March 24th Citizen Forum to City Bellevue Planning Commission

March 24th Citizen Forum to City Bellevue Planning Commission

The City of Bellevue provided WSSA meeting time on March 24th to present a series of speakers and information on shoreline management.  The presentaion started with a video enhanced timeline of significant historical events. Commission members and more than 250 residents were then introduced to the basics of fish science on our lake systems.  Dr. Gil Pauley, former professor of Fishery Science, refuted the contention that Kokanee rely on Bellevue lake shores and explained how the creation of woody debris in lake waters would further threaten salmon stocks.

Environmental Sciences Peer Review Institute director (ESPRI), Norm MacLeod, explained to the group the critical need for fully independent peer review of “science” cited in the Bellevue’s shoreline update process and how that science is interpreted.  Subsequently, Richard Johnson, whose family homesteaded on Lake Sammamish, reported the results of a resident study of bulkheads along the lake’s shore.  The study clearly indicated that staff reports to the Planning Commission have been grossly inflated. Robert Thorpe, a regional planning consultant, using 5 example properties, summarized the difficulties imposed on property owners under the current shoreline restrictions adopted under 2006 Critical Area Ordance (CAO) codes.  Attorney Charles Klinge underlined Thorpe’s message, citing the distinction between actual and alleged requirements in State law and the need for clarity, consistency, and certainty in the actual administration of shorelines permitting.

Depending on your connection speed, video playback is optimized by allowing partial load.

Click on the picture below to begin presentation.

Introduction by Diane Tebelius

Washington Sensible Shorelines Association makes presentaion to the City of Bellevue on the Shoreline Master Plan.  3:23 minutes
When finished go to History Timelines on the side bar

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