PORT ANGELES — Development of a final draft plan for Lincoln Park’s makeover has been delayed while the Federal Aviation Administration reviews the proposal and assesses the safety dangers posed by the park’s trees, city Recreation Services Manager Richard Bonine said Thursday.
A March 26 arborist report includes options that would involve cutting trees in both managed and unmanaged forested areas of the 147-acre park, which includes the Clallam County Fairgrounds, where less tree-cutting is proposed.
An open house on the draft plan had been slated for Wednesday and was to include the presentation of tree-cutting options to address safety concerns that the FAA has expressed to the Port of Port Angeles, which operates near William R. Fairchild International Airport.
“We’re delaying [the open house] until the FAA has a chance to review the progress we’ve made up to this point,” Bonine said.
The park is located 875 feet east of the airport’s primary runway. Two-lane L Street lies between the airport and the park.
The Port Angeles City Council, which must approve the plan for the city park, was to review the final draft in July.
“That might be bumped back six to eight weeks. It’s hard to tell,” Bonine said.
“All of our timelines are really floating. There are going to be a lot more steps before anything happens on the ground,” Bonine said.
“We’re still trying to figure out our master plan now and what it will look like in the end.”
A draft master plan that included wetlands, an orchard, bicycle and walking trails, and reshaped ponds to deter birds from being attracted to the area was presented at an April 4 open house attended by more than 60 people who overflowed into the hallway outside City Council chambers.
The FAA is reviewing public comments on the plan and other information provided by the city.
That includes an arborist report titled “Cursory Tree Assessment for Master Plan,” issued March 26 by Urban Forestry Services Inc. of Mount Vernon.
“The majority of existing trees in Lincoln Park, Port Angeles, Washington, exceed the maximum height allowed by Federal Aviation [Administration] regulations for nearby Fairchild International Airport,” according to the report.
“Removal of trees and replacement with lower maturing canopy tree species appears to be the most viable option for most of the site.
“The Master Plan would propose the use and replanting of those areas.
“However, if acceptable to the community, a small portion of the site could be managed under a ‘Sustainable Forest Management Plan’ based on a limited maximum height rotation.”
The FAA’s approach requirement for the airport’s runway “results in height restrictions for trees within Lincoln Park,” the report said.
Douglas fir along the park edge facing the airport “exceed maximum height threshold of 35-40 feet for airport runway” and have a growth rate “indicating poor vigor,” the report said, concluding that those trees should be removed.
“Management of existing trees at a lower height is not an option,” the report said of the park-edge area.
The report also said trees should be removed near the park’s West Lauridsen Boulevard entrance in the maintained forested park area, where a dog park will be built and where an A-frame shelter is located.
Trees in an unmanaged forest area where most of the park’s trees are located also should be removed, according to the report’s Option A.
According to the report’s Option B for the unmanaged area, native forest trees that exceed allowable heights could be culled and managed through selective harvesting and replanting in accordance with “sustainable forestry” practices.
Trees within the fairgrounds should be “crown cleaned,” and dying Douglas fir removed and replaced, the report said.
“We’ll be able to tell which options are acceptable by the FAA after they review it,” Bonine said of the draft master plan and accompanying information such as the arborist’s report.
“The arborist is providing information to help design the options.”
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
