PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson Board of County Commissioners is considering a resolution to extend the moratorium on outdoor shooting ranges until late September or until the Growth Management Hearing Board makes its final decision, whichever comes first.
The decision on whether to extend the moratorium is set for the commissioners’ Feb. 11 meeting since the courthouse is closed next Monday for Presidents Day. A public hearing held at Fort Worden on Monday afternoon saw seven Jefferson County residents give verbal comment in support of the moratorium, while one resident was opposed.
“I think this should be a very easy decision,” said resident Deborah Pedersen. “It’s logical and just makes sense.”
The ordinance that established the moratorium in December does not allow for submission, acceptance, processing or approval of any Jefferson County permit applications for any proposed use, development, proposal or project for the siting, construction or modification of any commercial shooting facility through March 23, in unincorporated Jefferson County, commission documents state.
The moratorium is in response to the state Growth Management Hearings Board siding with the Tarboo Ridge Coalition in a Sept. 16 ruling that said county ordinances Title 8 and Title 18 did not follow state law in regard to commercial shooting facilities.
The current moratorium is in effect until March 23, but the compliance hearing with the Growth Management Hearings Board is not until April 14, the resolution said.
“The moratorium is intended to preserve the status quo, until the County adopts reasonable regulations that comply with the Final Decision and Order (FDO) of Washington State Growth Management Hearings Board,” the documents said.
“Therefore an extension of the moratorium is needed to preserve the status quo until final compliance with the Growth Board’s FDO is achieved.”
The moratorium will not allow for new facilities to apply for permitting. The existing Jefferson County Sportsman’s Association (JCSA) range — which recently received a state Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grant for noise abatement — will be able to move forward on its permitting process, so to not lose the grant funding, the resolution said.
The only permits that would be accepted from JCSA as the only operating outdoor shooting facility in the county will be to perform work that is funded through the RCO grant, the resolution said.
The moratorium would be in effect until Sept. 23 at the latest, but if it is determined by the Growth Growth Management Hearings Board that the two ordinances are compliant, the moratorium will be lifted earlier, the resolution said.
The full resolution can be read at tinyurl.com/PDN-newmoratorium.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.
