HomeMy WebLinkAbout070725 - Public Comment pukouC
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I am again raising my concerns about the permitting changes that are proposed for 7(-i I1j
geoduck aquaculture, in the SMP update.
As I previously informed Commissioners Brotherton and Eisenhour, in 2020 when the DCD
first introduced the proposed SMP changes for the required update, the aquaculture
section was relatively reasonable. It allowed conversion to geoduck farming from current
shellfish aquaculture and limited expansion of up to 25% of a farmed area without a CUR
A discretionary Conditional Use Permit-CUP(d)was required for new geoduck aquaculture
if not currently being farmed or if there was an expansion of activity greater than 25%.
In June 2021 the proposed SMP updates were presented at a Jeffco Planning Commission
public comment meeting. The shellfish industry submitted comment at this time.You will
likely remember this was at a time of COVID restrictions. Planning Commission meeting
access was clunky and inadequate,very difficult to log onto, and meetings would be
canceled without notice.
When I was able to access recordings and minutes, late in 2021 I found that shoreline
property owners had convinced the DCD to insert Kitsap SMP aquaculture language, word
for word, into the Jeffco. SMP update. These proposals require a CUP for any type of change
to geoduck farms, mostly a full CUP with a hearing. This makes it expensive and difficult to
permit a geoduck farm. Larger companies with more permitting/regulatory resources will
still be able to obtain permits, but it will shut smaller farms and less resourced farmers out
of geoduck farming.
A full CUP requiring a public hearing will provide a venue for mostly waterfront property
owners,to repeat claims and misinformation that has previously been raised in other
geoduck CUP hearings. The applicant will be paying for the Hearing Examiner and experts
to refute the NIMBY claims and to date Taylor Shellfish has always prevailed, although at
the cost of considerable resources.
If you leave the requirement for full CUP's in the update it will not stop geoduck farming it
will just restrict it to the larger better off operations. A discretionary CUP does not prevent
there being a public hearing it just provides DCD staff the option of not requiring it.
My days of farming are almost over but it breaks my heart to see food production
disappearing in Jefferson County. Unless they work for a large company it is now nearly
impossible for a young person to raise their family while farming. Please understand that
making it more expensive to farm here is damaging to local food production and enhances
the present trend of Jefferson County being attractive to wealthy retirees but not to young
working families.
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