Huge Brinnon Resort Appealed

An appeal was filed February 18, 2008, in Clallam County against the Statesman Corporation proposal for a resort in Brinnon. See the appeal (47K pdf).

In January, 2008, Jefferson County Commissioners unanimously approved the proposal from the The Statesman Corporation of Canada to build a mega-resort "condotel" on Hood Canal in Brinnon that is expected to attract thousands of people to our small rural village (population 1,000). The proposal calls for a conference center, retail shops, marina, 18 hole golf course, and 890 "condotels." See PTLeader.com story. Commissioners have tacked on more than 30 "conditions" to the proposal to address many environmental, commercial and lifestyle concerns.

Contacts:

 

Jefferson County Department of Community Development 621 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368. planning@co.jefferson.wa.us

Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners PO Box 1220 Port Townsend, WA 98368 jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us

Opposition to the resort

Hundreds of "condotels," a conference center, golf course and retail outlets could do further damage to the already fragile and ailing Hood Canal, overwhelm infrastructure and roads of the county and leave us to clean up the mess. The proponents of this plan would personally benefit - it is not supported by the broad community. All the residents of Jefferson County would pay if this plan goes through.

Important Links

Jefferson County Planning Commission website for the Brinnon MPR see WRIA 16 letter to DCD (word doc) What is WRIA 16? See BrinnonInfo Planning page.

Jefferson County "Proposed Brinnon MPR" website

Map of Black Point, Pleasant Harbor and Brinnon, site of the MPR

Highway map of Brinnon, Hood Canal, Puget Sound area, including Seattle

Pleasant Harbor Resort Plan Too Big For Tiny Brinnon, Many Residents Say - Kitsap Sun story, 10/3/2007

"I am opposed to the proposed resort by the Statesman company for many reasons, but the main one is that it is just too big for the Brinnon area. Concerns have already been raised about the proposed resort's size having an impact on traffic along US Highway 101, on the Black Point area's water supply, and on the Hood Canal environment including commercial and recreational shellfishing, but the impact upon our lifestyle is what would affect our community the most." - local Brinnon resident

o There will be enormous environmental impact to the area that the county has not recognized. The Environmental Impact Statement does not adequately assess and mitigate the potential damage.

The Environmental Impact Statement has been purchased by the Statesman Group. This arrangement has been recognized in San Juan County as so corrupted that they have been forced to change their policies to make the process more respectful of true environmental costs. As many Brinnon residents have noted, the first two county sponsored "informational" meetings were nothing more than sales meetings for the developer.

Hood Canal has been seriously compromised. It is a sensitive waterway of national significance for recreation, tourism, and national secutity. Hood Canal impacts Puget Sound. Can we afford to further damage Hood Canal?

o The resort is larger than the area can reasonably accommodate.

Statistically, there will be 1 Brinnon resident per 1.6 to 2 resort guest. In effect, the resort will be the town, and the town owned by an international corporate partnership. The high season for the resort coincides with the normal tourist increase in the summer months, taxing local volunteer and government services, while capturing a large percent of discretionary spending with the 60,000 square foot "resort service area." Brinnon simply cannot handle that population increase without a correponding increase in infrastructure. The plan does not adequately fund such an increase.

o Rural character is being sacrificed for questionable economic gain.

The most valuable and most irreplaceable resource of not only Brinnon but all of Jefferson County is our un-crowded and unspoiled wilderness. It would be a travesty to squander it on a resort catering to the recreational needs of outsiders while taking the majority of the profits out of town, state and country.

o Vehicle traffic on Highway 101 and Center Road can increase 40%.

A good share of the traffic generated by the resort flows onto SR 104, the most popular route for all Jefferson and Clallam residents and visitors to leave the Peninsula. The analysis does not include increased traffic from planned development in any other area. The traffic impact is to much and the mitigation too little.

o Recreational hiking and boating traffic will ruin the quiet trails and relatively low boat use of the Hood Canal.

Short of the few days of shrimp season, boater use on the Hood Canal is light and seasonal, and the hiking trails in the area are attractive for the fact that they are not as crowded as trails to the east and near population centers. This resort will increase traffic on Hood Canal, on the trails and in our forests with exclusive "condotel" owners who have no stake in protecting our precious natural resources.

o Water Quality

Even though the sales literature touts the actual improvement of water quality, it's all a matter of how one looks at it. One can't bring in this number of people, a golf course and commercial business in the magnitude of 60,000 square feet and improve the water quality. It can't be done. This is why the EIS was ordered and the mitigation measures required. We are being asked to trade water quality for county revenue. We seriously doubt that the developers can assure that they can access enough water and safely process it for such a big resort.

o Economy

The resort will not feed the local economy and the tax revenue that the county gains is minor compared to the infrastructure improvements required to mitigate such a huge development. There is no corporation that "cares" about a community more than itself. What is the price tag for damage to our wilderness areas, town, and Hood Canal?

As this process proceeds we will post documents, links and comments here that will help the citizens of Brinnon and Jefferson County informed and involved in shaping the future of our rural village of Brinnon. See the Planning section of BrinnonInfo for more resources.

[See BrinnonInfo Save Hood Canal page] [submit relevant comments resort@brinnoninfo.com]