Setbacks

I’m a long-time Gig Harbor resident born in 1951, who lived in a brick house next to a boat shop at the foot of Stinson Avenue and Harborview Drive. When I was a little kid, my godfather, George McDonald, owned a sand and gravel company across the gully from the shop. One year, he built an oil changing shop for his cement mixer trucks, right next to our property line at the top of the driveway. Prior to that, the space was a natural drainage path leading to a wetland area. 

I asked my dad, Ed, why he built his oil changing shop so close to our fruit trees and lawn (the fruit trees are still there). My father said, “Mark, a man’s property is something he has a right to use, and George is using it as he sees fit.” I loved and admired my dad, and I idolized George. George drove a big crane back and forth lifting gravel out of Foss Tug barges, loaded in Steilacoom. The different dimensions of gravel were dropped into big silos for mixing with cement. I could watch him through the French doors of the brick house. My first word was “Gorch”. It was as close as I could get.

It seemed to me that George should have placed that building a ways back from the property line, at least a few feet. 

Later on, I served six local Puget Sound jurisdictions for 19 years as a municipal official, and before that service, 16 years as a public educator. I’ve served as a city council member, city administrator, development services administrator and public works director. I’ve served on a lot of public, association and nonprofit boards. Also, I’ve worked as a teacher and administrator, grades 5-12. I’ve coached varsity softball and varsity boys basketball. Some middle-aged men around here still think of me as their coach.

I’m an advocate for residential and community values. We need healthy, competitive young people who grow into solid, democratic participants in our local communities. Those communities need to respect the needs of all residents and to provide for our welfare and that requires prosperous businesses. We need to foster neighborhoods and communities that are pedestrian, human in dimension and connected. I’m going to comment on how we’re doing – good, bad and the ugly.