Ports delay Martin Island eminent domain votes
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 10:48 PM PDT
By Erik Olson
Printable version
E-mail this articleThree Lower Columbia ports are extending the deadline to reach an agreement to buy Martin Island from a Woodland family.
If no agreement can be reached before Sept. 15, the ports may vote to use their eminent domain authority to force the Colf family to sell the 447-acre island.
Lower river ports must acquire the island to compensate for — or “mitigate” — environmental damage caused by deepening the Columbia River shipping channel to a depth of 43 feet between the mouth of the Columbia River and Portland.
Port of Vancouver commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to delay a vote of eminent domain, which would have required a judge to set a fair-market sale price of the land, said Nelson Holmberg, communications manager for the port. Directors of the ports of Kalama and Longview will recommend those ports take the same action within this week.
The ports had been scrambling to meet a July 2 deadline set by the state Department of Ecology to acquire the land or risk a stoppage of the deepening project. However, after Gordon White, manager for ecology’s shorelands and environmental assistance program, met with the Colfs and port officials, he agreed to extend the deadline into fall, said Roy Heikkala, spokesman for the family.
“That gives us a reasonable time to negotiate what we want to do,” Heikkala said.
The ports of Vancouver, Kalama and Longview already voted to delay the condemnation action in late May. Port of Woodland commissioners voted in March against going to court to force the Colfs’ to sell the island.
Port of Kalama will discuss the issue tonight at their regular business meeting, port Director Lanny Cawley said. The two sides have been meeting weekly for the last month, which is why Cawley said he’ll recommending tabling the vote.
Negotiations “are moving forward,” he said.
Port of Longview commissioners will take up the matter Tuesday.
The Corps and the ports have already secured mitigation property in Oregon. The Martin Island property represents nearly three-quarters of the land required by the Department of Ecology in Washington.
The Colfs have agreed to trade Martin Island for other nearby parcels in the Woodland Bottoms, but the two sides have not agreed on the amount of acreage to include in the trade. The family grazes cattle on the island, but the only structure on the land is an unoccupied house.
Rosey Glasses wrote on Jun 24, 2008 8:18 PM:
98626 wrote on Jun 25, 2008 4:45 AM:
mole wrote on Jun 25, 2008 9:19 AM:
getaclue wrote on Jun 25, 2008 10:24 AM:
While the use of eminent domain would not be preferred, I think it's unfair to accuse the government agencies of "stealing". "
mole wrote on Jun 25, 2008 5:46 PM:
Rosey Glasses wrote on Jun 25, 2008 6:33 PM:
Elton John fan wrote on Jun 25, 2008 9:16 PM:
towboater wrote on Jun 26, 2008 8:32 AM:
This Woodland frontage is more important to this region as a WORLD CLASS SEAPORT than cattle grazing OR wetlands.
It is the ONLY undeveloped deepwater area left that borders I-5 AND the main rail corridor.
T-6/Portland and Tacoma are relative culdesacs compared to the potential of the Port of Woodland to move bulk containers BOTH WAYS quickly. This situation is not going to change no matter how deep they dig the channel or where the wetlands are designated to be.
Colfs should be compensated appropriatly.
Lines on a map restrict the tax base to develope this area. ALL Ports & Citizens on both sides of the Or/Wa borders should join hands rather than compete with eachother for Container buisness for the sake of our Childrens future in the NW.
Down the road, 10 years from now, the NW Seaport that is the most profitable will have the edge over all others.
Woodland is closer to the Far East than Tacoma or Portland by half a day. Closer distance, faster unloading, fuel saving will allow 1 additional round trip per Ship per year = a lot of money.
If you agree, next item will be a new bridge that hooks into the backside of Beaverton/Hillsboro. Do you know what City is the second largest in Oregon now?
Hillsboro. "
mole wrote on Jun 26, 2008 2:23 PM:
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