Methow Valley Citizens' Council
Scaling down the Resort
Index to MVCC's campaign to avert a destination resort in the Methow Valley, Washington
A Letter to the Editor of the Methow Valley News, October 27,
1996
By Tracey Wiese
The fate of the 1200 acres of land at the head end of the Methow Valley,
currently being referred to as the Arrowleaf PDR, is still very uncertain.
What happens to that land will have a tremendous effect on the entire valley.
I think that a large resort/subdivision on that property would not be
"good for the valley" as Charlie Wright keeps insisting. Certainly some
people will make money off of it, some of those people might even live
here, but it will also change the face of this community quickly and drastically.
Increased traffic, increased property taxes, increased population and a
drastic change in the social character of the community; it truly is the
"Aspenization" of the Methow.
An excellent alternative is still possible; a conservation buy-out is
not unrealistic. Imagine how much more attractive the Merrill Corp. Wilson
Ranch development would be adjacent to a natural preserve with trails and
wildlife rather than next to a California-style subdivision. Imagine people
attending the Environmental Center learning about their natural environment
walking on trails through a natural landscape rather than among houses
and skirting the fairways of a golf course. Imagine that 1200 acres actually
being true open space rather than adding up the bits and pieces of land
between the houses and calling that "open space." Imagine seeing that land
remain basically as it is now rather than covered with nearly 700 dwelling
units and a golf course.
The threatened alternative to this large resort/subdivision is subdividing
the land into 20 acre or even as small as 5 acre lots. Sounds awful, but
even the 5 acre lots allow a maximum of 250 houses. A lot of houses? Yes!
But this is roughly 1/3 of the 690 dwelling units being planned for this
"environmentally sensitive resort."
The R.D. Merrill Corporation has the opportunity to truly do something
good for this valley by negotiating a conservation buy-out of the land
currently slated for the Arrrowleaf resort/subdivision. If you are concerned
about the future of the Methow I encourage you to let your voice be heard:
write letters, attend hearings, be informed. Don't let our community become
just another valley that "used to be a nice place".
Index to MVCC's campaign to avert a destination resort in the Methow Valley, Washington
