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Latest SMP Draft Comments
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Jeanie Orr
7A&1
From: Jeanie Orr
Sent: Monday, June 15, 20097:41 AM
To: Michelle McConnell
Cc: AI Scalf; Stacie Hoskins; Jeanie Orr
Subject: FW: Latest SMP Draft Comments
From: AI Bergstein [mailto:albergstein@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, June 12,2009 11:03 AM
To: The Leader; #Long-Range Planning
Subject: Latest SMP Draft Comments
In looking at the latest draft SMP, and as a representative for People For Puget
Sound on the SMP Citizens Advisory Panel over the last two years, I have some
concerns. We appreciate the Planning Commission's work to review the SMP based
on citizen comments. In the latest draft, however, the Planning Commission has
eliminated important safeguards that would protect shoreline habitat and water
quality as new growth occurs. Many changes were made to the December draft with
no clarity on why. For example, it appears that protections on geoduck aquaculture
and fish pen aquaculture have been changed. I do not understand why since these
have been agreed upon for over two years. Please remove the language allowing
unregulated aquaculture on rural beaches and replace it with the previous
language of compromise on near shore and intertidal aquaculture, including the ban
on all net pens. The draft should not include unregulated high intensity aquaculture
nor should it allow fish-farming pens along Jefferson County beaches. Please
reinstate the science-based 1S0-foot buffers for all of Jefferson County shorelines.
These buffers are sized to reduce erosion and flooding of our homes, prevent
chemicals from poisoning shellfish beds, keep our beaches clean enough to swim in,
and keep our salmon streams cool. I support the Planning Commission's efforts to
balance property rights with environmental concerns, such as the revision to make
it easy for homes to be rebuilt after a fire. I believe that we need a simple process
that allows for development on nonconforming lots while protecting water quality
and habitat, which the 50' buffer does not do. Also the draft does not make clear
whether mining or mineral extraction is prohibited on the shore. There is
contradictory information in the new draft on mining. Reducing the environmental
safeguards on 60 miles of our county's shoreline is not an option. Let's get this
done rig ht.
AI Bergstein
Board of Directors People For Puget Sound
Member of Citizens Advisory Panel for the Jefferson Cty. SMP
1607 Admiralty Ave
Port Townsend
360.344.4112
6/15/2009