Sam Fletcher reports on the Island County Board of County Commissioners for the Whidbey News-Times.
Environmental activists are once again ringing the alarm over a loophole in the Department of Natural Resource’s foresting permits that allows developers to forgo environmental impact studies by requesting an additional permit through the county.
According to the Whidbey Environmental Action Network, or WEAN, a Langley-based nonprofit, county officials can easily fix the problem with an ordinance or simply complying with the six-year development moratorium on any Class 3 state permit.
…Class 3 acknowledges there may be some [environmental] impact, as the project is near a wetland or stream or slope, but not enough to warrant an assessment.
In a recent episode of WEAN’s podcast, “Action Hour,” co-founder Marianne Edain said for decades she has noticed a pattern of applicants filing for “non-conversion” Class 3 permits, which requires a six-year moratorium on development. Then, applicants request the county to lift the moratorium via a clearing and grading permit so they can develop without an environmental impact assessment.
They Said It
Island County Commissioner Janet St. Clair said that under a previous public works director, the authority to lift a moratorium was allowed. Previous commissioners gave direction to stop the moratorium lifts unless necessary for safety or if actions taken created a significant public nuisance.
St. Clair said these decisions are taken to the board and assessed on an individual basis, and her goal has been to stop developers from taking advantage of the loophole.
In general, she said, she also hopes to curtail deforestation. Commissioners Melanie Bacon and Jill Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.
