City council approves lease with Riverside Forest Products for Forks Industrial Park

July 29, 2025 1:30 am
Photo City of Forks Seen in this photo, the Interfor mill was the former tenant at the Industrial Park. It closed permanently on July 31, 2014. The closure was part of a larger curtailment of Interfors Beaver-Forks operation, which also included the Beaver sawmill, and resulted in the loss of 87 family-wage jobs. The decision to close was attributed to challenging market conditions. Hopes are running high that the lease with Riverside will bring those lost jobs back to the West End.
Photo City of Forks Seen in this photo, the Interfor mill was the former tenant at the Industrial Park. It closed permanently on July 31, 2014. The closure was part of a larger curtailment of Interfors Beaver-Forks operation, which also included the Beaver sawmill, and resulted in the loss of 87 family-wage jobs. The decision to close was attributed to challenging market conditions. Hopes are running high that the lease with Riverside will bring those lost jobs back to the West End.

By Christi Baron, Forum Editor

The Forks City Council held a special meeting Monday evening, July 21, to consider a proposed lease agreement between the City and Riverside Forest Products USA Inc. for property located at 143 Sitkum-Sol Duc Road in the Forks Industrial Park. Council also authorized funding applications for site improvements associated with the lease.

Council members Vilkesha Patel, Joe Soha, Armistead Coleman, and Jeff Gingell were present. No members of the public offered comment during the meeting.

Lease Agreement Approved

The primary action item on the agenda was the proposed lease with Riverside Forest Products, which is planning to begin operations at the industrial site. According to the company, it estimates employing 40 to 50 workers at startup with wages starting at $28 per hour plus benefits. Within three years, the company anticipates growing to 70–100 employees.

The 10-year lease outlines a staged payment plan:

An initial “construction period” lease rate for approximately 10 months will start at $6,600 per month. During this time lot 10 will be harvested and converted to log storage area.

A lower “production period” lease rate for months 11–23 will see a monthly lease rate of $17,000.

A full lease rate of $23,000 per month beginning around the 24th month of the lease.

The lease also includes terms regarding legal fees, a first right of refusal if the lease is modified, and potential interest from the company in acquiring smaller lots on the property in the future.

City Attorney Rod Fleck noted that the City has applied lessons learned from previous unsuccessful mill proposals in the lease’s structure. Riverside has already begun bringing in mill equipment, indicating a serious commitment to the project. Council member Soha expressed optimism about the lease’s terms, while also voicing concerns about housing availability and infrastructure readiness—especially the need for a power upgrade.

Coleman, while cautious due to past mill plans that didn’t materialize, ultimately supported the agreement. Gingell made the motion to approve the lease, Coleman seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Infrastructure Improvements and Funding

The second agenda item addressed the significant upgrades needed at the property—most notably electrical infrastructure—following damage left behind by the previous tenant. The council approved pursuing an application to the Clallam County Opportunity Fund, which supports projects that boost local economic development.

Commissioner Mike French, attending via Zoom, voiced strong support for the application. “This is exactly what the Opportunity Fund was intended for,” he said, adding that funding could also be used for workforce training if needed. French also mentioned the Recompete grant as a souce of funding.

Council also authorized pursuing secondary funding opportunities to support the project’s infrastructure needs. The motion passed with unanimous approval.