Miscellaneous Items - 9/21/08

Lengthy Update. We just looked over the contents of this Update, which is rather lengthy, and wish we were reporting on wildlife items instead. On the other hand, all these issues eventually affect wildlife in the area so they are important, just not the kind of issues anyone wants to spend much time on. We are looking forward to the day when items such as these are behind us.

Gilberton Creek Culvert Replacement. The Gilberton Creek culvert replacement project is progressing nicely. The 10 foot diameter culvert is installed and seems almost 200 feet long. We walked through it but by the time we got to the middle it is so dark we could barely see where we were walking. The bottom of the culvert is filled with sediment and rocks mimicking the stream bed upstream and downstream. There is a nice link at the illaheecommunity.com website to a Kitsap Sun video of the construction that has taken place.

Illahee Creek Culvert Cleanout. Kitsap County crews spent nearly two weeks cleaning out the sediment that had filled the Illahee Creek culvert. They also redirected the stream channel that had migrated south and was rechannelizing following the Dec 3rd storm, back into the old stream channel. We heard they encountered a significant number of fish in the process, moving them past the work area as the fish migrated downstream into a capture net. We checked the opening upstream at the culvert inlet following the cleanout and it was 56 inches rather than the 19 inches it had been before the cleanout work began. On Sunday 9/21/08 the sediment had already increased 18 inches at the culvert inlet and the clear opening was 38 inches. There evidently were some issues with the work going on as we heard the Department of Fish and Wildlife put a stop work order out and called for an investigation and we are waiting to hear officially what those issues are.

Raised Flood Plain. Many of those who look at the situation at the Illahee Creek culvert wonder what can be done when the flood plain raises like it did during the December 3rd storm, reportedly 18 inches. When the storm raised the flood plain it nearly filled the culvert and did fill the old stream channel such that a new channel was formed to the south of the old channel and next to the new house structure. The county is hoping by cleaning out the culvert and redirecting the stream (by cleaning out the sediment that filled the old stream channel), that this will prevent a complete failure of the culvert.

Solution or Temporary Fix? - The problem that many see is that sediment is still being flushed down Illahee Creek by unchecked stormwater and will likely fill up the newly dug out culvert and stream bed. The problem is the flood plain upstream of the culvert has also raised by a like amount, possibly around 18 inches, and it becomes impossible to dig out the whole upstream flood plain. And thus the reason continually digging out the culvert sediment is considered a temporary fix.

Long Term Fixes Required. The consensus of many is that the sedimentation problems of Illahee Creek need to be resolved as soon as possible. The Port of Illahee grant with the Department of Ecology will soon identify long term fixes required to control the sedimentation problems. Sedimentation control is the first long term fix that needs to begin once the corrections are identified. The second concurrent long term fix is a likely culvert replacement or a bridge structure along with a corresponding raised road bed, which are the only known long term options identified to date when working with a raised flood plain.

Hearing Notice on McWilliams Road. We have been advised that there is a new hearing notice posted on McWillams Road. It evidently is for another reasonable use permit to go into the wetland buffer area north of McWilliams road where the vehicles are parked. This is the wetland area at the headwater of the North Tributary to Illahee Creek. This tributary supplies about a significant portion of the baseflow to Illahee Creek and residents in the area are wondering why we have wetland regulations since all the requests to go into the buffer areas seem to be approved. After watching what happened to the 3rd Street wetlands the residents aren't sure wetlands get any protection by the county. The hearing scheduled for Sept 25th at 10 a.m. in the Commissioners' Chambers in Port Orchard. Residents are reportedly looking at the file contents sometime before Thursday's hearing and if we get a report from them we will pass it on.

New Sewer Notice & Hearing? We think there will be a sewer hearing notice going to residents along the proposed sewer route that extends from the Timbers Edge project to the Illahee North sewer pump station. The county failed to give notice of the sewer line that is part of the Timbers Edge project and now has agreed to let adjoining residents know of the sewer line. The county is also giving the residents a 14 day time span should a property owner along the route want to request a hearing, as long as the request is in writing.

Should Residents Request a Hearing? Since the county staff has already recommended approval the running of a sewer line through Illahee, does it do any good for residents to request a hearing? Some residents feel they have no say, while others are wanting more information about what is being proposed and wonder how this will affect them now and in the future. And, some say what is being planned is inappropriate. Bottom line is that only the residents along the route will be able to request a hearing on the sewer and stormwater plans.

Another SEPA Appeal? The sewer notice will likely also note that a SEPA appeal can be filed with a $500 fee. The Illahee Community Club wants residents to know that the Club has already filed a SEPA appeal with the county on this project, which includes the sewer plans. The hearing was held on August 28th, with many of the Club's expert witnesses preparing written reports because they were unavailable for the rushed hearing, and are to have their reports in by September 30th. There is no reason for residents to file another SEPA appeal as far as we can determine. If residents are unfamiliar with the Club's appeal, they can contact any of the Club's board members.

Illlahee Community Plan News. We heard several of the Planning Commission members toured Illahee on Friday morning, in preparation for their deliberations on the Illahee Community Plan which is to take place on Tuesday, September 23rd, beginning at 9 am in the Commissioners' Chambers. The Planning Commission public comment period is over but the public can attend the meeting to watch the deliberations. The Planning Commission will then make a recommendation to the County Commissioners, who will have the final say on the Plan. For anyone that is available, this may be an interesting meeting to attend to see how the Planning Commission views the Plan and also to see how they will vote. Note that we were hoping the final plan would have been available on the county website by now. We will have someone at the county on Monday morning who will hopefully be able to pick up a paper copy and also an electronic copy for posting on the Illahee community website, which is www.illaheecommunity.com.

Woods View Decision on Monday. The Illahee Community has been watching the Woods View project proceedings in South Kitsap with a number of Illahee residents attending the various hearings. The County Commissioners will be giving their decision on this project on Monday evening (9/22/08) at 7 pm. They have asked us to stand with them as a sign of support at the meeting. Their website address is www.bccg.org for more information.

Jim Aho

Responses to Last Update - 9/16/08

Another Update Requested. We again have been asked to update the community, but this time in response to the Update that was sent out on Monday.

Sensitive Update? Many times we send out updates with no responses, but this time we received phonecalls and emails, so something we wrote was sensitive or misunderstood, and in this case evidently both.

People Were Upset! We had people who liked the Update and those who were upset that we sent it to Kitsap County personnel and that we included sensitive financial information.

Some Liked It. Not only did some residents like the Update, they also wanted to send in checks to help with the effort.

Upset With It Going to the County. Others were upset that we supposedly gave the county ICC appeal strategy information. They feel the county is working hand in hand with the developer and are not watching out for the interests of the community. Some of the Illahee residents attending the hearing were surprised when they were told that Ron Templeton was not a county attorney as they watched county staff personnel concur with him over and over during the hearing. Ron was the applicant's attorney.

Note: The attorney confusion is understandable as we have seen this behaviour before. We understand the staff's desire to promote a development they have been working on, but we feel they should be neutral once the project gets to a hearing. Up until the time of the hearing they have been the recipients of the developer's side of the story, and even after SEPA comments are received, any changes are based on the developer's interpretation. It isn't until the project is somewhat finalized that the community finally gets a chance to see what it looks like, and in this case for two weeks, if all the files are available.

The Rest of the Story. Once the community gets a chance to see what the project impacts are they then have a short opportunity to present their side of the story. After all, they have to live with the results of a development for years, and from just the effects of stormwater, Illahee residents have little confidence that the county has their long term interests at heart. This is where the community wishes the county would take a neutral stance. Up until the hearing everything on the project is filtered through what the developer wants to do. The hearing is when the community gets a chance to comment on the project and the effects on the community. The community has only a few days available to look at the projects impacts, pay the appeal fees, and expects a fair hearing to present its side of the story, without seemingly fighting both the developer and the county. The community thinks at this point the county should step back and listen to the "rest of the story," wanting what is ultimately what is best for both, but also realizing the community should have a majority say since they have to ultimately live with the project.

Sensitive Financial Information. And there were those upset that we had included sensitive financial information. Some felt the email that we saw was privileged information. Some felt that it gave a message to the county and developer that the community was not receiving enough funds to continue the appeal. On the other hand others we amazed at the amount of money that had been raised in such a short time considering the community does not have any rich benefactors and all the money is coming in in relatively small gifts and some from monthly contributions.

Differing Interpretations. We were surprised at the differing interpretations of the financial information and thus the main reason for this follow-up Update.

