New Zoning Could Open Day Island to Commercial Opportunities, Parks

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At the end of the road in Day Island, the scenery is lovely. You can gaze across the shoreline of the Puget Sound and take in unrivaled views of the Narrows Bridge and the fine houses on the other side of the inlet.

The problem is, the view lives on private property. The only way to take it all in is by standing in the Narrows Marina parking lot. Or from the Day Island Yacht Club.

Updates to the University Place Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) could rezone the Narrows Marina and private yacht club property to allow for redevelopment of the area—including possibilities for new restaurants, housing buildings or even parks. (Read more about the SMP on University Place Patch).

“State shoreline regulations show that additional public access needs to be provided, while maintaining views of the water,” said Jeff Boers, principal planner of University Place. “This doesn’t require the current landowners to do anything, but it establishes policies and regulations that govern future development.”

The Narrows Marina and Day Island Yacht Club are both zoned residential, which is conflict with what is actually happening in that area, Boer said. Members of the SMP citizens advisory committee found that changes would need to be reflected in the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning codes as well.

“All three city planning documents should be in sync,” Boers said. “Basically, we’re proposing that the city designate these properties as medium-intensity to accommodate mixed-use development in that area.”

The current yacht club and marina will be grandfathered in to the new code, but it gives them more leeway to renovate and expand if that time comes—even allow room for a restaurant.

Boathouse 19, the popular restaurant on the Narrows Marina property, is located within the city of Tacoma, which is zoned commercial. Boathouse 19 couldn’t exist on the UP side of 19th Street West, under the current zoning.

Boer didn’t know why the marina and yacht club property were zoned residential in the first place and thought it might be left over from county zoning codes the city adopted when it incorporated in 1995.

Changing the SMP and zoning code to allow for more development but also will give the city more control and say over what could be constructed there.

“This gives us stronger teeth to go back to a developer and say, ‘you need to provide more public access,’” Boer said.

The UP Comprehensive Plan can only be updated once a year, so zoning changes will need to be refined on the Planning Commission level before they reach the city council for a vote. Ultimately, the council can approve zoning changes and regulations at the local level, but the SMP must be approved by the Department of Ecology.

What kind of future do you see for Day Island? Tell us in the comments.