PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County building and law-enforcement officials have stepped up their enforcement of the stop-work order issued last year on Security Services Northwest’s Fort Discovery Training Center.
Buildings on the private homeland-security training business’ Discovery Bay property are now posted with signs that essentially say “keep out.”
The county’s enforcement comes after Security Services appealed the county hearing examiner’s decision last year that in effect shut down Security Services’ training operations, trying to silence gunfire that stirred complaints from Discovery Bay residents.
Because of the conflict of interest, Security Services’ appeal was moved to Kitsap County, in Judge Jay B. Root’s Superior Court.
Root in March denied Security Services’ motion for a stay of Jefferson County Hearing Examiner Irv Berteig’s decision that basically said the company was operating illegally, not as a legal nonconforming use as Security Services attorney’s had argued.
‘Do not occupy’
The stop-work order notices and “do not occupy” signs were posted last Wednesday on structures that Jefferson County building officials deemed were without permits.
County Building Official Fred Slota, Code Compliance Officer Molly Pearson and sheriff’s Code Enforcement Officer Tony Hernandez met with Security Services President Joe D’Amico and posted the signs on the buildings.
“It’s really based upon the continued complaints were receiving from the Sheriff’s Office and other residents, that shooting continues,” said county Community Development Director Al Scalf, adding that the complaints are specifically about automatic gunfire, not those of hunting rifles.
D’Amico was not available for comment Monday, but his attorneys have said that shooting on the Fort Discovery Training Center property has ceased.
