INSIDE

A heap of thanks, guys

By Meg Olson

“Do I sound a little discouraged? I am,” said chamber of commerce president and leader of that organization’s pier group Terrie LaPorte. “I’ve spent five years on this thing and I’m not giving up yet.”

The pier at the foot of Gulf Road has been put on the back burner. The project, which garnered strong voter support last November with the approval of a junior taxing district to maintain it once it’s built, did not earn enough support from the Port of Bellingham for that agency to continue pursuing permits for the project. “We had taken it forward and a number of documents were done,” said port chief financial officer John Carter. “As we began receiving questions back from various permitting agencies we realized we were getting into something a little more expensive. The Port of Bellingham is willing to spend a little money, but we’re not going to spend a lot more.”

Carter said that his agency applied for permits for the pier at the end of last year, but was unprepared for the requirements permitting agencies put on the project. The department of fish and wildlife wanted another study of the effect the pier would have on eelgrass beds and a mitigation plan. The Army Corps of Engineers wanted specific design plans and a six-month study on the project’s impact on eagles. “As you started looking cumulatively at this and the cost – even without all the design issues it would be six figures, up to $300,000,” Carter said. “My concern was you go all the way and get the permits and there are no construction dollars.”

Carter said the port wanted to take a step back. “The decision was made to ask for the files to be closed without prejudice,” at the permitting agencies, he said. “It means the process can be restarted without going back to zero.” The project will be on hold until some agency is willing to take it on. “The hinge is having a clear sponsor,” Carter said. “To be honest this is an expensive project. It’s not impossible but it takes broader support than just the port and the people on the Point.” He added the port would continue to help with permitting issues if the project was revived.

Today the proposed pier is being reviewed by county special projects manager Roland Middleton. “I’m assisting the pier group in trying to better define what they want to do,” he said.
LaPorte said she’s happy to be working with the county but disappointed with what she saw as foot-dragging by the port that led to reports being stale-dated by permitting agencies. “I’m not taking any blame for this,” she said.

“I thought I had an agency that knew what they were doing and I didn’t. Point Roberts is a little far away and we get forgotten,” LaPorte concluded.