Our very own Joni Blanchard is now on the steerage committee looking at the Sims Way Project/boatyard expansion/poplars and has written her considerations and seeks feedback from fellow marine trades.

Well, I’ve allowed myself to be put on the Sims Way Poplar issue Steering Committee as one of the Port Stakeholders, representing myself as a ‘resident’.  Wasn’t my idea, but, I’m going for it!

I intend to address the few concerns I have for our boatyard in particular (along with trying to come to a compromise about (not) obliterating EVERY healthy Poplar along both sides of the road with decades of life left in them).

My boatyard concerns that I feel are important are:

1.  That NO high pollen, high sap, or fruit trees get planted anywhere along the boatyard fence line.  I’ve been hearing suggestions for fruit trees, Shore Pines and other Native Conifers along with Oaks, Ash, Cypress – all high pollen trees.   They’d be completely incompatible and debilitate our busy springtime boat work with those springtime breezes that blow right into the yard and do evening swirls during May/June.  I’ve hauled along that fence line every year for 20 years in May/June to varnish a hull and know it should be a concern!!
2. I have security concerns about foot traffic being promoted along our fence line with a blatant high visibility into our yard.  Many boat owners, businesses along there work out of their vehicles with all kinds of tempting supplies, tools, and equipment as we’re busy focusing on our work.  Theft has been a rising issue in that yard over the past few years.  I’d rather not have a concrete sidewalk put in going from nowhere to nowhere (Port entrance to Safeway Gas Station).  Nobody ever walks along there and that’s just perfect for us working in the boatyard!  I guess if the concrete sidewalk and pedestrian/tourist traffic is promoted and happens, we might have to put up …. screening?? – at least security cameras!
3. For security reasons again, I don’t want an opening mid fence line into the boatyard for people/tourists to just cruise on in to walk around.  Those from the yard needing to go to Henery’s can walk down to the corners and cross at the crosswalks.  We don’t need to be promoting the public coming into the working yard through an obvious opening.  I don’t mind the public coming in, as they always have,  but, let’s not make it THAT easy or openly promote it!!  I don’t think the work yard should be on blatant display as a tourist attraction.  None of us want to be constantly watched while we work or interrupted with constant questioning.
4. I’d like to suggest offering any Poplars that do come down up for locals first,  to use for woodworking, firewood, or whatever.

If anyone has any questions that maybe I could answer for you (now or during this process), or, if you have any good suggestions/ideas, you can email me at jonijobone@hotmail.com.

I’d also be up for hearing if you support some or all (or none) of these concerns of mine!  (I might need an army behind me about the pollen trees down the line!)

As a friend said when he heard I’d be on this Committee – ‘This should be interesting!!’.  Yep – it just might be~

Cheers,

Joni Blanchard