Members of the Lemolo Citizens Club are up in arms again, a posture that is becoming the norm for this vocal group whose pleas often fall on deaf ears. Despite its good works to improve the health of local waterways, it still seems that Lemolo’s concerns are often listened to and then put in the round file.
The fact that Lemolo is in “the space between” Poulsbo and the county will be a problem until the community is annexed into the city.
When the Liberty Bay Trail concept got rolling three years ago, all parties agreed to work very closely on the project. Then, as usual, Lemolo was shut out. While the LCC delayed the start of the project slightly in January, citing concerns over native plants that had been placed with the assistance of Department of Ecology funds and volunteer labor to prevent erosion, the trail plan moved forward.
But as it did, certain promises went in the round file, too. Plants were moved, stormwater runoff plans changed and safety measures scrapped.
Just last month, as the city neared completion of the trail, officials there said fogline curbs, deflectors and other raised markings were being tossed in favor of a white stripe. This was a recent finding, they stated. Recent? The city has been working on the project for three years and just recently it discovered that its plans didn’t conform with the Manual for Uniform Traffic Development? One would think this safety issue would have been found long ago, or maybe it, too, slipped directly into the drink like so much runoff.
Speaking of which, any buffer that may have existed between Lemolo Shore Drive and the water has been virtually eradicated. In parts, the “trail” practically goes to the edge of the land and — in light of erosion issues elsewhere along the stretch — should raise questions as to how the new asphalt won’t soon follow the runoff.
Meanwhile, parts of Fjord Drive that were long needing American Disabilities Act improvements have been upgraded. This is not a bad thing but one must wonder whether ADA compliance for the city — and not a pedestrian safe pathway — wasn’t the original goal all along.
