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Jeanie Orr
From: JeanieOrr
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:18 AM
To: Michelle McConnell
Cc: AI Scalf; Stacie Hoskins; Jeanie Orr
Subject: FW: SMP Comments
From: Gene Farr [mailto:genefarr@cablespeed.com]
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 3:40 PM
To: #Long-Range Planning
Subject: SMP Comments
I have some serious general concerns about the Environmental Designations and the process that led to those
designations. I also have some specific concerns relative to the Reach FFF designations which includes my
property.
I'll address the general concerns as we review the issues related to my property.
The area south of my property is currently designated "Conservancy" from the north end of the Becket Point area
to the Cape George Colony marina. Then, north and northeast from the marina it is shown as a dual "Natural &
Suburban" designation. My property is located on the bluff in that area just were McMinn Road reaches the bluff -
about 1 mile NE of the Cape George Colony. This total region around Cape George, just described, is defined as
Reach FFF in the PDSMP proposed Designations Map. When the SMP update process started, the Reach FFF
was all proposed to be designated "Conservancy".
However, when the "experts" looked at aerial photos of the area taken in 2000, somehow they concluded that the
area around the Cape George Marina should be "High Intensity", the rest of the Cape George area should be
"Shoreline Residential" and all else in Reach FFF should be "Natural". That is inconsistent. It looks like Reach
FFF was originally defined as a separate Reach because that section of the shoreline is basically "high bluff'. It
does seem appropriate to define the Cape George area as "Shoreline Residential" with the "High Intensity"
section; but, it also makes good sense to have the highly developed area in Reach FFF just north of Becket Point
as well as the highly developed area that extends +/- about one half mile each way along the bluff from where
McMinn Road gets to the bluff, designated as "Shoreline Residential". About 80 % of the lots in that area along
the extension of McMinn to the SWand NE along Porter Lane are fully developed "1 Residence to 5 Acre Rural
Residential" lots.
Also, to define all the developed non Cape George portions of Reach FFF as "Natural" doesn't fit the purpose of
the "Natural Designation" which is to "protect from harm or adverse impact shoreline areas that are intact, have
minimally degraded functions and processes, or are relatively free from human influence". In addition to the highly
developed nature of these areas and lack of significant ecological value or function, it should be noted that up
until about some time in the 1960's the bluff at the end of McMinn Road was the location of the County dump. In
fact there is still broken glass, iron slag from the burnt trash, car parts, water heaters, etc. on the beach below the
bluff, as well as noxious weeds growing on the bluff. Further, none of the other Designation criteria apply except
for the concern for unstable slopes. These are not environmental concerns. These are safety concerns which are
covered by the Critical Area Ordinance.
This brings us to the next point. A recent Washington State Supreme Court decision says that the SMP and
Critical Area Ordinances can't cover the same thing. So, all references to Geological Hazards should be removed
from the SMP.
Further, there is nothing in RCW 90.58 that requires the draconian policy of "No Net Loss". Nor is there any
6/16/2009
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requirement to include unstable bluffs or other geological hazards in a SMP.
Hope this helps you to clean up the PDSMP. Your efforts are very much appreciated.
Best regards,
Gene Farr
570 McMinn Road
Port Townsend, WA 98368
(360) 379-3203
6/16/2009