PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles will study the possible commercial rezoning of 113 industrial acres near William R. Fairchild International Airport once considered for a sawmill.
The Port also will not accept further offers to sell the property and will work to find industrial property to replace the acreage if it is rezoned.
The rezoning idea was proposed during Monday’s Port commissioners’ meeting by supporters of a proposed Olympic Timber Town working museum.
“This is a very important thing for this area,” said Bob Harbick, vice president of Olympic Timber Town.
“It would be good for the whole North Olympic Peninsula.”
Port Executive Director Bob McChesney said the Port staff was asked about three months ago to review the 113-acre property with an eye toward the Timber Town museum project.
The property is bordered by the airport, Lower Elwha Road and Edgewood Drive.
It formerly was owned by the Critchfield family and is now known as the South Airport Industrial Properties.
Alder sawmill considered
Port Angeles Hardwood LLC eyed the property for its alder sawmill, but went to Eclipse Industrial Park south of U.S. Highway 101 following neighborhood opposition to the airport-area site.
The property has been zoned for heavy industrial since 1985, McChesney said.
The Port bought the property in 1998 and surplused it in August 2004 — specifically for the proposed sawmill, he said.
Since the mill didn’t happen, the surplus declaration is void, McChesney said.
The Port received an unsolicited offer April 7 from Timber Town for the group’s proposed working museum, he said.