PORT TOWNSEND — The City Council has approved the first reading of an ordinance to create a public development authority, but it may be months before final approval is considered.
Port Townsend City Manager David Timmons told council members at their Monday night business meeting that several events must happen before the public development authority — an idea sparked by concern over the historic Customs Building — is created.
“The idea is that, between now and the time it comes back for second reading, a series of steps and actions will occur,” Timmons said.
“[But we need] some intent established before going to the next level.”
The intent was established with council approving the ordinance 5-0. Mayor Michelle Sandoval and Council member Laurie Medlicott were excused from the meeting.
Affordable housing
The authority proposed has five goals: to preserve historic assets, develop affordable housing, preserve public assets, preserve public places and fulfill projects designated by council.
“Those are just a few of the ideas that will take place,” Timmons said.
“There is a lot of opportunity, a lot of interest and this will be a good fit for the community in carrying out some of the initiatives we would like to see happen.”
Timmons said now that the concept of a public development authority has received council’s blessing, steps could be taken to define the specifics of such an authority.
City staff will collect all work that could be brought before an authority and prepare it for review.
Timmons said examples of possible projects for the authority are helping to keep the Customs House at 1322 Washington St. in the public domain, the restoration of the Hill House and categorizing land for affordable housing.
“We will also begin work on developing a funding model,” Timmons said.
“We will approach some foundations and agencies for start-up funding for this.
“We’ve had a few discussions already, but now there is intent [to form a public development authority].”
Customs House
The impetus for the authority was created in March when Timmons said he wanted to keep the Customs House, built in 1893, in the public domain despite the intention of the owner, the U.S. Postal Service, to sell it.
Postal Service representatives have said for more than a year that they want to get out of the business of owning buildings, to stay competitive with other parcel services.
Also, the Customs House isn’t laid out properly for a postal service, representatives have said.
The building’s stairs are challenging or impossible for some disabled people, and the Postal Service has been petitioned by Port Townsend residents to make the building accessible to people who are disabled — a requirement for federal buildings but an expensive process.
Timmons said the city doesn’t want to purchase the building, since it has no need for it, but that a public development authority would allow the city to facilitate transfers of important buildings from one party to another in an effort to keep public assets out of private hands, he said.
While the city wouldn’t own the buildings themselves, it would be able to guarantee that historic buildings remain in good hands.
“It’s analogous to a land trust,” Timmons said in March. “But this is more of a historic trust.”
“The key is that we will facilitate the transfer,” Timmons said. “The council has the power to create a public development authority. I believe we want to go beyond just the Post Office building.”
Timmons also intended for the authority to facilitate the creation of affordable housing.
City Attorney John Watts said the other three goals were added by a committee reviewing the authority.
“They added the preservation of public assets and included the development and redevelopment of public places,” Watts said.
“[Also added] is that council can task the PDA with various activities.”
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
