News-Times Whidbey
SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2013 | Vol. 114, No. 27 | www.whidbeynewstimes.com | 75¢
SPORTS: Wildcats rebound. A9
Commissioner fined by exiting planning chief Pederson
Emerson
By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Photo by Justin Burnett/Whidbey News-Times
Spectators watch as an EA-18G Growler performs a touch-and-go at Outlying Field Coupeville. A community group opposed to jet noise is preparing to take legal action in hopes of reopening a 2005 environmental assessment.
Anti-OLF group claiming public records victory
By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
A Central Whidbey community group that formed last year in opposition to jet-noise at Outlying Field Coupeville is ramping up its efforts to curb flights at the practice airstrip. Ken Pickard, a founding member of the Citizens of the Ebey’s Reserve for a Healthy, Safe, Peaceful, Environment,
confirmed Friday that the group has an attorney and has been busy in recent months preparing for legal action. “I’ve never felt this frustrated,” Pickard said. He declined to elaborate on the group’s long-term goals but said it’s immediate plans are to reopen a 2005 Environmental Assessment on the Navy’s transition from See pickard, A5
Committee expansion proposal baffles some By JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Christon Skinner testifies on a proposal to increase the size of the group’s membership.
A proposal by Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley to change the makeup of the Marina Advisory Committee is taking on water fast and may sink under the weight of an unswayed City Council. “I haven’t heard any compelling reason to change the formula,” Councilman Rick Almberg said. Last month, Dudley proposed increasing the size of the group from five to seven
members saying he hoped it might bolster input and effectiveness. The idea received a lukewarm response at best and didn’t fair much better in a followup discussion Tuesday evening at Oak Harbor City Hall. Following on comments from committee members, Councilman Joel Servatius said he also doesn’t believe an increase in members is warranted. See Marina, A8
In one of his final acts as Island County’s planning chief, Bob Pederson ordered Commissioner Kelly Emerson to pay $37,000 in fines or face action. In a second supplemental enforcement order signed March 28, Pederson gave the commissioner, his former boss, and her husband, Ken Emerson, a tight deadline of 14 days to pay the fines. “If you fail to pay this fine and civil penalty, Island County will initiate the process to file a lien against the subject property,” the enforcement order said. The order added that the Island County Planning Department “may institute any appropriate action to collect the civil penalty,” including prosecution under provisions of county code. Pederson simultaneously denied the Emersons’ application for a building permit. The decision, according to the order, was based on grounds that not enough information was submitted to complete the application. Pederson submitted his resignation last month stating he wants to pursue other interests. His last day on the job was March 29. Emerson said this week that she was “thankful” action was finally been taken, maintaining as she has for some time that the
Johnson
Price-Johnson
next steps, and resolution, were in Pederson’s hands. “We’ve been waiting for over two years now,” Emerson said. It was during a highlycharged 2010 campaign battle with her predecessor that planning department officials learned the Emersons were building a patio without first obtaining a permit. The Emersons live on Camano Island. Planning department officers issued a stop-work order in a visit to the property. There, officials said they found evidence of a wetland, which makes acquiring a building permit more onerous because it adds critical areas requirements. Over the past two years, the hot-button issue was fought in court – the Emersons sued Island County, Pederson and Dean – wetland studies were performed and contested by local, state and private experts, and the issue was a source of heated public debate. With a decision made, however, the next steps are relatively straight forward, according to Justin Kasting, a special deputy prosecutor with Snohomish County. Specializing in land-use See FINED, A8