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Knutson Argues Against Yacht Use
By Jo Bailey and Carl Nyberg
May 23, 2002 -- Pete Knutson had something to say, and he was determined to say it. At the May 14 port commission meeting, the fisherman activist and Seattle Community College professor went on the record."Despite the overwhelming sentiment expressed at several public hearings
against your proposal to place yachts into Fishermen's Terminal, you voted 5-0 to move ahead with your plans," Knutson said.
He also had a few things to say about the Heartland site analysis of the terminal. The Heartland Study, contracted last July, was to prepare upland redevelopment options. Heartland LLC is a real estate development firm.
Commissioner Paige Miller interrupted Knutson and said the commissioners "did not contract, did not authorize and did not know about the $50,000 contract with Heartland until after our discussion of introduction of recreational vessels." She said it was handled by David Schneidler, manager of customer service for the Port.
Miller said the Port is an organization of 1,700 people. "We don't know about everything and every study that is commissioned in this organization at the time it happens,"Miller said. She and commission chairman Bob Edwards said the Heartland Study has been reputed.
Miller told Knutson she wished he had participated in the Fishermen's Terminal Advisory Committee because they had all been informed about the study. He replied that the committee met at 8:30 a.m. on weekdays when working people could not attend.
As Knutson attempted to continue his testimony, Commissioner Bob Edwards interrupted again and said the topic under discussion was how to work with non-commercial boats at the terminal, not land use.
Knutson continued, charging that a recreational marina in an industrially zoned area is prohibited. "I feel on June 1 you're making a decision that fundamentally changes the character of our place and I thought this was an appropriate time to reiterate some of our concerns and help make you more sensitive about why we have distrust regard the Port of Seattle's plans," he said.
Edwards interrupted several more times and suggested Knutson join the advisory committee.
Knutson went on to remind the commissioners of the history of Shilshole Marina.
"You received federal dollars for the construction of that marina with the express proviso that you would create and maintain a Fishermen's Terminal inside the Shilshole breakwater. That's in your 1955 Port resolution. The Port took the federal money and then converted Shilshole to pleasure boat use. You reneged," he said.
"You reneged on the last redevelopment promise to the fishing industry to create a direct marketing center on the west wall. (Fishermen's Terminal has) 5,300 jobs, a culture, a heritage. I hope it's in honest hands," Knutson said.
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