EDMONDS – Edmonds City Council members did some “housekeeping” June 1, unanimously approving amendments made to an interim city policy on forest practice violations.
The issue now will go before the Edmonds Planning Board for review and discussion; a date hadn’t been set as of The Enterprise’s deadline.
“It was a matter of changing a few words,” city attorney Scott Snyder said.
By state law, cities must impose a six-year moratorium on actions that violate the Forest Practices Act by failing to comply with or apply for a permit through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The moratorium halts any action to further the development in question.
The amendment made to Edmonds’ policy clarifies that city staff can appeal to lift a moratorium and defines how it can do so, Snyder said.
Development services operator Duane Bowman, who would impose and lift the moratorium, said the original policy did not effectively outline the procedure to follow in such a case.
Mayor Gary Haakenson said the changes are not directed specifically toward the recent and ongoing tree-cutting issue with Point Edwards, LLC, but that it was spurred by the event.
“Since we’ve never been asked to put on a moratorium by the Department of Natural Resources, our code didn’t allow us how to do it,” Haakenson said.
Snyder added, “It was one of those situations where you realize you have to do something and you’re not sure where to start.”
Shortly after the tree-cutting incident, DNR ruled that Point Edwards LLC violated the state Forest Practices Act. DNR required the city of Edmonds to impose the moratorium and establish conditions under which the moratorium could be lifted.
The company, which is building a $65 million condominium project, was supposed to clear-cut only the trees in the designated upper portion of the area.
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