HomeMy WebLinkAboutstamped_053 Canterbury commentsTO: Jefferson County Department of Community Development, Development Review Division,
621 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368, (360) 379 4454 or emailed to
scartmel@co.jefferson.wa.us.
RE: 00049: SMALL SCALE TOURIST AND RECREATION CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH MAJOR
VARIANCE AND State Environmental Policy Act (“SEPA”) to ensure the Marrowstone Inn is in
conformance with provisions governing Rural Recreational Lodging or Cabins.
FR: Dr. Jackie Canterbury, 1640 E. Marrowstone Rd. Nordland, WA 98358
DA: May 26, 2022
My comments focus on the Shoreline Variance for SDP2021-00012 referred below:
SDP2021-00012: SHORELINE VARIANCE WITH SHORELINE SUBSTANTIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT
to remodel and renovate existing non-conforming cabins. The renovations include lateral,
landward development within the shoreline jurisdiction. A small portion of waterward
development includes supplying existing non-conforming cabins 1-4 with the required septic
transport lines. Once installed, the applicant will plant a native grass seed mix to bring the area
back to pre-disturbance conditions. There are two wetlands on-site, a category I marine
wetland and a category IV wetland, with a 300-foot and 40-foot buffer, respectively. The
applicants are requesting an administrative buffer reduction of 25% per JCC 18.22.730 (9),
making the wetland buffer 225 feet, rather than 300 feet.
My comments address the wetland reduction of 25% making the wetland 225 feet
rather than 300 feet. My comments also address the importance of the nearshore environment
on which this property sits. Finally, they address climate change and impacts to Washington
state.
According to a 2008 paper by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
(WDFW): “Although Washington state is the smallest of the 11 western states, it is now the
second most populous”. The threatened salmon is a call to action to the historical and continued
loss of critical habitats, including wetlands and nearshore environments, due to continual
population growth via habitat loss. The ethics and laws that protect fish and wildlife must be
enforced. If we keep chipping away at our resources through variances, our heritage will vanish.
Habitats including freshwater wetlands and the coastal nearshore environments have been
designated as ‘Aquatic Priority Habitats’ in Priority Habitat and Species List of WDFW. The
wetland buffer reduction of 25% is not acceptable. Also, the coastal nearshore environment,
where this parcel sits, is a zone that is important for forage fish spawning and will be directly
affected by climate change. There are a myriad of papers documenting the importance of the
nearshore environs and wetlands. It is the continual granting of variances that will contribute, in
time, to the final straw for these critical habitats.
May 25 2022
Exhibit 53 - Page 1 of 2
I will end by asking you to address the effects of climate change during your permitting
process when applicable. The Climate Impact Group at the University of Washington predict a
sea level rise in Port Angeles (2050) of 0.3-0.8 feet. Sea level rise will affect Washington state:
cimate change is affecting our waters through warming and acidifying, glaciers are shrinking,
spring snowpack is declining. These conditions must be addressed when permitting a shoreline
development, even though it is grandfathered.
Thank-you for the opportunity to comment. I hope you will take these comments under
advisement. Jackie
Citations:
The Climate Impact Group, University of Washington; (https://cig.uw.edu/resources/special-
reports/).
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2008. Priority Habitat and Species List. Olympia,
Washington. 292pp.
Exhibit 53 - Page 2 of 2