Hello, Hello, Hello!
Happy end of Winter and beginning of Spring! I am enjoying seeing all the new growth on the trees and the perennials making their way toward the sunshine. It’s all a reminder that warmer days are ahead. With time flying as fast as it does, summer is literally around the corner.
Summer in Indianola is wonderful. Neighbors, kids, and dogs are all spending more time outside; making their way down to the dock and beach. There is lots of catching up to do. Indianola is such a special little town and there is nothing better than the vibe of a warm summer day.
On that note though, I am concerned about the increasing growth surrounding Indianola and its potential for a negative impact on the Indianola beach and that small town vibe that we hold so dearly.
My son and daughter-in-law recently bought a home closer to Indianola (yeah!) within the boundary of Poulsbo. Interestingly, when I read their real estate flyer I was surprised and irritated. “A super beautiful pier in Indianola & saltwater beach is a very short distance away & tons of fun on a hot summer day, be sure to check it all out!.” What the heck!? This is false advertising! The Indianola beach is not a state or county park. It is a private beach.
I did some digging into the IBIC President’s binder that is in my keeping. There, in black and white, is the legal description. In a nutshell, the tidelands 1/4 mile to the east and 1/4 mile to the west of the pier are owned by the Indianola Beach Improvement Club (IBIC). The high tide beach properties within this area are owned by the individual beachfront property owners. Beyond the IBIC boundaries along the water, the beaches are privately owned by the waterfront property owners. In addition, the community beach accesses, most of which were generously donated to IBIC by the adjacent property owners many years ago, were done so for the benefit of the Indianola community.
As time marches on and the areas surrounding Indianola become more populated, the community of Indianola needs to contemplate how we are going to keep the Indianola beach from becoming an Alki beach. Currently there is nothing in place other than a sign at the top of each of these beach accesses.
I am in the process of drafting an informative letter to the region’s real estate brokers. I am hopeful that with some simple education, no one else will find a misleading real estate flyer steering the masses toward the Indianola beach.
I welcome further dialogue from the community!
Respectfully,
Karen Jacobsen Kinnaird
