Exchange Rebuilding — Slowly but Surely

by Lin McNulty

Terrill Chang, designer of the Skagit County transfer station, presents his views to the ad hoc Exchange committee. Photo: Lin McNulty

“What ifs” and “how abouts” dominated the conversation on Wednesday, September 26, when the Exchange Redesign Advisory group presented its speculative findings and suggestions to the Orcas Transfer Station Master Plan Consultant, Terrill Chang.

Chang has been contracted by the Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange non-profit to incorporate county requirements — including traffic routes and stormwater runoff, among other regulations — into a Master Plan for operating the transfer station. The land on which the transfer station resides is sited on four lots owned by San Juan County.

There are many variables, hoops, and challenges in the plan for rebuilding The Exchange recycling center as ORS/The Exchange moves forward in its operation of the site. The Exchange Redesign Group, initially brought together by Fred Klein this spring after the wood frame building that housed the original Exchange burned, have shown great dedication and innovation so that The Exchange may return as soon as possible.

Poring over plans, drawing on overlays of plans, stepping back to see what it looks like, architect David Kau presented a number of options to Terrill Chang yesterday evening at the Funhouse Commons.

Plans, suggestions, and ideas currently comprise the building of The Exchange. Photo: Lin McNulty

A primary imperative, according to Chang and members of the ad hoc committee, is to eliminate the traffic queue on Orcas Road. Chang suggested moving the backup from Orcas Road onto the grounds of the transfer station  to simplify the traffic flow. This may involve adding a traffic lane separate from Orcas Road, moving the recycling area, and/or routing traffic  in a circular traffic pattern through the dump.

That means, Chang suggests, that the actual design of the new Exchange, for inclusion in a Master Plan, is just a black box around which the operations of the transfer station will flow. The Exchange Redesign itself is an ongoing community project incorporating county permissions and state regulations, and non-profit and environmental requirements.

Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange (ORS) has until March) to come up with the Master Plan for the overall site—which includes much more than  rebuilding The Exchange.

This presents the dilemma of whether to build an  interim Exchange or whether it is best to wait until a final Exchange can be constructed. That is a decision the ORS Board will soon be addressing.

Bottom line? This is an ongoing process. And although the plan may be steeped in regulations, everyone seems confident that through the diligence of the ORS and the assistance of County Council member Rick Hughes, the “system” is on track and will cooperate as necessary to make sure this beloved icon of the Orcas “can-do” lifestyle is completed.