Guest Opinion: Shoreline Regulations Must Be Clear and Enforceable

— from Janet Alderton —

Dear Councilors Stephens, Jarman, and Hughes,

Please adopt fair and effective regulations.

To be effective, our county regulations must be clear and enforceable. Complex regulations are both unfair and unenforceable. Complex regulations are unfair because they favor people who have the resources to hire experts to figure out the darn things.

Complex regulations cost all of us more money and aggravation. The proposed shoreline regulations will be expensive for both property owners and taxpayers. Staff is already continuously rotating through our Community Development and Planning Department because the work that the staff is asked to do is so unclear, and super-confusing. I hear that different staff often give different answers to the same question. Even the same staff person as been known to give a different answer to the same question on different days.

The complexity of the proposed shoreline regulations means that they will be ineffective for protecting shoreline ecological functions. Many activities that result in the removal of native plants and trees and the disturbance of soil will be permitted in the 200 feet upland of the Ordinary High Water Mark along our shorelines. These activities will be permitted as long as the applicant can show there will be “no net loss” of shoreline ecological functions. This “no net loss” requirement is thrown out with no guidance. At a minimum, please provide shoreline property owners with clear explanations of how removing native plants and trees, disturbing the soil, and installing bulkheads will lead to the loss of salmon and orca whales.

More complex and confusing regulations are more expensive for both people wanting to develop their land and for our county to administer and enforce. The tree zone regulations are so complex and confusing that they are worthless.

Therefore, I again ask that both the water quality buffers and the habitat buffers remain as undisturbed as possible along the shoreline. If a parcel’s characteristics make disturbing these buffers necessary, then the Reasonable Use Exemption can be used.