“Scenic 109″

Curt Warber led a workshop Wednesday evening on making SR 109 a “Scenic Byway.”

A group of business owners, nonprofits, community leaders, residents and others from Ocean Shores to Pacific Beach hopes to have a draft of its “vision” done in January, to apply for grants early next year.

 Warber answered some questions in a follow-up email:

The overall schedule is flexible, but we expect to have strong draft material done for January, then a real draft document around March.  The deadline for scenic byway-related grants is also likely to be coming up early in 2009, so there might be some projects that weуre trying to move forward at about that time, also.

 We‘re not going to have another byway-wide meeting until after the holidays, so the next public meeting will also be mid-January.

 I don’t think we got to the final slogan (selected theme) last night, although there was lots of general good feeling towards the “Between the Forest and the Beach” idea.  

 There was lots of good discussion about the goals of the byway project.  Some of the priorities seem to be improving facilities for walking and biking, improving signs and visitor information, and getting some good projects done along the corridor (for example building the Moclips depot and finding  a way to acquire the Ghost Forest and provide appropriate access for visitors.) 

 One thing folks always want to know when they hear about the byway project is whether it will increase regulation along the corridor.  The answer is no — the byway program is not regulatory, and all land use decisions along the SR 109 corridor will remain in the jurisdiction of the local government for that section of the road, whether it is the City of Hoquiam, City of Ocean Shores, Grays Harbor County, or the Quinault Indian Nation.

 There was pretty good agreement that the DRAFT vision for the corridor was close to being ready — here‘s how that is reading now:

 Hidden Coast Scenic Byway Vision

 The Hidden Coast Scenic Byway will be the quintessential Washington Coast drive.  

 A drive on the highway will offer a beach experience like no other in the state, combining vibrant beach towns, beaches of different character and recreation opportunities, a variety of lodging, camping and dining, and opportunities to learn unique natural and cultural heritage stories.  

 The road will maintain important parts of its natural and undeveloped character, where trees grow from the coastal hills all the way to the shore.

 Once they have arrived at the byway, visitors will not need to rely on their cars to get around.  Safe and enjoyable trails and bike routes connect between and within communities.

 Recreational opportunities along the byway will not end at the shoreline.  Instead they also look inland, taking advantage of natural forests, rivers, and streams.  

 The cultural history of the byway, thousands of years in the making, will be accessible to travelers through a range of interpretive opportunities.  Major facilities at Hoquiam, Ocean Shores, Moclips, and Taholah will provide opportunities to learn about the development of the region, its unique culture, and the relationship between cultural development and the natural setting.

 Over time, the byway will become more and more known as Washingtonуs best beach destination, as the preferred loop route as part of an Olympic Peninsula itinerary using the Moclips Highway, and as the best place to visit the beach.