Save a Forest in Southworth, WA

Southworth Forest Update:

Southworth Community Group to Appeal County Decision

Posted October 15, 2023 by Southworth Forest

The filename and notification email subject for this SEPA Determination of Non-Significance misstate the permit as a level 1 SDAP rather than the level 2 it is, a careless error by Kitsap County that diminishes the importance of the action.

Kitsap County has issued its State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) determination for the after-the-fact permit (20-04869) to legalize the negligent 2019 deforestation in Southworth. As expected, the determination relies heavily upon the incomplete information submitted by code-violators Meghan and Clint Edwards. Community concerns are barely recognized in the Determination of Non-Significance.

Kitsap County SEPA coordinator Steve Heacock has repeatedly failed to answer questions or address concerns expressed by direct neighbors and the community in regards to the environmental impacts of the deforestation. Heacock had also declined to stop the original violation when he discovered it in process, and he has demonstrated difficulty remembering the nature of the corrective permit since. Thus, the community has been preparing to appeal his SEPA determination for nearly a year.

Starting in November 2022, the community began submitting installments of evidence detailing existing environmental impacts and errors in Edwards' submittals to Kitsap County's hearing examiner, who handles appeals. Heacock originally refused to view this evidence because of how it was submitted. SEPA determinations typically attempt to predict future impacts, but this case has had four years of ongoing deforestation impacts to study prior to the installation of agricultural operations. You can view evidence submitted to the hearing examiner.

Heacock's determination has few concrete conditions to address many obvious impacts already experienced by neighbors. Through an appeal to the hearing examiner, neighbors and the community have the opportunity to force the recognition of videos, photos, maps, and other materials that Heacock appears to have mostly disregarded. The hearing examiner has the power to require that this evidence is considered for a new determination with additional conditions to protect neighbors.

As part of the comment period for this flawed determination, you can submit comments to Heacock and the hearing examiner by sending an email to SHeacock@kitsap.gov by October 24, 2023, and these comments will add to strength of the appeal. Be sure to reference permit 20-04869.

Update: Comment period extended to November 9, 2023.