For over two years, Friends of Pierce County has followed and supported the County’s attempt to protect native habitat in critical shoreline areas from dock and pier development while also opening wide beaches to more aquaculture.
The issue started with a County Council member proposing to prohibit docks along 39 miles of shoreline that were environmentally or recreationally important. Pierce County staff reduced those 39 miles to 7 miles after misinterpreting the consultant’s report. The latest position from staff is that the County does not need to add extra protection for the remaining seven miles because the state Dept. of Ecology has adopted the County’s Shoreline Master Program – so it is good enough.
That position, by staff, brings the issue back to square one – before it all started. It leaves folks scratching their head asking “What was the point of studying all this in the first place”?
The point was to do a better job of protecting sensitive areas and public access along and above the shoreline. The County is reviewing multiple development applications for areas that should not have docks placed on them. This will continue to happen until the County Executive and full County Council recognize the problem and achieve shoreline development requirements that benefit Pierce County’s needs for public recreation and a healthy marine environment.
To get involved – you can attend the next County Council Community Development Committee meeting – June 6 at 1:30 PM. More information can be found at the link below: