Grassroots organization Save Vancouver Streets suffered a defeat in the courts against the City of Vancouver this summer, but it is raising funds to pay for an appeal in its fight to stop the city from making any more major changes to streets without the vote of the people

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

Justin Wood and colleagues were unsure what to do when a judge ruled against Save Vancouver Streets back in July. 

Appeal or no appeal?

At first, they were leaning toward accepting defeat.

Nope. There were just too many supporters of Save Vancouver Streets who wanted to continue the fight.

“We were asked by so many from the community to please appeal,” Wood said. “We’re happy to see there are enough people who care about this.”

Still, an appeal costs money. Save Vancouver Streets had another fundraiser, with an email to all who signed the petition a long time ago, hoping to get their initiative on the ballot. The grassroots movement is still shy of its goal to raise $20,000 for the appeal and has about a month before attorneys will require the payment.

Wood is optimistic that supporters will respond.

If you recall, the goal for Save Vancouver Streets is to get its proposal to the voters: They want the citizens of Vancouver to decide if the city needs to ask its citizens to vote on eliminating any current lanes of vehicle traffic on Vancouver streets.

This is in response to the city’s Complete Streets campaign, which has eliminated lanes of traffic in several areas throughout Vancouver, and with future plans to strip major thoroughfares of more lanes of traffic.

If Save Vancouver Streets gets its initiative on a future ballot, and if it passes, the city would not be able to eliminate current lanes of traffic without asking for a vote of the people.

Wood and other Save Vancouver Streets officials said their concerns were dismissed by city officials, so Save Vancouver Streets went to the initiative process. During that process, more than 6,500 signatures were collected — more than enough, Wood thought, to make it to the ballot. 

The City of Vancouver, however, took no action on the initiative and said that premise of the initiative was unlawful. 

Save Vancouver Streets sued the city. Almost two months after arguments were heard, Clark County Superior Court Judge Derek J. Vanderwood ruled in favor of the city. 

“We were all pretty disappointed in the judge’s ruling. He really didn’t give us anything,” Wood said, in terms of a reason. “He just found for the defendant and no explanation.”

Because of that, Wood theorizes, it makes the appeal more interesting. Wood said it is possible the appeals court will look back at the original argument brought by Save Vancouver Streets. That gives Save Vancouver Streets some hope.

Wood recently went to his bank to deposit donations into Save Vancouver Streets. He said one of the employees just asked about Save Vancouver Streets. Soon, three other employees joined in on the conversation. Wood said all of them agreed that the city was wrong to make all the changes on SE 34th Street.

“They said, ‘Oh my gosh, what they are doing to these streets is stupid,’” Wood recalled. “Four random people: ‘Why is the city doing this?’”

That has been Wood’s experience throughout this process.

“It’s like an issue nobody really knows about, but if you talk to people, the overwhelming majority don’t like it,” he said of the city’s position.

There is still time to act, Wood said. The appeal has been filed, and arguments are due in November. To pay for attorney costs, though, Save Vancouver Streets needs to reach its goal by the end of October.

For more information on Save Vancouver Streets and/or to donate, go to: Save Vancouver Streets

The city has already made significant changes to Columbia Street, McLoughlin Boulevard, SE 34th Street, and more. 

The city also has plans for Andresen Road, SE Chkalov Drive and 112th Ave, and Mill Plain Boulevard, and many more, Wood said. 

“This is the biggest secret nobody knows,” Wood said. “Nobody knows or cares.”

Clearly, at least 6,500 people know and care, but his point is there are a lot of Vancouver residents who are not happy with the new Complete Streets and would be frustrated to learn that more changes are coming to a neighborhood near them.