A Clarification of Yesterday's Update Regarding Finances. In yesterday's Update, we had no intention of sending a message that the community was even considering abandoning its appeal. We stated that the ICC was sending out another appeal for funds, and that the funds were coming in. Raising funds to continue to litigate this appeal will likely be an ongoing process and the community is responding. The ICC only wanted to make sure people got the message that funds had come in and to let everyone know that the cost of a lawyer and expert witnesses were substantial and they appreciate the community's past and future support.

Community Desires Reiterated. It is clear from the responses we are getting that while there are some who would like to stop the project, the majority just want it done right, primarily with a lower density and less impact to the stream and the aquifers.

A Lengthy But Necessary Response. This is a lengthy response to all those who reacted positively or negatively to the previous update, and we hope this helps put things into perspective. We do try to listen to your comments. Please keep them coming, especially when you disagree.

Jim Aho

Timbers Edge Report - 9/15/08

Report Requested. We have been asked to report on what is happening with the ongoing Timbers Edge hearing that started on August 28th. We attended a recent strategy meeting and have some pertinent news and information to share.

Record to Remain Open Until September 30th. The hearing record was agreed to be kept open because not all of the Illahee Community Club's expert witnesses were not available for the hearing. The dates agreed upon were for the Illahee Community to submit their expert witness reports by September 30th. The applicant would then have until October 15th to rebut those comments, and closing arguments would then be submitted by October 30th.

Sewer Plans Not Properly Noticed. The Illahee Community Club (ICC) contended that the sewering of Illahee was not properly noticed as the Timbers Edge notice only went to those within 400 feet of their project areas. The Hearing Examiner asked the two lawyers to work out how they wanted to handle the County's oversight, which was done with a "Stipulation" document.

Notice to Property Owners Coming? The stipulation was signed by the lawyers on September 4th and states that notice should have been issued to the property owners along the sewage and storm water lines for the project. It further calls for a 14 day period after notice is given, for property owners to comment and a possible hearing will only scheduled if a property owner so requests. The ICC is waiting to see if the county has agreed to the stipulation document, and then needs to see if any property owner(s) request a hearing.

Expert Witness Reports. Because of the pending September 30th deadline the ICC is actively working with experts to obtain expert reports. While a month to contact these people and request reports seemed more than adequate during the hearing, it is a relatively short time span for many professionals who are booked up months in advance. They nevertheless appear at this point to have some commitments to have some reports by the September 30th deadline.

ICC Traffic Expert. At the August 28th hearing, the ICC's traffic expert, Robert Bernstein, reported significant traffic safety issues with the project, which the residents who live along Fir Drive were well aware of. In legal cases it takes the experts to tell the Hearing Examiner what the impacts are and if they are significant, as was accomplished by Mr. Bernstein. 

Other Experts? The ICC is looking at other expert witnesses to cover the areas of fisheries biologist (secured), geological engineer (discussing price), stormwater engineer (secured), hydrologist (a commitment, but currently on travel), waste water engineer (ongoing discussions), culvert/bridge design engineer (still searching for one), and architects (possible contacts identified).

Residents Upset and Responding. The ICC folks tell us Illahee residents decided to fight the development because of the small lots and tightly spaced houses and their concerns for their neighborhoods and Illahee Creek. They also noted that the residents have committed financially to the effort.

Thank You For Supporting the Appeals!!! The ICC thanks the community for the moral encouragement and financial support for these appeals.

Let the ICC Know Your Thoughts. The ICC Board of Directors would like to know what your thoughts and comments are regarding these legal actions and any other thoughts on what you would like to see the Illahee Community Club accomplish. You can do so with letters to the ICC, P.O. Box 2563, Bremerton, WA 98310 or simply respond via email to this update, and we will pass the information on.

Jim Aho

Planning Commission Meeting - 9/10/08

Planning Commission Meeting. The Planning Commission heard public testimony regarding the Illahee Community Plan on Tuesday evening (9/9/08). There were only a couple of Illahee residents who spoke, though others were in the audience and ready to speak if they thought it necessary.

Decision on September 23rd. There were few comments or questions for the speakers and the Planning Commission will deliberate and come to a decision at their next meeting on September 23, 2008. The next step will be a public meeting before the County Commissioners.

No Opposition. Someone commented that after nearly 3 years of working on the plan, sending it out to the community for comments at every opportunity, and incorporating nearly every comment, and then giving it to the county to go through their public process, that there shouldn't be any opposition, and there wasn't.

Thanks to the County Planners. The community thanked Katrina Knutson and Jonathan Pavy for all their work in getting the Plan through the first stage of the public and county processes. The second stage will be a public meeting before the County Commissioners.

Personal Comments. My personal comments, after working with the community on the Plan from the very beginning, are as as follows:

I thank the Port of Illahee and specifically Dennis Sheeran for co-chairing the initial efforts that got the Illahee subarea planning process started.

I thank all those Illahee citizens who responded to that first questionnaire that appeared in their paper boxes and door steps, for their thoughtful responses and suggestions.

I thank the nearly 100 residents who indicated on the questionnaire that they would be members of a Citizens Advisory Group to work on the Plan.

I thank all those who wrote, modified, edited and otherwise contributed to the various drafts that were prepared over the past almost three years.

I thank those who continued on with the process through the county's Citizen Advisory Group to see the Plan to completion.

I thank all those individuals who contributed financially to cover the expenses such as printing costs of the various drafts of the Plan, along with the help received from the Port of Illahee, the Illahee Forest Preserve, and the Illahee Community Club. As the county knows those printing costs are considerable.

I thank Laurie Jones, our Illahee website administrator, who posted copies of the Illahee Plan on our website, illaheecommunity.com, thereby making the Plan available to more people.

I especially thank our primary editors of the final draft copy that was given to the county, Mary Ann Wright and Vicki Bartlett. They did an unbelievable job of making things read and look right.

I thank the county for accepting so much of what the community prepared and wrote.

I thank the county commissioners, especially in 2006, who patiently listened to Illahee citizens come before them with studies supporting zoning requests, and for their granting the majority of them.

I thank past County Commissioner Patty Lent and the county planning staff who first met with us for the support of the various maps that were needed for the Plan. Without the maps we would not have been able to proceed.

I thank Cindy Read for the excellent job of preparing the numerous maps that are in the Plan that really tell the Illahee story.

I thank the current commissioners and specifically Josh Brown for including the Illahee Community Plan to be reviewed in 2008.

And finally, I thank the people of Illahee for their community spirit and insightful thinking that brought forth a Plan that represents the will of the majority of Illahee citizens.

Jim Aho

Miscellaneous Items - 9/8/08

Tuesday Meeting. The Planning Commission's public meeting to review the Illahee Community Plan is Tuesday evening, September 9, 2008 in the Commissioners' Chambers in the County Administration building in Port Orchard.

Meeting Start Time? The meeting begins at 6:30 pm but we are unsure exactly when the Illahee Plan will come up. The county's website notes the Illahee Plan will be discussed at 7:30 pm. If we find there is a better schedule we will provide another update.

Can't Make The Meeting? We have been contacted by a number of people who have indicated they cannot make the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday for a variety of reasons and have asked us if they should send an email to the Planning Commission. We asked the question and presume the best way is to email our county planner, Katrina Knutson, to indicate your support of the Plan. Her email address is KKnutson@co.kitsap.wa.us.

Gilberton Creek Culvert Progress. There has been significant progress with the Gilberton Creek culvert replacement at the Gilberton Creek washout along Illahee Road. Last week the first half of the culvert was installed, and we presume the other half is being installed today, Monday.

Illahee Creek Culvert Cleanout. The County has been working to cleanout the Illahee Creek culvert that nearly filled up during the December 3, 2007 storm. They are also cleaning out the stream channel that filled up with sediment and created stream passage issues for fish. The hopes are that this will prevent a washout of the culvert once the winter storms begin.

Illahee Creek Salmon. The County has encountered a relatively large number of salmon inhabiting Illahee Creek and are moving them around their work areas to the lower part of the creek. We looked at one of the salmon fry and thought is was a chum salmon, but after talking with fisheries biologists believe they are coho salmon getting ready to go to the salt water after spending nearly a year in the stream.

Jim Aho

Upcoming Sept 9 Planing Commission Meeting - 9/4/08

Meeting Reminder. This is a reminder that the Illahee Community Plan will be discussed at the next Planning Commission Meeting.

Public Meeting for Community Input. This is a public meeting and an opportunity for the public to express to the Planning Commission their thoughts on the Plan.

Meeting is September 9th at 6:30 pm. The Planning Commission meets on Tuesday evening the 9th of September beginning at 6:30 pm in the Commissioner's Chambers of the new County Administration Building in Port Orchard.

