31.04.320 Gales Addition neighborhood – Port Angeles urban growth area

31.04.320 Gales Addition neighborhood – Port Angeles urban growth area.

(1) Neighborhood Concerns Identified in the Planning Process. The Gales Addition neighborhood is located within the narrow confines of the area between Highway 101 and the Strait. The neighborhood has a distinctly residential character with most residences located north of Pioneer Road. While the commercial businesses on Highway 101 provide needed neighborhood services, the neighborhood would like to retain its essentially residential character by ensuring that commercial development does not encroach north of an east-west line established at the intersection of Gales Street and Pioneer Road (see land use section for goal addressing commercial development in Gales Addition).

The neighborhood is also concerned with the proliferation of old, substandard, single-wide mobile homes being installed on substandard sized lots within the neighborhood. Although the County is limited in its ability to control this problem, the neighborhood may want to investigate the use of privately enforced covenants and the formation of a homeowners’ association. Such an organization could be formed and utilize self regulation to reduce future problems in areas that had agreed to be bound by a covenant.

Concerns over smoke produced by the pulp mill located near the eastern boundary of the city were also a chief concern of many neighborhood residents. Certain weather and wind patterns can create breathing and health problems.

Failing on-site sewage disposal systems are a problem in this neighborhood with an aging housing stock, limited maintenance and poor soils. Clallam County should develop an education program to make homeowners and rental managers aware of low cost loans available through the water quality cleanup fund (see rural land section for policies addressing on-site sewage disposal repair).

The neighborhood also lacks neighborhood parks (see public facility section for goal addressing neighborhood parks).

(2) Boundary. [Policy No. 1] The Gales Addition neighborhood is bounded by the city limits to the west, Lee’s Creek to the east, Highway 101 to the south and the Strait to the north.

(a) [Policy No. 2] An urban neighborhood commercial land use designation shall be established in the area between Highway 101 and an east-west line established at the intersection of Gales Street and Pioneer Road. The large grocery store at the northwest corner of Gales Street and Highway 101 is an important neighborhood serving business and although it is oversized to serve a purely neighborhood need it should be allowed to expand on this site if needed to retain this use in the neighborhood.

(b) [Policy No. 3] Urban moderate density land use shall be established in the area between the urban neighborhood commercial designation and an east-west extension of 7th Avenue. This designation would allow redevelopment of moderate density dwellings within walking distance of public transit on Highway 101 and provide affordable housing opportunities for area residents.

(c) [Policy No. 4] The area north of an east-west extension of 7th Avenue shall be designated urban low density residential which allows up to nine units per acre and is usually a mix of single-family and duplex units. This designation supports the current single-family residential character of this portion of the neighborhood.

(d) [Policy No. 5] The creek ravines should be designated for urban very low residential densities with an open space overlay zone to indicate that they are areas which will be targeted for transfer of development rights in order to further protect these largely unbuildable sites and allow them to remain in a natural state. Allowing for transfer of development rights addresses the issue of a taking occurring when minimal development will be allowed.

(a) [Policy No. 6] The steep-sided creek ravines and creek bottom lands of Ennis and Lee’s Creek as well as the marine bluffs on the Strait should be protected for public safety, maintenance of water quality and as linear wildlife corridors through the neighborhood. These areas when left in a natural state stabilize the geologically unstable ravine and bluff environments, filter out sediments before they reach streams and shorelines and provide critical habitat for eagles, falcons, and other birds utilizing trees for perch or nesting. Allowing transfer of development rights from these areas and providing open space tax benefits to owners will further the protection of these critical areas.

(b) [Policy No. 7] Stormwater runoff is causing considerable bluff-front gully erosion and deposition. Controlling the scale of commercial development in urban neighborhood commercial land use designations located on Highway 101 should limit the impacts of stormwater on adjacent residential developments to the north. When developments are reviewed, maintenance of natural water control in the form of wetlands should be a prime concern along with ensuring on-site retention and slow release of stormwater from urban development.

(a) [Policy No. 8] Conduct periodic cleanups of the stream corridor. Utilize neighborhood volunteers, and publicize their efforts. Identify dumping sites, and post with a sign indicating the presence of the stream and that the cleanup was conducted by neighborhood residents.

WSU-Cooperative Extension, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles

(b) [Policy No. 9] Create a focal point in the lower, urban reach of the stream – with a bench area, waste disposal, vegetation, signage – to draw attention to the site as a community resource and a source of neighborhood pride.

City of Port Angeles, Clallam County

(c) [Policy No. 10] Correct the blockage to fish passage at the culverts at the mouth and under Highway 101. Install a fish ladder or new culvert to enable fish to reach above the highway, even in low-flow months. Reestablish vegetation.

WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, WA Department of Transportation, Clallam County

(6) Ennis Creek. [Policy No. 11] Revegetate riparian corridors and buffers in residential areas.

City of Port Angeles, Clallam Conservation District

(a) [Policy No. 12] Water service is provided in this portion of the urban growth area by the PUD and the City. Further land divisions should be permitted only when PUD or City water is extended pursuant to a UGA Urban Services and Development Agreement or upon annexation.

(b) [Policy No. 13] Sewer service is not available in this portion of the urban growth area. There are areas of poor soils with limitations for on-site sewage disposal systems. The City of Port Angeles should provide sewer service to new land divisions in Gales Addition under utility extension agreements or upon annexation.

(a) [Policy No. 14] The steep-sided creek ravines and marine bluffs form a natural greenbelt for this neighborhood.

(b) [Policy No. 15] Public access along the saltwater shoreline should be encouraged through development of public access corridors to the waterfront trail at Lee’s and Ennis Creek and completion of this section of the waterfront trail.

(a) [Policy No. 16] Access to the Gales Addition neighborhood is good with three major access points, Monroe Road, Gales Street and Baker Street. With continued development additional measures to ensure good access may be necessary.

(b) [Policy No. 17] The shoulder on Highway 101 is too narrow for safe bicycle transportation into Port Angeles. This highly hazardous situation should be corrected to allow for increased transportation options and urban bicycle commuting.

(c) [Policy No. 18] Completion of the waterfront trail and feeder connection to the trail at Ennis and Lee’s Creek would provide an important transportation option for the Gales Addition neighborhood.

(d) [Policy No. 19] Additional bus stops are needed to serve this neighborhood. Locational studies should be undertaken by Clallam Transit.