RES 87-07 SSDP FOR OVERHEAD PEDESTRIAN BRIDGERESOLUTION NO. 87-07
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITy OF WINSLOW,
WASHINGTON, FORMALIZING APPROVAL OF A SHORELINE SUBSTANTIAL
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FOR THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION FOR A NEW OVERHEAD PEDESTRIAN LOADING BRIDGE
AND ASSOCIATED SUPPORTING STRUCTURES
WHEREAS, an application has been submitted to the City by
the Washington State Department of Transportation for a Shoreline
Substantial Development permit for the construction of a new
pedestrian bridge, new pedestrian transfer span, new wing wall, tower
counterweight, elevator, apron and emergency stairway to provide
overhead loading to the second slip at the Winslow ferry terminal, and
said application has been reviewed by the Winslow Planning Agency; and
WHEREAS, the Winslow Hearing Examiner conducted a public
hearing on the application on January 12, 1987, and has entered her
formal findings of fact, conclusions of law and recommendation; and
WHEREAS, the Winslow City Council considered the recommendation
of the Planning Agency and the findings, conclusions and
recommendation of the Hearing Examiner at its regular meeting of
Thursday, February 19, 1987, and at that meeting by motion approved
the application subject to the conditions recommended by the Hearing
Examiner, and adopted the findings and conclusions of the Examiner;
now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WINSLOW, WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY
RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section !. The application of the Washington State Department
of Transportation for a Shoreline Substantial Development
permit for construction of new pedestrian loading bridge and
associated supporting structures at the Winslow ferry terminal,
Hearing Examiner file number X-1-87, is approved, subject to
the conditions recommended by the Winslow Hearing Examiner as
set forth in the Examiner's findings, conclusions and
recommendation dated January 27, 1987.
Section %. The findings and conclusions of the Hearing
Examiner, a copy of which are attached hereto, are hereby
adopted by the City Council as its findings of fact and
conclusions of law with regard to this matter.
Section 3. The effective date of the approval of the Shoreline
Substantial Development permit shall be February 19, 1987,
which is the date of the Council meeting at which the
application was approved by motion.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 19th day of February, 1987.
ALICE B. TAWRESEY ~
Mayor
ATTEST:
Clerk~J~asurer
EXHIBIT FOR
RESOLUTION NO. 87-07
BEFORE THE
HEARING EXAMINER
CITY OF WINSLOW
In the Matter of the
Application for a Shoreline
Substantial Development Permit,
Washington State Department of
Transportation,
Applicant
jAN ? 1587
File No. X-1-87
FINDINGS OF FACT,
CiTY Of: WiNSLOW
BY: -- (Z9 ......
.Lu,
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, AND
RECOMMENDATION
On January 12, i98L at 7:00 P.M. a public hearing was conducted by
J. Robin Hunt, Hearing Examiner for the City of WinsloW to consider an
application by the Washington State Department of Transporation (DOT)
Marine Division, for a shoreline substantial development permit. The
permit would allow construction of an overhead pedestrian loading ramp
to the second slip at the State Ferry Terminal in Winslow.
Applicant was represented by Ben Klein, Washington State Department of
Transportation, Marine Division. The City of Winslow was represented
by Mike Regis, Land Use Administrator. Connie Jones, Administrative
Clerk, monitored the recording of the hearing. No other persons were
present. The file contains a letter from Winslow citizen Gary
Pettersen, which letter focuses on the relative costs and benefits of a
second pedestrian ramp for the ferry terminal.
From the testimony at the hearing and exhibits in the public file, the
Hearing Examiner makes and enters the following:
FINDINGS OF FACT
The location of the proposed project is the Winslow Ferry Terminal~
owned by the Washington State Department of Transportation/located at
the southern end of Olympic Drive in Winslow, Washington. This
property is zoned for industrial use and is designated an "urban
environment" under Winslow's Shoreline Management Master Program.
II.
Applicant proposes to construct a new pedestrian bridge, new pedestrian
transfer span, new wing wall, tower counterweight, elevator (for the
pedestrian transfer span), apron and emergency stairway to provide
overhead loading to the second slip at the Winslow ferry terminal.
Exhibit B. These additions would be constructed between slips one and
two and could load and unload pedestrians from ferries in either slip.
See Exhibit A-2.
III.
The main purposes for this proposal are to improve safety and to update
the terminal. Currently when the second slip is in use, pedestrians
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must load and unload from the car deck; the pedestrian level of the
ferry is not handicapped-accessible from the car deck. Construction of
this new pedestrian overhead loading ramp would allow safe and
efficient simultaneous loading and unloading of pedestrians and
vehicles. The new ramp would also eliminate an extra short trip when
the Winslow ferry docks overnight in the second slip and then moves to
the first slip for the first run of the day.
IV.
On September 22, 1986, the Department of Transportation submitted a
Determination of Nonsignificance and an environmental checklist
together with its application for the project. See Exhibit B.
These documents do not mention future demolition of the existing
pedestrian transfer span. Paragraph 8.d., p. 9~ of the environmental
checklist, answers "no" to the question of whether any structures will
be demolished. Accordingly, such demolition has neither been formally
presented to nor considered by the Winslow Planning Agency, the Land
Use Department, the Hearing Examiner or the public in connection with
the instant project proposal.