Two Items on Agenda. Note that the Planning Commission will also be discussing the Waaga Way extension during the meeting so depending on how many people are attending that portion of the meeting, the seating my be tight for awhile.

Please Attend if Possible. It is important that as many Illahee residents as possible attend the meeting to show your support of the Plan that has taken nearly three years, and input from many citizens, to complete.

Final Draft Copies Available Soon. We have heard that CDs of the plan will soon be available, along with a number of paper copies for review at the reference desk of the Sylvan Way library, and that the final draft version will also be on the county's and community's websites.

Questionnaire Still Available? We also think the questionnaire will be available until September 9th for those who have not completed it yet.

Comments? As always, your comments are welcome.

Jim Aho

Miscellaneous Items - 9/2/08

Sept 9, 2008 Planning Commission Meeting. The Illahee Community Plan will have a public hearing before the Kitsap County Planning Commission one week from today, on Tuesday (9/9/08) evening at 6:30 pm (with the Illahee Plan tentatively scheduled to start at 7:30). The Plan was briefed to Commission members on 8/26/08 by Katrina Knutson. The auditory recording of that briefing (21 minutes into the recording) is available at the county website under the Planning Commission. This is the first of two public hearings on the Plan, the second being before the County Commissioners. It is important to show community support for the Plan since opponents will often wait until public meetings to voice any discontent.

Amazing Illahee Wildlife Story. This story about a deer and raccoon working together was amazing and we wanted to share it with the community.

Just a note to say that "my big buck" payed another visit to my yard this week. He is just fantastic…tall,3 prongs and happy to trim my blackberries for me. So what if he takes a few nibbles of the roses and honeysuckle as he works his way through my yard! Not long ago he paired up with a raccoon in a real Bonnie and Clyde act. He led the way out of the greenbelt followed closely by the coon. They strolled over to my neighbors apple tree which the coon proceeded to climb and shake the apples down for the deer to eat! I am also just under the flight path for the bald eagle that roosts above RueVilla. How wonderful it is to live in this beautiful area. ......

Timbers Edge Update. We have been getting some inquiries regarding what the next steps are for the Illahee Community regarding the Timbers Edge development and more specifically, what is happening with the hearing that was held on the 28th of August. We are collecting comments from those who attended the hearing and others and will put the information together later.

Save Illahee Signs. We noticed several "Save Illahee" signs the other day. We just found out Judith Krigsman has 12 remaining signs available for $12 each.

New Sewer Trunk Line Through Illahee. The Timbers Edge development calls for the running of a public sewer main through Illahee, from approximately Nobles Lane, down Fir Drive, and then north through historic Illahee, to the Illahee North sewer pump station. There was no public notice of this pressurized trunk line except for those parcels around the Timbers Edge development area and the stormwater outfall located near the mouth of Illahee Creek. The Illahee Community Club feels that the residents affected by the public sewer line also need to be notified as County Code states that those within 200 feet of a public sewer are required to hook up, even though that law is not currently being enforced. This issue was briefly discussed at the Timbers Edge hearing and is to be discussed amongst the lawyers and county this week.

Major Impacts Require Public Notice and Hearings. When impacts to the community of this magnitude are being planned the community needs to given public notice and an opportunity for public hearings to understand the impact on affected residents and the community at large.

Jim Aho

Facebook!

Illahee Community now has a "Group" on Facebook.  If you're a Facebook member, search for "Illahee Community" in "groups" and join!

If you are not a Facebook member, it's easy and fun to join.  Just go to www.facebook.com and sign up.  Once you're a member, search for Illahee Community in "groups" and join!

Timbers Edge Hearing Report - 8/28/08

A Grueling Hearing. The Timbers Edge hearing started at 9 am on Thursday and went until almost 6 pm. What a long and grueling hearing. We need some time to fully access what was accomplished. But, we also need to report on what happened for those who could not be there.

Article in Friday's Kitsap Sun. The Kitsap Sun covered the hearing and the attached linked report will be in Friday's edition:

More later. We will provide more information later on the hearing from Illahee residents who attended.

Thanks to Speakers and Attenders. Special thanks goes out to all those attending and those speaking. It couldn't have been done without you. You were awesome and the community thanks you!

Jim Aho

Urgent Notice of Timbers Edge Hearing - 8/27/08

Back To Issuing Updates. We evidently missed a busy week in Illahee while on vacation. From the emails the bulk of the efforts were planning for the upcoming Timbers Edge Hearing scheduled for Thursday, August 28, 2008. We will try to quickly catch up on what is happening. There was also an Illahee Community Plan meeting on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 that took place. We will cover the Plan in a later update.

Request for a Continuance DENIED. On August 15, 2008, the community appealed the SEPA mitigated determination of non-significance (MDNS) and also requested on continuance based on the unavailability of expert witnesses. In spite of the County Code allowing for continuances, the request was denied and because "Both the Department of Community Development (DCD) and the project applicant strongly object to the continuance and desire the case proceed to hearing as scheduled." The examiner in denying the request will keep the record open and allow for written testimony/reports

Editorial Comment. It is interesting that in a complex project like this that DCD, the people we pay to make sure projects are done right, strongly objected to the Illahee Community's request to have expert testimony at the hearing.

Request for a New Hearing Date DENIED. On August 22, 2008, the community sent in a "Motion To Dismiss Hearing" based on the fact the County failed to properly post legal notice of the hearing. The county published the notice in the Port Orchard Independent, but not in the Bremerton Patriot or the CK Reporter, the two papers of general circulation in Illahee. The request was clearly written and is attached as a pdf file.

Editorial Comment. This seems to us a clear cut legal requirement was not followed. It is interesting that the county produced a 38 page staff report quoting Kitsap County Code, but when the code is quoted back to them by the community, it is ignored, and the motion was DENIED.

Hearing Preparations. We are trying to wade through numerous emails from citizens trying to prepare for the hearing in the absence of expert testimony on some crucial topics. We have heard that several experts will be available on other issues. We will provide more information as it becomes available to us.

Community Representation is Requested. This is late notice for many on our email list. The hearing is tomorrow, Thursday, August 28, 2008, at 9 am in the Commissioners Chambers in the new county administration building. As many people as possible are hoped to be in attendance. You will have an opportunity to speak, for or against, with no time limit being imposed. We heard the community response is going to organized by topics, such as transportation, sewers, storm water, etc, so a person can speak on whatever topic or topics they wish.

Jim Aho

Environmental Recommendation of County Staff - 8/27/08

Timbers Edge SEPA Staff Recommendation to Hearing Examiner. Attached is the county staff's recommendation to DENY the Illahee community's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) appeal that was filed on August 15, 2008. (Note: Normally this report is handed out at the beginning of the hearing, and while the community doesn't like the DENIED aspect, it is glad to get this a few hours before the hearing.)

Hearing Begins Thursday (8/28/08). The hearing for the SEPA appeal, the preliminary plat to create 110 lots, and a shoreline permit for a stormwater outfall, begins at 9 am on Thursday, August 28, 2008.

The Task for the Community. The community needs to present its case on Thursday with sufficient documentation to convince the Hearing Examiner that the community issues were not covered or not adequately considered by the county, which will be a formidable task to begin with, and even more difficult due to the short time frame that was available to prepare.

Concerned Citizens Encouraged to Attend. Illahee residents who are concerned with this project are encouraged to attend. We understand the community has several expert witnesses along with some informed citizens who will be doing presentations. We also understand that a number of expert witnesses were unavailable and will likely be issuing reports at a later date.

Only Time to be Heard. This is possibly the only time that the community will have an opportunity to be heard on this project. Now is the time to speak up on what you want your community to look like.

Jim Aho

Miscellaneous Items - 8/19/08

Illahee Community Plan - Final Review Meeting. Wednesday evening (8/20/08) at 6 pm at the Sylvan Way Library citizens will have an opportunity to discuss the final draft of the Illahee Community Plan. This is a must attend meeting for community members who want to have a say in what the Illahee Community Plan looks like.

Green Belt. The Plan calls for a green belt area that is depicted on a zoning map in Chapter 3. The wrong map got included in the file that was sent out on Friday and it was corrected on Tuesday, so if you reviewed Chapter 3 earlier you will want to look it over again. This is a great step forward for the community and the county.

Illahee Preserve Fire. There was a fire in the Illahee Preserve last week and below is a follow-up report of what happened.

I called the fellow who reported the fire & guided CK Fire crew to its location. He said he thought he smelled smoke in the area the previous day (Tuesday), then went looking for it on Wednesday.

