Small Town News

Hodgepodge of zoning still in debate at city

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As it turns out, Shelton has been struggling for more than 50 years to find an adequate zoning for Alder Street.

At the second public hearing held to discuss a text amendment to zoning along Alder Street in Shelton, Community and Economic Development Director Steve Goins elaborated on the history of Alder Street as a "hodgepodge of different zon-ings," as he called it. * "I could not track the number of land use changes over time," he said.

Goins' historical review of the neighborhood is part of the city's efforts to approve a text amendment to the mixed use zoning along Alder Street to encourage economic development.

In a short presentation, Goins singled out several buildings, including some historic homes, that had shifted from one use to another throughout the course of their lives.

"Prior to 1970 we don't have a lot of records," he said.

Goins started with the Collier Building, at 428 W. Birch Street,

which signaled the beginning of mixed use along Alder.

"In 1946 the Collier Building was built as an inpatient clinic," he said.

In 1978, the use of the building was changed to professional office, following a trend in the area to move toward office space.

The construction of the courthouse in 1929 also influenced the growth of businesses, rather than residences, along Alder, Goins said.

Several other former homes, including 615 Alder, 320 Alder, 628 Alder and 620 Alder followed the trend and converted to office space in the 1970s.

The Irene S. Reed High School also contributed to the mixed nature of the neighborhood until it was demolished. The Shelton Timberland Library now stands in its place.

But the most important reason

that Alder never really worked as a residential street was because until the 1970s, when a bypass was built, Alder Street was Olympic Highway, Goins said.

"There's been these influxes of different uses starting with the Collier Building and the high school, going back 50 years," he said. "It's more desirous to have this as non-residential use."

While some residents of the community oppose more mixed use, an equal number seemingly support the text amendment, but all want any future businesses to comply with historic features of the neighborhood.

Throughout the discussion over the zoning amendment, parking has been a stumbling block for the city. Because Alder was once a primarily residential street, and is made up of old houses, there is no parking on Alder and only some access from alleys and side streets.

"We have to have a way to address the parking issue," Mayor John Tarrant said. "If we create a larger footprint, we create a larger traffic problem."

The commission made no decision on the zoning amendment.

"I could not track

the number of

land use changes

over time/'



Copyright 2011 Shelton-Mason County Journal, Shelton, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 Shelton-Mason County Journal Shelton, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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