Port Angeles is blessed with wonderful neighborhoods and a small town feel.
We love our city and want to protect it, but that can make it hard to face the future with an open mind.
We are already short of housing and that’s driving up prices.
New workers can’t afford a place to live and current residents can be priced out and are faced with moving away or becoming unhoused.
We can’t control this trend and because we are still more affordable than other locations it’s unlikely to end.
The proposed zoning changes before the Planning Commission are a reasonable step to help make more housing available.
These change what’s allowed, not what’s required.
For example, property owners could convert a garage to a cottage and get some extra rent money.
Allowing more density efficiently uses our existing infrastructure.
Done carefully we can all benefit.
If we don’t change, our businesses and many property owners will suffer.
Let’s do this right so we keep the town we love and help it grow the way we want.
David Mattern
Port Angeles