Letters

Edmonds

City needs changes to help business

Why doesn’t small business flourish in Edmonds? There is a glut of commercial space downtown and Edmonds hasn’t enjoyed an economic boom since the ’70s. We need to ask ourselves, “What are the barriers to new business in Edmonds?”

People who start small businesses are dedicated and analytical because it is their time and money that is at risk. Their risk is greatest at startup. Entrepreneurs look closely at the cost, time, and the difficulty of opening their doors. Usually, what it will cost to open their business at a specific location is an important factor in deciding where they’ll locate. They assume, and rightly so, that as their business grows and matures they will be better able to afford greater expenses.

Let’s look at Edmonds. What if we decided to open up a small business downtown? If we have customers, we may have to pay parking fees. If we have employees, we may have to pay parking fees. How long and expensive is the process to obtain a business license and comply with city codes? How difficult and costly is signage? These are some of the expenses and time constraints we would incur before the doors are even opened.

The city could lower the barriers to entry of new business in Edmonds by eliminating parking fees, streamlining the licensing process, and simplifying city business codes. The city could lower barriers to new business, then contract with the Chamber of Commerce to sew the seeds that Edmonds is a good place to start a business and why.

Do you know how to get a big company like Microsoft or Boeing in Edmonds? Do like Redmond and Seattle did. Grow them. Even these giants started as a small business.

DON KREIMAN

Edmonds

Lynnwood traffic

People need to slow down on 28th Ave.

I live on 28th Avenue W. in Lynnwood and every day I’ve witnessed and complained along with others about speeders on this residential street of 25 mph that folks do 40 mph plus.

We in this neighborhood have contacted the county sheriff and they’ve been out two to three times. Then the street department says it is a law enforcement issue and the sheriff’s department is short of man power. So I ask, what else is there but to wait for a fatality and then do something.

I’ve contacted Channel 7 news and no answer, I contacted County Council member Gary Nelson, he was told this happens during the day. No it does not. This is an ongoing thing.

I hope maybe those that can read speed limit signs may slow down.

DAVID DeLAMATER

Lynnwood

Shoreline

A lot of environment is still worth saving

I would like to respond to the letter, “Environment: It can’t always be what it used to be” (Enterprise, Jan. 9).

Our areas urban streams are damaged but are by no means gone. Nature is very resilient and still exists to the disappointment and denial of people like Nick Schultz.

In his letter Nick makes light of fish and wildlife being present in an urban setting. As if man and fish cannot live beside each other. Maybe Nick should go watch the salmon go through the Ballard locks. Where do you think they are going? Guess what Nick; I have many “real live fish,” water fowl and an otter recently in a very urban back yard.

Lastly Nick thinks that, “Where ever Janet Way lives obviously should be torn down for a historical site.” Nick’s statements should outrage any true property rights advocate. Nick wants Janet’s vested rights to be extinguished and punish her. Even a hypothetical threat to tearing down someone’s vested home is outside the realm of credibility.

Nick clearly sums up the problem by admitting that he wants what others have had in the past, the opportunity to exploit our environment. Modern science has proven the source of the degradation of our streams. To ignore that destructive development practices hurt streams, just to allow Nick or any single interest to, get mine, is irresponsible to the world that sustains us, our future and the people who must live here after us.

Taking care of the world is simply instinctual to Janet Way. Despite the ridiculous attacks from people like Nick who cannot understand why someone would do something that would lack personal profit, something so unselfish. Rock on Janet, you bring richness to the whole community.

PATTY and TIM CRAWFORD

Shoreline

Activist has undone a lot of damage

Nick Schultz (re. Letters, Jan. 9), your attitude is a confirmation of just how our natural areas have become degraded.

When faced with the knowledge that someone is trying to help preserve our environment your response of “Kind of seems like another example of I’ve got mine and to hell with the rest of you.” This seems to say that preserving the natural environment is taking away from you and letting it be destroyed would allow you to get yours. Sounds like you haven’t got the chance to take the share from the earth that you think you deserve.

Preserving an urban salmon stream is an act that benefits all of us who like clean water. Do you like clean water, Nick? We drink water out of the Cedar River. How can you distance your logic so far as to not realize you’re only hurting yourself?

Janet Way has undone a lot of damage already. The rehabilitation project that she headed fixed a man-made mess left by reckless developers in the ’60s and ’70s. Paramount Park has recently been named one of the best stream habitats by the city of Shoreline. The benefits from her project are benefiting you whether you acknowledge them or not.

HELEN CONLOW

Shoreline