10/21/2009: "Council To Join Public On CAO Field Trips"

The County Council has decided they will walk-the-walk, and tag along as county and state staff members put on field trips to educate the public about wetlands, fish & wildlife habitat; and answer questions during the field trips, and then again later at open evening meetings.

After the field trips on the Lopez, Orcas and San Juan, there will be public meetings later in the day, during which the County will once again make presentations on the updating of the Critical Area Ordinance, and other environmental regulations, such as shorelines, that may be in the works.

All of this is part of an “out reach program” the County contracted with the San Juan Initiative to “Develop a public participation plan” for the updating of ordinances related to the state Growth Management Act (Related Story ).

One of those involved in the field trips -and evening meetings- is Jim Kramer, who is well know to the County as the one who first made the pitch to let Shared Strategy form the San Juan Initiative (at no cost to the County) to help draft the CAO . He is now under some form of contract to run the out-reach program, and reportedly, again, at no cost to the County (but so far a request for a copy of the contract has not been provided as requested by The Island Guardian).

What is less well known is Kramer is the prime author of the storm water regulations that that have caused such concern, expense, and in some cases, heart ache, for County staff, and residents attempting to obtain development permitsin the county.

Kramer’s work was for King County, and he is quick to point out the regulations were never intended to be used for rural communities. In any case, he is well qualified to talk about wetland and other related GMA issues; and is listed as one of the contacts for additional information: for questions on the proposed ordinances call Shireene Hale at 360-370-7569 or Jim Kramer at 206 841-2145. For information on the field trips and/or the public meetings, contact Jeff Hanson at jeffh@sanjuanco.com.

Kramer and crew will kick-off the field trips and meetings on November 9:

The Field trips will start at 11:30 AM, and the public meetings at 5:30 PM. The 5:30 PM meetings will be held at Woodmen Hall on Lopez, Mullis Senior Center in Friday Harbor, and at the Orcas Senior Center.

Monday, November 9, 2009
San Juan Island 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Field Trip to Beaverton Marsh Preserve

• Meet at the north end of the County Courthouse parking lot (near the San Juan Community Theatre) on 2nd Street in Friday Harbor. We'll travel by van and carpool to the Beaverton Marsh Preserve. The trip will end back at the Courthouse parking lot.
• The field trip will be facilitated by Jim Kramer, San Juan Initiative staff, with assistance by Amanda Azous, local wetlands specialist and others.
• Please wear appropriate clothing for the weather including boots suitable for walking in wet areas.
5:30 -7:30 PM Workshop at the Mullis Senior Center, 589 Nash Street, Friday Harbor
• Information and community dialog on local Critical Areas Ordinance issues. The issues to be discussed are summarized in the Position paper Oct. 26, 2009 available from the San Juan County website at http://sanjuanco.com/cao/documents.aspx

Thursday, November 12, 2009
Orcas Island 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Field Trip to Eastsound area wetlands

• Meet at the upper (gravel) parking lot behind the Outlook Inn, 171 Main St., Eastsound. We'll take a quick shuttle trip to the Fire Station/Airport area, then walk along the wetland sites back to the Outlook Inn parking lot.
• The field trip will be facilitated by Jim Kramer, San Juan Initiative staff, with assistance by Amanda Azous, local wetlands specialist and others.
• Please wear appropriate clothing for the weather including boots suitable for walking in wet areas.
5:30 -7:30 PM Workshop at the Orcas Senior Center, 62 Henry Road (off North Beach Rd.), Eastsound
• Information and community dialog on local Critical Areas Ordinance issues. The issues to be discussed are summarized in the Position paper Oct. 26, 2009 available from the San Juan County website at http://sanjuanco.com/cao/documents.aspx

Monday, November 16, 2009
Lopez Island 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Field Trip to Weeks Wetland and shoreline

• Meet at the Lopez Village Green parking area (near the public restroom building). We'll walk to the Weeks Wetland and shoreline sites, then back to the Green. The field trip will be facilitated by Jim Kramer, San Juan Initiative staff, with assistance by Scott Rosenbaum, local wetlands specialist and others.
• Please wear appropriate clothing for the weather including boots suitable for walking in wet areas.
5:30 -7:30 PM Workshop at the Woodmen Hall, Fisherman Bay Road, Lopez Island
• Information and community dialog on local Critical Areas Ordinance issues. The issues to be discussed are summarized in the Position paper Oct. 26, 2009 available from the San Juan County website at http://sanjuanco.com/cao/documents.aspx