Oak Harbor marina bill sails through Senate

OLYMPIA — The Senate today passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, to allow the Whidbey Island town of Oak Harbor to move forward with plans to improve its public marina.

Senate Bill 6532 allows the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to enter into aquatic lands management agreements with cities under the same regulations it uses to lease lands to port districts.

Under the new guidelines, the town of Oak Harbor may enter into aquatic lands management agreements with DNR for the purposes of establishing a public marina. The result would eliminate the need for them to pay $50,000 per year in rent to DNR for the aquatic lands they lease for their marinas, and the city of Oak Harbor hopes to use those savings to improve and expand marina services.

“This is a great economic development opportunity for Oak Harbor and Whidbey Island,” said Haugen. “A simple step like this will help them develop their marina into one that will increase business by attracting recreational boaters to their harbor and tourists into their town.”

SB 6532 passed the Senate with a unanimous vote, and now proceeds to the House for consideration.

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