Consultants still have a ways to go on plan

Consultants working on a Port of Bellingham’s $89,900 economic development study for Point Roberts have yet to grasp the community’s unique challenges and well-known local priorities.

Maul Foster & Alongi Inc. delivered their summary report memo at a second of three scheduled public meetings during the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee’s regular monthly meeting on June 26, recommending five strategies to boost economic development in the isolated Washington peninsula. However, a review of the study reveals significant gaps between the consultants’ recommendations and Point Roberts’ on-the-ground realities. [The PRCAC meeting took place while the APB was going to press. A report on it will be published subsequently.]

Missing community priorities

The study overlooked several key infrastructure projects that have long been community priorities, including restoration of the boat ramp and fishing dock at Lighthouse Park and/or reconstruction of a historical fishing dock at the foot of Gulf Road.

“The county replaced the old [Lighthouse Park dock] with a floating dock designed for a lake which failed within three weeks and have refused to put in another one,” said former chamber of commerce president Brian Calder. The old Gulf Road dock pilings remain visible as a reminder of past maritime activity that could support tourism. Calder wrote a scathing response to the study almost immediately after receiving it.

For a study focused on economic development and tourism, the omission of these specific, achievable projects that have clear community support raises questions about the depth of the consultants’ community engagement.

Questionable case studies

The consultants selected Alburgh, Vermont; Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Samsoe Island, Denmark as comparable communities, but provided virtually no actionable information about how Point Roberts could apply lessons from these places.

Comparing Point Roberts to Mackinac Island – a major tourist destination – ignores massive differences in infrastructure, investment, and tourism draw. The report mentions these communities as models but fails to explain how their strategies could realistically be adapted to Point Roberts’ circumstances.

Infrastructure misunderstandings

The report contains several factual errors that suggest unfamiliarity with local conditions. It mentions “the lack of natural gas service” when all residents use propane, and identifies “transportation and warehousing” as leading employment sectors despite the absence of significant warehousing or transportation companies.

The study recommends establishing a “Point Roberts Resilience Hub,” and suggests that the currently existing Resilient Point Roberts group should be responsible for its operation and management but do not describe how a group of volunteers would have the wherewithal or resources to do so. Similarly, the consultants propose that the local chamber of commerce should be responsible for establishing and developing a Point Roberts brand and pursuing funding opportunities, again ignoring the fact that the chamber is simply a group of volunteers without resources to do so.

Governance gap

A critical oversight in the study is its failure to address Point Roberts’ unique governance structure. Unlike the comparison communities cited, Point Roberts lacks elected local governance – no mayor, city council, or local budget control – which many believe is fundamental to the Point’s economic stagnation.

Marina strategy questions

While the report’s recommendation for Port acquisition of Point Roberts Marina has local support, it glosses over a fundamental problem: the offshore Chinese owners have rebuffed numerous offers to purchase it over recent years.

Seasonal economy unaddressed

Perhaps most significantly, the study largely ignores Point Roberts’ core economic challenge: extreme seasonality. The permanent population of 1,200 swells to around 5,000 in summer months with Canadian visitors, but recent political tensions and tariffs have dramatically reduced cross-border tourism. That tension would also complicate efforts to have the Greater Vancouver Sewer District allow the Point to hook up to its system.

Restaurants struggle to survive in the winter and find it difficult to hire employees for the busy months, is just one of the challenges faced by local business.

The report’s recommendations for “cultural festivals” and “brand development” don’t address who will attend these events if Canadian visitors continue to stay away.

Implementation concerns

Many of the study’s recommendations lack realistic implementation pathways. For example, broadband improvements are already underway through Whidbey Telecom, but the project faces archaeological delays with no clear timeline. The study treats this as their recommendation rather than acknowledging existing efforts.

The consultants are scheduled to present their final report in September, date to be announced.