Operational and Capital Development Plan
IMPLEMENTATION

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of Coupeville will consider the commencement or continued implementation of the following projects and initiatives annually as a part of their budget adoption process. The decision to move forward, or continue with the implementation of a project or initiative, will be driven by organizational and staff resources, and funding availability. The implementation of major capital building projects or property acquisition initiatives will require the development of a specific, individualized Project Master Plan. The Project Master Plan shall include, but not be limited to: project scope of work, a financial plan for acquisition or improvement of the property or facility and its ongoing operation, identification of allowed property uses, a conceptual site plan, building design concepts, general development and landscaping guidelines, consideration of the environmental features, utility requirements, and a review of its compliance with Port District Strategic Statements and Project/Initiative Selection Guidelines.

1. Marine Education Center

The Port will take the following steps to facilitate the development of a marine education center in the wharf building at the Coupeville marine facility.

1. Complete an interlocal agreement with Washington State University which encompasses the development of the education center by the Beach Watchers.
2. Continue to participate in the dialogue between WSU Beach Watchers, Island County Historical Museum, Ebeys Landing Historical Reserve Trust Board and any other interested organizations regarding the development of an education center, its incremental implementation in the wharf building and potential leasehold improvements.
3. Advise existing tenants of plans for implementing the marine education center in the wharf building.

2. Coupeville Marine Facility Marketing Plan

The Port will take the following steps to identify and implement an aggressive marketing plan for its existing Coupeville marine facility to increase use by short-stay and small craft boaters without compromising its environmental stewardship values.

1. Engage a marketing specialist to develop a regional marketing and advertising plan to increase boater awareness of the facility, its amenities and its proximity to nearby shops, restaurants, accommodations and nearby attractions. Partnerships or links with Island County, the Town of Coupeville, Front Street merchants, and Langley and Oak Harbor marina marketing efforts will be considered in the development of the plan.
2. Develop a multi-year budget with the goal of full implementation of the marketing plan.
3. Engage a website designer to create a website for the Port of Coupeville, which can be linked to appropriate Island County tourism sites, like the Greenbank Farm, Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce and Ebeys Landing National Historical Reserve.

3. Marine Transportation Links Passengers and Products

The Port will take the following steps to establish the Coupeville wharf as a vital link in a viable marine transportation system moving passengers in Puget Sound.

1. Continue to encourage and support private entrepreneurial ventures proposing passenger service between Coupeville and other marine destinations.
2. Continue to participate in planning efforts by other public entities to create opportunities for the development of marine transportation hubs in Central Whidbey.
3. Identify upgrades to the wharf which would support vessels providing passenger service.

The Port will explore opportunities to re-establish commercial waterfront facilities to serve as a marine freight link in the Town of Coupeville.

1. Encourage and support private entrepreneurial ventures proposing a marine link for the movement of local water-based industries products and materials.
2. Explore opportunities for public and private partnerships.

4. Wharf and Moorage Recreational Boating Improvements

The Port will take the following steps to increase use of Coupeville marine facility.

1. Restore and maintain the four outlying mooring buoys.
2. Needs Assessment: The Port will convene a focus group of boaters to identify environmentally responsible upgrades and enhancements to the wharf and current moorage options that will increase their appeal and usability for recreational boaters, hand-carry crafts and small boat sailors.
3. Implementation Plan: The Port will develop an implementation plan for the upgrades and enhancements, which will prioritize each, identify potential funding options, and establish a budget commitment with the goal of full implementation.

5. Front Street Entrance Improvements

The Port will actively participate in maintaining and enhancing the attractiveness, accessibility and sustainability of the Front Street business district.

1. Join the Front Street revitalization planning dialogue with the Town of Coupeville and the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce. Evaluate potential projects that may be appropriate for Port funding support.
2. Support the WSU Beach Watchers fundraising effort to sell named pavers to pave the entrance to the Coupeville wharf.
3. Develop an overall site plan, including landscaping and signage, to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the Front Street entrance to the wharf utilizing low impact development standards.
4. Develop an implementation plan for the site enhancements, which will prioritize each, identify potential funding options, and establish a budget commitment with the goal of full implementation.

