Letters to the editor for Friday, Jan. 9

• Published January 09, 2009

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Triway doesn't care a fig for neighbors

The story, "Triway abandons West Bay plan," quotes company representative Jeannette Hawkins saying they are withdrawing their applications to raise heights and damage residents' views because, "After talking with the ... neighborhood, we've decided that we'd like to work with them and not against them at this point."

If Triway cared a fig for the neighbors, they would have decided against building 90-foot condos on the isthmus. Hundreds of people turned out at meetings to object to that; maybe 50 people complained at the recent meeting about raising West Bay heights.

Perhaps there's another reason. The main legal argument in the state's review of the isthmus rezone Council members (Jeff) Kingsbury, (Joan) Machlis, (Rhenda Iris) Strub, (Mayor Doug) Mah and (Craig) Ottavelli voted to give Triway will be that an "overriding public interest" in getting downtown housing justifies damaging views.

This August, Hawkins wrote the council: "When members of the public state that Triway should move Larida Passage to another location, as if there is one, and as if 2.3 acres are available elsewhere, their suggestion is without merit."

But once council members voted, Triway unveiled this West Bay clone of its isthmus project — 150 waterfront condos with offices and retail in "the heart of Olympia," as their Web site says. That makes it hard to argue legally that there's no place else for housing and an "overriding public interest" requires building on the isthmus.

Once the isthmus rezone's settled, rediscovered needs for the heights they're abandoning "at this point" may well override Triway's sudden neighborly concerns.

Thad Curtz, Olympia

Applauding act of moral leadership

I thank Dr. Marc Stern for his professional courage in choosing to resign from his post as medical director for the Washington State Department of Corrections. His refusal to participate at any level in Washington state executions is an act of moral leadership that we all can admire and appreciate.

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