I also spoke with my neighbors who are frequent walkers in Illahee Forest. They had been walking in Illahee Forest on Tuesday and thought they smelled "pot" in the area where the fire occurred. They also smelled smoke the next day (Wednesday) where the fire occurred. By that time CK Fire was already on their way. My neighbors suspect the fire was started by pot smoking revelers?

By the way, the person who reported the fire is a nearby resident. He says he walks his dogs several days per week in Illahee Forest. I thanked him profusely for his efforts.

I visited the location of the fire. It is near the trail which heads out of Compass Circle directly west toward the Crossroads. The location of the fire is on your left, immediately after the trail traverses a big dip or gully. The fire department put a white & black striped ribbon on a tree limb to mark the location along the trail. The fire was about 60 feet directly west of the trail. The fire smoldered on the ground covering roughly a 40 foot circle. The roots of about 5 decent sized hemlocks may have been affected by the heat (?) The Fire Department did a good job of turning over the soil to ensure there was nothing more smoldering.

Timbers Edge Hearing. We have heard residents are organizing their thoughts and comments for the Public Hearing for the Timbers Edge project scheduled for all day Thursday, August 28, 2008. There is a group that is working on coordinating citizen and expert witnesses so that the hearing will have some structure and order from those filing the SEPA appeal. We aren't sure who is going to lead that effort so we are providing those interested with two group members who can be points of contact. The first is Rebecca Hall, who can be reached at 265-9393 but will be out of town until Friday, and second is Judith Krigsman, who can be reached at 792-6934.

Update Vacation. We are not planning on sending out updates for awhile as this reporter is going on a short vacation to attend a high school reunion in the Midwest and will return on August 27th, just in time for the Timbers Edge hearing. However, he will be at a computer most every day and if an update is desired to be issued, it needs to be written so all he needs to do is forward it.

Jim Aho

Preliminary Draft Illahee Community Plan - 8/16/08

Important Task. It is important that the Illahee Community look over the County's Preliminary Draft of the Illahee Community Plan. The County has taken the Community's Plan and is revising it to reflect what they heard from the community, the Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) meeting input, and what they would like to see in the Plan.

Ninety Five Percent Has Not Been Changed. The good news is that most of the document has remained as it was written by the community.

Concerns. There however are grave concerns over other parts as some of the CAG decisions appear to have been left out or dismissed. A major concern that has been expressed is the location of the Green Belt. While most like the Green Belt concept, all thought is was agreed that it would run from the Cheney Estates, then east of Ridgeview to Illahee State Park, and then diagonally from the Park to the Illahee Preserve area. Instead it shows it taking in the Illahee Preserve, Rolling Hills, and the historic section of Illahee, the last two of which are problematic.

Changes Not Noted. Additionally, the review is complicated as many of the changes have not been highlighted or annotated. We have been told that it requires posting both documents and going through them line by line.

Do You Want to See Comments Copied to Us? Some of you have provided us a copy of your comments to Katrina, and we are debating whether to pass them on to the community since they might influence the thinking of others. On the other hand it is nice to know what others are thinking and it might spur those on who might otherwise not commented on the Plan. Let us know your thoughts on this.

Katrina's Email Attached. Attached below is Katrina's email that was sent out late Friday afternoon.

CAG Meeting Wednesday at Library. The community meeting to go over the changes is Wednesday at the Sylvan Way library for 6-8 pm.

Surveys Need to be Completed. Also, please complete the survey that is online. It is the official record of the community's thoughts on the Plan.

Jim Aho

The preliminary draft Illahee Community Plan has been posted at the following website:

http://www.kitsapgov.com/dcd/community_plan/subareas/Illahee/default.htm

FYI: Final formatting and polishing of the document will be done after community comments are received. GIS staff are working on new maps for the plan and planning staff are working on charts, pictures and graphs for the plan.

You have different options for getting me your feedback on the document: 1) Come to the final CAG meeting on August 20, 2008 at the Sylvan Way Library from 6-8pm, 2) Email you comments to me at kknutson@co.kitsap.wa.us, 3) Send your comments to me at 614 Division Street MS-36 Port Orchard, WA 98366 and/or come to the Planning Commission public hearing on September 9, 2008 at 6:30pm.

Please pass this information to others you know how may be interested.

Also, please visit the above mentioned website and take a survey regarding the Illahee Community Plan if you have not done so already.

As always, thank you for your participation and please contact me if you have any questions.

Best,
Katrina


Katrina N. Knutson, Associate Planner
Kitsap County
Department of Community Development
Policy and Planning Division
614 Division Street MS-36
Port Orchard, WA 98366-4682
(360) 337-7181
KKnutson@co.kitsap.wa.us

Timbers Edge Appeal Strategy Meeting on Sunday - 8/16/08

Hearing Mailing. On Friday (8/15/08) approximately 750 Kitsap County residents, mostly Illahee residents, received notice of an August 28th Public Hearing for the Timbers Edge project. Many of those received the mailing because they had signed petitions several years ago expressing concerns with aspects of the development. SEPA Appeal Filed. On Friday afternoon (8/15/08) a SEPA MDNS (State Environmental Policy Act Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance) appeal was filed by the Illahee Community Club, along with the $500 filing fee.

Wednesday Club Meeting. The Illahee Community Club met with residents on Wednesday to get an overview of the project and legal information. At the meeting residents voted overwhelmingly to file the appeal. Following the vote, the Club asked for pledges of financial support to assure there would be sufficient support for an appeal. With enough money pledged the Club's lawyer, Ryan Vancil, was contacted to go ahead and prepare the appeal (which was submitted on Friday as earlier stated).

Request for Continuance Filed. Also filed with the SEPA MDNS appeal, was a Request for Continuance. Four primary expert witnesses were identified as being necessary for the appeal, and were contacted as to their availability for the August 28th Public Hearing. Three of the four were unavailable and one has not yet responded. Other witnesses are being considered. They expect the hearings to begin on the 28th and the hearing to be "continued" to a later date when the community's expert witnesses are available.

Sunday 8/17/08 Strategy Meeting. Because of the short time available, less than two weeks, a strategy meeting has been scheduled for Illahee State Park at 2 pm. There will be "Illahee Group" signs to where we will be meeting as the location in the park has not yet been determined. The park was chosen because of the lack of other facilities, and the fact that parking and a picnic or open space should be able to be located somewhere on Sunday afternoon.

Hearing Strategy. The strategy is to breakdown the appeal categories and assign teams to work on the issues. For instance traffic is a major issue and a team needs to work on that topic. There are a total of 14 issues with the project and we will have copies of the appeal on Sunday.

14 Teams Needed. They need community volunteers to comprise the teams. For instance on the traffic example, residents along Fir Drive, may want to take pictures and measurements of the road the county says is not a problem, and maybe contact the property owner on Perry Avenue where the right hand turn lane is being proposed. There may be someone in the Illahee community who is a traffic engineer and can advise the members of this team what to look for in reviewing the Timbers Edge traffic analysis.

Actual Hearing. The actual hearing is a very interesting process. The goal is to give everyone a chance to speak and be heard in hopes they won't be too disappointed when the Hearing Examiner normally eventually agrees with the County Staff who have already approved of the project. The community's job is to show by facts, pictures, studies, etc that the developer and/or the county have not adequately identified or analyzed specific impacts or the mitigation measures. The case needs to be so compelling that the Hearing Examiner has no choice but to rule in the community's favor.

Can It Be Done? The Illahee Community Club thinks it can be done, but it is a tough assignment. That is why they are looking at experts to cover the more complex issues such as aquifer recharge, geology, hydrology, fisheries, and stormwater. In addition to these already identified areas the individual teams will need to work on the rest of the issues.

Please Attend the Strategy Meeting. They need as many Illahee residents as can help to come to the strategy meeting on Sunday. See what team you feel most comfortable working with, and volunteer to help.

Jim Aho

Miscellaneous Items - 8/7/08

Wildlife Report. We received the following report regarding wildlife eating chickens:

Just want to let you know that endangering wildlife is still lurking in the Illahee area. A sole large coyote was lurking under the nut orchard looking for a chicken breakfast today as I drove out at 6:30.

On Monday a month old chick disappeared from a small enclosed wire four by four pen located inside, a six foot chain link fence behind the garage. No evidence of why was evident. Today Vickie went out and found another chicken had met his demise, at the mercy of a raptor. A large hawk was sitting on top of the chain link guarding his partially devoured chicken, that he had partially pulled through the wires.

These chickens were rescued after my 4-5 year old farm hen had hatched six chicks on a Wednesday. On a Sunday morning she was found to be the victim of some unknown type of predator. The chicks were captured with an old salmon net as they hid in the corn field.

