Commentary: Baseless accusations do nothing to spur positive growth

Let’s start and get the facts straight. I am tired of the wide accusations that are baseless.

▪ The heron is not endangered. It is not listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973. No touching or harming a migratory bird whatsoever.

▪ The city of Gig Harbor’s Growth Management laws are required to concentrate the commercial development in a specific area. The city is an urban area and as such is to be treated as urban area, not a rural area.

▪ Our community — as has every community — has grown, and the need for a quality progressive senior care facility is essential. Seniors want to remain in the community where they have always lived. That is healthy for our society. Urban areas with hospitals close by are part of an urban core, which the city of Gig Harbor is required to be by state law.

▪ Trees were cut for two reasons: A. Jeni Woock made a campaign issue out of a personal tragedy. B. There was a second storm where trees fell toward Peacock Hill Road so they cut them, and buffer trees will be replanted. An idea that some communities use, however, that is that of land trusts, which can purchase areas that a city may want to preserve. Let’s save and preserve certain areas if we can.

▪ The Downtown Waterfront Alliance is one of the best Main Street programs in the country. It is endorsed by the city, and the board members are leaders in the community who want to maintain the quality and character of Gig Harbor. An officer of Olympic Property Group is a member of the board of the Downtown Waterfront Alliance. There are several other business owners or officers that are also board members. Olympic Property Group is a benefit to Gig Harbor, and has given us choices, options, and quality changes to retain the character of our community.

▪ While I’m at it, John Moist is a quality manager of the Marina and its adjoining properties. John has fought hard to develop their ideas within the city codes while adding to the nature and character of Gig Harbor. I wish others and the city could provide the same level of landscape maintenance and provide the much needed transient moorage that the city is so interested in having.

▪ Who could have ever suggested that a McDonald’s could be in downtown Gig Harbor? That is sort of like Donald Trump deporting Muslims. That accusation made people say it was for sure, and yet it was just another political heron thrown into the air for the sake of confusion.

▪ I have never met Stan Stearns, but he has lived in Gig Harbor longer than I have, which is 38 years, and again he has contributed to our community in positive ways.

Controversy is good, debate is good, a challenge of ideas is good, but make the questions based on fact rather than an emotional heron thrown into the air. The heron will survive. The buffer trees will grow, our community will prosper with thoughtful development to maintain our wonderful Gig Harbor. A constructive debate is interesting, but baseless accusations do nothing to spur the positive growth of Gig Harbor.

This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 1:54 PM with the headline "Commentary: Baseless accusations do nothing to spur positive growth."