The Community Advisory Group (CAG) is to be commended for addressing the need for affordable housing in our community. However, the solution must work within the constraints of available resources: water, sewer, transportation, etc. It would behoove the CAG, as well as the community it represents, to investigate the feasibility and sustainability of the proposed upzoning and development of the town core (and beyond) prior to submitting such recommendations to the King County Council for approval.

Personally, I feel the lack of affordable housing is more a product of “Destination Vashon” than it is current zoning restrictions. To my knowledge, the 2016 plan does not address the impact Vashon’s growing tourist industry has had, and will continue to have on the community. I would encourage the CAG to develop a Town Plan that promotes community growth over blanket development; a Town Plan that promotes community housing, and discourages the continued proliferation of Airbnbs, short-term lodging and second homes.

I am concerned that some of the proposals being considered seem to benefit developers more than the community need for sustained affordable housing. In the words of Ed Abbey: “Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.”

— John Martinak