Pier Project update
Sincerely,Hi everyone.
Its been a while since we had a Pier Project update, and now seems like good time to do a brief update so that everyone really knows what's going on. Also, there are a couple of questions circulating in the community about the overall scope of the Pier Project, and, so that nobody gets any bad information, I'd like to take a moment to address those as well.
First, the Pier Project is very limited in nature. There are no proposals for boardwalks or access ways to other locations on the point of any kind. When it is finished, the Pier will encompass the area immediately adjacent to the old Pier at the end of Gulf Road, with just enough space next to the Pier for a public washroom and some off street parking. That will be the total scope of the Pier when it is completed.
Second, as most people know, we were successful in passing the initiative in the last November election to create a special use District. This new District will manage the Pier after it is completed, as well as provide a means of raising funds for the Pier before construction begins. The passage of the ballot initiative was been a huge success, and has validated the Piers importance in Point Roberts by showing that there is solid community support for the Pier at the Gulf Road location.
Over the next couple of months, the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce Pier Project Committee will be working with the Core of Engineers, the County Department of Planning, and God knows who else, to ensure that all the required permits are completed so that we may continue to move forward on this extremely important project.
We thank you for your continued support of the Point Roberts Pier Project, and welcome your questions or input.
Terrie LaPorte,360-945-5536
Point Roberts Pier WON!
Thank You for voting Yes to 225
on your Nov 4th Ballot.
Jan 24, 2004. After the completion a successful ballot Process ( Thank you Point Roberts Voters) the next stage was to complete the permitting process. Thanks to the fabulous efforts of Northwest Permits, the team of Deb & Alison they were able to have submissions accepted on December 31st, meeting our grant Deadlines. All submissions for the USDA-Forest Service have been prepared and submitted and are now awaiting final approval. The next stages of the project will be duscussed at our planning Session scheduled at the Port offices for Feb 9th, which will include the willing participation of Sam Crawford from Whatcom County Council and Mike MacFarlane from Whatcom County Parks our local Pier committee, representation from the Port and Northwest Permit. We will keep you posted.
Nov 10, 2003. The Pier vote won! The Port of Bellingham has requested that Moffat Nichol make ready the permit submission and that should be in the hands of the Permit Authority by weeks end (end of November). On December 9th, a group from the Pier Committee (& the Port have been invited) will be in attendance at the Public Works meeting at Whatcom County at 1:30 to discuss the roles of the Special District, the Council and the next process. At 7pm that evening at the regular session of the Whatcom County Council Meeting the Special Park & Recreation Service Area (re the Pier) will be ratified and those who are interested in that process are encouraged to attend. If enough people want to attend we could arrange for our WTC Bus to take us there. Call the Chamber Line if you would like to attend. After this, we shall await the preliminary findings of the Permit Process and then proceed to find funds for Engineered drawings and Construction Funds. (any Ideas?)
Oct, 2003. You are not voting about a Levy at this Time., This Vote is only your endorsement for this Project. The Port of Bellingham has assured us that if we get the endorsement of the People of the Point, they will help us persue the construction costs once the ballot has passed and the Permitting authorities have given their permission for a Pier to be built there. The Permits required a name to be placed on the submission. The Port of Bellingham has agreed to put their name on this project, as the Chamber of Commerce does not have the authority to do with as a volunteered based organization.
The Port of Bellingham was reluctant to do this until this project was endorsed by the People of the Point, therefore the Vote. We have a major portion of the funds set aside for the submission of the Permitting Process. Do not confuse this permitting process with the Construction Permit. We do not have engineered drawings or the construction funds yet. We just seeking permssion from Shoreline authorities, Wildlife, Corp of Engineers and other agencies for permission to have a Pier. Once preliminary approval is received after a successful vote, we will then look to finding construction funds from Federal Sources from taxes already collected that would have gone to other projects other than ours if we were not successful in this ballot. We are not asking the People of the Point to pay for building the Pier.
It is at this point, once construction funds have been confirmed that we would then go to the ballot to assess a Levy. Not until this time, as if the levy did not pass at that time, we would not go forward with Construction as we would have no way to look after the Pier once it is built. The levy estimations were based on a percentage of the Construction Costs. They would include such things as Liability Coverage, maintenance, utiliites, labour costs etc associated with a Pier. These could very well be offset by any Parking Revenue that could be generated from surrounding properties.
There may be may more questions that we have not addressed and hopefully you will come to the meeting set for Wed Oct 29th at the Community Center. This is just a baby step in the process and by your vote of yes, is not even a guarantee that we will ever have a Pier. It just proves you want one and that you would like this project to further persue this idea. Give us the opportunity to see if it can be done.