Illahee Road Report. The report on the road repairs came out earlier today and is as follows:

Work to repair Illahee road begins August 18th. If we have wonderful fall Northwest weather work should be complete October 17th. This date will be adjusted if weather conditions are such that work can not progress.

Please be aware that heavy truck traffic will increase during the work. I have notified Central Kitsap School District's transportation staff, and they will work with Brownsville Elementary to notify parents in the vicinity of the increased truck traffic. If you have friends who walk on Illahee, or have students that walk to Brownsville Elementary, please caution them about the increased traffic. It's also a good idea to suggest to friends to sign up for The Road Report. Updates for this project are posted there, as well as details concerning all our work on County-maintained roads. Sign up at www.kitsapgov.com/pw/roadwork.htm or call The Open Line at 360-337-5777.

We truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we've worked through this project. It has taken a lot of cooperation on the part of many different people and agencies to get where we are today. Projects like these usually take years, rather than months to complete. We are fortunate to be able to move along this quickly.

If you have questions or need more information please let me know.

Sincerely,
Doug Bear

Illahee Fire Link. We gave a brief report of the fire that occurred early Tuesday morning. The link to the article in the Kitsap Sun is: Fire in Basement of Illahee Home Sends One to the Hospital

Community Plan Survey Post Card. Illahee residents received a post card in today's (8/7/08) mail with a heading "What Does Your Illahee Look Like." It asks you to visit a website and take a survey. Even though this is a county generated survey, we've received calls about the applicability of some of the questions along with those who have had difficulty logging on to the website.

Survey Applicability. As you have probably gathered, if you accessed the website, the survey was adapted from a previous survey. We think from last years Keyport survey. Some had expressed earlier that the Keyport survey was too long and and needed a good review if it was to be used in Illahee, but it didn't happen. Some distinctive Illahee questions have been included, usually at the end of the page. Our recommendation is to ignore the questions that aren't applicable and concentrate on the rest of the questions. We can ask the county how they want people to respond when they come across questions that don't appear relevant to Illahee.

Website Access. HERE IS the link for those having problems logging on.

Jim Aho

Timbers Edge SEPA Letter - 8/6/08

Inquiries Coming In. Many have been asking about the recent letter they received from the County regarding the Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance (MDNS) letter for the Timbers Edge Preliminary Plat and Substantial Substantial Development Permit. If you didn't get one we have included it again as an attachment.

750 SEPA Letters. The county signed the SEPA MDNS letter on July 31, 2008 that was sent out to some 750 residents who had expressed interest in the Timbers Edge development. Most of those were from people who had signed petitions who were concerned about the development along the steep slopes of Illahee Creek.

SEPA Letter Delay. Some in the community were hoping the delay in sending out the letter was because of a community request to meet with the county before the legal process began. Such was not the case as it appears there was some kind of hold up in getting the letter out. Letters were received in the community on Tuesday, August 5th.

Only 10 Days to Respond. The SEPA letter note at the end states that any appeal must be filed by August 15, along with $500. That doesn't give the community much time to look at the file, get together, decide what to do, and then prepare an appeal. It appears to many that "due process" was not accorded to the community in this case.

Request for File Information Delayed. Several members of the Illahee community looked over the files on August 1, 2008, requested copies, and tried to pick them up late in the afternoon on Tuesday, August 5th, and found them not available. These are some of the roadblocks encountered and frustrations community members feel when trying to prepare for a possible appeal.

SEPA MDNS Letter. The SEPA MDNS letter is the most complete we have seen and the project has improved, but the development is still extremely high density (110 homes on approx 15 acres) in the project area, with lots as small as 3,400 square feet. This is just the first phase of other planned developments on the properties.

Infiltration Planned. Infiltration of portions of the storm water is being planned, which is one of the goals in the Illahee Community Plan. The county and applicant are working in some areas to address community concerns.

Does the Community Appeal? That is the question that is being investigated at this time. Because of the short time available and the time it takes to line up witnesses the Community Club is proceeding as though they will appeal the SEPA MDNS. There have been those who have said that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is necessary because the project will have a significant impact on Illahee Creek's base flow which in turn could result in its inability to support salmon, which would be a significant environmental impact, and thus should trigger an EIS. Obviously, the county does not see it that way.

Expert Witness Are Being Contacted. Six expert witnesses have been identified as necessary to this case and are being contacted as to their availability to the Hearing Date that has been established by the county, which is August 28, 2008. It is that short time frame that has made it necessary to proceed with witness identification before a complete Timbers Edge file is even available for review by witnesses or the community.

8/5 County Meeting. Kitsap County called a meeting for August 5, 2008 to see if issues could be resolved. There were 6 representatives from the Illahee Community; 5 from the applicant (developer), and 6 from the county. At the end of the 90 minute meeting all had a better understanding of where each group stood. The next step is for the applicant to meet together with 2 representatives of the Illahee Community. The meeting was to be held on 8/6 but was postponed because one of the reps was sick.

Goal for Meeting with Applicant. The goal for the meeting with the applicant is to determine if a win-win solution can be obtained. Legal battles eat up everyones resources and the only ones who seem to gain are the lawyers. The two designated representatives hope to meet soon with the applicant.

8/13 Community Meeting Scheduled. The Illahee Community Club has scheduled a meeting for next Wednesday 8/13/08 at 6 pm at the Unitarian Church on Perry Ave. The club's lawyer for this project, Ryan Vancil, will be there to explain the case and answer questions.

An Expensive Case. This will be an expensive case if it can't be resolved, as expensive expert witness are necessary to explain the issues. This is in addition to the costs of legal representation. Note that after the Illahee Outfall hearings, the reported lessons learned by the Community Club was to skip the appeal the the Commissioners and go directly to Superior Court.

Funds Are Urgently Needed. The Community Club has said that significant funds will be required for this appeal and whereas the SHB request was for $150 gifts, the Timbers Edge case will likely require $200 plus gifts from many more people.

Hopeful? Most of the people we have talked with are hopeful the meeting with the applicant will be successful and that the community can limit its legal costs to just those incurred to the date a resolution is obtained.

The Community Club would like to hear from you!!!! Mail any comments or support to the ICC, PO Box 2563, Bremerton, WA 98310.

Also - Remember Illahee Day on Saturday (8/9/08) and the Timbers Edge meeting on Wednesday (8/13/08),

Jim Aho

Early Morning Fire Report - 8/5/08

Early Tuesday morning from about 2 am to 5 am there was lots of activity along Illahee Road about a half mile north of the Illahee Community Dock. Many fire trucks and aid cars filled the road in response to fire call at 5960 Illahee Road. The road was blocked off as fire hoses stretched across the road and down to the small waterfront house.

The occupant woke up to the smell of smoke and got herself and two dogs out of the house and called 911.

Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue responded and quickly put out the fire that appeared to have started in the basement area.

The occupant eventually went to the hospital to be checked out, and neighbors took care of the two dogs.

When we find out more about the cause of the fire we will let you know.

Jim Aho

Miscellaneous Upcoming Items - 8/1/08

Illahee Outfall Appeal the the Shorelines Hearings Board. The two groups are reportedly going to try to work out their issues over the next 30 days which puts the hearings process on hold. More on this in a later update.

Illahee Community Plan Meeting Delayed? There is an Illahee Community Plan meeting showing on the county's website for Aug 6, 2008 that is unlikely to happen since we have not received the Draft County Plan that needs to be reviewed by the citizens advisory group. We presume the county will let us know next week.

Planning Commission Meeting 8/12/08. The Illahee Community Plan is scheduled to be discussed at the 8/12/08 Planning Commission meeting. We are anticipating a possible CAG meeting on Monday 8/11/08 if the briefing schedule for the Planning Commission is maintained. We wanted to give you a heads up as the Planning Commission review will be an interesting evening meeting for the community to attend, presuming the schedule remains.

Timbers Edge SEPA Letter Out. The Timbers Edge project is officially approved by the county staff with the SEPA letter supposedly going out on 7/31/08. It evidently did not get in Friday's mail so we anticipate it will be arriving on Saturday (8/2/08).

File Incomplete? Two Illahee residents went to look at the Timbers Edge file on Friday (8/1/08) and reported the file was not complete with at least one important exhibit still not entered. If those reports are correct, the county appeared to be in a rush to get the SEPA letter out. This makes it hard for the community to get the information they need to determine the impacts of the development, especially with the large size of the file (over 260 exhibits).

