PORT ANGELES — The Harbor-Works Development Authority executive director and several consultants will discuss three possible scenarios for redevelopment of the Rayonier mill property during an open house Monday.
The session will be at 6 p.m. at the Clallam County Commissioners meeting in Room 160 in the county courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
Harbor-Works was created to acquire Rayonier’s 75-acre former mill site on the Port Angeles waterfront and redevelop the property, as well as assist in the environmental cleanup of the land, which has been overseen by the state Department of Ecology since 2000.
The three ideas, which were formally announced at the organization’s Dec. 15 meeting, include a variety of possible uses, including industrial, commercial and some open area for public use.
An update on the due diligence study to determine the feasibility of redeveloping the land is also planned at the meeting.
“Nearly 100 people attended Harbor-Works’ first public meeting to learn about the cleanup and redevelopment of the Port Angeles waterfront,” Port Angeles Harbor-Works Development Authority Executive Director Jeff Lincoln said.
“We are looking forward to presenting the site’s conceptual alternatives, providing updates on the due diligence study and listening to the community’s ideas.”
Lincoln will present the three options, and audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions about the redevelopment ideas of both him and several contracted consultants.
The site at the end of Ennis Street contains pockets of PCBs, dioxin, arsenic and other toxins from a pulp mill, which operated for 68 years before it closed in 1997, putting nearly 400 out of work.
A portion of the site is over the ancient Klallam village of Y’innis.
In addition to the cleanup required of the site, concern has been expressed by developers over the possibility of halting projects upon discovery of the cultural artifacts at the site, Lincoln said.
Alternatives
The alternatives that will be presented include:
• Alternative A, which describes a diverse development with marine, retail, residential and industrial uses.
Lincoln described the development as taking the maximum economic advantage of the site.
• Alternative B also includes marine, retail and residential development but adds a cultural hub to capitalize on the potential for finding historical Klallam artifacts.
It includes a proposal for a cultural research facility and museum east of Ennis Creek, where the village of Y’innis is presumed to have been.
“Instead of looking at these cultural resources that potentially exist there as a negative thing that are stopping us from moving forward, why don’t we look at how we could gain from what is actually here?” Lincoln has said.
• Alternative C focuses on marine industries and includes a marina and an industrial area.
Lincoln said the industrial areas in both alternatives A and C could be risky because it is unknown whether or how many artifacts are on the East side of the site.
Harbor-Works will determine whether or not to acquire the mill site by next August.
Central to that decision will be the results of a $380,460 due diligence process. The first of two phases in the due diligence process are complete. The next will run through March 29.
Before residences could be built on the site, the area would have to be cleaned to a higher standard than for industrial use.
Created by the city of Port Angeles in May 2008, Harbor-Works is jointly funded by the city and the Port of Port Angeles. The city and port have loaned Harbor-Works a total of $1.3 million.
Beginning Tuesday, people may review the alternatives and comment on them on the Web site, www.paharborworks.org.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
