Council gets consultant's south end plan update

Tom Beckwith warmed up for the past Monday night public workshop on the south-end revitalization project with a 20-­minute presentation at the Sept. 24 Town Council meeting at Maple Hall.

Beckwith, hired to craft a blueprint for rezoning and development of the formerly bustling 4-acre industrial area, having shared his insights with the town's planning, parks, arts and emergency management commissions, again stressed that his team will address market potential and feasibility for the area, which includes the former Moore-Clark fish food processing plant.

Triton-America, owner of the property, has been kept in the loop, Beckwith said. "They are involved." He noted that the owner's passion is in building aircraft.

Planning Director Michael Davolio reinforced Beckwith's commitment to garnering input from all stakeholders during a three-month planning process.

"We want to actively engage the property owners and the entire community," Davolio said. "We want to make sure they're comfortable with what happens there."

"It's a big site," Beckwith said. It extends south from Maple Hall to Caledonia Street between South First and Third streets. "Nothing is on or off the table at the beginning of the process."

A detailed online survey is available on the town website for the public to indicate its priorities for the area, now zoned transitional commercial. Respondents have a chance to win a $250 gift card.

The survey lists residential and retail uses, public event venues and even a creative artists district.

"We'll start with everybody's ideas," said Beckwith, "and then apply feasibility."

A state planning grant funds the effort, planned to be completed by year's end.

The area has been underutilized since 1992, when the plant closed.

Councilmember Mary Wohleb praised Beckwith's team as being "very thorough and impressive" and called the effort "exciting."

She was likewise excited, as the parks commission liaison, to report that repairs to the popular fish slide at Conner Waterfront Park will be completed by next summer, adding that local artist Maggie Wilder will paint the landmark sculpture.

"It will be safe and functional," Wohleb said of the slide, the final project of late Northwest sculptor, environmentalist and salmon advocate Tom Jay and an iconic presence on the south waterfront.

The surface of the 13-foot slide has required periodic repairs for seasonal moisture blistering by retired town administrator John Doyle and parks commission chair Ollie Iversen. It has been closed since 2022.

Wohleb also reported that parks commissioner Mike Bucy leads an effort to form a nonprofit to raise funds for installation of native Pacific Northwest trees along Morris Street. The "street trees" campaign stalled after failing to win a grant.

She shared that commissioners have discussed the possibility of placing "peace poles" at various parks.

Council approved disbursement of $214,180 in hotel/motel tax revenue to 15 recipients, nearly half ($95,000) to the La Conner Chamber of Commerce, for the 2025 municipal budget. Hotel/motel funding is earmarked for tourism promotion.

Applicants were required to make formal presentations, at the behest of Mayor Marna Hanneman.

"I like the idea of doing presentations," Wohleb said. "It was really engaging and an eye-­opener."

"The presenters," Hanneman said, "did a lot of homework."

Hanneman was successful in convincing the council to award $1,000 to the Children's Museum of Skagit County and double to $2,000 the amount allocated to the Lincoln Theatre.

Public Works Director Brian Lease and wastewater treatment plant operator Kevin Wynn presented preliminary department budgets to the council for consideration. Lease touched on a variety of capital projects, not all of which can be undertaken immediately. He addressed needs at the Sherman Street boat ramp, Maple Avenue Park, the Third Street stairway above Morris Street, the historic La Conner Civic Garden Club Building, the Maple and Caledonia drainage system, and Channel Drive water line.

Lease estimated that design work for replacing the aging water line north of town will run about $400,000. Construction costs, he said, could pencil out at $3.1 million.

"We're working on trying to find funding for that project," Lease said. "It has to happen. That water line out there has been failing."

Hanneman somewhat lightened the mood.

"Is anybody buying Lotto tickets?" she quipped.

One thing is clear. The town isn't gambling when it comes to saltwater flood mitigation.

Lease said his work crews will begin putting sandbags and Ecology Blocks in place in mid-October, the second straight year such precautions have been employed following December 2022 flooding that caused about $2 million in property damage.

The council wrapped up its meeting with a 30-minute closed executive session dealing with an unspecified real estate matter. No action was taken, Hanneman said.