Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Eddysoke Boat Launch topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City seeks options after winter storm destroyed more than half of Eddysoke floats; A&E study funded
Summary
Port Angeles officials described storm damage that left the Eddysoke boat launch with major float and anchorage losses, reported FEMA engagement and a $128,000 study award for architecture/engineering; staff said an RFQ for A&E work will be issued and that relocation and mitigation alternatives will be studied.
City staff told Port Angeles council members Tuesday that a winter storm and recent high tides severely damaged the Eddysoke Boat Launch floats and anchorage and left the city operating with only a few usable float sections. The city and public works staff described ongoing talks with FEMA, the need for an architecture and engineering (A&E) study and a broader question about whether to rebuild in the same location.
Why it matters: The boat launch is a year‑round public amenity used by clubs, recreational boaters and commercial users. Damage and the uncertain ability to protect the site from future storms have raised safety, reliability and cost questions for the council.
What staff said: Director of Public Works Scott Curtin and project manager Corey Tucker reviewed the launch’s history — originally developed in sections in the 1970s and later managed by the Port and the city — and described the sequence of damage after the removal of a protective seawall and an adjacent log boom during a nearby naval mitigations project. Tucker said more than half of the city’s dock sections were lost during the storm; the site’s eastern land anchor and access pavement suffered major erosion.
FEMA and funding: Chief administrative staff said FEMA initially offered to reimburse a like‑for‑like replacement, estimated informally at roughly $800,000 for the previous configuration. City officials said the old float configuration no longer meets current state code and is vulnerable to repeat damage; FEMA reimbursement for a different footprint or upgraded protection may be possible but would follow a different cost‑share or mitigation process.
A&E study and next steps: The city reported it has secured $128,000 to fund architecture and engineering work to study replacing the docks “in‑place” — that A&E will also calculate permitting, shoreline and storm surge requirements and provide a scope for possible mitigation or relocation. Staff said an RFQ for the A&E work will be issued by the end of the month and expects design/assessment work to take roughly four to six months. They stressed that rebuilding in the exact former footprint could again expose the city to storm damage and that the study will evaluate alternate locations and mitigation.
User group concerns: Council and staff discussed multiple user groups, including the Port Angeles Salmon Club and local rowing teams. Several council members urged broad consultation; staff said they have met with the Salmon Club and the Coast Guard and will continue outreach.
Ending: No council vote was taken Tuesday. Staff recommended completing the A&E study and exploring mitigation/relocation alternatives before committing to a rebuild; the study’s results will guide subsequent decisions about FEMA participation and capital funding in the CFP process.
