Olympia City Council should turn isthmus into open park

By Jeffrey Jaksich, Barbara Gooding, Allen Miller, Jerry Reilly, Jim Patrick, Fred Adair and Mary Elizabeth Karpel | For The Olympian • Published June 14, 2008

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Some of the most precious aspects of Olympia’s quality of life are our wonderful scenic views. Foremost among these are the views over the isthmus to the north from the Capitol Campus as well as to the Capitol from the water and shorelines.

Currently before the Olympia Planning Commission is a proposal to allow for the construction of buildings of greater height than currently allowed on the isthmus. Implementation of this proposal would seriously degrade these marvelous views.

The Capitol Campus architects, Wilder and White, recognized the north-south axis of views to and from the Capitol Group as critical to their 1911 winning plan for the city and state. Because of the value of those views and demonstrated support within the community for their preservation, the city should examine the option of preserving the views by removal of the Capitol Center Building and converting the isthmus to an open park — a continuation of the north Capitol Campus Heritage Park.

The signatories to this letter are former members of the Olympia Planning Commission who served during the formulation of the city’s comprehensive plan. Preservation of the views over the isthmus was carefully considered, subjected to extensive public input, and became an important element in the plan. Because construction of high buildings on the isthmus likely would be a long-term, if not a permanent degradation, other alternatives should be examined in detail.

This is especially important as ever-increasing numbers of tourists and citizens from around the state will want to continue to witness these unique views.

As we worked on the comprehensive plan, we recognized the importance of infilling and market rate housing downtown. Those elements are included in the plan. These objectives can be fulfilled without degrading views over the isthmus. There are many excellent sites for market rate housing on the southern portion of the Port of Olympia peninsula and the rest of downtown Olympia.

All of those sites would enable excellent views from high-rise buildings. Moreover, with the planned East Bay development by the port and the new city hall, the locus of activity will move east. Additionally, those sites would be within walking distance of Ollympia Farmers Market whereas residences on the isthmus, especially on the western end, would not be within walking distance for most residents. As a result, the planning objectives of reducing traffic and reducing the need for cars would not be served.

In the early spring, the city had a briefing on the high-rise proposal, but did not present alternatives at this session. We understand that the Planning Commission will have a hearing June 24 on the high-rise proposal. We urgently recommend that the planning process be expanded to consider alternative proposals, especially the one that will preserve the historic and unique public views.

Because of its importance, this alternative should be part of the planning process to include exploration of the feasibility of public ownership of the isthmus and its incorporation into Heritage Park as part of a great public space.

The public should know and discuss the cost to take this action, which, in our opinion, is the highest and best use of this unique site.

We would like to encourage all our interested Olympia neighbors to attend the hearing on the isthmus and let their voices be heard by the current Olympia City Planning Commission. The isthmus height rezoning hearing will be at 6:30 p.m. June 24 at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. N.W., next to Percival Landing.

Jeffrey Jaksich, Barbara Gooding, Allen Miller, Jerry Reilly, Jim Patrick, Fred Adair and Mary Elizabeth Karpel are former Olympia Planning Commission members from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s.