PORT ANGELES — Agricultural uses that existed near streams and waterways in Clallam County before the state Growth Management Act was approved are exempt from the law, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Superior Court Judge George Wood sided with Clallam County in its challenge of the Growth Management Act Hearings Board, which had placed what are known as pre-existing agricultural uses under the purview of the law.
Without the ruling, longtime farmers and others would have had to move farther away from streams and other wetlands, giving up productive agricultural properties.
Wood’s ruling exempts from the county critical areas ordinance agriculture uses that existed before the law’s waterway buffer requirements were approved.
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