Miscellaneous Items - 11/9/09

Illahee Community Meeting on Saturday.  The Illahee Community Club's annual meeting will be held Satuday, November 14, 2009, at the Sylvan Way Library from 1:30 - 3 pm.  All Illahee residents are invited to attend.  We just noticed the announcement also appears at the community website illaheecommunity.com that we hear is in the process of being re-engaged, and possibly looking for people to help keep it up.

 

Preserve Wood Thieves Caught.  We heard that thieves were taking wood from the log pile in the Almira parking lot of the Illahee Preserve, and that last night they were cutting wood in the dark and were caught.  Evidently the sheriff had them dump the wood in the parking lot and the Parks Department was notified.  The wood from the log pile is supposed to be used by Kitsap Community Resources for helping those needing wood to heat their homes.

 

Fern Street Vandalism.  We received a report on Sunday of some minor vandalism taking place in the evening among cars along Fern Street.

 

Furniture Dumping.  As long as we are on the subject, we need to be on the alert for people dumping furniture in Illahee.  Because we have areas that have less urbanization, we evidently are looked upon as a place where people can dump things without being seen or caught.  Let the sheriff and us know if you see any dumping activity going on. 

 

Illahee Preserve Demonstration Rain Garden?  We understand there are efforts underway to propose a Native Plant Demonstration Rain Garden at the Almira parking lot of the Illahee Preserve.  Rain gardens are a natural way of cleaning and decreasing the impact of storm water on Illahee Creek and Puget Sound.  It is also the finding of a major study of the Illahee Creek watershed.  Additionally, rain gardens replenish aquifers which was another finding of the report, and it is especially needed in the Illahee Creek watershed.  We would support the proposal and are asking that this be an agenda item for the Illahee Community meeting on Saturday.

 

Seattle Aquarium Family Day.  We just received the following notice and wanted to pass it on.

 

What a great opportunity to spend a free day at the Aquarium. Really, who wouldn't want to see Orca poop?! Don't know if they'll get into the chocolate lab trained to find orca poo from the bow of a boat... maybe that's a different story. Free lunch at the Aquarium Cafe is a score too. Just a foot ferry ride away from Kitsap. It's this coming weekend, and RSVP is by Thursday. Cheers! JEff
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Jeff Adams - jaws@uw.edu - (m) 360-229-9398
Washington Sea Grant - Kitsap - www.wsg.washington.edu

Please join COSEE-OLC for a fun-filled day of hands-on marine science for the whole family!

Seattle Aquarium’s Family Science Weekend

Choose to come either November 14 or 15; 9:30am-5:00pm

FREE admission tickets and lunch vouchers for the Aquarium Café provided for up to 4 people per family.

Registration by November 12 is required. Online registration at...

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=wrfXU2E01UE_2bR4_2fdOJupag_3d_3d

Experiments and displays will be set up throughout the Seattle Aquarium for a fabulous, hands-on marine science experience. Here are just a few of the many hands-on activities:

ü  Be a Poopologist! Check out Orca poop and learn about Killer Whale genetics.
ü Explore the world of plankton with a microscope.
ü  Find out about plastics in the marine environment. How long will it last?
ü Track storm water pollution and salmon impacts.
ü Play with polymers and learn about materials research.
ü Be a Fur Seal researcher!
Questions?  Contact Janice Mathisen at (206) 386-4365 or janice.mathisen@seattle.gov

 

Beach Nourishment Formal Appeal.  This is an interesting subject that puts the community arguing with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW).  The previously mentioned studies that were done, appear to have had no influence on DFW, and so the Port of Illahee and the Illahee Community Club are filing a formal appeal of the Illahee Beach Nourishment project.  It is sad that a community has to fight an agency like DFW that is supposed to be more in protecting fish than a community.

 

Bear Still in Illahee?  We would like to know if the bear that was seen a few weeks ago is still in Illahee.  Please let us know if you have any information.

