It is indeed sad that our county could not have understood this to begin with, rather than force the Tarboo Ridge Coalition to file a lawsuit for something so clearly out of line with the law. This is probably the low point for our county commissioners in my mind. A true failure to do the right thing and expect the courts to clean up the mess. I would like to have a county commissioner get interviewed to explain themselves.
NEWS FLASH 9/16/2019
Growth Management Hearings Board Sides With TRC
Jefferson County’s Commercial Shooting Ordinances Invalidated
Tarboo Ridge Coalition’s appeal of Jefferson County’s “commercial shooting facility” ordinances, passed in late 2018, were struck down by the GMHB in a 21 page report issued late today.
The Board agreed with TRC that both ordinances (Title 8-Health and Safety Code and Title 18- Land Use Code) were indeed land use regulations that expand the size, scope and types of land allowed for gun ranges. The Board further noted that the cross references in the two ordinances between the definitions and the permitting and appeals processes also make them both land use regulations.
The Board also found that Title 8 was adopted without SEPA review, in violation of the law. The Board found that the failure to conduct SEPA review resulted in a substantial interference with the Growth Management Act’s environmental goals, in that the County didn’t even ask what the environmental impacts of Title 8 would be.
The County was instructed to take action by March 2, 2020 to fix its violations and report to the Hearing Board on March 16, 2020 what actions it took.
TRC is grateful for the opportunity to start over and is dedicated to keep working with all of you for a sensible and fair ordinance that includes specific siting criteria with bright line rules about the location, size and intensity of new gun facilities. We also believe any proposed new ordinance must pass muster with the Planning Commission following rigorous environmental review.
THANK YOU TO THE HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE CARRIED US THIS FAR. TODAY YOUR EFFORTS WERE REWARDED! **
**The full 21 page decision is posted on our website. We will provide additional information there and by e-mail in the days ahead.
Filed under: Jefferson County, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound |
Good news, but by no means should anyone who cares about East Jefferson County relax.
Call or email Kate Dean, David Sullivan and Greg Brotherton to require “specific siting criteria with bright line rules about the location, size and intensity of new gun facilities.” You would not think you’d need to ask for this, but also specifically be clear that “any proposed new ordinance must pass muster with the Planning Commission following rigorous environmental review.”
Thanks for posting Al. The process fraught with many lawsuits, and defensive positioning. Now is the time to weigh in on this and move forward.