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November 18, 2019
RE: Ecology’s Notice of Final Action on Pierce County Shoreline Master Program Amendment
Dear Interested Parties:
The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) is pleased to announce its final action approving the Pierce County (County) Shoreline Master Program (SMP) amendment which was submitted in response to a Final Decision and Order in the Growth Management Hearings Board case No. 18-3-0013c. The effective date of the County’s SMP amendment is November 18, 2019. Ecology will publish a notice (legal ad) that starts a 60 day appeal period. The expected date of publication the News Tribune legal ads is November 18, 2019.
Documents related to this SMP approval will remain on Ecology’s Active Shoreline Master Programs website until the conclusion of the appeal period:
On Ecology’s website you will find the following key documents:
- · Ecology’s Approved as Submitted letter, dated November 4, 2019
- · Attachment A: Findings and Conclusions
- · Attachment B: Public Comment Summary
We sent this letter to you because your name is on an “interested party” contact list, you commented on the draft SMP previously, or you indicated that you want to be notified of any actions concerning the Pierce County SMP.
If you have any questions about this SMP update, please contact me at kim.vanzwalenburg@ecy.wa.gov or (360) 407-6520. If you would like a paper copy of Ecology’s documents or require this document in an alternative format, please contact Jackie Chandler at (360) 407-7678, persons with hearing loss can call 711 for Washington Relay Service, and persons with speech disabilities can call 877-833-6341.
Sincerely,
Kim Van Zwaleburg
Senior Shoreline Planner
MEETING AGENDA
FREDERICKSON ADVISORY COMMISSION
GIG HARBOR PENINSULA ADVISORY COMMISSION
GRAHAM ADVISORY COMMISSION
KEY PENINSULA ADVISORY COMMISSION
MID-COUNTY ADVISORY COMMISSION
PARKLAND-SPANAWAY-MIDLAND ADVISORY COMMISSION
SOUTH HILL ADVISORY COMMISSION
October 14, 2019 at 6:00 PM
Sprinker Recreation Center, Rainier Room, 14824 C Street South, Tacoma, WA
Pierce County Parks and Recreation has released their Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan for public review. Parks staff will hold an informational meeting for all Land Use Advisory Commission members. The public is welcome to attend. Public comment is limited to 3 minutes per speaker.
Parks and Recreation staff contact: Tiffany O’Dell, tiffany.odell@piercecountywa.gov or 253-798-4254
The Tacoma City Council is currently recruiting for two positions on the Sustainable Tacoma Commission.
Members of the STC provide accountability, transparency, and vigilance in the long-term implementation of Tacoma’s Environmental Action Plan, including reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. STC members are expected to serve 4-8 hours per month, mainly by attending monthly meetings to oversee and encourage public involvement in sustainability in Tacoma.
The Commission includes a balanced representation of stakeholders, such as the environmental community, small business, labor, housing, industry and port, transportation, education, building industry, and residents. Candidates that represent the diversity of the Tacoma community are encouraged to apply, and there is particular need for those with experience in food insecurity or interest in sustainable food systems.
Applications will be accepted through Tuesday, October 8.
Visit cityoftacoma.org/cbcapplication to apply.
Contact:
Patrick Babbitt
City of Tacoma, Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability
(253) 591-5173
pbabbitt@cityoftacoma.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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Sept. 25, 2019 |
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In-district Council meeting to focus on community engagement |
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The Pierce County Council will hold an in-district Council meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 1, at the Mid-County Community Center, 10205 44th Ave. E. in Tacoma. This in-district meeting will be chaired by Councilmember Marty Campbell, District 5 and will focus on community engagement.
Each member of the Pierce County Council hosts at least one in-district meeting each year to make meetings more accessible to the residents of Pierce County. There is time set aside on the agenda for residents and local elected officials to present to the council.
On the agenda for this meeting are the following presentations:
For more information about this meeting please visit the County Council webpage.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Erin Babbo, Communications Specialist (253) 798-6248 |
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July 18th, 2019 marked the 10 year anniversary of our annual farm to table fundraising dinner, 
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How to Donate $$$ When Shopping on Amazon!
Watch this short video to learn how to use Amazon Smile to donate moola seamlessly to any non-profit organization (and hopefully FOPC!): https://youtu.be/kNQexlC8i_4
Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas Guidance Document (click here to open or download the pdf)
from: Washington State Department of Ecology
Friends of Pierce County 2019 Annual Meeting Summary
Friends of Pierce County welcomed Erin Dilworth from Citizens for Healthy Bay. Erin briefed attendees on the latest issues with the Tacoma Tide Flats. The City of Tacoma is working on a Tideflats Subarea Plan. The City is putting together a stakeholder team to address a vision, environment, land use, economy, public services and transportation in the plan.
The most contaminated site in Commencement Bay (from Hylebos to Marine View Drive – and deeper than the height of the Tacoma Dome) is slated for cleanup. A plan is currently being developed for what portions of this area will be cleaned up. For more on Occidental Chemical Cleanup: https://www.healthybay.org/work/contaminated-site-cleanups/occidental-chemical-cleanup-site/
Erin Dilworth, Citizens for Healthy Bay, at Friends of Pierce County Annual meeting. March 19, 2019.
CVA Newsletter #42, December 2018
In its 14th year, the Donkey Creek Chum Festival attracted 850 visitors to the Harbor History Museum and CVA was there!
Key Peninsula/Peninsula/Islands Watershed Council Nets
$10,000 from Cider Swig Proceeds For Lu Winsor Grants
Barbara Ann Smolko of Surface Water Management accepts a check from the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation Board President Jud Morris.
With matching County funds and Peninsula Light donations, KGI will award around $25,000 in 2019 to individuals and groups who aim to enhance the natural environment through education or restoration projects in our area.
