— by Orcas Issues reporter Matthew Gilbert —
The last chance to share your views with decision-makers about the Port’s proposed 20-year Master Plan has arrived. The public comment period officially ends Friday, October 5. If you haven’t seen the final draft plan, go HERE.
Before you do, you might want to read the latest post by Clark Cundy, whose detailed update on key issues relating to the Plan is necessary homework for those still planning to comment. In it he points out that, “The original Master Plan options provided to the public by DOWL/Port and used to help in the creation of the current ‘preferred’ Master Plan are no longer available on the Port’s website.” This means that unless you saved those documents, you will not be able to compare the original options to what has been proposed. It’s not clear why those were removed.
Cundy also flags the possibility that an international U.S. Customs Port of Entry could be added to the proposed new terminal. He states that this would open up the potential use of “. . . bigger, faster B-II aircraft: Cessna Citation, Beechcraft King Air Series 200 (as long as the crew kept the max takeoff weight under 12,500 lbs.), two drones, plus Border Patrol Boats . . .” Those and other Customs aircraft can be seen HERE.
Again, final public comments are being accepted through October 5. Send them to Leah Henderson of DOWL via orcasmasterplan@dowl.com, but given their primary focus on FAA compliance, it’s equally important to contact the Port directly at orcasairport@rockisland.com / 360-376-5285 or any of the commissioners:
• Shawn Simpson (shawn@portoforcas.com)
• Dwight Guss (dwight@portoforcas.com)
• Greg Sawyer (greg@portoforcas.com)
• William S. Hopkins (steve@portoforcas.com)
• Brian Ehrmantraut / Chair (brian@portoforcas.com)
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All concerned citizens are invited to the Library
TONIGHT WED 5-6:30 to view the airport master plan documents, discuss the situation & talking points for comments.
I’ve never been excited about customs when proposed by Rick Hughes for a couple of reasons. 1) we don’t need it 2) even when shared with Brandts landing/marine customs and 3) all new customs locations must be paid by the proponent (us/port) and it’s real expensive…
Clark Cundy is wildly off the mark and speculative on things completely beyond our plan…this is but one example.
We aren’t pursuing this at all (at all!)…by air, it’s just as easy to stop in Friday Harbor or Bellingham
Life was different here and on sucia before 9/11 but that’s an issue not of the Port’s primary concern
Correction: Near the very bottom of the Port of Orcas Master Plan page is a text file titled “Orcas Alternatives Description” (https://www.portoforcas.com/dev/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ORS-Alternatives-Description.pdf) and a slow-loading compressed file titled “Orcas Alternatives Combined reduced” (https://www.portoforcas.com/dev/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Orcas-Alternatives-Combined-reduces.pdf) that presents the visual elements of the original four alternatives.
Thank you for clarifying your position on customs, Tony. It’s border control plane capacity with 240′ separation that worries me and a lot of other people. and look at all those helicopters. there’s been an exponential increase in those already.
https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/air-sea/aircraft-and-marine-vessels
We do not want bigger jets and more private and military helicopters – OR border control vessels with I.C.E!
I can’t tell if the helipad moving south (MORE noise for the dense village and people directly south of it) gets enlarged… is that a bigger footprint? where are the specs on the drawings of existing and proposed?
We don’t want to end up like the Hamptons – with chartered commercial and private helicopters and advertisements to the rich to helicopter in and see the Hamptonslike the stars do! The county wants to work to get us another ferry run.
How about we put the breaks on this master plan and do that carrying capacity and max buildout analysis first, that the citizens have been asking the county to do for decades- and do all feasibility studies FIRST to rule out what constraints won’t allow us to do? Once all this is in the master plan, we are locked into this trajectory, short of a major disaster.
As I mentioned in my last letter here, a jet that had at least 18 seats took off almost vertically, right by our building WAY too close to our roof and the trees we love and DON’T want topped because they could save our lives if a plane does crash into us. It frightened passerby and me – all who witnessed it, and many witnessed it – the size, the deafening noise. Citations are already here.
I’m deeply disappointed in this whole process. I can’t seem to find out if there is a regular port meeting on the 11th or just the special meeting later this month, which was posted on the Port website.
October 5, 2018
Dear Port of Orcas and Airport Commission,
Yesterday I learned of the airport Master Plan and that public comment was ending today, Oct 5th.
I’m a pilot that has been an aviation user of Orcas Island Airport for 20 years. Starting in 1998 I was the initial organizer of the annual Cascade Flyers Fly-In every July.
I’d like to offer input and comments to the Master Plan proposal since I eventually hope to become a resident of the Island and perhaps a tie-down or hanger tenant.
