PORT TOWNSEND — Hearing loud and impassioned opposition Monday night, the City Council backed away from a proposal to appeal Jefferson County commissioners’ approval of a 24-acre rezoning at Jefferson County International Airport.

Instead, the council voted 7-0 to show “trust” and invite the airport’s owner, the Port of Port Townsend, and county government to join with city leaders in the next two weeks to reform a Growth Management Steering Committee made up of Tri-Area, county, city and port representatives.

The intention, the city leaders said, would be to come up with a joint stra-tegy for economic development countywide.

Hearing pleas from several residents from Port Ludlow and other Jefferson County residents to create economic development and jobs that the airport rezoning could forge, the council debated for more than an hour how to move past their differences with county leaders.

The county commissioners on Dec. 15 unanimously approved rezoning the acreage adjoining the south side of the airport for light industrial and fire station uses.

The rezoning would allow for up to 10 light industrial businesses and at least 100 jobs, port officials said.

As proposed, the port would plan the site with environmentally friendly storm water drainage and visual buffer areas around the perimeter, install a water system from an unused nearby Jefferson County Public Utility District well, build roads and lease sites at a lower rate to lure new businesses.

The light industrial site would be similar to what the port has already developed at its Boat Haven industrial park in Port Townsend.

City officials, however, raised concerns that the port was not specific enough as to what types of industry it could develop next to the airport.

Calling it not only “an action of trust but a huge leap of faith,” Mayor Michelle Sandoval and other council members cited their concern that port representatives were not at the table during a city-county joint meeting last fall.

Port Executive Director Larry Crockett said that was the case because at the time the port was in the process of seeking county approval for the rezoning and did not want to create an awkward situation with its presence.

‘Procedural defect’

City Attorney John Watts and City Manager David Timmons said the city considered taking action under the state Land Use Planning Act, or LUPA, because it feared if it didn’t by a deadline today, the port and county could show in court that there was “procedural defect” in the city’s position.

Saying any city appeal of the county commissioners’ action would “sacrifice the county’s opportunity” to create economic development, County Administrator Philip Morley pleaded with the City Council: “I fear that a city LUPA appeal would set the city and county at odds.

“We can cooperate or we can litigate. I would vote to cooperate.”

Commissioner speaks

Likewise, County Commissioner Phil Johnson of Port Townsend called on the city to collaborate with the county and the port.

Earlier in the day, Crockett said he had not yet receive a response from the city after the port more than a week ago sent the city a letter, asking its leaders to work with the port to come to a mutual solution.

“I still don’t understand their concerns and why we can’t work it out,” Crockett said.

He said the port was already working with the county’s economic development agency, Team Jefferson, on an inventory of available land at the Glen Cove Industrial Park south of Port Townsend.

“I hope the city will join us,” Crockett said Monday afternoon.

The county commissioners’ approval allows the port to go to the Peninsula Development District, the North Olympic Peninsula’s regional economic development arm, to complete a federal grant process to pay for the port’s planning for a binding site plan, the next step in securing a building permit and developing the airport site with infrastructure.

Broader commitment

Timmons at the council meeting Monday again stressed that the city did not oppose the port’s proposal but that the city wanted it to be a part of a broader commitment in development.

The council meeting drew a number of politically diverse residents, many of whom normally go before the county commissioners to protest the commissioners’ actions.

“It seems like you guys are obstructionists, and I wonder why,” Port Ludlow resident Craig Durgan said.

“You haven’t expressed your opposition very well.”

Durgan called for jobs and economic development.

Larry Carter, president of the Citizens Alliance for Property Rights, called Sandoval “the most polarizing person in the county” but later apologized after Councilwoman Laurie Medlicott said his comments were a personal attack.

Former Port of Port Townsend Commissioner Herb Beck also heeded the council to not litigate.

“If you challenge this, it may go away,” warned Beck, who served on the port commission 36 years, ending with his defeat at the polls in November.

Mike Belenski, who has challenged the county commissioners in court on open meetings and records issues, said he agrees with the county this time.

“I never thought I’d find myself agreeing with the Board of County Commissioners,” he said, urging the council not to go to court with the county.

“You’re trying to obstruct the normal flow of commerce.”

________

Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.