Port of Coupeville officials wanted to hear residents’ opinions about the Greenbank Estuary Project.

They got an earful — more than 130 folks crowded into the Greenbank Progressive Club at a special town hall meeting Saturday, and many said they wanted the project abandoned.

Neighborhood concerns ran the gamut from the loss of the private boat launch ramp, to the temporary closure of North Bluff Road, to the feared violation of property rights, to potential impacts of saltwater on the Greenbank wetlands habitat.

The meeting got off to a slow start. Acting as facilitator, port executive director Jim Patton delayed the 10 a.m. beginning of the meeting to let as many people in as possible. Soon, it was standing room only.

Patton began by noting that there has been a reduction in the number of salmon in local waters.

“We don’t want to create another Dead Sea in Puget Sound and that is why the port is considering the study proposed by the Skagit River System Cooperative,” Patton said.

“However, we’re not going forward with anything until all stakeholder questions are answered,” he said.

The two primary landowners involved are the port, which owns the 23-acre wetlands and the Holmes Harbor Homeowners Association; the owners of the beach property on the other side of North Bluff Road.

Last month, Skagit River System Cooperative officials said their study would be dropped if significant red flags were raised by landowners.

At Saturday’s meeting, there were. Literally. A bucket of red flags provided by Greenbank homeowners Bob and Nancy Watt greeted attendees outside the clubhouse.

Greenbank resident Sue Baer didn’t know many of the details of the estuary plan as she took her seat. “I have more fears than knowledge at this point,” she said as she hoisted her flag.

Eric Beamer, Skagit River System Cooperative director, and research ecologist Aundrea McBride attempted to dispel any fears of the salmon project by explaining how the estuary project would work.

Basically, the Lummi and Swinomish tribes are funding an assessment to determine if the wetlands at Greenbank Farm can be converted to a protected saltwater estuary for juvenile salmon. It would be a temporary home for salmon before the fish head out to sea — presumably by a new channel connecting the existing wetlands to Holmes Harbor.

Skagit River System Cooperative officials say Greenbank could eventually play host to upwards of 1,600 fingerlings per acre if the plan is carried through.

If the study finds Greenbank acceptable — and the stakeholders agree — the cooperative would apply for grants to cover construction costs.

Residents worried

Judging by the reaction of those attending the town hall meeting, getting the study approved will be an uphill battle.

Nancy Watt said the real endangered species are the residents of Greenbank.

“The spin doctors are trying to make folks feel warm and fuzzy about encouraging baby salmon. Instead of juvenile salmon on our beach, we prioritize juvenile children on our beach,” she said.

Watt added that she’s disturbed how the proposed study has already changed the Greenbank community, pitting neighbors against neighbors.

“This proposal threatens the peace, tranquility, privacy and investment value of our homes. These red flags represent our passion to protest and resist you people going one step further on your mission,” Watt said.

“Don’t try to change our neighborhood out from under us. We are mostly retired people so we have the time and commitment to lobby and vote for our rights and our property; there are about 200 residents who won’t be easily sacrificed for tribal interests and some fish,” she said.

William Renn owns the two parcels next to the tidal floodgate — a channel cut through to allow seawater into the estuary would potentially cross his land and he wants none of it.

“I was in shock that I wasn’t warned until the day before,” Renn told the crowd.

“Nobody told us until I read the story in The Record. We’re key stakeholders; we want them to stay off our land,” he said.

Renn then read a letter addressed to the Port of Coupeville: “Regarding your proposed study and testing, please keep out of lots 1, 2 and Y tidelands of Greenbank Waterfront Tracts, Division No. 1.”

Local homeowner Bob Watt didn’t mince his words, either.

“I don’t want the study or the habitat, at least not here,” he said. “We need to stop it now before the study gets underway.”

Frank Mead felt the presentation was excellent and the meeting well-organized.

However, he had serious reservations.

“Those directly affected, we who live on the beach, are not happy,” Mead said. “We believe a completed project will adversely affect our property values.”

The minority opinion

A few felt the proposal had merit, though they were clearly in the minority.

Though she’s the president of the homeowner’s association, Sharon Dunn felt the plan has some merit.

“Our geriatric tidal gate needs to be fixed,” she said.

“I see this study as a possible solution to long-standing problems of flooding,” Dunn said. “If the study is turned down, it may be necessary for the association to assess homeowners to fix the gate in the future.”

And Susan Berta from the Greenbank-based Orca Network was passionate about salmon restoration.

“I live here so I don’t like seeing people polarized by this,” she said.

“One option of the study may be to do nothing, but we can’t know until the study is done. The chicken soup analogy works — the study by itself can’t hurt us and will answer many questions raised here today. It would be foolish to turn away from this opportunity,” Berta said.

Civil engineer Bob Montgomery owns seven properties on the spit of land called Greenbank Beach. He also suggested waiting to see what the study would bring.

“The concerns about the launch ramp and road closures are simply red herrings,” he said. “We need to lose the emotions of ownership and trust the feasibility study to show us if this project has real merit. Or not,” Montgomery said.

The next step

Linda McCormack asked if the project would go forward if it was determined that the area could be restored, despite the wishes of the residents.

“Will the project go forward regardless of how we feel?” McCormack asked.

Kim Bredensteiner, a water quality representative for Island County, answered that county commissioners said there must be both a willing landowner and a consideration of the neighborhood’s concerns.

Beamer admitted the crowd appeared to be hostile to the estuary concept.

“There won’t be anything I can say to most of this audience,” Beamer said.

“We don’t want to waste our money, but salmon recovery will remain a major concern in Puget Sound. We’ve been granted this money and we’re accountable to accomplish something,” he said. “We’re being upfront with you, that’s the purpose of this meeting. Clearly, we have a decision to make.”

Port commissioners said they were listening closely to all points of view.

“The Skagit River people and the port have taken their holiday time to be here,” Weber observed. “The port reached out to as many as we could and I consider this a successful meeting. Everyone got to be heard.”

Commissioners will talk about the estuary project during their next regular meeting at 10:30 a.m., Sept. 13 in Coupeville.

Jeff VanDerford can be reached at 221-5300 or e-mail jvanderford@southwhidbeyrecord.com.