Town eyes south-end planning grant, treatment plant upgrades

Two short Town meetings last week dealt with long-term plans for the La Conner landscape.

An application for a $30,000 planning grant to revitalize the south-end industrial area and major upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant highlighted the Town Council meeting May 25. The Wastewater Advisory Board discussed the treatment plant earlier that day.

During the Council public hearing, Town Administrator Scott Thomas and Town Planner Michael Davolio outlined steps for applying for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to develop a plan for a makeover of the south First Street waterfront and old Moore-Clark property.

“We think we have a competitive grant proposal,” Thomas said. “This is an under-utilized area that is an ideal location for re-development.”

Thomas and Davolio said the two year planning process would rely heavily on public input, including area property owners, and result in tangible economic benefits.

“We want to maximize the opportunity for public engagement in the process,” said Davolio. There will be plenty of opportunity for the existing property owners (of the former Moore-Clark site) and residents to come up with ideas for the property.”

“We want the owners of that property to be involved in the process,” echoed Thomas, adding that the grant would fund planning to “identify potential uses that would serve the needs of the Town and residents.

“Hopefully,” Thomas said, “this would create economic opportunity for low-income individuals.”

Thomas said the scope of the grant would cover reviews of south-end shoreline and transportation issues. With the vacant Moore-Clark building straddling seven feet of public right-of-way, the Town has explored the possibility of extending First Street south to Caledonia.

La Conner residents Sandy Stokes, Amy McFeely and Dan O’Donnell participated in the public hearing.

Stokes, who is married to Council member Bill Stokes, voiced support for south-end revitalization and urged Town leaders to prioritize development of “real affordable housing so that families can move in.”

McFeely likewise spoke in favor of developing more affordable housing here. She also stressed the need to plan with vision – to focus on incorporating change that will not negatively impact La Conner’s quality of life.

O’Donnell, a former mayor, shared with Council members – as he had earlier with the WAB – his contention that there is an “I&I (inflow and infiltration) problem in the sewer system” which if addressed would result in considerable cost savings.

“In 2020 and so far in 2021,” O’Donnell told WAB members and later repeated to the Council, “you haven’t spent a dime on I&I. I want to know why.”

Thomas and wastewater treatment plant operator Kelly Wynn responded that it was a matter of timing.

“We won’t get too involved in I&I until we get into fall when water is more prevalent in the ground,” Wynn said during the 22-minute WAB session.

Thomas told Council sewer lines will be assessed during drier months – from now through summer – with I&I work to follow. He noted that about half of the sewer lines in La Conner are “side sewers,” lines which are on private property.

Everyone agrees on the need to update the aging wastewater treatment plant, built in the 1970s courtesy a generous federal grant program and whose construction catalyzed the community’s evolution from a sleepy fishing village to a thriving destination point.

“We are going to have to spend a significant amount of money on the plant,” Thomas said, “sometime between the next five and ten years.”

Age and new state Department of Ecology standards for wastewater flow will make necessary the plant upgrades, which Thomas and Wynn project could cost as much as $10 million.

“My understanding,” said Thomas, “is several tanks need to be rebuilt and there is equipment that has to be replaced. So, we want to be very careful with how we spend our wastewater money.”

Council member Jacques Brunisolz took the discussion to yet another level.

“My concern,” Brunisholz said, “is that we are looking at rebuilding a 50-year-old plant. If you look at projected sea level rise over the next 50 years, we don’t want our sewer plant to be under water.”

Also discussed:

* A scaled back Fourth of July celebration. “We’ll have a fireworks display and anticipate a parade,” Thomas said. “There won’t be a community picnic like we’ve had before or the concert at the Port, but those are events we can pursue for next year.”

* Council meetings in June will likely be by Zoom.

*Member MaryLee Chamberlain chaired the session in Mayor Ramon Hayes’ absence.