Farmers skeptical

The following article appeared in the June 23, 2006 Jefferson County edition of the Peninsula Daily News.

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Farmers skeptical

By Jeff Chew
Peninsula Daily News

PORT TOWNSEND — Try as they may, supporters of Jefferson County's critical areas ordinance are falling short of convincing many skeptical county farmers that their land use is exempt from proposed expanded stream and wetland buffers.

"Think of it as galloping goalposts," said Norm MacLeod, who learned to drive a tractor when he was 12 and who raises horses these days.

"Every time the county has one agreement, they will change it, moving the goalposts further ahead."

That is not the case, a Washington Environmental Council spokesman argues.

"I guess our statement would be that we've had the same position all along since 2001," said WEC outreach Director Tom Geiger.

Agricultural uses, even lawn and garden maintenance, are exempt under the county's proposed critical areas ordinance, Geiger said Tuesday.

"If it were some developer putting up three-story condominiums, that would be a different question."

Part of the agreement, Geiger said, "is to respect agricultural uses throughout the county. We feel strongly that agricultural uses can be done at the same time as environmental protections."

MacLeod, a founder of Olympic Water Users Association and a voice for water and property rights in the county, fears that this agreement with WEC — the second in two years — heralds more to come — and that all will take rights from the county's farming community.

Roger Short, who has banded about 250 Jefferson and Clallam County residents in a lobbying group called North Olympic Counties Farm Bureau, a chapter of the Washington State Farm Bureau, agrees with MacLeod.

Answers demanded

Monday, farmers parked tractors in protest at the county courthouse steps and Real Estate agents and residents demanded answers from the Jefferson County commissioners about the proposed ordinance they said threatens private property rights.

Geiger said WEC specifically negotiated with county leaders to include farmers' exemption.

Geiger said he fears "people are going to say anything to get their agenda across," referring to Initiative 933, a measure that would require fairness when government regulates private property.

WEC is campaigning against I-933.