The next application round will be announced in March.
Watch for it on the KGI Watershed Council Facebook Page.
A Community Plan Amendment on native plant canopy is working its way through county hearings, next up is the Planning Commission, TBA in January.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT, Gig Harbor Community Plan, pg. E104
Goal GH ENV-14 The goal for tree canopy coverage shall be 75% within the Urban Sensitive Resource Overlay and the Rural Sensitive Resource zone to implement the Peninsula Open Space Corridors map.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Our Crescent Valley Rural Sensitive Reserve area, farms and all, currently measures at 80% canopy coverage. Yay! (See CVA’s website to find the description on page 43 of the Stewardship Plan.) Besides enhancing our own properties, native plant canopy provides our neighbors these Public Benefits:Staff supports the proposal. Staff supports the proposal based on the following:
The proposal is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Community Plan goals andpolicies for the maintenance and restoral of native vegetation in the Rural Sensitive
Resource and the Urban Sensitive Resource Zones.
The Gig Harbor Community Plan’s direction to preserve native vegetation is supportedby supplemental plans such as the adopted Crescent Valley Biodiversity Management
Area (BMA) Stewardship Plan, which covers a large portion of the area that the policy
would apply to.
1. Free storm water management services. (i.e., slowing the rate of runoff, sending potential pollutants deep into the soil.)
2. Free aquifer recharge. (i.e., percolating rainwater deep through soil layers.)
3. Free anti-erosion services. (i.e., stabilizing slopes with root systems better and cheaper than bulkheading.)
4. Free cooling and warming services to our northwest soils and streams, as well as to our homes. (i.e., buffering the effects of strong winds, hard frosts, and droughts.)
5. Wildlife habitat. Our human developments punch holes in the web of life that grows timber and sustains salmon. Homes for birds, insects, and wild mammals are essential to preserve what our Community Plan calls “the nature of our community.” Neither the land, nor the nearshore, nor Puget Sound can remain healthy without preservation of substantial tree canopy.
6. Wildlife corridors. Wildlife must move from one type of habitat to another as the seasons change. Connected streams of tree canopy across our peninsula must be maintained because isolated patches of trees do not provide ecosystem services for wildlife or for us humans.
7. Human health and well-being. Trees scrub the air we breathe of pollutants while exchanging CO2 for oxygen. They cool and calm the human spirit.
8. Aesthetically pleasing surrounds. As much as the waters of the Salish Sea, trees are our view and our land value.
9. Carbon dioxide sequestration. Trees are an ally in reducing the percentage of the planet-heating CO2 in the mix of air we breathe.
Gosh, I hope I covered it all. (And did you know that some parcels larger than 2 acres can qualify for a tax rate reduction for providing these public benefits?) If you have questions or are interested in seeing the entire PDF for this amendment proposal, email Lucinda, WingardJL@hotmail.com
Draft of the New Buildable Lands document:
Looking for all Pierce County wetlands
In Washington, the existing statewide wetland maps (National Wetlands Inventory [NWI] maps) are out of date and inaccurate in many locations. They are based on imagery and data from the 1980s and do not reflect current wetland location and extent.
Additionally, wetlands are missing from the NWI maps. These errors of omission have been recorded to be as high as 50% in some areas, and may be as high as 90% in some forested areas. Inaccuracies and errors of omission are due in part to the difficulty of photo-interpreting certain land cover types. Also, many wetlands on agricultural lands were not mapped.
The NWI classified wetlands to identify wetland habitat types. It lacks abiotic information such as landscape position, landform, and water flow path, which can be used to predict functions and, in combination with land uses, wetland condition. To complete this project, the University of Washington will use remote sensing data sources, such as LiDAR, high-resolution aerial imagery, Landsat imagery, digital elevation data, hydrography, and updated soil maps provide an opportunity to address these known shortcomings. Moreover, recent developments in automated remote sensing technologies allow for more efficient coverage of large areas.
An improved, statewide map of wetland location and type is critical to the ability of local governments to protect wetlands. Under the Growth Management and Shoreline Management Acts, local governments play a critical role in wetland protection and management. They do this through comprehensive planning, zoning, and permit review. Planners and permit reviewers rely on existing NWI maps for these processes. A few local jurisdictions have conducted their own wetland inventories and improved their maps, but these are limited due to lack of resources, and none have predicted functions and conditions of wetlands. This leaves many local governments with inadequate maps and information on local wetlands, and the state with uneven coverage.
This project will improve the ability to more efficiently and accurately identify the location, size, and type of wetland resource. available as a publicly accessible, web-based map. Information about the maps, and any analyses using the data, will be disseminated through articles and presentations to state and federal agencies, and local governments and planners.
Source: https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/1013138-washington-wetland-mapping.html
From Pierce County:
The Regulation Roadmap for Agriculture is now posted on the Pierce County Farming website: https://www.co.pierce.wa.us/3422/Getting-Started. The Regulation Roadmap was developed to assist producers to identify possible permits and licenses needed to produce and sell farm products. It also identifies the primary regulatory agencies dealing with farm products.
The Regulation Roadmap for Agriculture project is a partnership with the Agriculture Community of Interest, Pierce County Agriculture Program and Tacoma Pierce Health Department.
Diane Marcus-Jones | Senior Planner | Pierce County Planning and Public Works| (253)798-2616 |
2401 South 35th Street, Room 175, Tacoma, WA, 98409-7490 | dmarcus@co.pierce.wa.us | www.co.pierce.wa.us/pals I www.piercecountywa.org/farming
| Friends of Pierce County is a 501(c) non-profit organization. 8205 90th Street Ct. NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98332 |
