One way or another citizens will have a chance to drive the future of Edmonds.
City council members have called for town hall-style forums. Meanwhile, a group of individuals have banded together to form Imagine Edmonds with a mission to embark on a far-reaching visioning process.
“This place is too special to leave things to fate,” Jack Faris, a member of Imagine Edmonds, told the Enterprise. “We have to preserve things that are special and create new things. The key premise is that solutions need to have multiple wins — economic, fiscal, aesthetic, environmental, educational. Part of the fun is to see all the ideas that bubble up that you did not expect.
“Imagine Edmonds is more of an idea than an organization,” Faris added. “We want to be catalytic. … There is lots of opportunity to exercise imagination.”
The group aims to help create a master plan for the city in cooperation with other groups, said Craig Stewart, an Imagine Edmonds member. “We want to invite citizens, in a structured way, to share ideas and visions. There is a lot of intellectual capital in the community to tap into.”
Both men say the challenge will be reaching consensus.
“Opinions have to be suspended until the community process starts,” Stewart said. “Everyone has to put their ego at the doorstep.”
Imagine Edmonds’ first move has been to approach the Issaquah-based Pomegranate Center, a nonprofit that helps cities and neighborhoods build community. They are hoping to garner the center’s financial support to help organize and gather public input on the city’s future.
There has been much talk at City Council about entering into a similar visioning process. One suggestion called for town hall-style meetings on the city’s future where council members would take notes and report the results back to the full body for a plan to be cobbled. At a later council meeting, the hiring of the Pomegranate Center was suggested.
That move was made by Councilman Michael Plunkett at the April 6 council meeting where Councilman D.J. Wilson spontaneously outlined discussions between himself, council members Diane Buckshnis and Steve Bernheim, the Port of Edmonds, the Washington State Department of Transportation, Mayor Gary Haakenson and city staff where possible directions for the waterfront were explored.
“We surely don’t want more parking lots or fast food,” Wilson said. “We want the public space to be engaging. This is not a proposal. Just a look at the options we can use to get a framework for a solution and get the conversation started.”
Wilson’s presentation, made in response to a public records request, included public-private partnerships, land swaps and building code changes.
Plunkett followed up with a civic meeting April 9 to discuss ways of engaging Edmonds residents expressly on the waterfront issue.
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