Sustainable community proposed for Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) – Members of the Jamestown S'Klallam tribe and a group of designers and environmentalists have a proposal for the old Rayonier pulp mill site at Port Angeles: A development that would be a model of sustainable living while providing commercial, residential, retail and cultural space.
The Peninsula Daily News reports that the “Salish Village” concept for the 75 acres owned by Rayonier Properties LLC is the brainchild of Jamestown S'Klallam tribal Chairman Ron Allen and a community design collaborative of architects, environmentalists, planners, residents and leaders.
Last year, the tribe approached the Harbor-Works Development Authority about being involved in the property's redevelopment, and reaffirmed its interest in being the lead agency in a letter to Gov. Chris Gregoire on Aug. 3. On Friday, Allen described the tribe's ideas for the property.
Rayonier has said it was no longer interested in negotiating with Harbor-Works, the public development agency formed by city and port governments in Port Angeles to expedite the environmental cleanup of the property and speed its redevelopment.
Rayonier spokesman Charlie Hood, said Friday that the company had not discussed the design proposal with Allen or others in the community.
“We read the papers and find it interesting there's a lot of conversation about what to do with the site, but we are often not part of the conversation,” Hood said.
The new design is the first concept for the site since 2003 when developer Jerry Ward proposed a $120 million timeshare condominium complex along with an aquarium, marine research center, a water-themed amusement park and a decommissioned Navy aircraft carrier as a museum.
Ward abandoned that project, citing concerns about financing and the potential for disturbing ancient tribal remains and artifacts at a former Klallam village site.
The proposal described by Allen would encourage sustainable “living buildings,” where all utilities – power, water, storm water and waste water – would be contained and generated onsite by using the sun, tides and wind as energy sources. The look would largely be Salish motif, similar to that used by the Jamestown S'Klallam tribal village at Blyn.
“This attempt is designed to say to the community there is a way to develop a win-win proposition,” Allen said. “Everybody has their own ideas, of leaving it in its natural state to development.
The project is merely conceptual at this point. Allen said the tribe has not gone past the initial design phase to address cost and financing.
The state Department of Ecology, Lower Elwha Klallam tribe and Rayonier Properties plan to clean up contamination left behind by 67 years of pulp production at the site. Both Allen and Francis Charles, Lower Elwha Klallam tribal chairwoman, agreed that's the most important thing at this stage.
Jeff Lincoln, Harbor-Works executive director, said the agency is excited about the proposal.
“We think it is very much in line with the community sentiments and represents a visionary approach,” he said.
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Information from: Peninsula Daily News,
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com