The Editor:
If a town planners association had an annual Goofy Award, I would nominate the planners of Point Roberts.
The most inappropriate and community damaging one is our small-town commercial designation of Gulf Road and the development rules governing it.
How many private developments have taken place along this strip in the past 30 years?
One.
On the same strip, three houses have been built. I am not aware of any other place where tourist/commercial property has less value than residential property.
We had a local developer builder actually apply for a commercial/residential building permit, found it could not be done, so built a house and sold it. Building houses on Gulf Road undermines the intent of the zoning further ensuring tourist/commercial will never be built. Assembling large tracts of developable land is not an option here. Consequently, our community continues to miss investment and employment opportunities.
If the county planners believe contrary, please physically demonstrate to us how this commercial building may be done.
The primary regulation that prevents commercial retail storefronts from being built along Gulf Road is the 20-foot frontage building setback.
This prevents the walk by window shopping experience and turns the store into a destination outlet. This grossly restricts accessibility. Look around at all the other towns like Friday Harbor, Blaine and Lynden, in fact any and every other downtown anywhere. Their downtown corridor with zero building frontage setbacks enjoys pedestrian walk by window shopping.
No downtown frontage street works unless they have a zero-building setback. Our zoning is archaic and it must be drastically changed before we face another 30 years of inaction and economic erosion.
Get on with it or have the decency to get out of the way. We already have enough of an economic handicap with international border regulations Lets take action to create some hope for our economic future.
Brian Calder, an advocate for Point
Roberts economic survival
Point Roberts
The Editor:
Trinity Lutheran Church is often filled with music for worship services, concerts, and special events. We, at Trinity would like to thank Esther Rosenthal for her extraordinary volunteerism in providing music for so many of these occasions.
Her talent and willingness to support the church was invaluable. Whether playing piano or French horn, filling in on a Sunday morning for a worship service, or providing special musical arrangements and performances for concerts and weddings, Esther always came when called. It takes a special volunteer to do that.Thank you, Esther!
Lucy Williams and Trinity
Lutheran Church
Point Roberts
The Editor:
The Point Roberts Winds would like to acknowledge and thank Esther Rosenthal for her many years of participation. Not only did we benefit from her French horn performances but also from her arrangements for the Winds, as well as her original compositions. Thank you, Esther. The Winds would not have sounded so good without you!
Lucy and Dick Williams, Paul Ferry, Pat Hull, Lillian Ellis, Nancy Duncan, Claire Desautels LeBlanc, Janet Drew, Robin Black, Judy Berry, and many more!
The Point Roberts Winds
Point Roberts
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