 

Illahee Community Dock.  The Illahee Community dock is a popular place during the winter months in the evening for area squid fisherman.  Attached is a Greg Price photo of the dock in the evening.

 

Jim Aho

Wildlife Update - 10/25/09

Black Bear Sightings.  A large black bear was sighted at 2:30 am Sunday morning in back of a Helena Drive residence along a green belt, and presumably the same bear in back of Nobles Lane residences at 7:50 am.  We assume other reports have gone into the Department of Fish & Wildlife and hopefully something will be published in the paper as it seems this might be more of a transient bear rather than a local bear.

 

Eagle Picture.  The attached photo was taken along the South Fork of Illahee Creek.

 

Jack just saw this Eagle swoop into our American Elm- which incidentally, according to Jim Trainer, is the 8th oldest in the state.  I've attached the photos.

 

Our Shih Tzu was attacked several years ago, but either shook it off or she was too heavy.  Dr. Relling confirmed it was an eagle by the claw punctures around her neck- one just missing her airway.  Later on we discovered the scratches on her ID tags which may have been why she wasn't killed immediately.

 

Side Note.  A few years ago we heard about an eagle nest that fell out of a tree near the Illahee Preserve and in the nest there were a number of pet collars from animals evidently carried to the nest by the eagles.

 

Illahee Beach Watchers.  We were happy to see that at least three Illahee residents are taking the Beach Watchers Class being offered by UW Sea Grant and WSU Extension.  There were over 50 who attended the first class that is being held at the Norm Dicks Center.  We will let you know more about the program as it becomes available.

 

Squirrel Report.  We received the following squirrel report.

 

Yesterday while backing out our lawn mower I was momentarily starred down by a small brown squirrel.  At first it appeared she had a large nut or some kind of food in her mouth.  But, we quickly realized it was a baby!  She scurried away, but later we got a better look when she came out from under the VW.  The baby wasn't in her mouth, but hanging on with his tiny feet wrapped up and around momma's neck.  Way kewl!  (sorry no picture she was too quick)

 

White Black Tail Buck.  We had a report of a very white (albino markings) black tail buck and are hoping that someone will be able to get a picture of it and forward the picture so we can pass it on.

 

Beach Nourishment Informal Appeal Denied.  The informal appeal of the Illahee Beach Nourishment project was denied by the Dept of Fish & Wildlife.  Both the Port of Illahee and the Illahee Community Club are deciding what to do next.  A formal appeal needs to be filed within 30 days which would be by November 13, 2009.

 

Send Info In and We Will Pass It On.  Please send us info such as the bear sighting reports and we will pass them on to the community.  We have roughly about 400 who receive the updates (blind copies) and we hear it is the wildlife updates they most like to get, so please help us with any reports you think your neighbors would like to hear about.

 

Jim Aho

Beach Nourishment Hearing Report - 10/1/09

Informal Hearing Held 10/1/09.  The informal hearing of the the Illahee Beach Nourishment project was held at the DFW offices in Port Orchard on Thursday (10/1/09).

 

Illahee Attendees.  The Illahee Community Club (ICC) members attending were Jim Brady, Don Jahaske, Linda Hinde, Judith Krigsman, and Jim Aho, and consultant Dale Thoemke.

 

Primary ICC Issue #1 - Siltation.  The primary issue for many of the Illahee residents living near the mouth of Illahee Creek is the excessive siltation that is destroying shellfish, clam and oyster beds.  Pictures showing the gooey mud that exists north of the mouth of Illahee Creek were presented.  It was noted that the depth of the silt under the nearshore float of the dock is 32 inches at the south end, and 24 inches at the north end.  The concern is that by placing the dredged material, which contains silt along with sand and pebbles, on the beach we are increasing the sedimentation problem in the area and further damaging the shellfish.  Dale Thoemke noted that it doesn't take much sediment to damage eel grass and shellfish beds.

