What's it like in Port Townsend? (Seattle, Bellingham: for sale, 2014, rental)

[PartIrish]

Originally Posted by aktowa

Pikabike's description is pretty spot on. I am moving away from this crazy place called Port Townsend. I moved here in 2006 in support of my husband's dream and have had nothing but hardship, financial and social. Yes it is has physical beauty but the culture is less so. It tries very hard to present as a forward thinking, progressive town that champions all the correct causes. The reality is quite different. Multi million dollar pet project take priority over schools and other public needs. The social structure is exclusive and cliquish. Jobs are scarce, wages are still low and COL is higher than ever. There are many festivals and events but the cost is out of reach for anyone of modest to average income. I am lucky to have an admin. position in healthcare but it was a long wait finding it. I am well educated with many years working in my field but I had to work 4-5 minimum wage jobs to live just above the poverty line. When my daughter was in High School our low income qualified her for free school lunch. My last experience as a low income worker was in college.

I finally sold the house I owned here and I am gladly leaving this place behind me to heal in a better community. There is so much more I could say but if you are considering moving here don't let the facade fool you get to know the place and it's people first. There are very active, effective and exclusive groups heavily invested in turning the town into the everything they moved here to escape.

Aktowa,

Sounds like PT was just not the right place for you, especially given the poor employment opportunities. When I was researching, I thought the size and geographic isolation on the OP could be an issue, and we are opting for Bellingham instead. Did your husband feel the same after a period of time? You mention healing in a better community--in WA or another state? Best wishes, and I hope the next town is a better fit.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by Bill Loney

Word.

Any relation to ROGER Loney, head of the paper mill at that time?

[aktowa]

PartIrish,

You are correct I am not a good fit for PT and am grateful to move on. My husband has enjoyed his time here but is feeling some negative effects due to changes in the community culture. We purchased a new house near Bellingham where my daughter now lives. I love Bellingham, granted I have not lived there but have spent a lot of time visiting since 2009. If you do settle in B'ham I hope you enjoy all it has to offer. That might be another thread. Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Best wishes to you as well.

[NW4me]

Is that a problem, or a rare thing?

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by NW4me

Is that a problem, or a rare thing?

Actually I find we get more noise from the local airports. They seem to fly low in landing and taking off over our towns. Also the Coast Guard helicopters are quite noisy and I see no reason they can't fly over the water away from populated areas.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by NW4me

Is that a problem, or a rare thing?

It is a real problem in Port Townsend, subject of the OP, as well as Coupeville on Whidbey. Even more Growlers and more flights are planned.

The noise is concentrated in late spring and all summer but flights occur at other times of year also. The level of noise depends on how many jets are flying simultaneously, what elevation they fly at, how close to inhabited areas they approach, what kind of practice they are doing, and probably weather conditions.

Contrary to what the Navy claims, they do not adhere to their announced times, and they violate height restrictions.

The noise level is far worse than a commercial airport generates, albeit less constant than that.

The topic could spawn entire threads, so all I am saying is that, as someone who lived IN Port Townsend (NOT Sequim or Port Ludlow), the Growler noise really IS bad unless it is a single flight high overhead and far away. There were days when they practiced the loudest maneuvers for literally hours (including nights up to 1 am) with multiple jets at the same time. It was impossible to carry on any conversation even indoors with all windows closed.

Check the decibel levels recorded by Whidbeyites and others. There are also some videos shot in another test area in eastern WA that demonstrate how loud it gets.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by pikabike

It is a real problem in Port Townsend, subject of the OP, as well as Coupeville on Whidbey. Even more Growlers and more flights are planned.

The noise is concentrated in late spring and all summer but flights occur at other times of year also. The level of noise depends on how many jets are flying simultaneously, what elevation they fly at, how close to inhabited areas they approach, what kind of practice they are doing, and probably weather conditions.

Contrary to what the Navy claims, they do not adhere to their announced times, and they violate height restrictions.

The noise level is far worse than a commercial airport generates, albeit less constant than that.

