HANSVILLE — In a few years, casting and reeling from the beach at Point No Point may just be a thing of the past.

As might be driving to Kingston or Salsbury Point, some 10 miles away, to launch a motorized boat longer than 16 feet.

The rail boat launch site, about a quarter-mile west of the Point No Point lighthouse, was closed down some seven years ago, as it was beyond its useful life and in need of renovation.

In 1996 the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) purchased the rundown launch with the intention of rebuilding it.

However, Penny Warren, DFW’s westside lands supervisor, said trying to get permits to rebuild the rail launch became “impossible.”

“At that point we started to look at what type of boat launch we can put in there,” Warren said.

What DFW came up with is a 16- to 20-foot wide ramp extending some 120 feet into the water that can accommodate trailers toting boats up to 18 feet long. During high tide larger boats might be able to be launched.

In November DFW began its proposed boat launch public hearing campaign and held four public meetings within four months.

Warren said the meetings were all very well attended.

DFW has secured funding from the Conservation and Recreation Board for the permitting and comprehensive design process.

“We’re pretty much ready to make the final steps and move forward with the permitting process,” Warren said. “It’s a long process and will probably take 18 months to two years. During the process the public will still have an opportunity for input.”

She anticipates site construction won’t begin until 2012.

The area was once a popular fishing spot. When the rail launch closed down, the large fishing populace was left to park the boat and don the waders or drive to Kingston or Salsbury Point.

Warren said the push to construct a new launch stems from this.

“Adults went there as kids. Their grandparents went there as kids,” she said. “It was a very popular thing at the time. The feel of the community is a little different but there’s still very strong support for having public fishing access to the site by those who fish.”

The waters off Point No Point are known as Marine Area 9 and are a hotbed for summer chinook salmon runs and halibut and lingcod in the spring.

“It’s one of the best fishing areas in the Puget Sound,” said Vic Nelson, who sold DFW the property and has been bank fishing or driving to other launches for several years.

Some residents and neighbors aren’t enthusiastic about the new boat launch coming to their neighborhood.

It’s this opposition that has North Kitsap County Commissioner and Hansville resident Steve Bauer concerned. Bauer’s been involved in the process for the last five years.

He said most thought the reconstruction of the rail launch was a great idea, as there wouldn’t be a huge procession of trailers accompanying the launch.

Since the rail launch was at its height of popularity, Hansville has transformed from a weekend or summer fishing village into a year-round residential community.

“My concern as a resident is, what will be the impacts of traffic and parking?” Bauer said.

From a county perspective the concern stems from an experience that happened during Fourth of July events. He said there were cars parked along both sides of the street, private yards were entered and a smattering of litter showed up. Neighbors were upset and Bauer wonders what type of parking and traffic issues will accompany a launch that accommodates trailers and larger boats.

“The Department of Fish and Wildlife is very short staffed and they don’t staff or maintain their sites,” he said.

Bauer questions whose responsibility it will be to keep the site and restrooms clean and to enforce parking regulations or conflicts on the site.

“There’s general support in the area for a launch and access to the water, however, there is an enforcement issue that can’t come from the county,” Bauer said. “We want to see what their plans and intentions are for dealing with traffic, parking and operation of the site. If we think it’s inadequate for the neighborhood, then we’ll raise objections for the project.”