Hearing Date Already Scheduled. The county has already scheduled a hearing date of August 28, 2008, which doesn't allow much time (8 working days) from the SEPA appeal deadline (8/15/08) to get prepared for a possible complex hearing. Some of the residents are already wondering if this is allowing sufficient time for due process. We are attaching the county's SEPA letter for your information.

No Time Allowed for Community To Discuss Issues? We have heard the Illahee Community Club wanted to meet with the county to work through some issues before the legal process began, but were not given an opportunity. We have been told they are working on a response and we will possibly hear more on this issue.

Wetland Expert to Look at 3rd Street Wetlands. We have been told that the Department of Ecology's wetland expert for Western Washington will be in town on August 5th to look at the wetland area between McWilliams and 3rd Street that are the headwaters for Gilberton Creek and the North Tributary of Illahee Creek. In addition to looking at the wetlands on the 3rd Street side, he will reportedly be looking at the wetlands on the McWillams side where there is an applicant wanting to build in the wetland area as part of a reasonable use permit.

From your input this is something you want us to keep you informed on. Let us know if you have any other information on this subject.

Illahee Day is Next Weekend. Just a reminder that Illahee Day is next Saturday, from 10-4, in the vicinity of the Illahee community dock.

Keep sending us information and we will keep passing it on.

Jim Aho

Wildlife Update Comments - 7/27/08

Wildlife Update Comments. We thought we would pass on some of the wildlife update comments received over the past 2 days. Note that we don't indicate who they are from unless they have given us permission.

I love the wildlife reports! The parrot may be the one owned by Audrey Boyer. Although I have not seen "Bird" for several years, it used to fly freely in the neighborhood. It was not lost, or escaped, and returned to its home on Oceanview by evening. It could make a pretty good imitation of a crow and was frequently seen flying with a flock of those birds.

While sitting in my den looking out over the water, I saw a solid gray eagle. It was NOT a Heron. I looked in The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds book and there is such a bird as a Gray Sea Eagle. I've only seen it once, and as I said before it was not a Heron. Have you heard anything about this kind of Eagle?

My wife has seen a white/cream colored pheasant on Illahee Rd, north of 3rd. Not sure if it is a domestic or wild bird.

Thanks for including my question abut the doves in the previous newsletter. I posted three of the little webcam movies up on a webpage. They show a little more detail than the still I sent earlier. If you know someone who is interested, you could forward them this link. http://www.alberts-astro.com/misc/index.html

However, WARNING, the clips are pretty big, about 7 megs, so a dialup user would have to wait for hours to see the clips.

I would agree as noted below, the birds seem larger than those I'm used to seeing. When I first saw them I thought... What the heck are those seagulls doing in that tree???? That's how big they look from my distance.

Al Tuttle

Al - Thanks for sharing your photos and your web page. The white birds have been a puzzlement for many in Illahee and we were hoping someone would come forth and tell us who was raising these birds. We actually had one of them land in a tree next to our house so I got to see one up close and my take on it was it was a raised pigeon and they were being bred to maintain their white feathers. When I was young we used to raise pigeons in our back yard and it is not easy to get a group of all one color.

When our kids were young we went to the Illahee dock at a high tide in a dingy and got a squab (young pigeon - the pigeons nest in stringers under the dock and it is easy to get the young ones at high tide) that was just beginning to feather and kept it for a pet for awhile (the kids named it Andrew) until it flew into the house one day and landed on one of the blades of the ceiling fan. Our son said he could get Andrew down by turning on the fan, which was enough justification for my wife to have us take our pet back to the dock to release it. She was worried it would someday get back into the house and fly into the fan and she would have a bloody mess to clean up. It was okay as a pet on the deck, but not in her house. Anyway, that is my pigeon story and my take that they are pigeons.

Jim those were great reports on wildlife. I for sure sited a dove, and it sounded like a Mourning Dove. Rock pigeons coo differently :) I'm not sure ring neck doves have the same call the Mourning Dove has, but I could be wrong.

Great on the Midshipman! yes they are fun fish, maybe someone can catch one for Illahee days!

Weed Expert to Talk on Tuesday. The county's Noxious Weed Coordinator, Dana Coggon, is the brown bag lunch speaker at the Norm Dick's Center on Tuesday, July 29th, from 12-1pm. She will have some examples of noxious weeds and has also said we are welcome to bring any weeds we need help with identification. We have found these brown bag meetings to be informative and there is usually nearby parking available then.


Jim Aho

Illahee Outfall Appeal Update -7/26/08

Update on the Illahee Outfall Appeal. It has been over a month since the Illahee Community Club decided to appeal the locating of a 42 inch diameter stormwater outfall at the Illahee Community Dock and we have been asked to provide an update. The original notice went out as an update on June 19th and is included at the bottom of this email.

Things are Happening Quickly. The pre-hearing conference was held this past Thursday (7-24-08) and everything seems to be on a fast track, with Discovery (a legal term we are just learning about) to be completed by August 4, 2008. Some other legal item needs to be completed in early September, with the hearing dates scheduled for October 7 & 8, 2008 (The first day will be at a location in Kitsap County and the second day will be at the Board's hearing room in Lacy, Washington.) We will provide more information when the pre-hearing conference results are published by the Shorelines Hearings Board.

Thank You to Those Who Have Already Donated! Donations in support of the appeal continue to trickle in which is encouraging to the ICC Board of Directors and they thank you for your help.

Status of Donations. Approximately half of the funds (about $4000) have been raised for lawyer fees. The Club is still working on an expert witness list and will need to determine those costs.

This is not where community members want to spend their money but they also have stated to the Club that they don't want to roll over and let another injustice be done in and to our community.

Contributions Still Needed. Contributions are tax deductible, as allowed by law, since the Community Club reorganized in December 2007 as a 501.c.3 organization. They can be sent to the Illahee Community Club, P.O. Box 2563, Bremerton, WA 98310. Please note on gifts that they are for the Outfall Legal Fund.


This link is to the 6/19/08 Update that described the SHB appeal.

Where to Contribute? The Illahee Community Club, P.O. Box 2563, Bremerton, WA 98310-0332.

Wildlife Update - 7/25/08

Midshipman Fish. One of the more common fish in the area is the midshipman fish, though seldomly seen. Recently when showing some visitors the beach area during a low tide we lifted some rocks to see what was under them. What we saw were yellow eggs on the underside of the rock and a midshipman fish underneath.

The midshipman is a nocturnal fish that buries itself during the day. During breeding season the male digs out an area under a rock and sends out a 100 hertz humming sound to attach females who them lay their eggs on the underside of the rock. She then moves on and he continues to try and attract more females and also guards the eggs.

When talking with some long time residents they say these fish have always been around and one said they call them croakers because when touched on the head they emit a croaking sound. There is much more on these fish on the internet. Someone reported they are under every bigger rock in Illahee and discovered three fish under one rock. We will try to get some photos for a future update.

Illahee Dock Report. The report from the dock is that it has been a good year for red rock crab. There are also lots of shiner perch (poggies) around and also large schools of small salmon seen swimming by. One poggie fisherman caught a 10 inch Chinook salmon which had its adipose fin cut off indicating it was a hatchery fish. We are beginning to have a better understanding of why the nearshore beach areas are so important for a healthy Puget Sound and for Chinook. Some rock cod have been caught, but no reports of catches of piling perch that used to be common around the dock.

Sediment Depth at the Dock. A check on the amount of mud or sediment at the base of the shore side float revealed the depth of the mud was 30 inches at the south end, and 24 inches at the north end. Not that many years ago divers would collect squid jigs that had gotten caught on the rocks under the floats. The good news for jiggers is that they aren't losing their lures, but the bad news is sediment is accumulating under the dock at an alarming rate. It is an indication of the amount of sediment that is coming down from Illahee Creek during storm events, and the reason the Port of Illahee is concerned about the creek and the depth of water at the floats.

White Pigeons/Doves? We received several emails regarding the white pigeons/doves, but nothing about who might be raising them or where in Illahee they might reside. We also received a sighting of a parrot that evidently got lose. Here are two of the pigeon/dove responses.

Of course it's hard to tell without seeing the bird in life, but it looks to me like a white variant of your basic rock dove (Columba livia), which is the bird that hangs around in parks and that everyone calls a pigeon. I found a nice pic of a white pigeon at a University of Hawaii web page: http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/biology101/birds/campus_birds.htm

Another candidate might be the ringneck dove (Streptopelia risoria), which is the kind that's commonly kept as pets and inappropriately released at weddings or other celebratory events. I can't be certain from the photo, but the size and shape of what the folks have been seeing at Illahee looks a little more robust than a typical ringneck dove. Here's a link to a page with a bunch of color variants of S. risoria: http://www.dovepage.com/species/domestic/Ringneck/ringneckcolorlist.html. You can see that most of those individuals look a little daintier than the birds that are in the photo you got from Jim.

