Letter: Local control of shoreline could be a plus if all voices are heard
Most Tri-Cities leaders agree that it’s time for the Corps of Engineers to return the 34-mile stretch of mid-Columbia shoreline to local control. Admittedly, the advantages of local control are many, but so are the legitimate concerns of some of our citizens.
Having observed the mistakes other waterfront communities have made in trading the natural beauty of their shorelines for haphazard development, these Tri-City residents fear the same could happen here. This concern underscores the absolute necessity for scrupulous oversight of all development plans.
The decision-making process might benefit from an oversight council with representatives from local government entities, private citizens and the tribes. This would ensure that all voices are heard and the best interests of the community are served.
Ella Childers, Kennewick
This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Letter: Local control of shoreline could be a plus if all voices are heard."