PORT ANGELES — The leader of the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe says the city’s plan to purchase a portion of Rayonier’s former mill site and use a large tank on the property to reduce sewage overflows wouldn’t affect the tribe’s plans for developing the property.
But the 5-million-gallon tank may need to be given a spruce-up if the tribe’s Salish Village proposal pans out, said Ron Allen, tribal chairman.
Allen said the tank might need to be painted to “change its image” or more trees could be planted nearby so that it blends in with the mix of residential, cultural and commercial uses that would make up the village.
The city still expects to purchase the tank and 11.86 acres of land around it from Rayonier Properties LLC by the end of the month, said City Manager Kent Myers on Saturday.
The city and Rayonier have already agreed on several terms, including the purchase price of $995,000 and a commitment from the company that it will pay for the environmental cleanup of that land.
The City Council approved the pending purchase last Tuesday.
Allen said the tribe’s development concept includes the tank.
“We figure it was going to stay and that there was no other option,” he said.
The city has been working with the Lower Elwha Klallam and Jamestown S’Klallam tribes to ensure that the tank and new pipelines that will connect it to the sewer system won’t impede the restoration of nearby Ennis Creek.
The same will be done with any development plans, Myers said.
Allen said the Jamestown tribe holds regular meetings at least once a month with the city, Port of Port Angeles, county and Lower Elwha Klallam tribe to talk about future uses of the Rayonier property.
He said he expects no roadblocks from the city if the tribe gets to put the development into action.
“They [the city] have been very aware of our initiative,” he said, “and they are very supportive of that.”
The new pipes, which would sit partially above ground in a few locations, also won’t affect the Salish Village concept, Allen said.
He said that’s because the village would sit on raised ground.
The land the city is purchasing includes the tank, where the pipes will be buried, and the area around its wastewater treatment plant.
The city intends to use some of the land for future expansion of the treatment plant.
Allen said the Salish Village concept does not include any development in the area around the plant.
The village would include a tribal cultural center, cruise ship dock and marina farther out on the waterfront property.
The Blyn-based tribe is currently relying on acquisition of the rest of the 75-acre site by the Harbor-Works Development Authority to make all that a reality.
Harbor-Works is trying to restart negotiations with Rayonier, which ended talks with the public development authority abruptly last month.
But if the authority is unsuccessful, the tribe would work directly with Rayonier to acquire the land, Allen said.
The Jamestown tribe intends to make any development project a joint venture with the Port Angeles-based Lower Elwha Klallam, he said.
The Kitsap County-based Port Gamble S’Klallam tribe could also be involved, he added.
Allen said the Jamestown tribe would like to eventually place the land under trust.
The city wants to use the tank to temporarily store untreated sewage and storm water that would otherwise overflow into Port Angeles Harbor during heavy rainfall.
The pipes to the tank would cross under a new bridge over Ennis Creek. The Olympic Discovery Trail would also be rerouted across the bridge and through the property the city is purchasing.
The project to reduce sewer overflows, required by the state Department of Ecology, is projected to cost between $38 million and $42 million.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
