Gravel pit donated to county:
will become a park
posted 12/18/01
Santa came early to San Juan Island, Lafarge North America has agreed to donate most of the gravel pit property to the community. Nine waterfront acres of the site will be purchased by county Public Works, the Land Bank and the Port of Friday Harbor.
The barge facility will be maintained. It is anticipated the barge activities will take place 20 to 40 days per year. Under the proposed plan, most of the waterfront will be divided between the Port of Friday Harbor and the Land Bank for public use. Plans are to extend Jacksons Beach, creating a larger public beach and additional picnic grounds.
If all goes as planned the donation of the 55 acres will take place after Lafarge completes the required reclamation of the pit which operated for more than 40 years. The pit is located on Pear Point/Turn Point Road on San Juan Island. After the reclamation is completed (scheduled for no later than fall 2003, the county plans to turn the property over to the Island Park and Recreation District.
Commissioner Darcie Nielsen announced the deal at noon Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2001 at a meeting attended by representatives of the school district, Island Rec, Port of Friday Harbor, the Land Bank, Lafarge and county Public Works, and Parks. She noted the hard work of all the participants.
The deal is not yet finalized. County Public Works Director Tom Huse will finish the negotiations for the waterfront property. Land Bank Director Dennis Schaeffer will work with Lafarge on the donation.
Preliminary plans call for development of ballfields in the regional park. Details of financing the park development are still to be worked out.
Need for barge ramp increases
posted 04/14/00
The ability to land small barges at Jackson Beach will end in June, 2000. The Port of Friday Harbor will finish the remodel of its Jackson Beach boat launch ramp at that time. The new ramp will not accommodate barges.
Concerned about the need for a barge loading facility, the Port Commissioners have sent letters to the Board of County Commissioners and LaFarge Canada, Inc. (owners of Friday Harbor Sand & Gravel).
The configuration of the landing float and restrictions from the Inter Agency for Outdoor Recreation which has funded improvements will prohibit barge landing. (Editor's note: The agency's money can only be used for recreation areas.) The Friday Harbor Port Commission asks that the County work with LaFarge Canada, Inc. which owns the adjoining beach frontage to develop a facility which will permit barges to unload across the beach and connect to the same road they use presently.
The commissioners at their April 12 meeting noted that use of Washington State Ferries is becoming more intense due to gravel being trucked in since the gravel pit ceased operations. Increased population and loss of funding for the ferry system has also put a crunch on space on the ferries. A barge facility could reduce truck traffic on the ferries. "We need to encourage development of a barge landing, if we ever hope to get on the ferry," said Port Commissioner Brian Calvert. "We need a real barge landing."
The only other places barges can unload on San Juan Island are at Roche Harbor and Shipyard Cove according to Port Director Steve Simpson.
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