August 18 - 24, 2022
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More information on homicide investigation, page 6
Public works funds reallocated, page 7
Bayside Beauty Salon celebrates 50 years, page 8
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
City council discusses Covid-19 stimulus funds $50,000 emergency fund goes to food bank By Grace McCarthy
(See Funds, page 5)
s Drayton Harbor Oyster Company employees work at the end of Jorgensen Pier on August 4. The Blaine business, which grows oysters and operates a tide-to-table restaurant, is seeking to add an off-bottom oyster farm in Drayton Harbor. Photo by Grace McCarthy
Drayton Harbor Oyster Company seeks oyster farm expansion in face of water concerns By Grace McCarthy Drayton Harbor Oyster Company (DHO) is seeking to expand its oyster growing operations to add an off-bottom farm in a cleaner area of Drayton Harbor as water quality issues continue to be a pressing challenge. The farm would be in addition to the company’s existing tideland farm on the eastern side of the harbor. DHO co-owner Steve Seymour said he began looking into the benefits of off-bottom farming a few years ago after seeing it used on the east coast, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Seymour and his
son, Mark, own the Drayton Harbor tideland oyster farm and DHO restaurant on Peace Portal Drive. “On-bottom may be the easiest and cost effective,” Seymour said of the company’s current oyster farming method. “But I’m looking ahead at deteriorating water quality, more and more pressure to reduce eelgrass impacts and trying to reduce the workload for my crew.” The proposed farm would be situated on nearly nine acres of Drayton Harbor waters managed by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), but would only take up .4 acres of over-water coverage, according to the project plan. The
City council looks at revising downtown zoning, forms ad-hoc committee By Grace McCarthy Blaine City Council unanimously approved a planning document for making amendments to the central business district zoning during its August 8 meeting. The project will consider changing downtown height and parking regulations, which are expected to help prospective developers along Peace Portal Drive.
The central business district covers most of the downtown core, excluding the wharf area. The downtown district zoning was last updated in 2018 after seven years of public participation and city planning for design requirements. Current residential parking standards in the city’s zoning code are forcing developers to reduce the number of units in proposed projects, making it difficult to achieve a return on investment, said Sta-
cie Pratschner, community development services department director, during the meeting. The 30-foot maximum rear building setbacks on the southern end of downtown is limiting the number of required parking spaces. The shoreline master program, which regulates Washington shorelines, will also need to be updated because of height (See Zoning, page 3)
site would be 3,000 feet from the shoreline near Drayton Harbor Road and Semiahmoo Parkway. About 6,600 floating mesh baskets would contain 10 dozen Pacific oysters, which have been farmed in the harbor since being introduced in the early 20th century, according to the project application materials. Oysters clean the harbor through filtering water but this also means they can become unsafe for consumption when water quality degrades. The oyster growing system will be in what Seymour believes is the cleanest water in Drayton Harbor. (See Oysters, page 6)
INSIDE
Blaine City Council discussed areas where it could distribute $900,000 of its remaining federal Covid-19 stimulus. Council approved $50,000 in emergency funds to Blaine Food Bank and will continue brainstorming how to use the rest of the money. U.S. Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in March 2021, which, in part, provided financial relief to local governments that lost money because of the pandemic. The city of Blaine received nearly $1.6 million, with the first allocation given June 2021 and the second given this year. Sam Crawford, deputy city manager and city clerk, said the city has about $900,000 in funds it needs to spend by the end of 2024. The money can’t be earmarked for future projects, he added. “Staff has some ideas on where the money should go, but it’s ultimately city council’s decision,” Crawford said. “Tonight is supposed to be a kickoff meeting. I would be very shocked and surprised if council decided where all of the $900,000 should go now.” In a city memo, Crawford suggested the city prioritize the remaining ARPA funds as the following: • Downtown revitalization projects, including a facade improvement grant program and a Peace Portal alley environmental cleanup • Food bank donation • Water utility projects • Sewer utility projects • Increased staffing capacity and staff retention to increase services to the community • Marine Drive repair • Marine Park beach improvements • Street repairs
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