The topic could spawn entire threads, so all I am saying is that, as someone who lived IN Port Townsend (NOT Sequim or Port Ludlow), the Growler noise really IS bad unless it is a single flight high overhead and far away. There were days when they practiced the loudest maneuvers for literally hours (including nights up to 1 am) with multiple jets at the same time. It was impossible to carry on any conversation even indoors with all windows closed.

Check the decibel levels recorded by Whidbeyites and others. There are also some videos shot in another test area in eastern WA that demonstrate how loud it gets.

This info wasn't forthcoming on the Growler thread I started a few years ago. Few people knew what I was talking about, lol. I was surprised, because I know people in Pt T who have been alarmed and very concerned by it. They said a whole delegation of people from Orcas Island arrived for a meeting in Pt T about the Growlers. I think a city council member was involved. But no one living there who was posting on C-D knew anything about the issue, though my friends in Pt T were telling me not to move there, because of the Growlers. That's what prompted me to start the thread.

And yes, there were videos on youtube back then, of people monitoring the decibel levels, and saying they were exceeding legally-allowed levels, were disturbing and upsetting kids in school, and that people were selling their property on Whidby to get away from the unbearable noise.

[jdhpa]

I assume it's a problem in Port Ludlow, Poulsbo, and Silverdale as well, is that correct?

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

This info wasn't forthcoming on the Growler thread I started a few years ago. Few people knew what I was talking about, lol. I was surprised, because I know people in Pt T who have been alarmed and very concerned by it. They said a whole delegation of people from Orcas Island arrived for a meeting in Pt T about the Growlers. I think a city council member was involved. But no one living there who was posting on C-D knew anything about the issue, though my friends in Pt T were telling me not to move there, because of the Growlers. That's what prompted me to start the thread.

And yes, there were videos on youtube back then, of people monitoring the decibel levels, and saying they were exceeding legally-allowed levels, were disturbing and upsetting kids in school, and that people were selling their property on Whidby to get away from the unbearable noise.

Without digging up all my old posts, I know that much of what I wrote above I posted earlier, though probably not all in one post or in your thread. I viewed the eastern WA video based on a link that someone else posted. So this info is hardly news.

It seems to be getting worse as the threat of hearing those 36 new Growlers added to the flight roster looms. Whether any of them replace older jets or not, I do not know.

BTW, different years see different levels of Growler activity. After a really bad year for it followed by tremendous public protest, the next year was not bad. But apparently it is getting worse again.

If you are so worried about the noise and the mill stink to have been posting about it for many years, you should not move to PT. Fact is, other major changes happen so fast there, any worrier/fencesitter should stay away.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Without digging up all my old posts, I know that much of what I wrote above I posted earlier, though probably not all in one post or in your thread. I viewed the eastern WA video based on a link that someone else posted. So this info is hardly news.

It seems to be getting worse as the threat of hearing those 36 new Growlers added to the flight roster looms. Whether any of them replace older jets or not, I do not know.

BTW, different years see different levels of Growler activity. After a really bad year for it followed by tremendous public protest, the next year was not bad. But apparently it is getting worse again.

If you are so worried about the noise and the mill stink to have been posting about it for many years, you should not move to PT. Fact is, other major changes happen so fast there, any worrier/fencesitter should stay away.

Thanks, pika. That's ultimately what I decided, though the town is so attractive in many ways, it still tempts me. Also, I noticed that in the heat wave a year ago summer, it stayed cool, due to it's fortunate location, getting winds both from the ocean via the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and also down the Georgia Strait. But heaven forbid--if there's ever a fire in the Olympics, the town would be screwed. But that's true of anywhere around the Puget Sound region--Bellingham, too.

Anyway, all the rentals suddenly disappeared, the year after I posted. No one here knew what was going on with that, either, nor did my friends in town. It was only last year that I figured out, that everyone converted their rentals into Air B & B's. The few 2 or 3 br. rentals there are, are handled through personal contacts; they never make it onto Craigslist, it seems. I checked one out when I was there, that was advertised locally. That seems to be the way to go. And even then, it's very competitive, due to the scarcity. My thread ran just a bit before you joined, btw. Thanks again for your info here.