Superior Court will Decide the Detienne/Chelsea Subtidal Geoduck Farm Permit Tomorrow

[Update 4/3: The Superior Court has ruled in favor of the Shorelines Hearings Board decision to deny the permit. Details will be provided when available.]

What: Superior Court will decide whether the Shorelines Hearings Board decision to deny the permit for the Detienne/Chelsea subtidal geoduck farm will stand or be reversed.
When: 1:30
Where: Thurston County Superior Court  

2000 Lakeridge Drive 

Building 2 

Olympia 98502  

Why it's important: The Shorelines Hearings Board reversed Pierce County's approval of this permit saying its uniqueness should have resulted in Pierce County having denied the permit. It is the first subtidal geoduck farm in Puget Sound, within one of the only remaining eelgrass beds in south Puget Sound. 

SHB Decision: "the Permit is therefore DENIED." You may read the SHB decision here.

 

Permit denied by the SHB,

reversing Pierce County's decision.

 

 

To recap (from Friends of Burley Lagoon):   Pierce County originally  granted a Permit, with conditions,  for the geoduck farm in Wauna.  Citizens there, with the Coalition, appealed the County's decision to the Shoreline Hearings Board.   After a six- day hearing, the SHB denied the permit.   Pierce County (via Deputy Prosector advisor Jill Guernsey) appealed the SHB decision initially on a procedural matter, DeTienne/Chelsea Farms cited other issues.   The issues were heard by a single Judge of Thurston County Superior Court.  The Judge denied Pierce County's procedural portion;  the other issues will be decided at tomorrow's hearing before the same Judge.

(read the SHB denial here)

 

Politics Pays: Jill Guernsey, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney 

gets some money from Plauche and Carr - after she appeals.

 

Ms. Guernsey runs for Mayor of Gig Harbor - unopposed - and wins

Entwined within the story is another of shellfish politics. In February of 2013, Pierce County, through their attorney Jill Guernsey, decided to appeal the SHB reversal of their granting the permit (see Ms Guernsey/Pierce County Petition for Review here, which was denied). In March of 2013, a $500 donation to Ms. Gurensey's campaign  from the law firm representing Chelsea and Detienne, Plauche and Carr, was recorded as having been made (see Plauche Carr Petition for Review here). In April of 2013, Ms. Guernsey formally kicked off her Gig Harbor mayoral campaign. She

 

Does a job depend on political donations?

Dennis Hamberg, Director of Pierce County

Planning and Land Services helps out too.