1. Conservation Easement

The Port will take the following steps to establish a permanent conservation easement in the Port Tract.

1. Continue to work with Island County to determine whether the Port is able to establish a conservation easement prior to outright ownership in 2017.
2. Following the completion of the Asset Inventories (See Master Site Plan below), convene an executive planning group to explore the benefits and consequences, including costs, of establishing a conservation easement on portions of the Port Tract.
3. Seek and consider public comment on the adoption of a conservation easement in the Port Tract.

2. Master Site Plan

The Port will initiate a master site planning process for the Port Tract immediately. The process will be multi-layered, involving professionals, citizens and/or representatives from community organization as appropriate. Any request or plan for clearing, new trails, new agricultural activity, noxious/invasive plant control measures, improvements or any other development in the Port Tract prior to the adoption of the applicable Master Site Plan component, will be carefully reviewed by the Port regarding its impact. Expert professional recommendations will be sought as appropriate.

The Port will take the following steps to develop a Master Site Plan with the goal of adopting all plan components within eighteen (18) months of the commencement of planning.

1. Engage a Master Site Plan Coordinator to manage all aspects of the planning process under the direction of an identified Port Commissioner and the Port Executive Director.
2. Approve a work plan and initiate a master site planning process, which addresses the plan components in the following order.
1. . The asset inventories of Cultural & Natural Resources and Capital Facilities & Utility Systems, and planning process for the Marketing Plan for the existing retail/event core will be initiated first and concurrently.
2. The planning processes for the Environmental Resources Protection Plan and the Noxious/Invasive Plant Control Plan will be initiated concurrently, following completion of the inventories.
3. The planning processes for the Agriculture Plan, the Recreation Plan and the Commercial Plan will be initiated concurrently, following adoption of the Environmental Resources Protection Plan.
4. The planning process for the Emergency Preparedness Plan shall be a separate and independent Port staff activity in collaboration with other County-wide planning efforts.
3. Engage professional services, with appropriate subject matter expertise, to complete the asset inventories and participate in the development of the individual plan components.
4. Invite interested and knowledgeable citizens and/or community organization representatives to participate in focus groups for individual plan components, ensuring a diverse, representative mix of District citizens, Greenbank Farm stakeholders (including Greenbank Farm Management Group boardmembers, staff, volunteers and subtenants) and community organizations.
5. Seek and consider public comment, prior to final adoption of any plan component.

Upon adoption of individual plan components, the Port will proceed with implementation of the Master Site Plan as funding allows, actively seeking partnerships and public/private funding opportunities to maximize the Ports limited resources.

3. Holmes Harbor Public Water Access

The Port will continue to monitor Island Countys progress toward development of small scale hand-craft launch sites to Holmes Harbor. The Port will consider making a site available for the development of a parking area for hand-craft boaters on the Port Tract of the Greenbank Farm, if appropriate.

The Port will consider the feasibility of its involvement in private or public efforts to establish a marine transportation link for passengers and products to Holmes Harbor in the Greenbank area. Port participation, or Port acquisition of property solely or in partnership with others, would be predicated upon property becoming available for sale by willing owners, community support for creating a commercial water link, analysis of environmental impacts, the availability of funding for acquisition, construction and ongoing maintenance, and appropriate permit approval from Island County and Washington State.

4. Transition Planning

The Port will convene an executive planning group no later than March 1, 2012 to begin the evaluation, planning and decision process to ensure a smooth transition from the current master lease and management services agreement to a new arrangement considered to be in the best interest of the Port District, its taxpayers and the Greenbank Farm. The executive planning group will take steps to include but not be limited to the following to achieve this objective.

1. Seek and consider public comment on Greenbank Farm activities, operations, maintenance and management.
2. Evaluate the record of cooperation between the Port and the Greenbank Farm Management Group (GFMG).
3. Evaluate the record of performance of GFMG in terms of its stated commitments for fund development, attraction of volunteer in-kind support and stewardship of the capital and environmental resources of the Port Tract.
4. Explore viable alternatives to a contractual relationship with a non-profit organization.
5. Explore contractual alternatives to a lease and/or management services agreement.
6. Recommend a course of action to govern the transition in 2014.

