Opponents in majority at city height hearing

Nearly 100 testify; hearing will continue Sunday

By Matt Batcheldor | The Olympian • Published September 17, 2008

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OLYMPIA – Most of the nearly 100 people who testified at a five-hour City Council meeting spoke against a proposal to raise building-heights limits on the downtown isthmus.

The hearing was prompted by a proposal by Triway Enterprises, a South Sound developer that wants to be able to build one five-story and one seven-story mixed-use building between Fourth and Fifth avenues, with 141 high-end condominiums and parking, office and retail spaces. It was held at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, which seats about 1,000 and was less than half-full.

For months, proponents have been arguing that the buildings would bring much-needed housing and economic development to downtown, meeting comprehensive-plan goals. Opponents have said the buildings would block the public's views of the Capitol dome and the waterfront.

Tuesday night, a number of opponents introduced a new proposal: to turn most of the isthmus into a public park. A group called the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation has gathered more than 4,400 signatures petitioning the City Council to study the matter.

"Public opposition to this proposal has been overwhelming," Kevin Laird told the council. "I'd like the City Council to be accountable to the public."

Katherine Olejnik said the expensive condos will raise rents and hurt the homeless.

"They're arguing trickle-down economics," he said of supporters of the plan.

Organized groups were well-represented at Tuesday's meeting, with Olympia 2012 and the Olympia Downtown Association in favor of the building-height limits and Friends of the Waterfront, Olympia 2020 Vision and the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation against.

Kris Goddard of the group 2020 Vision Olympia said the city needs to put the issue on hold until it can hire outside planning experts to look at the waterfront.

Friends of the Waterfront representatives mostly held yellow signs in support of people who spoke instead of clapping, and the meeting rarely was heated. The exception was when Peter Stroble, an Olympia 2012 representative, spoke and opponents loudly hissed. Stroble implored the council to not be moved by the outpouring of opposition at the meeting.