HomeMy WebLinkAbout107TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Jefferson County Department of Community Development
Joe Baisch, 3485 Dosewallips Road, Brinnon, WA 98320
Pleasant Harbor Marina & Golf Resort SEIS
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ln response to your request for community input on the subject referenced above, I submit the
following comments:
I have lived in Brinnon, Washington since 1992. I am small business owner operating Elk Meadows
Lodging and Farm and Mt Jupiter Water System Management. I have been an active citizen in
Jefferson County for 23 years, I was on the team who established the North Hood Canal Chamber of
Commerce and Emerald Towns Alliance, (Sponsor of ShrimpFest). I was a member of Team Jefferson,
County Economic Development Council and established Big Quil Enterprises, a WSU 4H youth run
shellfish business. ln addition to these activities, I worked for WSU Extension from 2003 to 2010 on two
projects:
1. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Connecting Schools and Community Grant as Coordinator
2, Northwest Area Foundation, St Paul Minnesota's Horizons Community Develop Program as a
Community Coach
THE STATESMAN CORPORATION'S PROPOSED MPR ON THEIR BLACK POINT PROPERTY IS THE COUNTY'S
MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT SINCE THE PORT LUDLOW MPR.
Government Policy has dramatically curtailed County timber revenue and short sited zoning and
building codes have not only discouraged commercial development but forced a large percentage of
Jefferson County citizens to both shop and work in adjacent Counties. Present County Leadership has
offered no plan to turn the trend around.
Thelackofattention toEconomic Development(PrivateSector)hasleadtoanexodusof Familieswith
school age children. All four County school Districts have experienced falling enrolment numbers.
Brinnon School had 131 Students in 1993. lt started 2013 with 25 students. Of the remaining school
age students in the County, over 5O% qualify for free/reduced meals. (Poverty!)
Jefferson County has also maintained its lead in keeping its unemployment rate above 8% in Western
Washington.
The 30 conditions put on the developer have been answered. I urge the County to move the process
forward and deal with issues sounding questions on these responses, The developer has already
invested a few million dollars in bringing the marina complex up to current codes. Jefferson County
desperately needs to diversify and increase its revenue streams.
One of the main community concerns is how the resort's water requirements will affect neighboring
wells. The Neighborhood Water Policy that requires Statesman to provide access to their water
system will be a requirement, lt is an asset to a land owner to have a public water system supplying
water to their property. Joe Baisch, Brinnon, Washington