PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles is negotiating the terms for a purchase and sale agreement for the acquisition of a 0.32-acre property at 413 W. Second St.
The cost had not been determined as of Tuesday, when the three port commissioners directed Karen Goschen, the port’s interim executive director, to begin the negotiation process.
This property, zoned as commercial/arterial, would allow for expansion of the port’s industrial and commercial land holdings on or near Marine Drive, Tanya M. Kerr, the port’s property manager, told commissioners during the meeting.
The property, which is across from the port’s newly minted Marine Trades Industrial Park, is owned by Josh Armstrong.
The property could be used as a parking lot or as a storage yard, Kerr said, although “plans are not set in stone.”
Two vacant residential buildings are on the property. A third building was demolished within the past two years, Kerr said.
If purchased, the port mostly likely would demolish the remaining buildings, she said.
The property, with appropriate renovations, could be used to support the industrial park with off-street parking or ancillary use by the port’s facility maintenance department, which is located less than 80 feet to the east, Kerr said.
“This property, because of the location, will help with potential . . . parking if it is necessary,” she said.
“It will also help our facilities maintenance have an easier route for keeping their maintenance supplies, vehicles and such at a closer location to their actual building for maintenance.”
After negotiating a purchase price, port staff would obtain an appraisal and complete Phase 1 of the process, an environmental site assessment.
Environmental concerns
“This property . . . has been residential, we believe, since at least 1914, so we don’t think there is going to be much” turned up in the assessment, Kerr said, “but we would like to make sure.”
The site “is located near the gas station,” which is to the northeast of the property, she said.
“The gas station has their tanks in [a] location which is just north of our area, so we do want to have some studies done just to make sure that we are safe to proceed,” she said.
Based on the results of the appraisal and site assessment, port staff would conduct additional reviews if necessary.
If there are no significant concerns, and if the purchase price is within 110 percent of the appraised value, Goschen may proceed to the closing of escrow with approval of the commissioners.
Other agenda items
In other business, the port commissioners:
■ Authorized $8,000 to fund an upcoming business trip by Jennifer States, the port’s director of business development, to attend the JEC World Composites Show and Conferences in Paris from March 8-10.
■ Increased Goschen’s salary by $1,000 a month while in the post of interim executive director — retroactive to Jan. 1 — which increases her annual salary by $12,000 to $143,770, and increased her vacation time from three to five weeks to be accrued on an annual basis while in the position of interim executive director.
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Reporter Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.