EVERETT — Two sections of the Everett waterfront are getting makeovers and officials want the public to weigh in on those changes this week.
These are two separate projects, but both have the potential to reshape a large portion of the city’s waterfront.
The City of Everett is planning an open house Tuesday so people can learn more about a redevelopment plan for what they are calling “the Central Waterfront Planning Area,” which includes the soon-to-be vacant Kimberly-Clark mill and some surrounding properties.
The Everett City Council passed an emergency moratorium on any development of that property, fearing that Kimberly-Clark would sell and an “undesirable use” would spring up on the prime waterfront acreage.
An open house is planned for 4 p.m. followed by a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Weyerhaeuser Room at the Everett Station, 3201 Smith St.
“We want people to come out and get all the information we have about existing plans and regulations and what we feel are important factors” to redevelopment of the properties, said Allan Giffen, Everett’s Planning and Community Development director.
They also want to hear ideas from the public, particularly feedback on what the city’s priorities should be as they set up redevelopment guidelines.
The Port of Everett is in the midst of finding a new plan for land that includes acreage slated for a failed $400 million development. They hope a new plan will be ready to adopt in September.
The port is calling this effort its Marina District Master Plan and it spans roughly from the South Marina, where Anthony’s Restaurant is located, north to 10th Street and west to Jetty Island.
Officials have scheduled an “interactive design process” they want the public to attend at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Waterfront Center Blue Heron Room, 1205 Craftsman Way.
The port has posted documents online at its website at www. portofeverett.com, including surveys the public can fill out.
This is not a wholesale revision of earlier work on the Port Gardner Wharf project, which included condos, commercial space, offices and restaurants, said port spokeswoman Lisa Lefeber.
Instead, the port is paying a consultant half a million dollars to rework the earlier plan to meet “the current economic reality.”
That means focusing on drawing boaters and other people to the waterfront, and on attracting the commercial services they need.
As part of that process, the port already has asked a panel to put together a report on what it should do.
Officials have also held a series of focus groups to find out what they think, made up of neighbors, business owners, boaters and property tenants.
Debra Smith: 425-339-3197; dsmith@heraldnet.com.
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