Admiral Neighborhood Association, report #1: Port-meeting preview

(Recent Terminal 5 photo by Long Bach Nguyen, showing two ships from the Shell drilling fleet, Tor Viking and Harvey Explorer)
The Port of Seattle‘s Terminal 5 hasn’t been entirely idle since its official closure in July of last year, but the Shell ships are much smaller than what the port expects to see after its planned “modernization” program.

The original modernization plan did not include a full environmental-impact review, you might recall, but area residents pushed for one, and the port finally announced last month that it’s going to get one done because of the scale of the potential tenants it’s talking with.

Here’s where you come in: Tomorrow night, the port invites you to a meeting to focus on the scope of the environmental-impact review. And those concerned West Seattleites are hoping to have your help in shaping it.

One of them, Jim Wojciechowski, was at last night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting to make one more pitch for participation.

“Public comment is what’s going to keep the momentum going” for a project responsive to West Seattleites’ concerns, he said. Neighbors are trying to “mitigate the damages,” said Wojciechowski – noise, traffic, and air pollution are top issues. So this is the time when the port will “scope” to see what the Environmental Impact Statement should include.

Wojciechowski stressed that “it’s the public input that’s going to determine” what happens as the port uses a consultant to prepare the EIS. “They’re bringing in big ships … and they’ll be bringing in smaller ships too. They’re sitting there running their engines while they’re there for a few days,” and that’s why neighbors are “pushing for shore power.” Every major port on the West Coast is already implementing or planning for shore power, according to Wojciechowski.

He also pointed out that since Terminal 5 closed more than a year ago, it’s generating no truck traffic right now, and “everyone’s complacent.” Meantime, the potential for train “quiet zones” is something that appeals to neighbors – but it would be costly. Finally, he reminded attendees that the port is holding an “online open house” right now. As ANA president David Whiting reiterated, it’s collecting comments on what the EIS should study – what potential impacts the project might have – not comments on whether or not the modernization project should happen.

Before the meeting, we had asked port spokesperson Peter McGraw about the format of Thursday night’s meeting (5:30 pm-8:30 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California SW). Here’s what he provided:

Open House with stations: 5:30 – 6:00 pm
Presentation: 6:00 – 6:30 pm
Q&A (outside of comments) 6:30 – 6:45 pm
Public Comment: 6:45 – 8:00 pm – could go later if needed
Resume Open House: 8:00 – 8:30 pm

Again, the port’s official information on the process, including tomorrow night’s meeting, is here.

P.S. Separate from the official port process, T-5 neighbors also have a new online petition.

P.P.S. Our second report on the ANA meeting, on an unrelated but even more impassioned topic, is still in the works.

3 Replies to "Admiral Neighborhood Association, report #1: Port-meeting preview"

  • old timer November 11, 2015 (12:03 pm)

    Clever -Thursday is also the night for the review of the city’s comprehensive plan, if my calendar is correct.
    These governmental entities exist in parallel universes, never even acknowledging each other’s existence, unless taking taxpayer money is involved, when all boundaries dissolve.

    • WSB November 11, 2015 (12:14 pm)

      Yes, which was noted in comments on our reminder last weekend about Thursday’s comp plan meeting (6 pm Thursday, Senior Center – http://2035.seattle.gov ) – although in some degree of fairness, I have to say that in our 8 years of doing this, from a unique position of having to know about everything that’s happening publicly within peninsula boundaries, we’ve seen an overall lack of coordination in terms of calendars, among entities big and small … But if you get to at least one of these meetings, congratulations! You’re engaging in a degree of involvement beyond most. – TR

  • patricia davis November 12, 2015 (9:21 pm)

    This is a seriously huge project that is going to create a lot of air pollution and noise. Also lots more trains and train noise (which many many residents find intrusive and sleep depriving) There is one ‘ace card’ that West Seattle can use: If we REQUIRE air quality data, online complaint methods, and enforcement ALONG WITH on site/perimeter noise data, online complaint methods and enforcement it is – seriously – our only hope no matter ‘who’ is the tenant down there. If we don’t get the air quality and noise (on site and done by the 3rd party paid for by the Port ) we will literally have no methods to contain the extreme train, truck and high use planned down there. Also the port can (but doesn’t) require Tenants (via Leases) to comply with noise and air standards. The Port is planning massive increases in rail. Please sign the petition for air and noise mitigation and long term protection air and noise enforcement. http://www.terminal5group.com

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