PRCAC to zero in on big changes

By Meg Olson

The next meeting of the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) will focus on the committee’s review of a new draft character plan.

PRCAC chair Joel Lantz said that for the last six months they had been making minor edits to the new plan, developed by an independent review committee.

“It later steered into more substantive change and I resisted that,” Lantz said.

PRCAC is made up of representatives from the voters’ association, the taxpayers’ association, the chamber of commerce and two at-large members.

“Some of us wanted to be really sure this was coming from committee members’ boards and not just personal opinion,” Lantz said.

He said committee members would consult with their boards and bring their feedback to the November 8 regular meeting of the committee at 7 p.m. at the community center.

“Anyone interested we ask that they please attend,” Lantz said. “The only real agenda item we will talk about is the status of the character plan and next steps.” An important consideration for the committee was whether or not to hold a townhall meeting to present and receive feedback on modifications to the plan.

PRCAC members are also not united behind the proposed Northwest Contemporary design theme.

In addition, the revised plan has language that stipulates design review under the plan will apply to commercial and institutional structures but “design review also applies to any residential use structure in a Resort Commercial or Small Town Commercial zone.”

The current plan requires “all structures or developments other than a single family home on an individual lot” to conform to the plan.

Lantz, who represents the voters association on PRCAC said his membership “wants that struck,” while Ron Clark with the taxpayers association said his board had indicated support for the change.