1. Firstly, the public comment period was grossly under advertised. I understand there were a few hand written signs, some postcards, a notice and that was about it, for a very short and non-inclusive comment period.
The notices certainly did not include extended airport users or the local aviation community. I implore that the comment period be significantly extended and much more thoroughly advertised.
Were notices sent to all the area flying clubs, aviation organizations such as EAA and local AOPA chapters, and general aviation airplane owners in the area? Such notices could have easily and readily been sent using such organizations, the public aviation database, and social media.
It’s actions such as this – the apparent ram-rodding through of huge proposals – that destroy the credibility of public facility managers and public commissions such as yours.
2. I’m sure the Master Plan did take a lot of work and time –but this does not mean it is any good. In fact the full plan appears to be completely overdeveloped and soulless without any consideration or enhancement to the Orcas airport as a geographic place or a community.
3. A question is if any stage of the plan will reduce the airport’s instrument approach minimums? Reduced minimums will certainly have a significant effect on the type and quantity of airplane traffic.
4. I’m all for the purchase of the north end private land between the runway and the beach, especially if this becomes open space.
5. I’m extremely troubled by the 240’ taxiway expansion on the east side. It appears a new taxiway would go through the existing terminal and destroy the large grass tie down area between the fuel pump and the AWOS/beacon.
6. The grass tied down area is where we hold our annual fly-in and camp-under-the-wing event. It’s also where the EAA holds their annual aviation event. Where would these functions occur if the Master Plan is implemented?
7. The grass tied down area actually is one of the very few such places that exist in the state, country and indeed the world – for such low key fly in camping under the wing. I would vote to improve this area rather than destroy it – it’s a rare jewel in the aviation community .
8. I’m also very troubled by the large new hanger and terminal area in the SE corner of the airport. The widening of the airport to such an extent and the creation of such a new commercial area goes completely against the idea of keeping Orcas a rural area full of open space. The design of the paving, hangers and terminal by the plan – do nothing to enhance Orcas Island in anyway but degrade the airport, landscape and island into a nasty commercial operation.
9. Orcas Island is a rural island. The fact that it’s hard to get to is keeping Orcas Orcas. This is becoming ever so difficult because it’s sandwiched between the Seattle and Vancouver megapolises. The rural, environmental, small town, country feel of Orcas should be preserved in every way. It does not appear this was a consideration in the Master plan.
10. Also, there are rumors of Oprah coming in and “buying up the town”. Is this influence somehow effecting the development of the airport? This should be thoroughly investigated and realized to the public.
11. The large new hangers proposed in the master plan seem to be targeted toward large turbine and jet powered aircraft. Jet aircraft in particular would vastly change the nature and the environment of Orcas Island, the Airport and the San Juan Islands. The Very Light Jet (VLJ) trend is continuing and perhaps accelerating. The VLJ’s are under 12,500 pounds criteria that would be allowed at Orcas and include such models as:
Cessna Citation Mustang
Eclipse 500
Embraer Phenom 100
Cessna
Honda HA-420 Honda Jet
Cirrus Vision SF50
The new SE corner and terminal area it appears is all designed to be commercial and a turbine & jet operating area. This is not keeping with what Orcas currently represents.
12. I’m totally against the 240’ taxi expansion on the east side. I would support tearing down the existing terminal and building a very small, simple well-designed terminal in its place. This would greatly facilitate the addition of more commercial single engine planes, turbine powered Caravans and passenger traffic.
13. If the cargo tenant needs a bigger facility the port should support a new facility for them at or near their existing location as well.
14. I would support some enhancement to the grass tie down area that can be better used for fly in camping and transient aircraft .
15. And of course any enhancement to the airport perimeter to enhance the environmental quality of the area is definitely supported.
There is much more to say and to consider with this Master Plan. I hope the airport will extend the time for input and vastly expand and explain the plan to the aviation community, residents of Orcas and the San Juan Islands, and to the citizens of the Northwest at large.
Kind Regards,
Russ Borgnin
Portland, Oregon
Cessna 172
Boeing 737-BBJ
Our helipad is EMS only. CBP never comes here and they won’t. They only go to Friday Harbor occasionally because of the Customs station there established in the Roosevelt administration.
What jet with 18 seats? It didn’t happen. Maybe 8 seats and not vertical. Maybe 30 degrees.
The trees will cause the crash into your home, not protect you from it.
We are a trivial contributor to numbers of people here. 10,000 a year? How about 10,000/day on the ferries and maybe 1,500 cars. Want to preserve our culture and heritage? Reduce the ferries by half…better for the whales too. Eliminate all the private boats also…that’s better for the whales also. Planes? Fly right about and research shows they have ZERO impact on whales.
There will be a meeting on the 11th.