Freeland, where art thou?

This is the third in a series on limiting Island County growth to our designated Urban Growth Areas, especially Freeland, by Dean Enell, current climate activist with Whidbey Climate ACTION. (See Keep Rural Areas Rural 4/12, and Sewer Fights Climate Change 3/21)

The comment below tries to answer the question, “Freeland, where art thou in our GMA plans, as our rural areas disappear?”

Island County (IC) recently spent $295k to study smaller sewer systems. This report, ‘The Island Region Wastewater Innovations Report’, had the lofty goal of:

“gaining a deeper understanding of interrelated issues, research best practices, analyze constraints and opportunities, and recommend steps for Island County to enact innovation solutions”

How did they do and will it move the needle on making that UGA created in Freeland some 25 years ago functional? 

First, let’s review why we need a UGA. It’s actually pretty simple. Our state has had a Growth Management Act for over 30 years now, which was enacted to put population growth where the required infrastructure exists, preserve open areas and environmental assets, keep housing affordable and above all - avoid the sprawl which was the defining goal of that GMA.  

Island County passed their GMA mandated growth plan in 1998, after much consternation, and created an Urban Growth Area (UGA) in Freeland to absorb growth, but the ‘required infrastructure’ (mentioned above), never showed up. So here we are, 27 years later, still struggling with an ugly statistic - 85% of our new growth is occurring in the rural areas of 3 of our 4 planning areas (S. Whidbey, Central Whidbey and Camano Island). In short, the Freeland UGA is light years from it’s intended purpose because it lacks the infrastructure, a sewer.

Second, it’s not like we haven’t been down this road before. Years ago the Freeland Water and Sewer Dept. bought land west of Freeland with the best intention (and a considerable grant) to kick off this. Turns out the land was deficient for the intended purpose, so the project was abandoned. A half dozen years later, that same organization bought more land just south of 525 and again embarked on that elusive sewer goal - again striking out.

I would conclude that the only entity with the bandwidth to deliver a sewer around here is Island County. Consequently, it was quite exhilarating to see IC embark upon a real live study. Professional yes, but disappointing in the lack of energizing aspects, any sort of clear direction, or even possible recommendations to pursue a sewer. Said study focused on water quality, marine health, sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, and how to administer our existing on-site septic review procedures. Worthy topics of course, but hardly something to overcome years of inertia and get us moving in the right direction.

Third, I’d have preferred a detailed review of the Port Hadlock sewer that is well under way because that town (like Freeland) is a UGA and Jefferson County (like us) needs to get off the dime and follow some wise State law for our own benefit. How about a detailed cost estimate for a promising new technology MBR system (like Port Hadlock)? MBR is a membrane bio generative technology which could work well around here for reduced cost with a byproduct clean enough for other possibilities. What I’d like to have seen in the IC study are:

• Hard numbers on rural sprawl to incentivize us to initiate what has been neglected for far too long;

• Direction and advice to get us started down the grant trail for funding;

• List of contacts in the Port Hadlock area or other similar areas that have made progress;

• More details on a MBR type sewer system and why or why not it might serve our needs given our geography;

• Identification of the IC department most appropriate to lead this project;

• In short, something approaching a real live ACTION PLAN.

The above is particularly relevant these days as IC debates whether to change their GMA mandated growth predictions. They are considering changes because Oak Harbor (our functional UGA) asks for lower growth figures unless the city can expand its limits and get developers to foot the infrastructure expenses. It’s also crucial to address as IC Public Health Director Shawn Morris says, innovative technologies and systems are needed to support affordable housing.

I know this is all quite obtuse but I assure you the consequences will be significant for our cherished rural character and disappearing rural areas in the South, Central and Camano planning areas.