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MRC Meeting Minutes |
MRC Members Present-Chair Tom Campbell, Roger Sherman, Sayed El-Sayed,
Marty Behr, Dick Toft, Matt Klope, Jim Hawley (standing in for vice chair
Tom Roehl), Jeff Tate, Don Meehan, MRC Recording Secretary Kate Poss.
Excused MRC members: Hi Bronson, Phyllis Kind, Mike Gallion, Executive
Director, Gary Wood.
Visitors/Guests: Bill Attwater, chair of Island County Water Resources Advisory Committee; Bill's wife Nancy Wiseman; Frank Roberts from Lagoon Point, Don Williams, Oak Harbor Marina harbormaster; Don Williams, Oak Harbor Marina; Tony Frantz, representing creosote log removal (fishfriends.com is his website); Don Sherman, Roger's son and commissioner of Pt. Of Coupeville; Jim Hawley also talked about the Pt. of South Whidbey.
The meeting was called to order at 4:15 p.m. A quorum was established
Harbormaster Dave Williams talked about the Marina; please see accompanying summary of Williams' talk. Following the presentation at the marina, MRC members and visitors met at the Oak Harbor Yacht Club at 5:15 pm. Pt. Commissioners Don Williams (Coupeville), and Jim Hawley (So. Whidbey) gave updates on their ports. Please see accompanying notes. at end of these minutes.
MRC new and unfinished business at 6:05 p.m.
· Approval of 9/5/01 MRC meeting minutes. Roger Sherman moved and
Dick Toft seconded the motion, which was carried. The minutes were approved
with a slight amendment to revise visitor Frank Robert's neighborhood
from Bush Point to Lagoon Point.
· Tony Franz asked for MRC's help with the creosote log problem
and the detrimental effect on nearshore wildlife. Marty Behr requested
that Franz give a presentation to the MRC in the near future regarding
Lake Hancock and the creosote-soaked logs.
· A decision to award the contract for Phase II of the eelgrass
survey project is expected at the 10/3 MRC meeting on Heller Road, Oak
Harbor. Two of the most qualified candidates with the most viable proposals
are Golder & Assoc. and Marine Resources Consultants.
· Don Meehan announced that Anchor Environmental will give a presentation
at the 10/3 meeting regarding working with habitat mapping and NWSC presentations.
· Roger Sherman said he would bring in old photos of Oak Harbor-the
marina is slated for improvement. There was concern about a proposal to
bring in a ½ million tons of glacial till as suggested at the last
meeting-see the 9/5/01 meeting minutes for details on that proposal-that
much sand could find itself at the marina-silting is an ongoing problem
at the O.H. marina.
· Rick Levin of the Whidbey News Times wrote a story about Dan
Penttila and the forage fish volunteers.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 3 at Heller Road Firehall in Oak Harbor.
Oak Harbor Marina presentation
Harbormaster Dave Williams
Sept. 19, 2001 4 p.m. to 5:15 pm
Williams handed out folders-on file-with complete information
on his presentation. In a nutshell, William covered these areas:
· The marina was built on Navy property in 1974.
· The marina is host to Whidbey Island Race week which hosts 185
boats and brings in about 2,000 to 3,000 visitors during the week.
· The marina attracts 3,000 boats and 10,000 visitors brining in
about $1.7 million annually to Oak Harbor
· It is a public marina; one of less than 5 city-operated marinas
in the state
· "F" dock is a new breakwater built to withstand the
winter storms. The dock was built in 1987; includes an additional 50 boat
slips
· There are 345 permanent slips; 210 are open and 135 are covered
slips-a disappearing commodity
· The marina operates also owns a parking and storage facility
for RVs and boats; fuel dock. Fuel tanks are state of the art-two 10,000
gallon tanks above ground; alarmed for vandalism; fuel is electronically
monitored
· Marina is different from a boatyard; bottom scraping is restricted;
cleaning requires tarps
· The marina has one of the largest boat launches in the NW
· Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) leases the property for $66,000
annually; up from $780 a year in 1964. The high rent is an issue that
is continually debated between the marina and DNR; as of now, there is
still no success in rent reduction
· One of the he marina's pride and joy is a floating loo, feminine
by reference, that is also a dump station. It has won EPA awards.
· Marina and the environment-leaking boats are cited and removed
from the water
o Unseaworthy boat are removed
o The bay is healthy
o MRCs eelgrass study helped expedited the expansion of the marina
o Best Management Practice guides are given to each tenant, along with
a boaters guide provided by the Puget Sound Keepers alliance. The guide
offers alternatives to using harmful cleaning chemicals; gives fueling
guidelines to avoid spills
· The marina hosts 21 live aboard tenants; this is
a great asset for security of the marina; tenants assist when winter storms
hit and cause damage
· Recycling of oil, gas, aluminum, paper, diesel and batteries
is on the marina's site
· The marina has for 16 years reared salmon in net pens for later
release
· Problems-with the DNR tidelands lease, the marina cannot afford
to renovate; it has been here for 27 years and has a 30-year life expectancy.
While dredging is necessary to remove siltation that gathers, there is
no money for that. Permitting is tough for silt removal.
· The market is increasing for larger slips; traditional 28-foot
ones are too small for the bigger craft
· A new city pier is planned-would be a transportation node for
passenger ferries, float planes; a hub for alternative transportation
to Seattle and Camano Island. The pier is the foal point of the O.H. downtown
renovation; includes recreational pathways; a $4.3 million enterprise.
· The new breakwater is patented; it deflects winter wave's destructive
power to the marinas. 912 feet long and features 52 guest slips
State of the Ports of Coupeville and South Whidbey
By Don Sherman, Coupeville and Jim Hawley, So. Whidbey
Coupeville Port - Don Sherman
· Established in November, 1966
· The port is a municipal corporation which promotes economic development
and tourism; and promotes the character and historic value of Coupeville
· In 1997 the Greenbank Farm Trust became part of the Coupeville
Port Authority. The Port owns the farm areas.
· There have been some challenges in running the farm-hopefully
the new management agreement will be a success
· Coupeville Wharf-While the Port wants to install more floats
to extend the wharf for more dockings, the Endangered Species Act restrictions
and Army Corp. of Engineers say floats may affect salmon protected by
ESA. The debate continues on the wharf expansion.
· Perhaps MRC science-such as eelgrass and forage fish mapping-can
help expedite the wharf/dock expansion. Currently the wharf can handle
an average of 6 to 8 boats at a time.
· The Wharf does not make money yet enjoys tremendous community
support; if it wasn't for the Port of Coupeville running it, there wouldn't
be a wharf; business is especially tough during the winter.
South Whidbey Port- Jim Hawley
· A new development in Langley is the newly purchased boat marina
· The marina is operated by the City of Langley
· Some want to expand the marina
· Langley City Council is currently "less than enthusiastic"
about the marina's expansion
· The marina earns about $300,000 annually
· The port also maintains parks and trails: Freeland Park; Possession
Shores; Maxwelton ballfield, playground and boat launch; Mutiny Bay launch-subject
to frequent siltation; Bush Point-Fish & Wildlife is still working
on a boat launch design-project is caught in debate about increased pavement
vs. restriction on impervious surfaces-the MRCs eelgrass study will help
this;
Both commissioners were asked if the ports have a responsibility
to protect marine resources; Hawley said it I a questioned he hasn't looked
into; Sherman said the port could be sued if it didn't follow guidelines
for environmental protection. Meehan said MRC's by-laws support the economic
vitality of marine industries.
