Seabeck May Not Get It’s Marina
July 31st, 2008 by brynn grimleyWarning: constant() [function.constant]: Couldn't find constant TT_TH8US_LEN in /home/psblogs/public_html/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/tweet-this.php on line 1821
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I know people in Seabeck have been wondering what’s been going on with the proposed marina, and I’ve heard the rumor mill was churning faster over the last few weeks as yet another summer is about to pass and nothing has been done.
After a lot of phone calls in the last month to find out what was going on, I learned Wednesday the marina was told informally by the Department of Ecology that their request for a conditional permit, as it stands, could not be approved.
Usually when I work on stories like this it’s relatively easy to predict what the outcome will be. In this case, I don’t know what will happen.
Talking with CK Commissioner Josh Brown, he is very adamant that this project move forward. He believes the project is important not only for Seabeck, but also the county. He has pledged to get the county working on a site-specific amendment to its shoreline master plan, to make sure this can be built. (Food for thought: it is relatively unheard of for the county to do such a thing, that shows how much they want this).
When I spoke with the ecology planners who worked on the application, they were also optimistic about the project moving forward, if the county were to amend its code.
So far so good right? Two big agencies agreeing to get things done.
Then I talked with Erik Bentzen. He is the Poulsbo yacht surveyor who bought the property with four other investors from Seattle. He, unlike the county and ecology, was not as positive about the outcome.
While he didn’t flat out say the project was done, he didn’t leave much hope. I think that was in part because of his frustrations with ecology.
According to Bentzen their group set up a feasibility meeting, well before they entered the permitting process, with the county and ecology to iron out concerns ahead of time in hopes to keep the permitting process as simple as possible.
At the time (more than two years ago) they were told by the agencies the project looked good. Then in March of this year they were surprised to hear from ecology that the department had issues with the scope (or linear feet) of the project, according to Bentzen.
In my conversation with Geoff Tallent, the ecology planner working on the application approval, he said they presented the county and the investor group with their concerns in March and gave them options that would help the project meet ecology’s concerns. Those options included the county changing its code, the marina size being reduced, or the chance for the applicant to present information to show the proposed marina would be a replacement, not expansion, of the existing facility.
According to ecology, the group and county chose the last option, spending the next few months trying to provide historical data that would prove the marina they proposed was in line with the former facility. The county also tried to show that water area had been regularly used by boat traffic dating back hundreds of years.
Ultimately it came down to a difference in opinion, according to Brown.
In speaking with ecology, they reiterated that they believe the project is an improvement from the existing conditions, and that the project is done extremely well. But the bottom line is county code wouldn’t allow it, and they have to follow the law. They know the community and the county want the project, but they can’t make an exception.
The county is scheduled to meet with Bentzen and the other marina investors next week to decide what the next course of action will be. Brown wants to get going on the amendment, but he also wants to make sure the marina group is willing to stick it out.
Bentzen said right now he’s not sure if that will happen. His main concern is their permits are set to run out in the start of 2009 and he’s not sure if they’ll get an extension. Also, he’s a somewhat skeptical of how quick the site-specific amendment process will be, since he’s heard ecology doesn’t consider them a priority — meaning they have no idea when that might get approved and then implemented.
I hope to know more next week after that meeting, and will plan to write an update story, and update blog entry on where the project is headed — the scrap pile, or wall of fame?
Right now though, it looks like Seabeck’s marina dreams may be heading out with the tide.
Here’s a run down of the other stories I’ve written on this project, for background information:
May 11, 2007 (Chris Dunagan covered the hearing examiner meeting for me)
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
August 11th, 2008 at 2:24 am
If this project doesn’t go through, it’s going to have a HUGE negative impact on the future financial health of Seabeck and the surrounding communities. We will lose out on a prime opportunity to effectively grow this area with meaningful and relevant commerce. The dire need for marina facilities/services on the East side of Hood Canal is extremely pronounced. Erik Bentzen and his partners presented an exceptionally well laid out plan, jumped through every conceivable hoop, and satisfied all possible environmental concerns. Unfortunately, unless it’s a Salmon Stream project, Ecology tends to think any form of development is the Anti-Christ. Let’s hope Josh Brown can exert his influence to get this much-needed project back on track!
August 12th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
What does the Kitsap County History book have to say about the boating at Seabeck?
I know there is/was a sunken ship disintegrating out aways from the Seabeck pier and to the right from the pier facing the water… I dove down and around it…and guessing its more than 100 years old..ask the local divers…they’ll tell you about it.
Not allowing the Seabeck pier is a serious lapse of good judgment.
In my opinion… Sharon O’Hara
August 13th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Maybe if the developer pays off the Suquamish Tribe they will give the Washington State Department of Ecology permission to approve the permit.
August 13th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
2.
I am really surprised that you guys haven’t mentioned the meeting this coming Friday in Olympia. The Dept of Ecology is supposed to issue its final ruling to nix the whole project. I just posted a article about it on SoundBiteBlog:
http://soundbiteblog.com/2008/08/13/is-the-seabeck-marina-project-doomed/
September 10th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Any update on this project. I haven’t seen anything in the paper.
September 11th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Tom,
From what I’ve heard this week, Josh Brown is supposed to be meeting with DOE people to discuss the marina. I’m not sure what those discussions will include, but I plan to follow up with him next week to see if there’s enough of an update to warrant a story.
I spoke with one of the marina developers a couple weeks ago — after the Aug. 18 article I wrote (http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/18/permit-extension-could-save-seabeck-marina-plans/) — and he said right now they will be working with DOE to see if they can find a solution both parties could agree on to get the project to a point where DOE could approve it.
If the county were to change its zoning designation with a site-specific amendment, as has been suggested, the developer told me the group would have to go through the permit process all over again, because their permits would have to reflect the new zoning designation for the water. So it’s not a simple solution.
I’m staying on top of this, and will give you all an update when something new happens.
– Brynn