East side, west side . . . neither likes Port Angeles very much.
At a hearing Tuesday on proposed updates to Clallam County’s growth management plan, the county’s largest city caught it from both side.
Members of homeowners groups in the Bay Loop neighborhood east of town, and in the Dry Creek and Black Diamond areas toward the west told Clallam County commissioners they want no part of Port Angeles city services, policies or politics.
Commissioners have until Dec. 1 to update the plan, the first revision in seven years, and submit it to the state under the auspices of the Growth Management Act.
Before then, they will hold another public hearing on their proposed changes.
Tuesday’s hearing at the county courthouse was part of the process toward writing those changes.
Bay Loop is outside the Port Angeles but within the city’s urban growth area, or UGA, to which the city can extend utilities and possibly annex.
Bay Loop resident Richard James urged the county to pull the neighborhood back out of the UGA.
“We enjoy being under the county government,” James said.
“We feel you are very responsive to our needs. Take us back under your wing.”
Future UGA?
Neither the Dry Creek nor the Black Diamond neighborhood is in an urban growth area, although Port Angeles wants to add the two.
Tom Schindler testified that Black Diamond householders were agreed in their desire to stay outside the UGA, even to the point of keeping Little River Road unpaved — although they’d like a path for cyclists and pedestrians built alongside it.