QUILCENE — A meeting originally planned for a discussion about Coast Seafoods Co.’s proposed purchase of 57 acres from the Port of Port Townsend will go on as scheduled — even though the offer has been withdrawn.
Coast originally sought to purchase the land it now leases from the port — about 10 acres, at a cost of $5,000 a month — and three more port-owned parcels to expand its capacity for producing oyster seed.
In a letter to the port, the company withdrew its proposal, citing community opposition.
The meeting is set for
6 p.m. next Thursday,
July 19, at the Quilcene Community Center, 294952 U.S. Highway 101.
Although the schedule of the meeting is still to be determined, officials expect to give a presentation about the port’s function while port commissioners use the gathering as a listening session about public concerns.
“I’m excited about this,” said Quilcene resident Linda Herzog of the grass-roots community movement Quilcene Conversations.
“It is the first time since I’ve moved here that the port is sitting down in a face-to-face meeting with its constituents to talk about their role in the community.”
Coast Seafoods had hoped to buy the land so it could build more greenhouses — which are used to provide a temperature-controlled area to raise seeds for oysters — and expand sales, Judy Edwards, Quilcene Hatchery site manager, had said.
Port Director Larry Crockett had said the price for the land would be determined by an appraisal. Its most recent valuation was $1.1 million.
The purchase also was intended to provide the port with an infusion of about
$1 million in cash that would be used for Quilcene development, according to the proposal.
Several community members opposed the idea, and next Thursday’s meeting originally was intended to explain the proposal and allow members of the public to question the company about it.
In a letter to the port dated July 3 withdrawing the offer, Coast President John Petrie said “the hope was to enhance the community [and benefit] Quilcene through new and expanded business [and result] in a possible increase of tourism to the area.
“The reason for purchase of the land may have been misunderstood. . . . Our thought was that this would be good for the community and not a negative.”
Said Edwards: “We are disappointed. We were very surprised by the negative reaction.”
Herb Beck, former port commissioner, was among those opposing the plan, saying that selling the land to Coast would stifle competition. Others brought up concerns about water quality in Dabob Bay.
Now that the purchase is off the table, expansion plans are undetermined, Edwards said.
The idea for Coast to buy the land emerged from a discussion between personnel with the company and the port.
Deputy Port Director Jim Pivarnik said he was discussing renovations of the land and lease revisions with Petrie in early June and joked that the company should buy the land.
Petrie called the next day and said the company was interested in a possible deal, Pivarnik said.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Pivarnik recommended canceling next Thursday’s gathering in Quilcene “because there will be nothing to present,” and instead conduct an August regular meeting in Quilcene.
Commissioner Dave Thompson suggested keeping the meeting date and using it as a listening session, while Commissioner Steve Tucker said he favored meeting in August “to give everyone a chance to calm down.”
Herzog urged commissioners to meet in Quuilcene next Thursday.
“I don’t think you should miss this opportunity to meet the public and say exactly what you do in order to support economic development,” said Herzog, who presented a petition signed by 19 people that requested that the commissioners have the meeting as planned.
Commissioner Leif Erickson then said he favored keeping the meeting date intact and the commissioners decided to do so, even though there was no vote.
“There was a lot of misinformation about this proposal,” Herzog said after the meeting.
“There was also a lot of controversy, but if you can’t handle controversy, you have no business being an elected official or running a large company.”
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
