Advisory group reviews wetland protection proposal

The following article appeared in the online edition of the Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader on Augist 4, 2006.

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Advisory group reviews wetland protection proposal

When the Jefferson County Planning Commission asked for volunteers to help review the county's proposed critical areas ordinance, the response was bigger than expected.

Nineteen people are signed up to take part in the advisory group, including four planning commissioners. The names of the volunteers were presented at the Aug. 2 planning commission meeting.

Planning Commission Chairman Jim Hagen said he had envisioned an advisory group of no more than 12 people.

"It's a little more than I expected, but we'll make it work," he said.

The group plans to review scientific information, recommend revisions to the draft ordinance, and frame those revisions in the context of the requirement in state law to consider "best available science." Members of the public are also invited to comment on proposed changes to the law during the advisory group's weekly meetings.

The first advisory group meeting is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10 at the Jefferson County Department of Public Health office, 615 Sheridan St., Port Townsend. The meetings are held Thursdays through Sept. 28 and are open to the public.

The group is expected to deliver a report to the planning commission, which will then present its own recommendations to the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners. Under the current timeline, the county commissioners are expected to consider the revised law in January.

Information on the critical areas proposal is available online at

www.co.jefferson.wa.us/commdevelopment/CriticalAreas.htm

Volunteers who signed up for the advisory group are Kenneth Brooks, scientist; Robert Crittenden, scientist; Kathy Dickson, Hoh River Valley farmer; Sandy Hershelman, Jefferson County Home Builders Association; Amy Hiatt, architect; Dianne Bonniver Holman, Jefferson County Association of Realtors; Diane Johnson, farmer and psychologist; Norm MacLeod, Olympic Water Users Association; John Richmond, Hoh River Valley resident and watershed planning volunteer; Roger Short, North Olympic Counties Farm Bureau; Jill Silver, wetland specialist; Jim Tracy, attorney and land-use planner; Fredrick Tuso, Brinnon resident; Bill Wheeler, Olympic Shadow Forest Owners; George Yount, Admiralty Audubon.

Members of the planning commission who are taking part in the group are Chairman Jim Hagen, Peter Downey, Dennis Schultz and Henry Werch.

At the Aug. 2 planning commission meeting, some 70 people turned out to make comments and listen as Department of Community Development Planner Josh Peters tried to clarify some misconceptions about proposed changes to the law.

Herb Beck of Quilcene suggested that an economic impact study of wetland buffers should be done.

Wetland specialist Jill Silver, who mapped the channel migration zones on the Hoh River for the Hoh Indian tribe, said property owners might not be able to afford to hire a specialist to delineate wetlands when they want to make a change in land use. She suggested the county hire a staff person who is qualified to perform wetland delineations, and provide that service to people who apply for land-use changes.

Al Latham of the Jefferson County Conservation District recommended that members of the advisory group take the time to make at least one on-site visit to a wetland so they can get a firsthand look at what they are regulating.