The "spitfire" from once rural north Bellingham, faced down by an overwhelming number opposed to another give-away of their taxes, knew she wouldn't win any popularity contests voting with the developers last night.
Perhaps it was a keener nose for the barnyard aroma of Crawford's program that made Barbara realize this ordinance was no truffle, and a yes vote would not suit what she likes us to believe are populist lips.
But unlike Crawford, Napoleonic and unable to appreciate the purpose of a little foreplay before screwing the public, maybe Brenner was listening. And my guess is Barbara, suddenly made aware of the scrutiny to come, looked at this cobbled together ordinance, riddled with redactions and covered with the fingerprints of developers, and appreciated, if this pig was going to fly, the ordinance couldn't be passed with all these warts and blemishes.
So before the new majority turned their ample rears to the pitchforks, Barbara quickly called a time out to huddle outside of public view with the lawyers. And, probably having her worst fears confirmed, came back and moved to hold the ordinance until some cosmetic work could be done in anticipation of the expected challenge in court.
Time to drop back and put a little lipstick on this pig. But just what kind of pig are we dealing with here?
The public hearing filled the council chambers. Almost sixty took their three minute opportunity to speak.
There were about a dozen who supported Crawford's attack on past planning decisions; two electeds from small towns, four paid lobbyists for developers, and five or six, property owners surprisingly interested in becoming recipients of the give-away, struggling to find some, any, general principle to further their particular interest.
The overwhelming majority who came were there to oppose Crawford, and the new council out to undo development regulation and redo the Comprehensive Plan and various ordinances related to planning under the Growth Management Act.
The opposition was largely rural county residents with strong support from Bellingham, including its mayor.
While many spoke to their distaste for urban sprawl, and most articulated objection to being taxed to subsidize a few who would benefit from this largess, two or three raised the subject that is really central to what is afoot here: corruption.
As such, this ordinance adds relatively little land to the small towns in question. And in many cases, the land added is either internal or contiguous to the related urban area. Further, it's true that the increased tax burden these additions entail is relatively small by comparison to others that are in the wings.
And believe me, there are many more in the wings. So many that Crawford and company need to change the code so they can bring them, one by one, any time they want, changing zoning and/or the Comprehensive Plan virtually at will, piecemealing the opposition and circumventing truly "comprehensive" planning.
Crawford intends to bring client projects forward at his discretion, and will have a whole new service he can collect for: if you can afford it, you need no longer suffer through the cumbersome process of amending zoning. If you've got the right lawyers, the whole thing can be handled, for a fee, over at his firm, Emerald Lake Consulting.
If you don't think so, then you didn't really watch what just happened. This little ordinance they're going to pass in two weeks is the first of many nicely tailored treats for those with a special interest in favors from the well connected.
No, the words and advice which were to the real issue concerned the corruption of public process and the abandonment of the rule of law.
Some time back, erstwhile County Planning Director, David Stalheim pushed back against Crawford, the development attorneys, and told the executive, Pete Kremen,
"Staff, as well as property owners, need the certainty of law so that regulations are not implemented in an arbitrary and discriminatory manner. The suggestion that we have flexibility infers that we pick and choose which development regulations to enforce. This might mean that the department treats applicants differently, and decisions are made outside of public view or identified standards."For taking such stands, Crawford and company forced Stalheim to resign. Obviously integrity is not much esteemed amongst these folks. The whole process that created the ordinance so many oppose was made entirely "outside public view."
With the new majority, indeed, the animals are in charge. And Crawford and company will do quite well for themselves on Manor Farm where, "all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
Hail Napoleon! Hail to the pigs!