 

Primary ICC Issue #2 - Human Intervention.  The other issue that was presented was trying to understand why we are trying to interject human intervention into an area that has not been documented as needing "beach nourishment."  The response was that all beaches need sediment and because littoral drift is moving sand down the beach, then any extra sediment in the area should be placed on the beach, evidently because you can never have too much sediment.  We tried to explain that our problem with Illahee Creek already is excessive sedimentation caused by unmitigated storm surges, and we really don't have a sediment deficiency problem.  In other words, why would DFW propose human intervention into a natural process that has not exhibited any problems? and especially when that human intervention will accelerate or exacerbate the siltation problem further?

 

Community Input?  So far, from the people who we have talked with, the concensus is this is a really dumb idea.  We generally try to stay neutral when reporting, but we have to agree that we don't understand the rationale behind this project.

 

Results In November.  The results of the Port of Illahee informal hearing in Olympia, and the Illahee Community Club informal hearing today in Port Orchard, will be issued in November 2009.  If the informal appeal fails, and they most often do, then either or both groups could file a formal appeal that would go before a judicial person. 

 

Your Thoughts?  The ICC would like to know your thoughts on this issue.  Please let them know by responding to this Update with a short note so they know how the community feels about it.  If it is just a few waterfront owners around the mouth of the creek who are concerned and others could care less, then the ICC needs to know it.

 

Jim Aho

Important Legal Proceedings - 9/26/09

TIMBERS EDGE APPEAL

Commissioners' Decision on Monday! The County Commissioners will decide Monday (9/28/09) on the Community's appeal of the Hearing Examiner's decision regarding the Timbers Edge development. The decision is scheduled for the end of the regular 7 pm Monday Commissioner's meeting, which is held in the Commissioner's Chambers at the County Administration Building in Port Orchard.

Please Attend. The Illahee Community Club is asking for a good attendance at this meeting even though those in the audience can just listen to the Commissioner's discussion and their vote. This vote will be telling as to whether the commissioners are more concerned about an aquifer and salmon stream and the community's desire to protect them, or a high density development above the stream corridor.

Commissioner's Vote? Some think that when the applicant offered up a new infiltration plan during the appeal, that this gives the Commissioner's a good reason for sending (remanding) the project back to the Hearing Examiner. Should that happen, we hope it would go to the new Hearing Examiner, rather than the old one.

Status of Community's Letter to the Developer. The developer, Mr. Jim James, has asked his engineer to "provide him advice for his consideration." Mr. Kuhlman, in an email to the Illahee Community, said the community proposal lacks enough detail for him to provide the necessary information to Mr. James; he goes on to argue for sewers rather than septics; and wants "a more quantitative proposal and explain how your revised proposal will more properly address the environmental issues associated with our development than is done by our proposal."

Response After the Commissioners' Decision. The ICC Board evidently will respond to Mr. Kuhlman in the time period following the Commissioner's decision, pending what the decision is.


ILLAHEE BEACH NOURISHMENT INFORMAL APPEAL

Persistence Pays Off. The Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) consented late Thursday (9/24/09) to hear the Illahee Community Club's informal appeal of the "Illahee Beach Nourishment" project. Late Friday afternoon DFW was trying to set up the informal appeal hearing for next week in Port Orchard at 10 or 10:30 a.m. on either Thursday (10/1/09) or Friday (10/2/09).

Two Informal Appeals Filed. The Port of Illahee also filed an informal appeal on the Illahee Beach Nourishment project and the hearing was held on Thursday (9/24/09) in Olympia. The Illahee Community Club's appeal was denied at first because the Certified Letter was lost for 9 days somewhere in Olympia, and was receipted one day beyond the appeal deadline date.

Calls by Illahee Citizens Make a Difference. Because of the persistence of Illahee citizens to the Post Office and DFW the issue went up the chain of commands, and eventually to one of the state's Assistant Attorney Generals, where it was decided to allow the informal appeal to go ahead. We think it was the right decision because neither the Post Office or DFW knows what happened to the letter for 9 days.

More Information Later. We will try to provide more information on the 5 year Illahee Beach Nourishment appeal later.

Jim Aho