BRINNON — More comments, both pro and con, were heard about the proposed Pleasant Harbor Resort during a Jefferson County Planning Commission meeting that followed an open house in Brinnon this week.
At the open house Wednesday afternoon, about 40 people talked to project managers one-on-one about the proposed 252-acre resort at Black Point, about 2 miles south of Brinnon.
At the county planning panel’s meeting that night in Brinnon, also attended by about 40 people, more spoke up.
“I’ve been to a series of meetings where people have been grappling with the issues,” Victoria Marshall of Brinnon told county planners.
“The amount of careful work that has gone into planning this is impressive, and it will be a wonderful addition to the community.”
Richard Whitcomb of Brinnon disagreed.
“This has a giant scale and will bring in twice as many people who live here, so it’s going to bring a tremendous amount of traffic,” he said.
“It’s going to impact everyone, and a way of life is going to disappear.”
Statesman Corp. of Calgary, Alberta, first proposed the resort in 2006. It is seeking a county permit.
Wednesday’s meetings followed the Nov. 19 release of Jefferson County’s draft supplemental environmental impact statement, which discusses the impact of the project on local natural resources.
Public comment will be taken on the draft document until 4:30 p.m. Jan. 5. A final supplemental environmental impact statement is expected to be released by the end of March, with a public hearing set in April or May.
About 15 people spoke during the one-hour comment period at the Planning Commission meeting. No time limit was imposed on the individual comments.
Those in support cited a positive economic impact on the region, while those opposed or on the fence questioned if the water use would strain available resources or whether the jobs created would actually benefit local workers.
Jason Maloney of Brinnon said the current wastewater treatment plant has not hired any local labor for its construction, adding that he hoped the estimated 300 jobs that Statesman says the resort would create would draw from a local talent pool.
“There are a lot of guys out there with a shovel and a rake who want to work,” Maloney said.
“We need to know when the jobs are available because a lot of us don’t have the Internet or smartphones.
“You don’t advertise at the post office, which is where people go around here,” he added.
“We’re Brinnonites, and you can’t beat us up for that.”
David Wayne Johnson, DCD associate planner, who is managing the project, said an agreement between Statesman and the county required hiring first from the local workforce as long as the cost was competitive.
Rob Mitchell of Brinnon said he was worried about saltwater intrusion should the resort deplete the water supply.
He also was concerned about a passage in the draft county document that he said would put the burden of proof on the homeowners if such damage occurs.
George Sickel of Brinnon spoke in favor of the project from an economic standpoint.
“This will double the tax base here and bring us more money for schools and the fire department,” said Sickel, who was selected during a mock election that was a Brinnon Parks and Recreation District fundraiser to be the ceremonial mayor of the unincorporated community.
“There are so many good things that can come from this,” he said.
“We have struggled with this for eight years, and we don’t want to wait any longer because at this rate, it will be 2020 before we see any tax benefit.”
Statesman has previously estimated the project’s cost at $300 million, but that amount could be adjusted downward, according to company CEO Garth Mann.
“We have redesigned the contours of the golf course in order to retain significant trees and shrubs with less moving on site of materials,” Mann said in an email.
“The number of buildings have been reduced in order to reduce the amount of impervious disturbed land area, with these and other amendments the overall costs have been reduced.”
The two-part report, 269 pages of narrative plus 992 pages of appendices, is available along with other project information at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Pleasant-Harbor.
Hard copies can be viewed at the county office; the Jefferson County Library at 620 Cedar Ave., Port Hadlock; and the Brinnon Fire Department at 272 Schoolhouse Road.
Comments can be emailed to dwjohnson@co.jefferson.wa.us or mailed to Pleasant Harbor DSEIS c/o Jefferson County DCD, 621 Sheridan St., Port Townsend, WA 98368.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