1. Agricultural Innovation Projects

The Port will take the following steps to reverse the decline in the number of farms, the amount of land in production, the market value of production and agricultural profitability within the District.

1. Needs Assessment: The Port will take an active role in the community discussion regarding the loss of farmland and agricultural activity in the District. It will consider the commitment of Port resources to support the process of identifying the problems and potential solutions, when appropriate.
2. Project Identification: The Port will actively work with community partners to identify existing or new projects and initiatives, which will improve the economic viability of agriculture and preserve working farmland in the Port District. These may include but are not limited to the following.
1. Product-to-market infrastructure improvements (cooperative delivery off- and on-Island, cooperative refrigeration and centralized warehouse facilities, etc);
2. Agriculture development incubation projects (oilseed crops for biodiesel. microbrewery use of local wheat/barley crops, a Whidbey Island farm label, etc).
3. Marketing initiatives designed to attract the public to farm businesses (farm product brochures, farm directory/map, road directional signage, an annual event/festival directly focused on local farm product{s}, etc).
4. Expansion of farmers market opportunities.
5. Value-added agricultural business projects (fiber processing facility, meat processing/butchery, community commercial kitchen, etc).
3. Funding Opportunities: The Port will identify projects which are within their capacity to implement, solely or in partnership with others The Port will actively seek public funding opportunities and private partnerships to supplement Port resources, thus expanding the scope of projects it can undertake.

2. Air Transportation Facility

The Port will take the following steps to establish the feasibility of purchasing the Wes Lupien Field, with the goal of establishing a publicly-owned general aviation airport for recreational and passenger air service, including by helicopter.

1. Establish ownership of the property and facility.
2. Work with Island County, Kenmore Air and other stakeholders to ascertain feasibility of Port acquisition, projected costs for acquisition, capital improvements and ongoing maintenance.
3. Evaluate community support for Port acquisition of Wes Lupien Field.
4. Identify personnel and organizational changes necessary for the Port to administer airport operations directly, and/or to monitor an independent contractor.
5. Identify sources of funding to support acquisition, capital improvements, ongoing maintenance and administration.
6. Upon Port approval to proceed with acquisition, the following steps will be taken.
1. Secure contingent option to purchase.
2. Develop and approve a Project Master Plan for acquisition and operation.
3. Seek District taxpayers approval of Port annexation and development by placing boundary line expansion on a regularly scheduled Island County election ballot.
4. Survey adjacent landowners for support of projected air service under Port ownership or in partnership with others.
5. If annexation receives voter support, proceed with securing funding to purchase.
6. Proceed with implementation of Project Master Plan.

3. Light Industrial Development

The Port will take the following steps to pursue the development of a light industrial business park(s) in the District.

1. Work with Island County to identify existing light industrial park sites, and other sites suitable for light industrial zoning.
2. Evaluate sites suitable for light industrial development that will not impact scenic landscape essential to tourism.
3. Identify funding sources for acquisition of property, utility infrastructure improvements, and construction of buildings suitable for light industrial uses.
4. Develop and approve a comprehensive Project Master Plan for property acquisition, design, permitting and construction.
5. Secure a contingency option on the purchase of appropriate property.
6. Identify potential uses and actively seek tenants, prioritizing businesses that are compatible with Central Whidbey environmental and rural values.
7. Secure funding and implement Project Master Plan.

4. Alternative, Sustainable Energy Projects

The Port will take the following steps to educate itself about local alternative/sustainable energy businesses and resources, with the goal of identifying projects that the Port could be instrumental in implementing.

1. Work with Island County and the Washington State University Waste Wise program to identify existing public and private activity in the alternative, sustainable energy field.
2. Initiate or participate in an Island-wide task force to identify potential projects.
3. Identify projects that the Port can work on with community partners to foster alternative, sustainable energy creation, with a priority on projects fostering agricultural viability, such as biodiesel.
4. The Port shall undertake projects within Port resources, solely or in partnership with others.

5. Keystone Harbor of Refuge

The Port will continue to monitor the Washington State Ferry system process regarding the re-location of the Keystone ferry landing. Should the harbor and adjacent property become available the Port will explore the feasibility of its sole acquisition, or in partnership with Washington State Parks, Washington State Department of Transportation and/or other interested entities.