I commend the Port Commission of Friday Harbor for holding open meetings on the Waterfront Master Plan.

Their active calls for public participation constitute exactly the kind of governance that islanders expect. As we have learned very painfully in the last few months, not all government agencies take appropriate steps to gather and consider citizen input.

My heartfelt gratitude extends to the Port Commission for the care that they are taking with this process. Indeed, the choices they make now will inform the look and feel of our town for generations to come.

I was not able to attend the February 6th meeting because I have regular commitments on Thursday evenings. So I would like to offer feedback about the proposed Master Plan in this public forum.

I have reviewed the 78-page document that describes the Waterfront Master Plan. I am impressed by its careful consideration of environmental impacts. I trust that as the plan evolves, it will get even better.

I have one major objection to the Master Plan as presented: the aesthetic is quite Space Age. That doesn’t fit our culture.

Friday Harbor is a 100-year-old seaside village, not a research hub for NASA. I would like to see fewer “cold steel rails” and more wood (sustainably harvested).

A warmer feel will be better for tourists and locals alike.  Folks come up here to escape the city. If we offer a modernist, urban landscape, tourists will be more likely to stay in Seattle or visit Lopez instead.

Fortunately, there are still lots of opportunities to change the look and feel of the buildings. I suggest that the Port actively solicit feedback from our Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) and from local contractors who are particularly skilled in the old style. I believe that they will do just that.

Grisha Krivchenia/San Juan Island