June 16, 2003

Margaret Fleek, Planning Director

City of Burlington

900 E. Fairhaven Ave.

Burlington, WA 98233

Dear Ms. Fleek,

Friends of Skagit County is committed to preserving the rural character of Skagit County and promoting sustainable, resource-based industries. Toward that end we have a long record of supporting agriculture in Skagit County by opposing unnecessary annexations of farmland and working to make our cities and towns more livable.

We are opposed to expansion for the sake of expansion. We are in favor of city codes and policies that direct development toward existing communities, allow for and encourage compact building designs, and create a range of housing choices. We strongly encourage the City of Burlington to take a good look at its code to see if it could be improved to encourage smart growth within the existing City limits. You may find that the 2020 growth can be accommodated within the existing city limits if more housing types were allowed and encouraged.

There is no justification in the Countywide Planning Policies for expanding Burlington’s UGA toward the west or north. Unless and until a real need can be demonstrated, there is no reason to do so. Friends of Skagit County is opposed to the proposed expansion.

We are also opposed to proposals that would allow additional/new schools to be served by on-site septic systems, and to proposals that would take so much farm land out of production.

In conclusion, we feel that expansion of Burlington’s UGA is not needed and would be in violation of the state’s Growth Management Act. We encourage you to vote to keep the boundaries as they are.

Most sincerely,

June Kite, President