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Jeanie Orr
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From:
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Barbara Gray [bluedahlia@cablespeed.com]
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 8:02 PM
#Long-Range Planning
Comments on Shoreline Master Program Update
8
Jefferson County Planning Commis
Dear Jefferson County Planning Commission,
Thank you for your time and attention for all your work on the Jefferson County Shorelines
Master Program update. Like so many county residents, clean water and healthy shorelines
are important to me and my family.
Protection of our shorelines is one of the most important ways to keep our beaches safe to
swim, our shellfish safe to eat, and our properties safe from erosion. Taking care with
how we develop our shorelines will help us save Puget Sound. The draft shoreline master
program update will help us reach those goals, and I support its adoption.
Some of the features of the update I support are;
o The proposed shoreline environmental designations, including the ?natural
designation?, which will protect the county?s more sensitive shorelines as development
occurs, and ?priority aquatic?, which will provide better protection to important salmon
and shellfish habitats.
o The policies and rules for ecological protection, which include buffers and setbacks
to protect buildings from flooding and erosion as well as protect sensitive habitats.
o The aquaculture provisions, including prohibitions on net pens, and finfish
aquaculture that uses herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics, fertilizers, genetically
modified organisms, or feed, and prohibition of GMOs
o The standards to ensure construction of bulkheads, shoreline armoring, docks, and
marinas reduce impacts to salmon and forage fish
o The new ?administrative conditional use? rules for some residential structures, such
as boathouses, will reduce costs to property owners, by eliminating the need for public
hearings, while ensuring environmental impacts are properly identified and mitigated.
o Similar to the adopted critical areas ordinance, the SMP provides science-based
protection for our shorelines, while allowing flexibility for new development and
redevelopment.
In addition, I support additional safeguards for development of nonconforming lots. The
draft would exempt development on undersized lots from meeting buffer and setback rules
with only minimal review by county staff. Adequate review is necessary to make sure
environmental impacts are avoided to the greatest extent possible. With as many as 3,500
undersized lots along Jefferson County?s shorelines, between 33 to 66 miles of healthy
shorelines could be developed without proper county oversight. The county should require
an administrative conditional use permit for these nonconforming lots to ensure adequate
review to address environmental impacts.
? Please don?t weaken the proposed draft shoreline master program, because it will
provide protection for our shorelines and help save Puget Sound, while allowing property
owners flexibility to develop and redevelop their land in a responsible manner.
? Please don?t reduce the science-based buffers, which help reduce erosion and flooding
that can threaten homes, prevent chemicals from poisoning shellfish beds, keep our beaches
clean and our salmon streams cool, and protect forage fish spawning areas
? Please keep the rules that allow homes to be rebuilt if destroyed by fire and flood
? Please keep the rules that allow buffers sizes to be averaged or reduced in cases
where they would prevent placement of a single family home, so long as designed to avoid
and mitigate impacts to water quality and habitat.
Once again, thank you to county staff and members of the County Planning Commission for
you attention on the SMP.
Barbara Gray
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