Port Commissioners Harding, Vasavada elected to master planning subcommittee for the Port Peninsula 

Port of Olympia Commissioners Amy Evans Harding and Jasmine Vasavada were elected to a newly created subcommittee that will oversee master planning efforts for the Port Peninsula. 

Commissioner Sarah Tonge was elected as an alternate in case the two commissioners are unable to attend to their new duties. 

The commission authorized the creation of the new two-member subcommittee on Monday, Dec. 9. 

During the nomination for the committee members, Commissioner Magie Sanders put forward Evans Harding and Vasavada for the subcommittee, while Tonge expressed interest in being part of it as well. 

Tongue and Evans Harding both said they were willing to defer to one another. 

Commission Chair Bob Iyall later suggested having Tonge be the alternate, which everyone agreed to. 

Status of master planning efforts 

Executive Director Alex Smith explained that the purpose of the master plan is to identify the long-term vision for future land uses on the port peninsula. 

Smith said that the consultant team working on the master plan has been analyzing current and possible future land uses, while incorporating community input and other established long-term plans, such as Vision 2050 and Destination Waterfront. 

The director said the consultant team is now at a point where they want to focus on what aspects to further analyze, which the commission should have a say on. 

The new subcommittee would meet with staff and the consultant team to provide policy-level input and serve as liaisons to the whole commission. 

Smith said the subcommittee would meet once a month, but it would also depend on the availability of the committee members. 

She also mentioned that the port staff have discussed with the Olympia City Council the possibility of forming a counterpart committee to work with the port subcommittee and ensure consistency in planning efforts.