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Jeanie Orr
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From: Eve Hunter [eveh@ecoisp.com]
Sent: Friday, January 30,20092:09 PM
To: Jeanie Orr; #Long-Range Planning
Subject: SMP Update Comment
Dear Planning Commissioners:
I am writing in support of the December 3rd draft of the Shoreline Master Program update. I would like to see strong
protections for the county's shorelines.
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 h(jmes 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, please recommend adoption of the draft SMP. If any changes are made to the draft, please ensure that the
changes strengthen rather than weaken the regulatory protections of our shorelines.
Sincerely,
.
f
Eve Hunter
1423 Grant St.
Port Townsend, W A
98368