held within the next two months and staff creates a work plan to study the changes.
Salishan residents lined up during the town hall on Monday to make their concerns heard before the council meeting.
Former City Manager Gary Tomsic asked council to rescind the interim zoning ordinance.
“I don’t disagree that there is a need for us to do something about sustaining and building upon our downtown area,” Tomsic said. “But I think the thing council members have ignored is the fact that downtown does not belong to downtown business owners.”
Salishan resident Wayne Vezzetti said he and his wife, Rachel, are restoring the 1913 Wolten home, which housed one of Blaine’s earliest settler families. Vezzetti requested council exclude the garden subdistrict to help maintain Blaine’s historic charm.
“Nearly every single day people stop by. They pause and watch the progress. Share stories passed through generations,” Vezzetti said. “It has become more than a restoration project. It has become a point of connection for the community and a reminder of Blaine’s heritage.”
Salishan resident Brenda Levetsovitis said preserving the Salishan neighborhood’s historic charm drew people to downtown.
“We’re showing up. We’re voicing our concerns,” Levetsovitis said. “And we’re asking you to let that weigh into this decision.”
Real estate agent John Ramsey and downtown business owner Skye Hill spoke in support of keeping the interim ordinance intact.
Council remained divided after the town hall. May proposed council create temporary restrictions to the interim ordinance for the garden subdistrict east of Peace Portal Drive. The restrictions would either require buildings to be limited to 36 feet, as originally zoned, or stylistically consistent with the oldest heritage homes on the same block.
The garden subdistrict west of Peace Portal Drive would continue to have unrestricted zoning under the interim ordinance.
“Are we even going to be Blaine if we give up some cute little things about Blaine?” May said. “This is just one little way of keeping one little part of it a little more preserved while we go hog wild with the rest of downtown.”
During the March 9 meeting, May proposed removing the garden subdistrict from the interim ordinance, but the idea was shot down by fellow council members. Councilmember Sarbie Bains, a downtown business and property owner, said at the time that she wouldn’t support the amendment because Salishan residents didn’t voice concern.
May asked Bains whether she would be open to an amendment after hearing from Salishan residents.
“I’m not,” Bains said.
Bains and Councilmember Don Enos said Salishan residents didn’t support the amendment after Enos asked the audience if it was something they wanted. May emphasized it was a compromise and no two sides would be fully satisfied.
Hurt, who lives in the Salishan neighborhood, said she didn’t believe the amendment would affect the temporary ordinance.
“We’re only talking about five blocks,” Hurt said. “And it’s not prime development space.”
City Manager Mike Harmon said the city hadn’t received a development proposal for the area described in the amendment, but added he believed increased housing density was important for downtown.
Since the interim ordinance, Harmon said the city received a pre-application for Fifth Avenue Homes’ proposed six-story, 54-unit apartment building at 648 Peace Portal Drive, next to the Black Forest building. Developers have also inquired about the west side of Peace Portal Drive.
Mayor Mary Lou Steward said it was essential for the city to attract more downtown housing to bring more customers to businesses and keep the city from cutting essential services. The city, already running on a barebones budget, has faced decreased sales tax revenue from fewer Canadian travelers over the past year.
May’s amendment failed 3–4, with supportive votes from councilmembers May, Hurt and Newland.
May said after the meeting that he was frustrated with council for not providing a compromise to Salishan residents.
“It would have been a gesture. The whole neighborhood got together,” May said. “I’m disappointed for us to not give them an inch when you have 61 homeowners sign a petition, send emails and speak.”
