County Notice. Many in the community received the official notice a week ago that the County Commissioners denied the Illahee Community Club's appeal of the placement of a 42 inch diameter stormwater outfall at the base of the Illahee Community Dock. If you didn't receive it, we have attached it as a pdf file to this update.
The Club's Response. The Illahee Community Club responded quickly when the decision was first made with a letter to the editor (see attachment) that appeared in the CK Reporter and the Bremerton Patriot. The decision was also the covered by the Kitsap Sun, which is linked. http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/19/appeal-over-illahee-pipe-denied-by-kitsap/
Community Appeal to the Shorelines Hearings Board. We have been asked by the Illahee Community Club to pass on their request to solicit donations for their appeal of the Illahee Outfall decision to the Washington State Shorelines Hearings Board (SHB).
Spreading the Appeal Costs. Following the hearing before the County Commissioners, one of the residents suggested that if they lose they need to appeal this to the next level, which was thought to be Superior Court. The person said if they could find 60 community members who would each contribute $150 they should have enough money to do so, which would be $9,000.
Why the SHB? When the results of the hearing were published in the Kitsap Sun we were advised by an interested county resident that we should be appealing the results to the SHB and that he had successfully argued before them earlier. A check of this avenue appears promising and thus the desire by the Board to move ahead with the appeal.
Legal Representation and Costs. The Community Club has retained Ryan Vancil to represent them in the SHB appeal. His estimate is that the case could cost between $7,000 and $12,000, which equates to finding 60 people who would contribute the $150.
Can the Funds be Raised? That was evidently the concern of the Board also. When the possibility of an appeal was first discussed in an Illahee Community Update there were about 20 people who indicated they felt the decision should be appealed and they were ready to contribute financially. So now the Community Club is asking for those initial 20 residents, plus 40 more to contribute to the Club's legal fund, and noted that any help is appreciated.
Where to Contribute? The Illahee Community Club, P.O. Box 2563, Bremerton, WA 98310-0332.
Other Community Projects? Let us know if you have a community project that you would like us to report on.
Jim Aho
I heard the community club was considering an appeal and I applaud them for doing so, especially before they have the funds.
ReplyDeleteThe county appears to be in an incestuous relationship with the Hearing Examiner, so it will be good to see this appeal move outside the county where a fair hearing can be held.
Let me see if I can scrape up some bucks to help with the cause.