PORT TOWNSEND — Security Services Northwest’s owner and president Joe D’Amico testified Wednesday that he erred when he constructed new buildings at Fort Discovery Training Center without required county permits.
D’Amico said building a new bunkhouse and outhouse in 2004 without county permits “was a bad judgment on my part.”
“Having torn down the old building, I thought I could build the new building, and I made a mistake,” said D’Amico, who heads the Gardiner-based security company and homeland security training facility.
D’Amico made the remark under questioning from Jefferson County-contracted Seattle attorney Mark Johnsen.
That was one of the highlights of the first day of testimony before county Hearings Examiner Irv Berteig, who said the fact-finding hearing on Security Services’ appeal of a county stop work order would last through Friday.
Opening the hearing at Fort Worden State Park, Berteig said he would consider the evidence and apply the law when deciding if the training center is a nonconforming use in an area zoned rural residential.
Berteig said that before the hearing, he examined 216 pieces of evidence.
“I can see from that there are some strong feelings on this matter,” Berteig told about 40 people attending the hearing Wednesday morning at Joseph F. Wheeler Theater.
The hearing examiner said that the law regarding nonconforming uses is “rather complex.”
After hearing testimony and attorney’s arguments today, Berteig said he would accept public comments at 2 p.m. Friday.
