After receiving a resounding go-ahead from Flounder Bay slip and waterfront owners, the Anacortes City Council voted July 7 to move to the second phase of a proposed dredging project, and on July 21 OK’d a $499,000 contract with HDR Engineering to complete detailed planning for the project.

“You’ll have a bid-ready project when you get to the end of phase two,” said city Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer.

Buckenmeyer said the city sent out 665 petitions to affected owners, who will pay for the work through their stormwater bills. At the close of a three-week period, 82 percent had returned ballots. Of those, 88 percent voted to go forward with the planning — well above the 60 percent number the council wanted to proceed.

The cost of this phase will be split evenly between slips, Buckenmeyer said. Owners will pay $12.50 per slip per month for 60 months, or $750. This is on top of the $4 per month levied for the $100,000 initial phase.

The dredging itself is expected to cost as much as $1.37 million, or about $2,700 per slip, but HDR will have firmer estimates after completing biological and geological surveys and other preliminary work.

Slip owners are still discussing whether the total will be divided up equally between slips or assigned by some other formula that takes into account slip length or other factors.

When more detailed information is available on the various options, the city will send out a more detailed questionnaire asking owners how they wish to proceed.