To the Editor:
Decisions based on fear, emotion or irrational caution and few facts are seldom successful, yet that is where we are in the rules being written by County officials and planning staff to regulate property owners in San Juan County.
The County rule-makers have bought into the notion that calamity is stalking the island’s natural environment. On their short list, they fear our streams, lakes and salt waters are polluted by toxic storm water, population growth will explode, homes are a blight on the pristine landscapes, “wetlands” are being farmed, homes are to big, yards with non-native landscaping, gardens, and lawns are destroying the ecosystem. The shoreline homes are detrimental to the eel grass, salmon and Orca. People washing a car and or fertilizing their plants are major concerns.
The Council has just approved the General Section of the Critical Areas Ordinance. Technically, the Ordinance requires County permission for a vegetable garden or to fire up a chain saw to cut wood. On January 24th, responding to a question from Council Chair Patty Miller, the senior planner, Shireene Hale, told the Council the new regulations are no big deal. It only requires a County analysis and an “over the counter permit” approval before a property owner is allowed to disturb the environment. The Council and the CD&P staff want to be sure no one alters anything near the County’s designated Critical Areas or buffers.
The Council didn’t blink an eye when it was noted citizens from Shaw, Lopez and Orcas will be expected to go to Friday Harbor for their “over the counter permit.” (Before you spend a day getting there and back asking for the County’s permission, be aware CD&P may or may not have the staff available to approve a permit while you wait.)
There was no further questioning by the Council. Council Chair Miller was apparently satisfied. The Council voted five to one to approve the General Section of the CAO. Councilman Peterson voted no.
It is remarkable that so few islanders are paying attention to how radically our islands are being changed.
Dave Durand, Olga
What is very very disappointing is that our elected representatives (with one exception, thank goodness) have put their stamp of approval on what is a an overbearing, overreaching system of control of what an ordinary islander does with his or her land. Basically, the Council reversed the rules so that citizens, who used to be able to do anything not prohibited in the rules, must now do ONLY WHAT IS ALLOWED in the rules. And this is NOT a set of rules applicable solely to those who wish to build new huge compounds–it includes the person who has a garden or orchard near an already-existing buffer; it affects those of you who think you have a right to ride a horse or play with dogs in near buffers. It is sad that so few citizens paid so little attention as our basic freedoms were being taken away, with no sceintific justification; it is sadder still that some elected representatives knew exactly what was happening and allowed it to occur anyway–in the name of getting “something” done. Remember their names when you are brought up on charges before the Buffer Protection Board for letting your grandkids play on the swings near the cliffs.
As for the wisdom of COuncil placing decisions about so many areas of your life into the hands of CDPD personnel, well, that certainly hasn’t worked out too well in the past. This should be really interesting.
To Dave Durand,
Angry rebuttals based on fear and emotion aren’t very successful either.
Environmental degradation from human activity is an ever escalating fact globally, not just on our lovely island. We need to take this personally and seriously. Every one of us needs to be actively responsible, and that isn’t always convenient.
Which problems in particular are being solved by these imposiitons on our freedoms? Not “The sky is falling,” but rather “There is a documented abuse of x at place y that needs to be removed.”
With all due respect Peg if you would like I will give you tour of the disregard for natural habitat and devastation it is causing where I reside. The clear-cutting for a view and the uninformed mismanagement of wetlands causing a variety of erosion factors and devastation.
All of this for people whom are not looking to become citizens of Orcas but summer folks that for some reason (tax write-off, perhaps?) do not build a charming little cabin but a fortress to house their egos.
The question I would ask is thus, who is minding the store? When the people up the road clear-cut over 2 acres and the debris streamed into the road and blocked access. The county told me we had no inspectors here.
So on the one hand I agree with you. I believe myself to be a responsible steward, and these permits do seem petty and invasive. So my question is, who will take action when it is truly warranted?
Tracey–thank you for your kind offer–I would like to tour the areas of concern and determine what can be done, short of eliminating use of people’s land, to stop abuses. In particular, I am interested in how CDPD ignores or misinterprets the laws in place to allow abuses to continue, but on the other hand demands far more complicated and expensive laws and unlimited power over homeowners. There are several Orcas people worried about this. Let’s talk. My number is 4465.
Lesley–I too would like to talk about what needs to be done here on our island and what issues are really those that must be addressed by larger bodies. The “other side” of overly-aggressive land use regulation (regulation with no problem to solve, no cause, no effect) is that it harms regular people for no purpose. I think if we understand the middle ground, much of the light and noise around this issue disappears. I’d like to get together to discuss some of these issues. My number is 4465.
Thanks Peg, I will call asap! I would like very much to get together. Absolutely agree there seems to be a lack of middle ground and creative thinking surrounding these issues.
Peg, I invite you to come take a look at the drowning alders just north of Lavender Hollow in Eastsound Swale. Since Public Works put “Enchanted Forest” connector road through from the Funhouse Commons to Lovers Lane (and where is that “forest?”), the alders just north are drowning due to the fact that the once-seasonal creek never drains. Add to that the assaults by the Craftsmen Corner development to the Swale and you have a tragedy that never should have happened. So we in town want and need the protections to our Critical Areas like Eastsound Swale, and everyone turns a blind eye to our plight.
Losing tree cover and wind break will eventually make Eastsound uninhabitable for humans and the species which are our helpers – mosquito eaters such as bats, swallows, and other migratory birds. Light Pollution has made it impossible to see the night sky and stars; more streetlights to come. Light pollution also confuses our migratory friends.
We are interdependent. Property “rights” includes responsibility to stewarding other life forms – not just so we can eat them, but because all are needed. These islands are anything but pristine. Creative thinking needs to be brought into the issues, but there are still the violators who will continue to abuse the laws and the lands, and they must be brought to bear or better yet, prohibited from repeat violating.
Dave; I notice you live in Olga. We in Eastsound UGA also feel like the island is radically changing, but in much different ways than you see it. We see the harms to our surroundings and it breaks our hearts and affects our health. Try living in Eastsound; perhaps your views would change! I would argue that there are so few islanders who realize how much irreversible harm has already been done to our anything BUT pristine environment.