HomeMy WebLinkAbout131David W. Johnson
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Matt Sircely <mattsircely@gmail.com >
Friday, June 17,2016 3:19 PM
David W. Johnson
Re: Draft Letter
lf you or anyone wants to make suggestions before sending it along that's ok too.
> On Jun L7,2OL6, at2:54 PM, Matt Sircely <mattsircely@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hey David,
> At the end of the meeting, I promised to compose a draft letter from the pC to the BOCC.
> lf the commission likes it, I look forward to having it vetted and adapted by others. I have faith in the process, and
hopefully it's a place to start. Please feel free to forward it to folks who need to see it.
> Matt
> Dear BOCC,
> After extensive review and deliberation, the Jefferson County Planning Commission submits recommendations for
approval of the Regulations for the Pleasant Harbor Master Planned Resort (MPR) with certain modifications which are
included in our recommendation. We appreciate the opportunity to review the issues surrounding the proposed MPR,
and we appreciate the large volume of public comment that has been received both recently and throughout the
project's history.
> ln submitting our recommendation, please accept these additional suggestions from the commission. These informal
suggestions address matters that either appear settled, or remain in an active state of discussion/negotiation. Therefore,
the commission has chosen to highlight certain details and considerations which do not necessarily appear in the formal
recommended modifications to the regulations.
> The proposed scale of the resort, with an established limit of 890 units, has raised concern among a majority of
commissioners, primarily due to the potential for strain on resource demand, as well as waste management and traffic
considerations. Several commissioners recommended adherence to a principle that density should not exceed the
norms currently experienced in regions that are already highly developed (located within existing urban growth areas as
identified in the comprehensive plan).
> The commission suggests that kettles should remain a terrestrial feature for many reasons, including several issues
raised by recent correspondence and testimony from representatives of the S'Klallam Tribe.
> We support the continued engagement between the BOCC, staff, the tribe, and the applicant. As the dialog
progresses, we recommend that the issue of kettles be included in the larger discussion. We suggest the development of
detailed guidelines for buffers around kettle areas that are deemed significant for ecological and/or cultural reasons,
including the presence of plants traditionally considered to be of medicinal value to local tribes.
> We also encourage the BOCC to consider testimony received by the commission from a representative of the S'Klallam
Tribe that sealing kettles for wastewater retention would likely alter the flow of fresh water to tidelands, where a
delicate balance of salinity is required for optimal shellfish harvest.
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> We thank the BOCC for the opportunity to offer our recommendation for approval with modifications of the
Regulations for the Pleasant Harbor MPR, and we are encouraged that continued dialog between the county, applicant
and tribe, will yield beneficial outcomes which will continue to reflect the values and priorities of the citizens of
Jefferson County into the future.
<Draft1 PC Letter to BOCC - ms.rtf>
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