Sequim, Washington Has History of Internal Conflicts

Sequim, Washington, a great retirement haven, has a history of internal conflict. This is not necessarily all bad. An active city council, active chamber of commerce, active local businessmen and active citizens will inevitably produce tension in the times in which we live.

Headlines of such conflicts are a regular diet in Sequim:

Sequim City Council Debate Growth
Sequim City Council Hays Sparks Debate
Newcomers Bring Change
The Fight Over Growth in Sequim
Sequim Chamber of Commerce Director Ousted
Text of E-mailed Memo to Chamber
Protester and Chamber President Hash It Out

You can listen to Sequim City Council meetings now on audio by going to Listen to Sequim City Council Meetings.

Why so much conflict? Certainly, Sequim has its share of strong personalities, but we are living in times when politicians at the federal and state levels have created multiple layers of land use laws and regulations that have created a complex web of restrictions on land development, wetlands mitigation, and environmental protections. When it comes to making decisions on housing development, zoning, and a host of land use issues, local politicians are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

Retirees have different desires than businessmen. Farmers have different notions of progress than those who would have no new housing developments. There are zero growth proponents, laissez faire growth proponents, and liberals and conservatives.

Within our microcosm of society, there are all kinds of lifestyles and dreams. For some it is owning and flying a small airplane. But for others it is living in the country far from the noise pollution of airplanes. For some it is maintaining our agricultural traditions, but others may want and end to negative impacts of farming (i.e., dairy farming). Some families enjoy recreational activities (boating, dirt biking, motorcycles, four wheelers), but other families feel such activities are offensive or detrimental. Some politicians want to invite new businesses and industry into the area for the benefits of employment and the economic multiplier, but others want to close the gates to further development.

Conflict is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a natural consequence of a thriving economy such as ours, something we can be thankful for.

Courtesy Sequim & Port Angeles Real Estate, LLC