Public Hearing on Housing Behind Hanks

[Reapward]

JT- They are talking about Twisp going from 900 population to about 2500 in about 5 years.

From the county commissioners meeting.

[mikeparks]

Most everyone around here knows there are very few small towns left that have the unique quality of Twisp.

Many of the locally owned businesses in small towns across rural America have been shuttered because big corporation franchise operations have been allowed to move in like Dollar Stores, Walmart, Subway, KFC, Target, etc. Get ready for the same to happen here if this project passes.

I’m all for local affordable housing however, design is everything and a three-story apartment complex behind Hanks with not enough parking is just wrong.

Mike Parks

[karlukkid]

If you attended this meeting last night I would appreciate a re cap Bruce Herron

[avatar]

Well, I attended the meeting yesterday and came away from it with a clearer perspective on this issue. It's only right that I share some of the things I learned.

First of all, my personal feelings about it haven't changed. It's a big, highly visible project, of a design that offends my nature-loving sensibilities, and it will permanently alter the character of the town and, like it or not, the Methow Valley in general. It's a hard swallow for someone who came to the valley with dreams of escaping everything "urban". Of course, I wish that every other individual here in the Valley were exactly like me, perfectly content to live with only the river and the trees and the mountains and the fields and the wild animals, with little more than life's most basic, necessary things. I might suffer William Stafford as a neighbor, as long as he lived several miles up the road from me and kept mostly to himself, which he probably would. But alas, such is not the case!

During the meeting last night, it became clear to me that this project actually has the support and approval of more people than I had expected. I also learned, to great surprise, that Catholic Charities already manages several other known projects of similar purpose here in the valley, and has established a mostly good reputation and the respect and appreciation of people who know more about these matters than I do. Local people who for many years have been actively engaged in addressing the lack of affordable housing here in the valley, doing the real work it requires. It's only fair that I acknowledge that fact. I was wrong to assume that CCEW were just another so-called "non-profit organization" gobbling up land in the valley, or that they are secretly evil. They are not. A few of their principal representatives were present at the meeting last night. Each one of them stood up and thoughtfully addressed certain concerns raised by a several citizens and council members, and they seem to be lovely individuals. Professional, knowledgeable, ethical, sincere and of good intention.

Another thing I learned is that there are more under-housed people here in the valley than I thought there could be. There ARE enough less-privileged families and individuals to fill up all the 72 new units that this project will provide, who have already been pre-approved for units at other facilities and are just waiting for new housing to become available. So, my concerns that this project would only bring more people into the valley were unfounded. There's a solid chance that it will actually help to alleviate the problem of affordable housing for people already living here.

Anyway . . . let me just finally say that in my previous posts I got carried away. I allowed my own opinions and feelings and biases to get the best of me. In my own defense, it was out of sincere love for this special corner of the world and genuine concern for the most vulnerable people living here.

Peace.

~ Chris Campbell

[BaublitzBurgars]

Wow Chris, amazing and uplifting analysis and confession. Thanks for writing it. I can hear your strong love for the valley, but also your heart for the people we share it with. Len Baublitz

[karlukkid]

Thanks Chris for your open feedback. However, my opinion remains the same, as I said in my first post the fix was in from the beginning, the Town only cares about tax revenues. I wonder how many of those folks that expressed support for this at the meeting have moved into the valley recently. I agree with Bob, I suppose we can move out of the valley to Montana, but then we would be doing the same thing to the folks there that is happening to us, and they would feel angry like some of us do because they are losing something special. I suppose in the end we will trash this valley like Sun Valley or Moab. But at least we will have a four or five McDonalds and an maybe an Arby's Bon Apetite. Bruce Herron Wolf Creek

[biglakejudy]

What bothers me is this was presented as a fix for OUR housing problems here. Only, there is a waiting list of around two thousand people who don't live in this valley. People have to care about where they live. It has to mean something to them. It won't mean a thing to someone who is moving here just to have cheap rent. I do believe there is problem of how to take care of the marginalized that will live in these apartments. If you think its hard to get someone to work on your car now, just wait. Good luck on that one.

[karlukkid]

Just like in WInthrop,, big money comes in and all the building codes go out the window.

[avatar]

In light of new information that today was made public by Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington, regarding their proposed project in Twisp, I would like to retract my most recent mostly positive and conciliatory comments on this issue. I am wholeheartedly against Catholic Charities expanding their footprint here in the Methow Valley.

[ML Harris]

Chris, what is the "new information" that you referred to in your previous post? Thanks.