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The Vashon Loop Zoning Article

This is a must read!

Written by

Long time islander Bernie O'Malley.

Our Community Continues To Be Misled

Friends, Good Neighbor Vashon has spent countless hours doing research through public records requests, a zoom call and emails with Jim Chan, a zoom call and emails with Teresa Mosqueda and hiring seasoned land use attorneys.  It is quite clear that Friends of Thunderbird has not done their homework.    

 

Good Neighbor Vashon in bold.

Friends of Thunderbird in italics.

 

IN RESPONSE TO FRIENDS OF THUNDERBIRD'S WEBSITE:

 

A motion will come before the Vashon-Maury Community Council that 
we believe is misleading and harmful. 

 

The motion is to allow the people to be heard.  All people.  No matter where they stand on an issue.  Allowing people to be heard is part of a healthy democracy.  


Please become a voting member of the Community Council, 
attend the meeting via Zoom, and vote NO.

 

A NO vote is an attempt to silence the people and this is against everything this community and this country stands for.   Why on earth would someone stand in the way of others who want an opportunity to learn more by having a public meeting with King County officials?

 

 

The motion—made by the islander leading the effort to keep the Thunderbird Treatment Center from opening on Vashon—asks the community council to “inform King County Councilmembers and the Executive that Vashon residents must be given their legal right to a public forum about this new zoning that would allow drug rehab and psychiatric hospitals in any residential neighborhood on Vashon.”

 

Why oppose this motion? Because we believe it is an attempt to raise fear, mislead islanders, and sow confusion.

 

The motion's intent is to give relief from fear, misinformation and confusion.  Why would anyone want to suppress the truth and clarity?
 

  • A transparent and public process is ALREADY in place. By demanding a “legal right to a public forum,” the motion suggests the County Council is illegally denying us that opportunity. That is not true. Here are the facts:
     

April 4, 2024, the King County Councilmember Committee came to the island to discuss the comprehensive plan striking amendment.  Two islanders tried to ask about the VCC building.  They were shut down and not allowed to talk about it and told it was outside Vashon Rural Town and not part of the discussion.  YET other properties outside of Vashon Rural Town were freely discussed.

 

The KC Councilmembers who were at the Vashon meeting did NOT allow islanders' right to proper public process before their committee vote.  On the KC website it is referred to as the "Key Vote" in passing the striking amendment. 

 

See excerpt from our attorney's letter to the KC committee:

 

The striking amendment was introduced on May 14, 2024, and the committee is holding a vote on whether to advance the amendment a mere 3-weeks after it was first released. This is less than the 30 days required. To make matters worse, the striking amendment document is over 700 pages long, yet the only public meetings discussing the amendment were held on May 15th and May 16th -- one and two days after its release. This means the county expected the public to review the 700-page document in one night and then provide meaningful comments the next morning. Furthermore, the May 16th meeting was not even open to call-ins, so only in-person testimony was allowed. Such a process is entirely inconsistent with principles of transparency and public engagement and does nothing to encourage open, public discussion.   

 

Read entire letter on GoodNeighborVashon.Org

 

    • The King County Council is CURRENTLY CONSIDERING changes it has made to the Executive’s proposed 2024 comprehensive plan, which updates zoning throughout unincorporated King County. Public comment is now open.

    • The County Council committee charged with amending the Executive’s plan voted on its proposed changes on June 5, 2024. A final vote before the whole council is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2024. That gives constituents SIX MONTHS to weigh in on the County Council’s proposed plan.

    • The County Council has ALREADY scheduled a public hearing on the plan for Nov. 19, 2024. See its schedule, published nearly a year ago. 


Agree there is a public process but the timing of the next public hearing is too late for meaningful input into the plan.    


  • The motion implies that the treatment center is a drug rehab hospital or a psychiatric hospital. It is neither. 
     

The motion states drug rehab hospitals and psychiatric hospitals in any Vashon neighborhood, which is what the new zoning would allow.  

 

VASHON: PAY ATTENTION TO ALL THE NEW ZONING.  

 

The prior process has not been inclusive nor convenient for islanders (see comment above), and thus the request for the KC Councilmembers to come back to Vashon to hear from all islanders and on all positions.  

 

Remember Vashon has a huge retirement population along with parents and working folks who cannot get downtown easily.  And some do not have access to a computer or technology is confusing to them.
 

  • The center will be a residential treatment facility, permissable under King County’s current zoning laws. It will not include a detox facility; it is not a medical facility. People entering the program will already be clean and sober and on the path of recovery. 
     

This is a blatant lie.  We have confirmed again and again, including this week with Jim Chan, head of permitting, that SIHB CANNOT get a residential treatment facility permit without new zoning.  

 

SIHB is not a done deal. THIS IS A FACT. 
 

  • The motion takes aim at proposed changes to the 2024 comprehensive plan—but these are countywide changes, not specific to Vashon or the treatement center.  The implication is that zoning changes are needed for the treatment facility. This is not true. The Seattle Indian Health Board has applied for permits to open in 2025 under current zoning laws.
     

Yes, they have applied under current laws and have been told they CANNOT open as a residential treatment facility under current zoning.  THIS IS A FACT. 

Listen to Dr. Marli Parobek interviewed by March Twisdale on her rehab concerns.

