Kingston Citizens Advisory gets report from the port

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following was culled from notes provided by Kingston Citizen’s Advisory Council secretary Mary Kulish from the KCAC meeting Nov. 5. The next meeting of KCAC takes place at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 in the Kingston Community Center and will feature a presentation by Elizabeth Wilson, vice president of Olympic Property Group, who will give an update on the company’s proposed Arborwood housing development off South Kingston Road.)

The Kingston Citizens’ Advisory Council met Nov. 5 and featured a presentation by Port of Kingston Manager Mike Bookey who gave an overview of projects.

Kayak float – The port received final approval to build and install a storage structure that will take the place of five boat slips at A Dock. The shelter will have a metal roof and hold about 27 kayaks or other non-motorized vessels in storage racks. 

Mike Wallace Park – The port received permits for and is now negotiating bids to extend the grass road (which last spring replaced the asphalt fire lane) and fill in the bioswale (grass ditches) along the marina. As part of the project, Bookey said the port is replacing its storm water handling system.

Performing arts pavilion – There are ongoing discussions about building a permanent performing arts pavilion in Mike Wallace Park for music concerts and other performing arts events. It may be constructed where the big tree is currently located. If the tree is taken down, another will be planted in a different location, possibly a large noble fir from a local abandoned tree farm. He said the pavilion could be built before next summer.

Kitsap Arts & Crafts – The festival will move from Port Gamble, its home for the past few years, to Kingston July 24-26, 2009. The Port of Kingston, Kingston Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Kingston Association and festival management are meeting to discuss the event.

General business – Business is good at the port. From the beginning of summer through August, the boat occupancy rate went from 64 percent to 80 percent and the port was turning away as many as 30 boats on weekends. KCAC member Betsy Cooper whether the port was going to install moorings buoys to accommodate more boaters. Bookey said the port did investigate them, but only four would fit because of the swing boats need to maneuver and turn. The buoys cost about $10,000 apiece so installing them is very expensive and permitting is extensive. If the port expands its marina, the expansion must meet the needs of the tribal and state fishing fleets (which use the area for fishing), guest recreational boaters, and pleasure craft in need of permanent moorage. He noted there is a 10-13 year wait for 45-foot slips and 2-3 years for small-boat slips. 

Water-transit service – Bookey summed up all the requirements necessary to obtain permits to run a water-transit service for walk-on passengers only. He said the port secured $3.5 million in federal funds, has a terminal in Kingston, and permission to use Pier 50 in Seattle, but still needs to purchase a vessel and secure subsidies for startup operational costs. The port is in discussions with the state to secure the operational startup monies from a ferryboat account funded from the proceeds of the sale of the Chinook and Snohomish passenger vessels. The Port of Kingston is battling with King County over the money because King County says the state promised all the ferryboat account funds to them. Until that issue is resolved and the port secures operational startup funding subsidies for its water-transit service, Bookey said, things are on hold.

Round-trip fares, based on 100 passengers, are projected to be about $14 to $16 (the full cost of taking the ferry from Kingston to Edmonds and then riding the Sounder train to Seattle is $13.70/day).

County report

Pete Sullivan, associate planner with Kitsap County’s Department of Community Development who represents DCD on the council, gave an update on 2008 projects coming to a close and upcoming 2009 projects:

Kingston planning – Sullivan said the narrative of the Kingston Sub-Area Plan, known as Appendix G in the county Comprehensive Plan, explains the process KCAC and the community went through and includes a table of the coordination involved to implement the projects. He said he presented it to the Kitsap County Planning Commission which accepted it unanimously. County commissioners will hold a public hearing before giving final approval at 7 p.m. Nov. 24 in the Commissioner Chambers, County Administration Building, Port Orchard.

Kingston Downtown Master Plan – Sullivan said he and co-chairs Alex Thomsen and Rick Lanning have received about a dozen statements from local citizens who want to participate on the master plan subcommittee. Sullivan said the first tasks are to define downtown boundaries, review the Sub-Area Plan projects and designate ones affecting downtown, and look at the design standards again in case they need tweaks. He said county staff is working on code revisions.

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