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Enhancing
Sultan's Natural Heritage: Its Beauty
(keeping
and enhancing its beauty as the manmade environment grows)
The people of Sultan have a responsibility to keep its natural environment and resources clean and unsullied. That is a simple fact.
To allow Sultan's natural beauty to deteriorate or be overrun by messy or ugly structures as the city develops is self-defeating: Maintaining and enhancing quality of life will not only attract new business and residents, but will ncrease Sultan's overall economic credibility and value. So as Sultan's built environment grows out, how can we all help to ensure that manmade structures will add to, rather than detract from, Sultan's visual God-given Goodies?
Here's one great place to begin: Volunteers are needed to help maintain some of the City's essential services for the short-term. If you're interested in lending a hand, contact the City, or the Sky Valley Chamber/Visitor Information Center VIC).
Next, Sultan needs to revise its code to make it consistent with the long-term vision expressed in its Comprehensive Plan and Vision 2020 document. This will provide the following benefits to the City: (1) existing built infrastructure will be properly maintained, improved, remodeled/refurbished; and (2) give Sultan the tools to continue raising the bar for new business structures and improvements through review, scrutiny and recommendations by Sultan's Design Review Board (hopefully, through a public process, a venue that has technically been denied [non-responsiveness to numerous citizen requests to publicize date/time/place of DRB meetings].)
Below are photos of the Good, the Bad (& the others) in Sultan. These are only a few examples that jumped out at us as we drove around Sultan's business/industrial district. We beg forgiveness in advance for any unintended omissions. [G.R.I.T. Note]
Sultan's
Newest Park?
(Click
here for details)
A
Homeless Encampment
south of the Skykomish River?
(Click
here for details)
Natural Health Center on U. S. 2 (at 4th Street) Unfortunately, the photo does not do this building the justice it deserves, especially when the planter boxes are abloom with flowers and its front is lit with the early morning sun.
Sultan's Smorgasbord of Sandwich Signs
(The best advertisement in the world is a good product served
up with good service.)
The
Dutch Cup Motel on Main Street at 8th
(Again, photo does not do this motel justice. In the spring and summer,
motel bursts with bloomin' color from the many flower hanging baskets.
Eyesore
at U. S. 2 and 11th Streets
Paros Trailer on U. S. 2 has always been a nice-looking facility, but recently, with the addition of David Hose's colorful mural, it has brightened up this part of U. S. 2.
MISCELLANEOUS.....
- And then there's the many areas or eyesores of which we do not take photos (but we have all seen them and mentally groaned):
- The Traveler's Park Fountain buried in weeds (and whatever happened to the running water in the fountain?);
- Many parks and green spots along U. S. 2 which are infested with dandelions or tall grass;
- The countless hand-written A-frame signs or small signs stapled to telephone phones, etc. (i.e., real estate brokers, yard-garage sales, baby-sitter-for-hire or daycare signs and oh-so-many others which make Sultan look so run-down);
- And finally there's the toy Choo-choo and other Christmas decorations left remaining far into the month of February.
And the worst is yet to come: Oh-mi-god! Election season is almost upon us! (Citizens will be interested to learn about Councilman Jim Flower's election promise, for which we loudly applaud him: He is running for re-election for his current council position against last-minute challenger Derek Boyd. Councilman Flower promised during the August 23, 2007 council meeting that he would not erect a single election sign. Well done, councilman! Please let us know what we -- or others -- can do to help get you re-elected! (To Sultan citizens: Door-knocking is not only educational, it's good exercise!)
The recent (2006) renovation of a dilapidated building at 3rd & Main has put another bright spot on Sultan's downtown map. I call this the "Pink Hacienda."
Another newly-renovated building just east of 3rd & Main and the "Pink Hacienda," is a feast for the eyes (especially considering its location just west of Sultan's City Hall). The building was previously a dumpy eyesore.
On the north side of Cascade View Drive is the home of Skyriver Mead Honey Wines and Pure Foods. Its trim, clean lines, with lots of green-screening, makes an attractive addition to Sultan's industrial Park.
The Front Porch Feed & Mercantile (on U. S. 2 and 3rd) always looks clean, bright, cheery and well-cared for.