PORT ANGELES — They’re tall, numerous and dominate the landscape at Lincoln Park.
But the days of many of the evergreen trees in the park may be numbered.
The Port of Port Angeles is requesting that the city of Port Angeles develop a “master plan” for the park that would involve removing trees that could grow into the flight path for airplanes landing at William R. Fairchild International Airport.
The plan, which the Federal Aviation Administration has agreed to fund, also would outline future uses of the park, particularly where trees would be removed.
Council mulls approval
The City Council will consider approval of beginning that two- to three-year process at its Tuesday meeting.
Since the trees continue to be a growing problem, the council also will consider a request from the port to remove between 39 and 45 trees from the park.
Those trees, said Airport Manager Doug Sandau, are at risk of growing into the flight path within the next two years.
The port, as it did in 2008 when it removed about 300 trees from the park, would cover all expenses, he said.
The city also would receive all of the revenue from selling the wood, estimated at between $8,000 and $12,000, Sandau said.
He did not have an estimate for the cost of removing the trees.
City Manager Kent Myers said city staff support the creation of a master plan for the park and any solution to the tree problem that could also enhance the facility.
“We’re trying to balance the needs of the airport and the needs of the park,” he said.
Myers said public input would be vital to the development of any such plan.
The evergreens could be replaced by low-canopy trees or the space could be devoted to other uses, say port and city staff.
Clearance for landing
Sandau said the port would like to be able to remove enough trees so that airplanes can land from the east when clouds are as low as 500 feet.
That would allow aircraft to use the eastern approach 90 percent of the time.
“That’s as good as it’s going to get,” Sandau said.
How many trees would have to be removed to accomplish that has not been determined, he said.
The port has previously identified almost all of the trees as being in the flight path.
Right now, the ceiling can be only as low as 700 feet, which provides for 70 percent access from the east.
When aircraft can’t approach from the east, they have to fly out about 20 miles to the west to land at the other end of the runway, Sandau said.
The extra fuel cost is hard for air carriers, such as Kenmore Air, to absorb, he said.
Sandau said the port would pay a 5 percent match on the FAA grant for the master plan.
The size of the grant would be determined by the extent of the plan, he said.
Myers said the city would use the grant to pay a consultant to create the plan.
City staff members don’t have enough expertise in long-range park planning, he said.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