The following response was received from a former president of the Seattle Audubon Society.

Pigeons:

Varieties of domesticated pigeons are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon Columba livia , (formerly called Rock Dove).

These appear to be a white morph (form) of the Rock Pigeon. You can see many of these morphs just by looking at a flock of "city pigeons", almost all Rock Pigeons fit into one of these morph patterns. They may have been bred by someone to dominate the white morph. Cornell University has done a great deal of study of Rock Pigeon morphs and these can be seen by Googling their website or other Rock Pigeon websites.

Pigeon Color Morphs

blue-bar

This bird has two black or dark gray stripes or "bars" on each light-gray wing. It has a dark-gray body and shiny, rainbow-like neck feathers.

red-bar

This bird has two red stripes or "bars" on each light-gray wing. It also has a rusty-red or brown shade to its body.

spread

This bird has one dark color spread all over its body.

red

This bird has a rusty-red or brown shade to its body and light-gray bars on its wings.

checker

This bird looks a little like a checkerboard. Its wing feathers have checks of light and dark.

pied white

This bird has white as well as other colors on its body. The "pied white flight" has white wing feathers, which are easy to see when the bird is flying.

pied splash

The "pied splash" pigeon has one or more spots of white.

white

This bird is solid white. This color morph is what some people call a dove of peace.

Keep sending us your reports. We will eventually get them out to the community.


Jim Aho

Illahee Day! - 7/24/08

Illahee Day is Saturday, August 9, 2008. We have heard there have been food donations and there will be displays regarding some of the current Illahee issues in addition to the other events.

The Port of Illahee Presents

“ILLAHEE   DAY  2008” 

Come help us celebrate the ILLAHEE COMMUNITY. 

Where:  ILLAHEE DOCK                      When: Saturday August 9, 2008 

Time:  11:00am – 4:00pm 

What:       BIGGEST Little Parade in ILLAHEE.  Kids decorate your bike or wagon!  March with your neighbor and play a tune on your instrument!  Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Illahee sport teams, come on down!

What:   Trees and Treetures with Jim Trainer 

Come see and learn about our giant trees in the Park and the treetures that live there.  Identify the treetures  by their sounds, fur, claws, skulls, scat, tracks and everything a treeture leaves in the forest.

Guided walk in the Illahee Forest up the Illahee Creek.  Bring Boots  

Drinks                    Snacks                      Fun

What:   Tide touch pool for Kids.  Divers will bring up creatures from the deep and place in pools to observe and touch. (approx 12:30pm – 3:00pm) 

What:    Central Kitsap Fire Dept. Display.   Fire Truck and Aid Car

What:     Kitsap County Sheriff’s Patrol Boat

What:       Antique Cars       

What:       Public Officials and Candidates for Public Office.         Come and ask your questions.           

Parking on Illahee Road, South of Illahee North, past barricades. 

PLEASE do not block driveways.

Wildlife Update - 7/18/08

Bald Eagle Gets Canada Goose. On Thursday (7/17/08) residents north of the Illahee Community dock heard a loud commotion at the beach as a Bald Eagle went after a Canada goose. The goose lost the battle and ended up being food for two mature bald eagles. A very large brown eagle, either an immature bald eagle or as someone thought, a golden eagle, came by to look over the situation and was aggressively chased away by one of the mature bald eagles. We took a picture of the carcus of the goose which was well picked over. It is attached so as to verify the event. We have seen bald eagle take Great Blue Herons, but this is a first for seeing them take on a Canada goose. It is no wonder that the Canada geese seem apprehensive when they swim by a bald eagle up in a tree.

White Pigeons or Doves? Over the years Illahee residents have observed varying numbers of white pigeons or doves. Some of the residents remember seeing first a pair of the white birds, and then a few years later up to about 10 or more. Then, nothing until recently when the following report came through this week. If you have any information on these pure white birds please let us know and we will pass the information on. We have attached one of Al's photos.

You often send out wildlife sightings in these updates, and well... I'm trying to solve a little mystery. A couple years ago I noticed a group of fairly large white birds settling a the top of one of the tall fir trees (always the same one) near the shore. From my home near Ocean View & Madrona the tree is ENE.

The birds showed up 2 years ago and stayed through most of August. I didn't see them last year, but this year they have stopped and stayed perched in the tree a few times. Sometimes staying for a few minutes, sometimes hours. This year there are 7 of them... I think there were a few more two years ago.

I'm not a birder by any means, but I'd never seen any birds like this in the NW and I wondered what they were. I took some pictures and movies through my telescope and sent them to a birder I know. He thinks they are a non-native variety of Dove not native to North America, but is not sure. He wonders if maybe someone is raising them or if they're escapees.

I'm wondering if there is a local birder in the community that may have also noticed the birds, or may know what they are? Is there some way you could help me solve the puzzle?

Here's a couple pictures (not great I know, but not bad for a webcam and telescope at over a hundred yards).

Thanks for any help or ideas,

Area Beach Seining - 7/12/08

Area Beach Seines. There are several beach seining events around Kitsap County that happen regularly. The one that goes around Bainbidge Island has two seines which are in relative close proximity to Illahee. Point White is across from Illahee State Park, and Battle Point is across from University Point. In other words the seines are near the south and north ends of the Illahee Community boundaries.

Bainbridge Island Beach Seine. The Bainbridge Island beach seine is a research project of the City of Bainbridge Island in partnership with the Suquamish Tribe and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to study the presence and distribution of nearshore species.

Friday's Beach Seine. On Friday (7-11-08) two Illahee residents joined the seining group and recorded the event with pictures that were put into a movie type of format by John Lind. We will try to include more information on the types of fish in the area in subsequent updates. The attached sequence of photos gives an overview of a seining event. The opening photo is at Fay Bainbridge State Park where the first seine is conducted, and incidently where anyone can watch as it happens about 9 am every two weeks until November.

Previous Seahorse Reports. A few weeks ago we were asked if anyone else has seen seahorses in Illahee, other than the persons reporting them, and just recently received a verbal response from a long time resident. He indicated that over the years they have seen seahorses in the area, and reported one up to about 5-6 inches long that had gotten stranded at Schutt's Point.

Nothing in the Scientific Literature. There is nothing in the scientific literature that says there are seahorses anywhere around. Local marine biologists raise they eyebrows when we mentioned the possibility and asked if we weren't confusing this with a bay pipe fish that had somehow curled up since they also have round snouts.

We Need Help to Solve the Mystery. We are soliciting help in solving this seahorse mystery. Let us know any information you might have.

Jim Aho

Illahee Outfall Appeal to the SHB - 7/10/08

Appeal Filed. The proposed Illahee Outfall Project to put a 42 inch outfall at the base of the Illahee Community Dock has been appealed to the Shorelines Hearings Board (SHB) by the Illahee Community Club.

1980's Appeal. This is not the first time the Illahee community has appealed a proposed project to the SHB. At least twenty years ago community members successfully opposed a fish pen project the county had approved for the area (about a third of a mile north of the Illahee Community Dock). Aquaculture (salmon rearing pens) was a new business being introduced to the state at that time and a newly arrived Illahee shoreline resident successfully convinced the county that Illahee was a prime area for commercial salmon pens. The problem that residents, and eventually UW scientists realized (who testified for the community during the SHB hearings), was the tidal flushing actions were insufficient in Illahee to carry away and disperse the wastes. There were also concerns by the nearby neighbors with many of the commercial aspects associated with the project.

Small Illahee Group Funded the 80's Appeal. This previous situation required local citizens to take the County and the applicant to a state hearings board to see that the right thing was done. There weren't many citizens who came forward to support that appeal and it was costly for those who stepped forward. The Illahee Community Club wasn't active at the time so nearby residents organized the "Illahee Community Betterment Committee" to help with the fight. Their initial goal was to get 12 families to each contribute $500 for the appeal and they ended up with just enough money. They retained John Merkel, a respected and powerful Seattle attorney, which was one of the keys to their success, along with several UW professors. As we move forward with the present appeal it is good to remember this earlier SHB appeal and thank those who are still around for their efforts.

NIMBYISM? Was this previous appeal NIMBYISM (Not In My Back Yard)? It could appear so, but the concern was backed up by the scientists who agreed that the Illahee location was not appropriate. The Illahee group did not fight against fish pens when they were later located in Kitsap County where there was sufficient tidal movement.

