31.04.330 Lee’s Creek neighborhood – Port Angeles urban growth area

31.04.330 Lee’s Creek neighborhood – Port Angeles urban growth area.

(1) Neighborhood Concerns Identified in the Planning Process. The Lee’s Creek neighborhood is located within the narrow confines of the area between Highway 101 and the Strait. The neighborhood has a distinctly low density residential character with most residences located north of Myrtle Street. Average density is less than two units per acre due to large areas being in wetlands. It is unlikely that densities higher than two units per acre could be supported north of Columbia Street due to the number of developed parcels and the unbuildable nature of much of the remaining land.

The neighborhood has several large wetlands which must be protected and retained in order to control the volume of stormwater which is currently being generated from commercial development near Highway 101. A 20-acre wetland site on Brook Avenue was recently purchased by a neighborhood landowner in order to protect this area in its natural state. In addition, drainage ditches in the fields west of Brook Avenue and on Bay Street and Larch Avenue must be regularly maintained as they tend to become blocked and cause road damage in high rainfall events.

The appearance of the commercial area near Highway 101 concerns neighborhood residents. They support efforts to upgrade the appearance of Highway 101 with street trees, landscaping and new neighborhood scale businesses along the neighborhood commercial corridor. Providing for a mix of moderate density residential in the neighborhood commercial areas would enhance the trend already apparent in this neighborhood. 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 extending from either end of Myrtle Street. The Lee’s Creek neighborhood does not want to develop like the hospital area in Port Angeles and see commercial businesses force residential dwelling from the neighborhood (see land use section for goal addressing commercial development in Lee’s Creek).

Egress from the Lee’s Creek neighborhood is becoming increasingly difficult due to heavy traffic volumes on Highway 101. Realignment of Larch Avenue to bring it in line with Mt. Pleasant Road at the lighted intersection would ease this problem. Raised medians should be used to protect the left turn lane at Brook Avenue as many people are utilizing the turn lane as an acceleration lane creating the possibility for head-on collisions.

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

(2) Boundary. [Policy No. 1] The Lee’s Creek neighborhood is bounded by Lee’s Creek to the west, the top of the Morse Creek Ravine 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 extended from Myrtle Street.

(b) [Policy No. 3] An urban commercial center land use designation will be established on both sides of Highway 101 to incorporate the K-Mart Plaza, businesses currently fronting on Oakridge Drive and Acorn Lane, and the area north of View Vista Mobile Park on the south side of Highway 101. The urban center should not be expanded beyond these limits in this planning time frame to protect residential properties to the north which have been impacted by stormwater runoff from current Highway 101 development.

(c) [Policy No. 4] Urban moderate density land use shall be established in the area between Hazel Street and the topographic break just south of Myrtle. 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.

(d) [Policy No. 5] The area north of Myrtle and Hazel Streets shall be designated urban very low density which allows up to two 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 and protects critical areas.

(e) [Policy No. 6] The ravines of Lee’s Creek and Morse Creek 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. 7] The steep-sided creek ravines and creek bottom lands of Morse 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. 8] 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.

(c) [Policy No. 9] Neighborhood residents controlling wetland areas should be encouraged to examine the feasibility of a conservation easement on these lands to retain wetlands and to provide tax advantages to the owners.

(a) [Policy No. 10] 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. 11] 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. 12] 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

(d) [Policy No. 13] Provide information, technical assistance, and funding through Consolidated Farm Services Agency, to restrict livestock access.

Clallam Conservation District

(a) [Policy No. 14] Assign high priority to Morse Creek for restoration efforts due to potential for salmon habitat. Build support for restoration activities among agencies, organizations, and residents.

WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam County

(b) [Policy No. 15] Focus education and technical assistance on the lower two miles of this creek. Discourage residents from “cleaning” the riparian corridor. Provide landowners with information about shoreline management, riparian corridors, flood management, and other pertinent issues. Provide technical assistance to insure that existing habitat is protected. Revegetate with stabilizing plants; create established view corridors to minimize expansion of clearing for views. Pursue development of off-channel fish habitat.

Clallam Conservation District, WSU-Cooperative Extension, Elwha S’Klallam Tribe, Clallam County, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

(c) [Policy No. 16] Because fish populations in this stream are particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation, establish limitations on surface water withdrawals to maintain optimum instream flow for fish. Encourage water conservation during low-flow months.

WA Department of Ecology, Clallam County, City of Port Angeles, Clallam County, PUD #1 of Clallam County

(a) [Policy No. 17] Water service is provided in this portion of the urban growth area by the PUD. 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. 18] 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 Lee’s Creek neighborhood under utility extension agreements or upon annexation.

(c) [Policy No. 19] Pollution from failing sewage systems should be addressed. Many soils in Lee’s Creek neighborhood are poorly suited to on-site sewage disposal systems and many systems are in need of repair or replacement. Clallam County should develop an education program to make homeowners and rental managers aware of low cost loans available for on-site sewage disposal system repair or replacement through the Water Quality Cleanup Fund.

(a) [Policy No. 20] The steep-sided creek ravines and marine bluffs form a natural greenbelt for this neighborhood.

(b) [Policy No. 21] Owners of wetlands, marine bluffs and ravines should be encouraged to file conservation easements on these portions of their property to protect them from development, provide open spaces and gain tax advantage. Owners of critical areas identified by an open space overlay should receive the advantage of qualifying for open space taxation regardless of property size.

(c) [Policy No. 22] Public access along the saltwater shoreline should be encouraged through development of public access corridors to the waterfront trail at Lee’s Creek and completion of this section of the waterfront trail.

(a) [Policy No. 23] Realignment of Larch Avenue to bring it in line with Mt. Pleasant Road at the lighted intersection would ease the egress problems from this neighborhood.

(b) [Policy No. 24] Raised medians should be used to protect the left turn lane at Brook Avenue as many people are utilizing the turn lane as an acceleration lane creating the possibility for head on.

(c) [Policy No. 25] 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.

(d) [Policy No. 26] Completion of the waterfront trail and feeder connection to the trail at Lee’s Creek would provide an important transportation option for the people commuting from the Lee’s Creek neighborhood.