In the July 19 editorial headlined “A little higher, but a lot better,” your opinion was based on the developer’s comparison of computer graphics showing view changes from buildings at 55 to 70 feet. Presently, the only structure on the north Marina taller than 70 feet is the yellow crane. In a recent measurement, the crane’s 70-foot mark was located just below the big, black, “starred” logo dot. Pretend you are standing on the northern part of Grand Avenue Park. If you draw a horizontal line through the crane’s 70-foot mark to represent the height of building roof tops, that line would travel just below Camano Island’s shoreline and overlap Tulalip’s shoreline. From this northern park location, you would not be able to see most, if any, of the bay waters in front of Camano and Tulalip. Also, with 70-foot buildings, you could not see from any location in the park a major portion of Jetty Island, especially the interesting parts: The camp and flags, people playing on the beach, the tide flats, the jetty ferry, jetty and 10th Street docks, 10th Street Park and the beauty of a beach with its changes over time. How reliable are the developer’s graphics? After all, digging down into a filled site that is on top of a tidal area, has to be a long shot.
The change to 70 feet was to ensure the accommodation of parking beneath the condominiums and townhouses. This provides owners with the greatest accessibility to their parked cars. I would prefer two- and three-floored parking garages to losing the view from the park. Let’s make sure that everyone will be able to see and connect with our beautiful Port Gardner Bay. Fifteen feet makes a big difference.
Stephanie Phillips
Everett
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