I sent the below letter to WSF and the City of Edmonds per several phone calls. I was asked to submit this write up as a proposal for consideration as an alternative to the complete removal of the Unical Pier AKA Edmonds Oil dock. The included comments were returned to me. I am told this is a public document and that I can share the contact information of the people I have been in contact with. While itÃÔ very late in the game to stop the project, it's never to late to try and it's always worth sharing your opinion. I hope you find this informative I have removedmy name since it's electronic and I won't have much control over it once it's released. To me the ultimate question is weather removing the pier will do mare harm than good and what this could mean for several other dive sites in the area..
section 1
Dear Sirs, I am writing to you as a Shoreline resident of WA state. Only relatively
recently has it come to my awareness that the plans to remove the old Unical pier in Edmonds, AKA Edmonds Oil Dock, have become imminent. Many of us hoped the plans would never come to fruition. I understand that plans have been under way for quite some time and that there have been public venues where these plans have been presented as part of a larger project. Despite public disclosure in some venues, As of 10-17-08, there has been no Public land use action notice posted at the site and yet plans are to begin it's removal in number of 2008. There is a stakeholder group that has only recently become aware of the plans through other means. This stakeholder group is the some 200,000 scuba divers in WA state who utilize the recreational and educational resources of our precious underwater resources here in WA state who most certainly would have weighed in had there been a public land use action notice in plain view on their way to one of their favorite dive sites. Opportunities for experiencing quality diving by shore access in WA state are few and far between and with the declining environment, opportunities to see thriving aquatic ecosystems, be they due to artificial reef or natural habitat, are getting harder to find and more coveted.
City/WSF Response:
Removal of the existing UNOCAL Pier is one of many environmental mitigation
measures included within the SR104 Edmonds Crossing Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS). Following an 11-12 year process, the FEIS Record Of
Decision was signed by the City of Edmonds, Washington State Department of
Transportation, Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway
Administration in 2004 and became final in July of 2005. Contained within the
FEIS are many references and maps discussing and depicting the removal of the
UNOCAL Pier (see attached Figure S-3 Modified Alternative 2 (preferred
alternative) which depicts removal of the UNOCAL Pier.
Since its inception, the Edmonds Crossing project was guided by a number of
advisory committees. Routine technical issues were addressed by a Technical
Advisory Committee. A Community Advisory Committee, consisting of regional
representatives from various agencies and Edmonds citizens, was also created to
review various design concepts and to provide input into project development. A
Project Oversight Committee, which included elected officials and representatives
of the Washington State U.S. Senate, State Senatorial 21st and 38th districts, and
Representative Districts 23rd and 21st, also met periodically at key milestones
during project development and environmental review process.
The overall FEIS process evaluated the affected environment, environmental
consequences including proposed mitigation measures, and ensured that proper
public process was followed. The overall process included many meetings and
discussions with, and reviews by, state and federal agencies, including local
Tribes. Public meetings were held throughout the process which offered the
general public many opportunities to comment. Presentations included
discussions on proposed project components, benefits and mitigation and
environmental enhancements. Large maps depicting these items were regularly
displayed during public meetings (see attached maps).
Regarding your reference to land use action, the City of Edmonds Planning
Division received a June 18, 2008 letter from Washington State Ferries
requesting an exemption from the requirement to obtain a Shoreline Substantial
Development Permit (SDP). Upon review of the information provided, the City
issued a letter on July 9, 2008 concluding that the proposed work is exempt from
the need to obtain a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit pursuant to WAC
173-27-040(2)(m). The Unocal Pier Removal was also listed as an upcoming
project in the City of Edmonds July 2008 newsletter sent to all households within
the City of Edmonds.