On November 13, 1986, the Winslow Planning Agency considered this
project at its regular meeting. Richard Wilson, chairman of the
Planning Agency, then submitted Findings of Fact, Conclusions and
Recommendations. The Agency concluded that the project is "compatible
with the existing use of the site for facilitating pedestrian access to
the vessel service." The Planning Agency recommended acceptance of the
proposal as submitted, contingent upon appropriate construction
permits. The Planning Agency also requested that the Hearing Examiner
review the prior shoreline permit granted to the Washington State
Department of Transportation, Marine Divisio~ "to see if a promise was
stipulated that the next major capital improvement at the ferry
terminal would be, or include, a pedestrian ramp over SR305 (Olympic
Drive) connecting to the trail southwest of Olympic Drive .... "Exhibit
I.
VI.
In accordance with the Planning Agency's request, the Hearing Examiner
and Mike Regis of the Land Use Department searched through several of
the most recent Washington State Department of Transportation shoreline
permit files. No requirement for a future pedestrian ramp over SR305
(Olympic Drive) was found. However, there was mention that then
current plans should be drawn in such a way as not to preclude future
construction of such ramp.
Mr. Klein testified at the public hearing on January 12 that a
pedestrian walkway across Olympic Drive is included in the Washington
State Department of Transportation's current budget request to the
Legislature for the 1987-89 biennium.
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VII .
Details of the construction plans for the proposed pedestrian overhead
loading can be found in the file at Exhibit A-2. The plans appear both
visually and functionally harmonious with the existing ferry terminal
pedestrian/vehicle ramps. Off the record, Mr. Klein said that the DOT
plans to demolish the existing pedestrian loading ramp north of slip
one after the construction of the new ramp between slips one and two.
Following some discussion about the wisdom of such plan, Mr. Klein said
that he would recommend retention of the existing pedestrian ramp.
VIII.
The project would be constructed over the water of Eagle Harbor between
the existing ferry loading slips one and two. It would involve pile
driving but would not otherwise disrupt the waters or bottom of Eagle
Harbor. Because the adjacent area is already paved, it does not appear
that the project would substantially affect water runoff.
IX.
The project would appear to have no effect on small boat recreational
traffic in the vicinity because it will not protrude out into the
channel any farther than the existing ferry slips. Nor would the
project result in increased need for public services or increased
traffic.
The towers would be about forty feet high and would have a minor visual
impact on some residents occupying the nearby Eagle Harbor
Condominiums. "The existing visual climate in the area of the proposal
is fairly complex with towers, cables, wingwalls, pile dolphins,
overhead walkways, and this addition does little to improve or degrade
that view." See paragraph 10b, page 11, of the Environmental Checklist,
Exhibit B.
XI.
Notice of the January 12, 1987, public hearing was published in the
Bainbridge Review for two consecutive weeks commencing on December 24,
1986, and ending on December 31, 1986. See Exhibit J.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
I.
This matter is properly before the Hearing Examiner.
public notice of the hearing was given.
Appropriate
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II.
A shoreline substantial development permit is required because a) the
project is expected to cost about $1,000,000, in excess of the $1,000
threshold specified by WMC 16.12.400, and b) the project meets none of
the exclusions specified in that same ordinance.
III.
The project is consistent with the goals specified in Winslow's
Shoreline Management Master Program at WMC 16.12.490 through 16.12.560.
The project particularly furthers the economic development goal of
WMC 16.12.530, which provides as follows:
It is the goal of this program to allow industries,
transportation facilities, port facilities, tourist
facilities, commercial and other developments which
are dependent on or related to shoreline locations.
IV.
The project meets the policies for a shoreline designated "urban
environment" as set forth in WMC 16.12.570. The main purpose of an
urban environment "is to insure the utilization of the area to be a
multiplicity of intense human uses." WMC 16.12.570.A. The project
involves a shoreline use specifically created for public access to the
Washington State ferries. WMC 16.12.570.B.l.& 2. The new foot
passenger ramp would be linked to the sidewalk along Olympic Drive
which is linked via crosswalk to the path along the Winslow waterfront
west from Olympic Drive, a non-motorized transportation route. WMC
16.12.570.B.2.
The proposed use is compatible with the "urban environment"
designation. See compatibility chart at WMC 16.12.620. Ferry
transportation is a water and shoreline-dependent use of a commercial
nature. The proposal takes into consideration public safety, health
and security and would minimize disruption of scenic views in that it
would not significantly alter the present view around the Winslow ferry
terminal. See WMC 16.12.670.B.3. The project is also consistent with
the piers and floating docks usage as set forth in WMC 16.12.720.
VI.
It appears that the Department of Transportation's proposal meets the
procedural steps for a substantial development permit as set forth in
WMC 16.12.860, as well as the goals, policies, and use regulations as
specified above.
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RECOMMENDATION
The Hearing Examiner joins the Winslow Planning Agency in recommending
approval of the Washington State Department of Transportation Marine
Division's application for a shoreline substantial development permit
to construct a new pedestrian bridge and associated supporting
structures at the Winslow ferry terminal. Demolition of the existing
pedestrian bridge should not be allowed without further application and
consideration by appropriate City of Winslow agencies and the public.
DAY OF JANUARY, 1987.
J~/ROBIN HUNT
WINSLOW HEARING EX~IINER
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