Vistas along Water Street between the Bayview Restaurant and the ferry terminal could be transformed if plans for a memorial honoring mariners lost at sea gains momentum.

Proposed by Bernie Arthur, a resident of Port Townsend for 42 years and former owner of Skookum Marine, the monument is intended to memorialize local individuals who perished at sea and to commemorate the area’s rich maritime history. Arthur said a display of this type is not currently present in Jefferson County – a void he is eager to see filled.

“There are several notable memorials in town, but not one that is specifically for lost mariners,” he said. “Whether that means a plaque in the sidewalk or something more substantial, I think we need to honor those individuals and their families.”

Sept. 5 meeting

Adamant that the final product be the result of inclusive community collaboration, Arthur, his wife, Germaine, and friends are hosting a planning meeting this evening, Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. at the Cupola House at Point Hudson. He said he does not want any city-sanctioned organizations overseeing the project, except for where city permits are concerned.

“I want to get people involved who have a definite relationship with the local maritime industry and who have a vested interest in seeing a memorial built,” Arthur said, naming several Jefferson County families who have lost loved ones to the deep.

Arthur has agreed to donate about 100 feet of shoreline property that he owns along the section of Water Street between state ferry terminal and the Bayview Restaurant. Additional funding needs to be generated by the group, he said.

At an initial meeting in August, a handful of individuals brainstormed with Coker DesignWorks owner Kevin Coker to design a 3-D model depicting one structure under consideration. The mockup shows a replica of a ship’s bow extending from the sidewalk toward the beach, adorned with flags and other iconic maritime items.

Arthur has not yet submitted any formal application to the City of Port Townsend, but has sent planners the 3-D model.

Arthur’s property contains intertidal lands that are considered critical to the health of the local marine environment, said City of Port Townsend senior planner Judy Surber. But that designation does not preclude the construction of a memorial.

“However, a permit review process is necessary to ensure that establishing the memorial will not have an adverse effect on the environment,” said Surber.

To continue, memorial organizers must submit a preapplication to the city, followed by a joint aquatic resources permit and specific building permit applications, she said.

“While the city welcomes and encourages community members to come forward with proposals that celebrate our town’s heritage, the sensitive nature of the site and the lack of definition of the proposal prevents us from commenting on the merits at this time,” said Surber.

A multitude of regulatory agencies manage different aspects of construction in the intertidal zone, and the project could potentially require federal and/or state environmental reviews, as well as approval from the Department of Fish & Wildlife and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Under the Regulatory Reform Act, city permits must be issued within 120 days from the date the application is deemed complete. Federal permits are likely to take longer.

Bernie Arthur is taking the project one step at a time, and that starts with gathering public input at the meeting on Sept. 5.