|
Announcement: The State Department of Fish & Wildlife Want to Assess Kitsap Habitats. October 3, 2003 To: KAPO Members our neighbors, friends, family and others who support property rights From: KAPO Board of Directors Subject: A TROJAN HORSE IS AT THE GATES The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) has requested Kitsap Countys participation in a pilot project called the Conservation Assessment and Planning Project. Briefly, this project is being designed to assess and prioritize fish and wildlife habitat on the Kitsap Peninsula using a multi-species, landscape-scale approach. WDFW hopes that assessment results will then be used by local jurisdictions in meeting their goals for balancing growth with natural resource protection. (Emphasis added) This is a pilot effort because WDFW would like to work with Kitsap County to refine the assessment results and develop tools for county governments that yield information and approaches most useful to their planning programs and processes in the future.[1] As I mentioned during our last natural resources briefing on July 22, the Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) would like to use the Kitsap Peninsula for a pilot project, called the Conservation Assessment and Planning Project. The project uses a multiple species approach to identify, assess and prioritize wildlife habitat, which local governments can then use for various planning purposes. The desired project outcome for WDFW is a model for providing counties with appropriate technical expertise, conservation tools and guidance to efficiently balance natural resource protection with growth management planning requirements.[2] (Emphasis added) The quotations above were taken directly from correspondence between County staff and the County Commissioners at meetings August 26, 2003 and September 15, 2003. Vivian Henderson, KAPO Executive Director attended both of these meetings and at that time received copies of the correspondence. The Department of Fish & Wildlife is telling the Board of County Commissioners How could the results of the study be used? · Critical Areas Ordinance update · Prioritize Facilities, Parks & Recreation Departments acquisitions · Support U(rban) G(rowth) A(reas) expansion decisions · Identify corridors for Kitsap wide trail network · Provide support for Alternative Futures Watershed analysis throughout the county. · Provide technical justification for natural resource conservation, enhancement and restoration grant program applications. (Emphasis added) Compare that to the flyer from the County and the Department of Fish & Wildlife inviting you to an informational meeting. What is the flyer not telling you? Its not telling you that they have found another way to control your land and take away more of your property rights. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water KAPO Board of Directors is adamantly against this project. We consider this another assault on the rights of property owners. Kitsap County government knows no bounds when it comes to their relentless and continuous attacks on private property owners and hopeful home buyers. Not worried about anybody getting on your property? They dont need access. They will be using satellite imagery. Remember? The spy in the sky? We urge you to attend this meeting. Bring your family, friends and neighbors. We need to tell the Dept. of Fish & Wildlife and Kitsap County that enough is enough! No wonder we have a budget deficit. The Dept. of Fish & Wildlife counting toads, Keens myotis, big-eared bats, western fence lizards, Townsends moles and on and on and on! Commissioner Angel does not support this project. Lets give her some backup.
2 Excerpts from a memorandum dated August 26, 2003 to the Board of County Commissioners from Jim Bolger, Manager, Kitsap County Natural Resources Program To learn more about Kitsap Alliance of Property Owners, click here |