SHB Hearing This Week. Two residents attended a SHB hearing on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week regarding the Harper Road Widening and Outfall Project. Tuesday the Board met at Long Lake and then met at the SHB headquarters in Lacy on Wednesday. The Illahee residents feel it is a benefit to get out of Kitsap County and before a board that is trained to handle these kind of issues. They also noted the importance of expert witnesses, and that the Harper group had some very good ones.

Lessons From Past Hearings. One of the lessons learned from talking with those involved with recent hearings is that the expert witnesses can cost as much or more than the lawyer. The fact is that these appeals cost significant dollars and emotional energy and a group or individual to take a leadership role in coordinating the efforts. The Illahee Community is fortunate to have an active Illahee Community Club board to take on these issues, not to mention the Port of Illahee who has filed papers to prohibit the running of the proposed outfall through the community dock's foundational structure.

Status of Appeal Funds. We understand approximately $3000 came in from the first email appeal that asked for 60 individuals to contribute $150. Many wanted more information regarding the appeal and asked if it was a wise use of their money, especially with the Timbers Edge project expected to be approved by the County soon. (Timbers Edge was a concern a few years ago and the community funded studies that showed the project would cause problems along the slopes, would affect the underlying aquifers, and could decrease the flow in Illahee Creek by 20% thereby jeopardizing salmon rearing. It appears at this point that the County has ignored or discounted those studies and is moving ahead to approve the project. This will likely be another fight with our County officials who are supposed to be watching out for our streams, aquifers, and salmon.)

Additional Financial Support is Needed! The Illahee Community Club needs additional significant support for appeals like the Illahee Outfall Project, though gifts of any amount will help. The goal is to spread out the costs among community members so no one takes too big a hit on their pocketbook. These fights are not what many of us want to be involved with, but since our County officials are not supporting us, we are left with no choice.

Periodic Updates. We have been asked to provide periodic updates, such as this one, on the status of Community Club's legal fund, and will try to do so every week or so. Let us know what questions you have and we will try to get answers.

Jim Aho

Wetlands Responses - 7/8/08

More Wetland Responses. We have received some more responses to the questions posed by an Illahee resident asking "why wetlands are so important" and are passing them on.

Wetland Info on Clear Creek Trail. "One of the displays on the Clear Creek Trail answers some of the questions posed by the person who witnessed the destruction of wetlands in Minnesota. We recommend he/she/they take the wetland tour hike on the north part of the trail and read about why wetlands are important and why they are supposed to be protected (hint Kitsap County)."

The Wetland Question Needs More Answers. The question "What is wrong with digging out a wetland area if it provides another building site" needs more answers.

The development of the property on Third Avenue between the streets called East and Sunset has not only destroyed vital sensitive wetlands but may have done so many other things to the property that the public is not aware of yet, and there-by caused issues to begin to exist on neighboring properties that have never existed before.

It seems that many people have figured out that those living North and East of this development are going to be suffering the consequences as well if they haven't already.

The area immediately adjacent and to the East of the property will be receiving more water now from the pumping and/or run off of the newly developed land. Interestingly on that adjacent property, the owners had to move their house South because of the prior standing water. This developer's rerouting of water could cause flooding in areas that usually don't flood and greater flooding issues in the areas that usually do flood. Does that make any sense?

This area has been known as the head waters for Gilberton Creek which is according to the Kitsap County Officials who are working to set a new culvert in the washed-out area less than three quarters of a mile north of Third Ave, considered a salmon regulated creek. Any thoughts on what this development will do towards keeping the creek viable?

What about the future residences of this property? Could there be any problems for them since this soil and area is poorly suited to dwellings because of the seasonal high water table. Did the developers find out what sustains the wetlands in this area? How will this development affect Perry Avenue Water?

Some of the benefits of Wetlands would be that they preserve the quality of water that seeps into aquifers; they protect surrounding land from rain storms and flooding; and facilitate fishery's goals. If the county government allows a the destruction of a wetlands by a developer and ultimately gets sued because of that action who's taxes pays off the claim? * see (Yamagiwa v. City of Half Moon Bay, 523 F. Supp. 2d 1036 (N.D. Cal. 2007).)

At least, this answer should open up a discussion on the subject.

And the Last Response. The United States is losing wetlands at an astounding rate. What is happening on third street is what's called a 'take' . What does that mean. A developer can fill in and develop a wetland as long as that amount of wetland taken is replaced somewhere else. The developer is responsible for mitigating or paying for replacing the wetland somewhere else. How do they do this? When a site is picked/designated for constructing a 'created wetland' the soils need to be almost completely excavated. Generally speaking the new soil/mediums used are layered in such a fashion as to allow a recreation of the hydrology that you would normally see in a natural wetland. In addition adjacent parcels as they are being developed will have excess water directed to the created wetland.

What is wrong with this. Plenty! This wetland was created over time by the natural process happening within the area. Excess water naturally flowed to this area and was conveyed as efficiently as possible to the sound. This natural occurrence became a problem when someone wanted that area to build a house. So extensive, manmade measures are undertaken (filling, grading) to make the area sound for a dwelling to be put in place.

Created wetlands have been engineered into a suitable place so humans can use natural areas to build their homes. Created wetlands are built to take the place and perform as a natural wetland would. These wetlands do not completely provide the same results as a naturally created wetland. For instance: During the raising of a natural wetland micro habitats of animal, insect and other biological populations are lost. Many times these 'micro populations' are found in small, but broken population areas throughout an ecological region. If one area is lost it puts a strain on other populations. Sometimes there may be just the single population now lost through habitat destruction. It is unknown to this writer what populations were present in that wetland before the drain and fill occurred. Our community has lost a natural system, and this is sad for all of us. Now a house is in a wetland whereas before a functioning habitat replete with plants, animals, hydrology (water movement) and other natural systems were present and functioning . We as a community have lost something unique and important. We have many houses, but so few wetlands.

Wetlands and forested areas bring diversity to an area in the form of the simple beauty of what these wild spaces afford to us as humans. These areas lower the mean air temperature by at least 10 degrees. The thrill of seeing a Pilliated woodpecker, Trillium or other nature bearing creature brings joy, lowers stress and gives us a feeling we are part of, not apart from the natural world around us. These externalities are intrinsic and valuable and cannot be replaced.

I've tried to give you a wide brush of information in a short space. I hope to have been concise and answer you question as to the importance of wetlands.

Sandra Jacobson
Illahee

Wildlife Report - 7/7/08

River Otters. On an earlier wildlife update we called the otters in the area sea otters and have been reminded that they are really river otters. There was a report that three river otters were observed the other evening playing on one of the floats at the Illahee Community Dock. They rolled around and played together on the float similar to the way they do in the water. We are waiting to see if there are any new offspring this year.

Birding in the Illahee Preserve. Here is a birding report from Vic Ulsh. "A bird survey was conducted in Illahee Forest Preserve on Sunday morning, July 6th. We set our own new record of 35 species of birds identified. Highlights included sightings of western tanager, immature pileated woodpeckers, and immature brown creepers. A total of 55 different species of birds have been identified in Illahee Preserve over these past few years during our walks. If you are interested to join a future bird walk, please contact Vic Ulsh during daytime at 479-6900 or vic@bradleyscottinc.com."

Eagles. "A bald eagle was observed in a fir tree north of the Illahee dock that flew nearly to Bainbridge Island to pick up something, probably a bird or fish, and flew directly to the area north of Illahee State Park." This report corresponds with the following report. "Jim Trainer reports that the eagle's nest adjacent to his house on Illahee Rd is occupied again with adult eagles and one eaglet. The attached photograph shows some of the remnants of prey found beneath the nest: feathers and one partial skeleton of a crow: In clockwise order: seagull, raven, seagull, red tail hawk, sea gull, crow, red tail hawk, raven, sea gull."

Coyotes. "Yesterday (7/2/08) at 0830, neighbors to the South were busy working their grounds on the East side of the house and their 3 dogs were in the yard on the West. I heard yelping and a commotion from my house -- looked out to witness a standoff and scuffle between a coyote and the two larger dogs, one that suffered a bloody foreleg wound. The coyote ran off when I stepped into its view." We've had other reports of coyotes in the area.

Deer. Many reports came in about deer that have been killed along the area roadways. At least one set of twin fawns have been reported, and possibly two, depending on how mobile they are. The most interesting report came in with two photos that were attached, and have been attached to this email. Seeing a big buck eating from a bird feeder is a first for many of us. Thank you Pat for sharing the pictures with us.

Send us your reports and pictures. Keep the reports coming. From the feedback we receive the wildlife reports are the most appreciated.

 Jim Aho