Meeting Aug 5th 4-6:30PM
Vashon Eagles Lodge

Hear what our land use attorney and two mental health/addiction experts have to say about the proposed zoning and rehab.
Please RSVP: GoodNeighborVashon@Proton.Me

​ NEW ZONING ALLOWS THE FOllOWING IN
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS:

New Zoning

Drug Rehab Hospitals

Psychiatric Hospitals

Car Camping (homeless and recreational)

No Conditions Cottage Housing
12 units per acre
Drug Stores
Lot Splitting 
Drug Rehab Outpatient 
Micro Shelter Villages 
Department And Variety Stores
New Rural Neighborhood Commercial Centers
Mixed-Use Development In Rural Neighborhoods 
And more…

 

DO YOU WANT THE COUNTRY TURNED INTO THE CITY?

 

Who is Good Neighbor Vashon?

Good Neighbor Vashon is a non-profit formed by Island residents concerned about King County Councilmembers' proposed new zoning that will have a detrimental high impact on the island. For instance, legalizing car camping in Vashon Rural Town and neighborhood business zones and radically expanding the zoning for drug rehab or psychiatric hospitals in any Unincorporated King County neighborhood with certain acreage.
 

Good Neighbor Vashon cares deeply about people who need treatment, but this remote and under-resourced island is, according to multiple experts, an unsafe facility site for vulnerable population of people struggling with addiction recovery. For example, by design, not one Betty Ford Center is sited more than 8 minutes from a full hospital. 

​

There are more sensible sites that are both safer for patients and avoid the negative consequences of being sited on an island that already lacks adequate infrastructure (transportation, housing, fire and police protection, water and other limited resources).

There are more sensible sites that are both safer for patients and avoid the negative consequences of being sited on an island that already lacks adequate infrastructure (transportation, housing, fire and police protection, water and other limited resources).

 

Under the Growth Management Act the County was required to inform the people of any zoning changes, give 30 days notice and host a public forum.  None of this was done for Vashon. Our efforts to obtain information, clarification or confirmation have left us feeling stonewalled, gaslighted and misled. 

​

The recourse left us is to speak out through our petition, your letters to the King County Council and the actions of our land use attorneys Bricklin and Newman.
 

Vashon, NOW is the time for you to act.
 

1.  Sign the Petition

2.  Write to the Council

3.  Donate to our legal fee fund

Help stop the high impact new zoning. Major changes include allowing rehab and psychiatric hospitals in Vashon neighborhoods.
(not only the VCC building)
Read More >>>

VCC.jpeg

Protecting Your Community

We are committed to safeguarding the well-being of patients, residents and all surrounding communities.

Join the

Movement

By supporting Good Neighbor Vashon, you become an essential part of the collective effort to stop King County from irrational and improper new zoning.

Our Values

We value unity, health and safety for all, and the working towards solutions that make sense. Together, we can make a difference.

Take Action

Join us in voicing our opposition to King County and working towards protecting this island and connected communities from inappropriate zoning .

New Zoning Facts
& Thunderbird on Vashon

NOT A DONE DEAL.
SIHB Cannot Get a Permit.

As currently zoned, Seattle Indian Health Board cannot get a permit for a residential treatment facility on Vashon Island.  This is why they are leaning on politicians to change the zoning. ​

​

See the internal correspondence between The Beachcomer and the permitting office.  In March of 2024.  "In regards to reporter's specific question, a Residential Treatment Facility" is NOT allowed in the zone for the specific property..."

​

May 21, 2024, 3 islanders had a video call with director of permitting for Unincorporated King County, Jim Chan.  Jim confirmed that SIHB cannot get a permit for a residential treatment facility due to the site not being permitted for it.  Currently SIHB is attempting to get a permit for a community residential facility. A community residential facility is not allowed any medical care - not even a nurse.  SIHB cannot run a drug rehab out of a CRF either.   

​

The only way they can open is by re-zoning.


***Read More in Documentation Below***

20240625_093831.jpg

SAY NO TO NEW ZONING.

YOU HAVE A VOICE.
Sign the petition:
 https://chng.it/p9SxZyvW2n

Vashon is NOT an appropriate location for a drug rehab.

Due to the lack of medical facilities, mental health services, dependable public transportation, adequate police support, sufficient medical and fire emergency resources, affordable housing and water shares. We do not have adequate services to meet the needs of our current population, let alone to support a large residential drug treatment facility.

The number one reason there should not be a drug rehab on this island is due to the fact that we do not have a full hospital to support life-saving needs of patients.   

​

Thunderbird states they want 92 beds, rotating every 45 days.  That means every year 736 addicts will be ferried to this remote community.  736.

​

Pramila Jayapal's email to those opposing this plan indicates there will be addicts flown here from other states.  

​

***See Documentation***

WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

Read more about the facts we have uncovered and take action to help block the proposed zoning amendments and stop the rezoning of not only Vashon’s Community Care site, but all residential buildings or lots that can be used as a drug rehab or psychiatric hospital.  Stay informed and join us in making a difference. Right now it's important that we make our voices heard! 

Documentation

Registered 501c4

As this is a non-profit which is considered legislative, donations are not tax deductible.  Boo.  But fighting for what's right - YAY.

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