Save Our Town Coupeville

United TO Save Our Beautiful Town

Concerned Citizens for Coupeville · Ebey’s Prairie & Historic Reserve, Washington

We are Coupeville neighbors — homeowners, renters, longtime residents, and newcomers — joined around a simple belief: our town is worth protecting.

Get Involved Public Meetings

Who We Are

Our Vision

Coupeville is one of the oldest incorporated towns in Washington State — a working waterfront, a living agricultural landscape, a community of extraordinary natural beauty within Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. People come here, stay here, and love this place because of what it is.

Our vision is a Coupeville that remains worthy of that description for generations to come: a town where the character of our streets and shoreline, the health of our waters, the vitality of our farms and forests, and the voices of our neighbors are all taken seriously — and where decisions that shape this place are made with honesty, care, and genuine accountability.

Our Mission

United to Save Our Beautiful Town is a network of Coupeville residents, property owners, business owners, and community members organized to strengthen civic life, promote transparent and accountable local governance, and protect what makes Coupeville worth saving.

We serve as a town-wide communications network and organizing forum — connecting neighbors across every part of Coupeville, sharing information, supporting meaningful participation in public processes, and ensuring that community voices are heard before decisions are made.

Membership is open to all who call Coupeville home and share a commitment to this place and to the values of honest, respectful civic engagement.

What We Care About

Our Issues

Coupeville faces real decisions right now about how it grows, how it’s governed, and what it remains. We are paying attention — and inviting our neighbors to pay attention with us.

Transparent Governance

Good decisions require honest process. Residents deserve to know what is being decided, in plain language, before it is decided. We advocate for agenda items that accurately describe the actions being taken, public hearings before significant commitments are made, and staff recommendations grounded in complete information.

Environmental Health & Clean Water

Penn Cove is one of the most beautiful working waterbodies in Washington State. Its health depends on what happens on land — how stormwater is managed, how development is sited, how tree canopy and natural systems are treated. We support decisions that account honestly for environmental costs and protect our water quality and ecological integrity.

Historic Character & the Ebey’s Reserve

Coupeville sits entirely within Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve — a living cultural landscape of national significance. Its farm viewsheds, historic streetscapes, waterfront, and settlement patterns are irreplaceable. Decisions that affect this character deserve careful, informed deliberation and respect for the Reserve’s federal design guidelines.

Trails, Open Space & Outdoor Access

Coupeville’s trail network, open spaces, and non-motorized connections are community infrastructure. They serve residents of all ages and abilities, support local tourism, and contribute to the quality of life that makes this town worth living in.

Attainable Housing Done Right

Coupeville needs housing that working people, teachers, tradespeople, and longtime residents can actually afford. We support genuine affordability solutions — and we distinguish them from density proposals that produce market-rate units while shifting environmental and infrastructure costs onto existing residents.

Sustainable Local Economy

A thriving Coupeville economy is built on what makes this place distinctive — its history, its natural beauty, its small-town character, its working waterfront. Growth that degrades what draws people here is not sustainable growth.

Community Engagement That Means Something

Showing up to a meeting should matter. We advocate for public processes that give residents real information, adequate time to respond, and genuine influence over outcomes — not checkbox participation after decisions are effectively made.

How We Work

Our Principles

Place First

Every decision we engage with comes back to one question: what truly serves Coupeville and the people who live here over the long term?

Environmental Stewardship

Penn Cove, our tree canopy, our wetlands, and the ecological systems of the Reserve are shared assets requiring honest accounting.

Historic & Cultural Vitality

Coupeville’s historic character is the foundation of our identity and economy. It deserves careful, informed public deliberation.

Access to the Outdoors

Trails, open space, shoreline access, and non-motorized connections are community infrastructure deserving the same protection as roads.

Attainable Housing

Housing that working people and longtime residents can actually afford is a genuine community value, not a slogan.

Sustainable Economy

A healthy Coupeville economy draws visitors and supports businesses that value what makes this place distinctive.

Good Governance

Public decisions should be made transparently, on the record, with honest notice and accurate information. Commitments should be kept.

Meaningful Engagement

Residents deserve to participate while there is still time for their voice to matter — not after outcomes are predetermined.

Common Ground

We believe success lies in finding common ground and forging alliances among uncommon partners.

Your Voice Matters

Public Meetings Open to All

Every meeting listed below is open to the public. You do not need to speak to attend — showing up counts. When you do speak, your words become part of the permanent public record.

Town Council

2nd & 4th Tuesday — 6:00 pm

The policy-making body for the Town of Coupeville. Five elected members. All major land use, infrastructure, and budget decisions come here.

Town Council page →

Planning Commission

1st Tuesday — 6:00 pm

Reviews land use applications, zoning changes, and the Comprehensive Plan. Recommendations go to the Town Council. Public comment is accepted.

Planning Commission page →

Historic Preservation Commission

Scheduled as needed — see agendas

Reviews Certificates of Appropriateness for development within the Ebey’s Reserve. Has authority to require design changes consistent with Reserve guidelines.

Agendas & Minutes →

Ebey’s Reserve Trust Board

4th Tuesday — 3:00–5:00 pm (+ 2nd Wed workshops, 10am)

The partnership body managing the Reserve. Includes Town, County, State Parks, and NPS representatives. Public comment welcomed. Also available via Zoom.

Trust Board page →

All Agendas & Minutes

Posted at townofcoupeville.org

Council, Planning Commission, and Historic Preservation Commission agendas and packets are posted before each meeting. Read them before you attend.

Find agendas →

Public Records Requests

Submit anytime under RCW 42.56

You have the right to request any Town document. Submit requests to the Town Clerk at cjolly@townofcoupeville.org or in person at Town Hall, 4 NE 7th St.

Info & Documents →

Join Us

Get Involved

There are many ways to be part of this work. Every voice matters and no prior experience is required.

Stay Informed

Sign up for our email list to receive updates on meetings, actions, and developments affecting our neighborhood and town.

Attend a Public Meeting

See the Public Meetings section above for schedules. Showing up — even silently — signals that neighbors are watching and that decisions matter.

Speak on the Record

Public comment periods put your voice into the official record permanently. Three minutes at a microphone has real impact. We can help you prepare remarks.

Talk to Your Neighbors

Word of mouth is our most powerful tool. If you know someone who cares about this town, invite them to get involved. Every conversation matters.

Stay Connected

Get updates on Town meetings, local issues, and ways to get involved. No spam, ever.

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Reach Us

Get in Touch

We are neighbors, not a bureaucracy. The best way to reach us is by email.

Email the Coalition

You can also find us at community events and Town meetings.
Watch this space for upcoming gatherings.