Property owners weigh in on ferry zone plans

Published 1:00 pm Saturday, November 4, 2006

Next public workshop on ferry terminal scheduled for Dec. 2

Throughout planning for the new ferry terminal and Gateway District, city and ferry representatives say they’ve worked hard to include everyone.

Evidence of those efforts was on display Thursday during a joint ferry planning meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission, at which many of the 60 people in attendance were somehow involved with the project.

Among them were some of the current property owners upon whom a great deal depends, particularly in light of the fact that two of the three latest designs – the same two favored by many at the meeting – mostly ignore the current property boundaries.

Although Washington State Ferries and the city say they’ve made working with those owners a top priority, some at the meeting reminded officials to consult with them before carving up the land.

“You were talking earlier about visual corridors,” said Bruce Weiland, who along with business partner Dan Reisfeld owns two parcels near the terminal. “But those aren’t yours to play with.”

Weiland – who prefaced his remarks by pledging his support for the project – urged planners not to “micromanage” private property owners as they move forward with gateway design.

The latest versions of those designs, originally presented to the public at a workshop last month, were again reviewed last night.

All three strive to improve access to the terminal, now hampered by the convergence of cars, buses, bicycles and pedestrians into an area ill-equipped to accommodate them.

Goals for the surrounding area include better parking, waterfront access and improved view corridors. Plans also call for underground parking structures beneath what could become an extension of downtown Winslow.

Planners hope to use the best design elements from each plan as they craft the new $160 million terminal, construction on which is scheduled to begin in 2009.

The next public workshop is planned for Dec. 2, with another joint meeting between the council and the planning commission tentatively slated for Dec. 6.

While there was some time devoted to public comment, Thursday’s meeting was held primarily to give city officials a chance to ask questions and offer input.

Some questioned the schedule for the environmental reviews of each project, particularly because the city is slated to finish much earlier than WSF.

Also discussed was the intersection of state Route 305 and Winslow Way, which regularly slows ferry unloading. Some have suggested building a tunnel to allow traffic to circumvent the intersection, though transportation officials have continually ruled out that possibility, in part because of grading problems they say such a tunnel would likely cause. WSF is expected to present models of the revised intersection at meetings next month.

Like many others, City Council member Nezam Tooloee wasn’t a fan of “option A,” dubbed “Bremerton lite” by one audience member for its resemblance to the terminal in that city.

Still, architect Rick Williams said it is more likely that planners would combine the different designs rather than adopting one as is.

Kitsap Transit Executive Director Richard Hayes said Bainbridge – whatever it plans to do – should be aware that there is competition for funding, with Seattle, Mukilteo, Anacortes and Edmonds all vying for help with their own terminal projects.

“This is not just a rare opportunity,” he said. “It’s also a foot race.”