PORT TOWNSEND — The Board of Jefferson County Commissioners have chosen the Chimacum Creek Primary School property as the location for an aquatic recreation facility.
The decision, deliberated Monday, was made to meet requirements for a site location and site control for an application for Local Community Project (LCP) funding, county commissioner Greg Brotherton said.
The application, which could result in design dollars for the aquatic center, is due on Feb. 21, he said.
“There were two viable Tri-Area locations,” Brotherton said. “The reason that we have to choose one now is that the Local Community Project requires site control. You have to apply for it for a site.”
In a presentation to the board, Brotherton showed overhead maps of two prospective sites, Chimacum Park and Chimacum Creek Primary School, listing pros and cons to each site.
Pros for Chimacum Park were that it is owned by the county and outsizes Chimacum Creek at 15 acres to Chimacum Creek’s approximate 3 acres. While the location offered close proximity to Chimacum High school, H.J. Carroll Park, the Olympic Discovery Trail and Chimacum businesses, its location also was a factor in choosing against it.
“It’s not in the phase one or the phase two (Port Hadlock) sewer area,” Brotherton said. “It’s more challenging. We know from south Whidbey Island, you can build a pool on a septic system, but it’s adding about a million dollars in cost and at least a year in permitting through the (state) Department of Health. We would also have to do significant road improvements.”
The county would probably need to build a roundabout, Brotherton said, likely another $2 million.
The school location is smaller and less visible, Brotherton said.
“The Chimacum Creek Elementary is exciting but small,” Brotherton said. “The available land is about the size of the Mountain View campus. It is in the phase one sewer area.”
Feedback for the location has been favorable, he said.
“Everyone that heard about building it next to the library was like, ‘Oh yeah, that sounds like a great place for a pool,’” Brotherton said.
The LCP application requires site control for at least 15 years, Brotherton said. Details would need to be formalized in an interlocal agreement.
Brotherton said he met with Chimacum School District superintendent Dr. Scott Mauk, who met with the school board.
“They’re just really interested in making this happen,” Brotherton said.
Mauk and Brotherton previously have had discussions about the possibility of partnering to use the school location for the aquatic center, Mauk said, but until speaking last week, he was under the impression that the county was favoring the Chimacum Park location.
Mauk said the school board has authorized him to move forward with the initial steps in pursuing funding with the county and that the details will be “ferreted out” later.
The aquatic center, on the west side of the primary school’s property, would be located just north of Jefferson County Library. Brotherton also met with library staff, he said.
“They’re all in favor,” Brotherton said. “They would have to ask their board for final permission but they would be amenable to overflow parking in their extra large parking lot.
Sharing property lines to the north of the school is Habitat for Humanity’s 136-unit affordable housing project on Mason Street. The board also passed a motion to act as a public sponsor for the affordable housing organization as it pursues funding for the Mason Street neighborhood in the federal Legislature.
The school district has been envisioning the primary school campus, the library and the Mason Street development as a partnership, Mauk said. Adding the county and the pool would strengthen that partnership, he said. The aquatic center offers a lot to the school in terms of programming, he added.
A short walk across Cedar Avenue is B&R Mobile Home Court, Brotherton said.
Forming a public facilities district (PFD) is a next step for the board of commissioners, Brotherton said.
“A formed PFD can make different decisions,” Brotherton said. “They’re an independent agency. They could say, ‘This is a bad plan’ and move to a different plan or abandon the pool entirely. They would be the shepherds at that point.”
The board also will need to draft and approve an interlocal agreement with the school district preceding the Feb. 21 deadline for the design application, Brotherton said.
“I think that as parents and community members looking for opportunities for our children to have indoor climate-controlled recreation in this area is really, really important,” said Amanda Christofferson, county grants administrator, in a public comment. “I think the move to the mid-county location is an incredible sign of equitable investment by the county and a more accessible place for more of our county residents.”
“This is an exciting step we’re taking today,” said Jean Ball of Quilcene, in a public comment. “This process has been a little agonizing, and I still have concerns and some constructive criticism, but I’m very excited to see a major step being taken today. This is a big win.”
JeffCo Aquatic Coalition, in partnership with Jefferson County, will launch a countywide survey seeking community input on the aquatic center starting Feb. 1, Board President Diane McDade said in public comment.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.
