While Port of Port Angeles staff and commissioners continue their fact-gathering process on the John Wayne Marina and consider its possible sale, Sequim city councilors reaffirmed on Monday night they want it to remain available to the public.

City councilors voted unanimously in favor of a resolution stating the city’s Shoreline Master Program allows only publicly-owned marinas.

The resolution also affirms that the city is open to receiving ownership — or forming a Metropolitan Park District to take on ownership — of the marina, along with other area parks and recreation assets, at little to no cost.

Sequim City Manager Charlie Bush said the resolution established a position for city councilors before going into any discussions with the Port of Port Angeles about the marina.

In an interview, Bush said city staff and councilors learned of discussions in March from a Peninsula Daily News story about a developer’s interest in buying the marina. Since, then city staffers have attended port meetings and begun discussions about the marina’s future.

On April 12, Sequim public works director David Garlington told the port Marina Advisory Committee that the Shoreline Master Program, which was updated in 2012, prohibits private marinas in city limits.

However, port leaders said Monday they’re not sure it does.

Port Commissioner Connie Beauvais asked city councilors and staff for clarity on the Shoreline Master Program, saying that there is a conflict between a chart and written provisions that indicate the plan allows private marinas, and that there is no reference to John Wayne Marina staying public or private.

Sequim City Attorney Kristina Nelson-Gross said the table shows private marinas are prohibited, but that she needed more time to analyze the text Beauvais referenced.

Port Commissioner Colleen McAleer said she believes the ideal ownership for the marina remains public.

“I’m hopeful that we can continue to ensure it can stay in public hands,” McAleer said.

McAleer told city councilors she wouldn’t support a marina sale or transfer where the port would receive little to no funds, as the city suggests in its resolution.

She said Sequim needs more high paying jobs and industries to support more families and low income residents, and that port staff want to explore opportunities with the city and other entities on creating jobs.

“If we were to transfer the John Wayne Marina at little to no cost, there goes the financial resource for all those people in that area of Sequim that sorely need our support,” McAleer said.

City Councilor Ted Miller, who suggested some minor changes to the resolution, said he was “heartened” by some of McAleer’s comments.

“I think the right answer is for the port to continue to own it,” Miller said. “The sale to a private developer will mean the end of public access.”

Part of the city’s new resolution appears to rule out a sale of the marina, stating that city staff see “no value in the sale of an asset from one public entity to another in overlapping tax districts as it is not an effective use of taxpayer dollars.”

Clarity

Karen Goschen, executive director for the Port of Port Angeles, encouraged city councilors to have patience in regards to the port’s staff investigating the marina.

“I’d like to remind everyone this is the early phase,” she said. “The City of Sequim is not behind in playing catch-up.”

Goschen said there isn’t a proposal on the table, no negotiations in place, that she has not met with a developer nor toured facilities with a developer.

She also encouraged city councilors to debate purchasing the marina at fair market value.

“The port cannot make a business case, to transfer a viable, income producing asset at no or little cost,” Goschen said.

As fact finding continues, McAleer said there isn’t “a dire emergency staring us down” to sell the marina either.

“I believe in 10 years, it’ll cost $7-$10 million to replace floats, however, that number changes all the time,” she said. “Because of unfunded mandates with industrial stormwater systems, we don’t have the kind of financial resources we once thought we did.”

Differing views on document

Following the resolution’s approval, Beauvais said she felt the city council did what they felt was right.

“I reviewed every word of the (Shoreline Master Program), and feel they are mistaken,” she said. “However, it’s a use document, not an ownership document.”

From here on, she said port staff will continue to investigate the marina, such as for needed capital projects, funding for those projects, and much more, and she’ll do her “due-diligence” before determining anything on a sale or not.

Goschen said in an interview that she felt the city council’s decision was premature because they haven’t seen information on the marina port staff is compiling for a special meeting tentatively in early June.

“They are making a decision without having all the facts,” she said.

Goschen reiterated that the port would be interested in discussions with the city about a sale or forming a parks district if it was sold at fair market value.

“The city is a different taxing authority. We rely on our businesses and because John Wayne Marina is an ongoing business there’s too much value there for us to give it away,” she said.

For more about the City of Sequim’s resolution, visit www.sequimwa.gov.

‘Save Our Marina’

While there may not be any immediate action on the marina, concerned community members filled the Sequim city council chambers and held signs outside prior to the meeting reading, “Please Please Help Save Our Marina!”

Sharon Laska of Sequim said the marina was one of the big reasons she and her husband moved to Sequim.

“I think John Wayne Marina should remain public so people in all of Clallam County can use it and preserve it for future generations,” she said.

Terry Speidel of Carlbsorg said she and her husband have a boat at the marina too, and that she appreciates the marina for being handicap-accessible and safe.

“I’m very encouraged by (the passage of the resolution),” she said in an interview.

“I’ll be very distressed if the marina is closed. We’d strongly consider moving.”

Lisa Roberts of Sequim questioned any change in ownership.

“The only person who seem to be proactively pursuing this is the port,” she said. “Have you met one person who wants this? Our commissioners talk about big paying jobs? Where are they going to get these?”

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Editor’s note: the City of Sequim’s resolution below was unanimously approved on April 23.

During public comments of a Sequim city council work session on April 23, Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Colleen McAleer said she’s “hopeful that we can continue to ensure (the John Wayne Marina) can stay in public hands.” She expressed hope to work with the city and other entities in bringing more jobs to Sequim through sites like the marina.

Sharon Laska of Sequim spoke Monday to Sequim City Councilors in favor of the resolution reaffirming that the John Wayne Marina remain open to the public. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Community members gather with signs “Please Please Help Save Our Marina!” prior to the Sequim City Council meeting on April 23, where councilors approved a resolution to reaffirm the city’s position that private marinas are not allowed. Sequim Gazette photos by Matthew Nash