Hi, I'm Mary Goetz. Our family has been on Shaw since the 1940s, on what is now Parks Bay Drive. It took decades for our low income family to build living space. I support affordable housing on Shaw Island without professional or full/part time employment status limitations. I would never want to risk losing my job and my home at the same time. I hope this community can work together to find a solution and take advantage of the potential funding.
As a newer resident to Shaw, I am hesitant to speak out much, I prefer to observe and see how things are done before trying to insert myself. Like I mentioned on the ferry to a few Shaw neighbors the other morning my motto is:
“Don’t change Shaw – Let Shaw change you” - this is how I feel about most things Shaw related.
Having said the above, my initial thoughts on what I heard and understand so far are:
I do not support cluster housing on Shaw. A Land Trust can operate without such a model, and it is more conservative and more in line with the current island character to not develop a high density parcel(s). Someone (adjacent neighbors) always loses out in these situations. I have many childhood family friends who now have massive OPAL housing developments as their direct neighbors. Other Land Trusts throughout the islands have single parcel ownership, many in addition to cluster housing. However, I believe Waldron (our sister island in my opinion) for example does not.
We discussed the ferry quota needing to be increased before the community does anything to encourage full time resident increase. If increasing ferry quota is not possible, I don’t understand why we are attempting to increase full time permanent residents.
Limiting the Land Trust housing goal to provide housing only for full time current existing positions that serve the greater public (store, ferry, medical/fire and PO) seems to be a good compromise. I see this as being between 8-12 people, but I am not an expert and this should be confirmed and voted on. I do not support trying to provide housing for private property owners looking for service people (contactors/cleaners/gardeners etc). This lack of service people/providers has always been the case on Shaw and it just a part of living here. It helps keep Shaw like it is! I know it makes things more costly, and I guess I am saying too bad, you knew (or should have known) when you purchased here, and I don’t’ want Shaw to feel like the bigger islands – ever.
Hi, I'm Mary Goetz. Our family has been on Shaw since the 1940s, on what is now Parks Bay Drive. It took decades for our low income family to build living space. I support affordable housing on Shaw Island without professional or full/part time employment status limitations. I would never want to risk losing my job and my home at the same time. I hope this community can work together to find a solution and take advantage of the potential funding.
I cannot come to the meeting today as I am on Lopez working. Here is the link to the Waldron Island Land Trust.
https://waldronclt.org/
As a newer resident to Shaw, I am hesitant to speak out much, I prefer to observe and see how things are done before trying to insert myself. Like I mentioned on the ferry to a few Shaw neighbors the other morning my motto is:
“Don’t change Shaw – Let Shaw change you” - this is how I feel about most things Shaw related.
Having said the above, my initial thoughts on what I heard and understand so far are:
I do not support cluster housing on Shaw. A Land Trust can operate without such a model, and it is more conservative and more in line with the current island character to not develop a high density parcel(s). Someone (adjacent neighbors) always loses out in these situations. I have many childhood family friends who now have massive OPAL housing developments as their direct neighbors. Other Land Trusts throughout the islands have single parcel ownership, many in addition to cluster housing. However, I believe Waldron (our sister island in my opinion) for example does not.
We discussed the ferry quota needing to be increased before the community does anything to encourage full time resident increase. If increasing ferry quota is not possible, I don’t understand why we are attempting to increase full time permanent residents.
Limiting the Land Trust housing goal to provide housing only for full time current existing positions that serve the greater public (store, ferry, medical/fire and PO) seems to be a good compromise. I see this as being between 8-12 people, but I am not an expert and this should be confirmed and voted on. I do not support trying to provide housing for private property owners looking for service people (contactors/cleaners/gardeners etc). This lack of service people/providers has always been the case on Shaw and it just a part of living here. It helps keep Shaw like it is! I know it makes things more costly, and I guess I am saying too bad, you knew (or should have known) when you purchased here, and I don’t’ want Shaw to feel like the bigger islands – ever.
Liz Hance