The Council Monday night okayed a Conditional Use Permit for the new marine skills center after asking questions about the planned parking situation on the property. The Conditional Use Permit was required because the facility will be in a Commercial Marine zone.
Council members asked whether the 100 parking spaces reserved for the center would be available to the general public for events. The answer: it will be up to the school.
When complete, the facility will operate as an integral part of the Skagit County’s high schools and Skagit Valley College. It will provide students the opportunity to obtain job preparation skills through hands-on education, applied academics and technology training for the marine industry.
The center will include a 15,000 square foot building with classrooms, labs, an assembly area, administrative offices and a 2,600 square foot storage building. Four main labs will be organized around a central project area.
The facility, which will cost an estimated $5.6 million to construct and as much as an additional $2-4-million for equipment, is expected to be ready for students in Sept., 2010. Construction is expected to start this Sept.
The facility will be located on land owned by the Port of Anacortes, which is planning on developing a parcel between the skills center and Cap Sante Marina. The campus will offer technical education focused around boat building, repair and maintenance of recreational and small commercial craft.