HomeMy WebLinkAbout012725 Letter re Shoreland Management Enforcement RECEIVED
JAN 2 7 2025
18110 NE 19791 Place JEFFERSON COUNTY
COMMISSfONERS
Woodinville, WA 98077-8245
Email: brannen@uw.edu
Phone: (206)331-8913
17 January, 2025
Jefferson County Courthouse
Shoreland Management Enforcement
1820 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Re: Port Ludlow Tree Removal @ Shoreline of Port Ludlow Bay, Puget Sound
Location: approximately 100 feet from Shoreline on a bluff
Located between North Bay Condominiums 181 and 211
Type if tree: Healthy Conifer (Grand Fir)
Affected area: tideflats including clam and oyster beds proximal to known Salmon
Spawning estuary of Port Ludlow Creek, bluff erosion
Concerns: facilitation of bluff erosion and bank instability with destruction of tideflat
ecology and salmon spawning creek estuary
Greetings:
In January/February of 2024 an elegant mature healthy conifer (Grand Fir) was cut down
between North Bay Condominiums 211 and North Bay Condominium 181. The location was on
the bluff near the water side of the units approximately 100 feet or less from the shoreline of
Port Ludlow Bay. The initial response from the Board of Directors via The Property Group
(Brendan McGeer, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Community Association Manager)
(brendanm@propertygroup.net) on March 14, 2024 was:
"The tree was diseased and 'had to come down.' The board will consider plantings that
will increase privacy."
Further Inquiries generated from lack of signs of disease in the stump generated
another response as follows:
"Hello, George. Passing along the information I learned from the tree service/arborist:
The (fir) tree was growing very close to a Western Red Cedar and its canopy was
overtaking the canopy of the Grand Fir causing a lot of intertwining and dead wood. It was best
to remove before the trees got any larger and cause further problems."
L4e4►►
Tari Laes I Office Administrator The Property Group I o 206.855.1131 f 206.855.0990
When seeking to determine the Board Approval for tree removal, we were sent
the minutes of the December 4, 2023 Meeting of the North Bay Condiminiums #2 Board
of Directors (full minutes available upon request).
In addressing the tree removal concerns at the April, 2024 Board Meeting, the
following conclusion was recorded:
"New Business Tree Removal Concerns: An owner expressed their displeasure that a
tree was removed without proper permission. The Port Ludlow Condominium #2 Board
of Directors authorized the removal of this tree at the recommendation of an arborist.
Replacement of a 35 foot replacement is not feasible. Nancy Petrucela made motion
and Ross Barta seconded not to replace any trees that are removed. Motion passed."
(full minutes available upon request)
Additional Minutes of the Board (December, 2004) suggest issues with bank
erosion as well as intent to consider removal of additional trees. (full minutes available
upon request)
Position:
The Board of Directors has provided no evidence of seeking permission
for tree removal within 200 feet of Puget Sound in accordance with the Shoreline
Management Act:
To report vegetation removal within 200 feet of Puget Sound, you can contact the
local zoning office or Shoreline Management Plan office. If your property is located within a
Shoreline Management Plan area or Critical Area/buffer, you may need a different permit. For
tree removal requiring SOCI review and approval outside of a development permit, you must
complete and submit a Tree Removal and Vegetation Restoration application through the Seattle
Services Porta113
The December 16 Meeting of the Board of Directors suggests that
additional tree removal is planned: PL North Bay Condominiums#2 December 16, 2024
Board Meeting: (full minutes available upon request)
Landscaping—Brendan will contact Osmar Landscaping to inquire when the removal of small
trees and trimming of vine maples will be done. Osmar Landscaping previously informed the
board this would be done in the fall.
The April, 2024 Board Meeting stated that "no trees will be replaced." (full minutes
available upon request). This contrasts with the Shoreline Regulations below:
Chapter 20.230 SMP Shoreline Policies and Regulations - General ...Aug 5, 2024 • If healthy or
nonhazardous trees are removed, each removed tree must be replaced with at least three six-
foot-tall trees, one 18-foot-tall tree, or one 12-foot plus one six-foot-tall tree. Trees must be of
the same species removed, or equivalent native tree species.
RCWs >Title 64> Chapter 64.12 > Section 64.12.030
Request:
1. Enforcement per Shoreline Management Act: "Illegal removal can result in
enforcement Activities within shoreline jurisdiction must be consistent with the SMP,
which should be clear about the amount of vegetation that can be removed. If
vegetation removal is not consistent with the SMP, local jurisdictions and Ecology can
follow up with an enforcement action. See WAC 173-27-240 to 300 for enforcement
standards and the publication, Enforcing the Shoreline Management Act, for
guidance regarding enforcement actions."
2. Curtail additional vegetation/tree removal without appropriate review and approval
3. Restitution: Replanting in accordance with the Shoreline Management Guidelines
4. Further Protection of this very fragile and precious shoreline and vegetation and
tideflat ecology
5. Preserve the fragile salmon spawning environment proximal to this disturbance
Sinc rely,
eorge E and Caro yn rannen
Photo of Grand Fir which was removed below:
Cover of unrelated attachment discloses the proximal location to the Puget Sound
Shoreline:
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November 28. 2023
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Port Ludlow II Condominiums
Building Envelope Visual Evaluation
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Address: North Bay Lane, Port Ludlow, WA. 98365
Prepared For: Port Ludlow HOA
J2 Project Name: Port Ludlow Observations Report
J2 Project #: 100816
Date: October 30th, 2023
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HELLO@J2CONSULTANTS.COM +1(855)774-5600 WWWJ2CONSULTANTS.COM
5',''` 12 Building Consultants The Building Doctors
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