Seaplane dock permit issued
Published 1:30 am Saturday, June 6, 2026
PORT ANGELES — An effort to bring a seaplane float and ramp back to Port Angeles harbor has advanced a step in the permitting process.
The city of Port Angeles issued a shoreline substantial development permit on May 29 for the proposed dock project and transmitted its decision to the state Department of Ecology, Shannel Cartmel, the deputy director of community services, wrote in an email.
The city also issued its state Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) determination for the proposal, Cartmel said.
The Hollywood Beach Seaplane Association is working through the permitting process with the city to eventually construct and install a seaplane float and ramp adjacent to Hollywood Beach.
The shoreline permit does not authorize the construction of the seaplane float or ramp at this time, Cartmel wrote.
“Before any construction can occur, the applicant must obtain all required state and federal approvals,” she wrote. “Once those approvals are secured, the applicant would need to submit for and obtain a city building permit for the dock and any associated construction activities.”
The permit application notes that Marine Floats of Tacoma would construct the seaplane floats and ramp. The project would include the installation of a 6-foot by 45-foot aluminum ramp with 100 percent fiberglass grating and a 10-foot by 150-foot seaplane float with 100 percent fiberglass grating and a helical anchor/seaflex system.
City staff received 18 responses during the public comment period for the permit application.
“Key points touched on the positive economic outcome the project would have and the added benefits of having additional transportation to and from the Peninsula,” city documents stated.
“Comments opposed to the proposal were generally related to the noise generated by seaplanes as well as the potential for impact on aquatic life in the harbor. Additional comments received pertained to the Western Harbor Clean Up Area and to ensure that great care is taken when undergoing the removal of overwater structures and associated creosote pilings.”
In the city’s SEPA determination, it was stated the project “does not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment with the addition of mitigating conditions to the development approval.”
The concerns noted in the public comments were addressed with the mitigation measures listed in the SEPA determination which include that the applicant will remove about 16,000 square feet of overwater decking and overwater building of the Historic Causeway, 250 creosote-treated pilings and 25 steel pilings.
Another mitigation measure is the in-water mitigation work will not start before April 1, 2028, or a mutually agreed upon date with the Olympic Coast Exploration Center (currently Feiro Marine Life Center). The purpose of the measure is to eliminate the potential for contaminated sediment impacting the existing water intake system at the Fiero Marine Life Center facility on City Pier.
The Hollywood Beach Seaplane Association also will be required to conduct an asbestos survey before the demolition of existing structures.
The association will be required to minimize operational impacts on air quality and noise by coordinating with seaplane operators to minimize engine idling during docking, loading and staging; implementing scheduling and docking procedures that reduce taxi time on the water; encouraging or prioritizing use of sustainable aviation fuel or other lower-carbon aviation fuels as available under Washington’s Clean Fuel Standard; encouraging use of newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft engines that meet current federal emissions standards; prohibiting unnecessary auxiliary engine operations at the dock; and limiting seaplane operations to daylight hours with no work permitted before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m.
All documents related to the project can be found at tinyurl.com/PDN-Seafloat-Ramp.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
