D.O.E issues more fines to Twin Bridges

from Anacortes Online.com - http://www.anacortesonline.com/Article.tpl?id=1274


June 29, 2001 -- By Nathan Lindberg -Anacortes, WA-   The Department of Ecology has fined Bill and Ken Youngsman, owners of the Twin Bridges Marina, $25,000 dollars in addition to two previous $17,000 fines. The Department of Ecology maintains that the dry-stack marina is operating without proper shoreline permits. Skagit County and the Youngsmans disagree.


The marina, located northeast of the Duane Berentson Bridges, opened on June 1. At the marina, boats are removed from the water by a large forklift and placed inside the main, heated, storage building. The main building can hold 350 boats. A reported 25 boats have been placed in it so far.


Skagit County Assistant Planning Director Kendra Smith said the original permits the Youngsmans were issued cover all present marina activities.


“The original permits allow for some marine activity to occur, which means some boats would come in and out of the water,” said Smith.


In a press release dated June 29, Bill Youngsman, managing partner of Twin Bridges Marina, contended the marina’s operations are all permitted and legal.


“Agents within Ecology are purposely misrepresenting the facts with respect to Twin Bridges Marina,” the release quoted Youngsman as saying. “They are fully aware that we have valid permits for our project including the construction and operation of our business yet they refuse to honor that fact. They were also given copies of our permits when they were issued and could have appealed those permits, but chose not to. Rather, Ecology has been trying to get us to voluntarily go out of business and of course we will not do that. It is truly unbelievable what they are trying to do.”


The original marina permits, granted in 1984 and 1986, were for a commercial marine dredging business. The Department of Ecology maintains those permits do not allow for the present marina.


“We’ve made it clear to the Youngsmans for the last three years that to operate that marina they would need a substantial shoreline permit,” said Department of Ecology Public Relations Regional Manager Curt Hart.


The Youngsmans have applied for a substantial shoreline permit, which would allow them to have additional facilities, like covered moorage, and would also include all of their current activities. The permit process involves public comment and review by the Department of Ecology. Until the substantial shoreline permit is issued, Department of Ecology feels the marina is being operated illegally. .


The Department of Ecology has fined the marina a total of $54,000, none of which has been paid.


In a June 29 press release, Supervisor for Ecology Shorelines Activities in Northwest Washington Jeannie Summerhays expressed her concern that the marina sets a bad precedent for other projects.


"If someone can construct and operate a marina without going through proper permitting and keep the project from public review," Summerhays said, "what does that say to all the other marina businesses in Washington who strive so hard follow the law?"


In the Twin Bridges Marina press release, Bill Youngsman stated Twin Bridges will appeal the Department of Ecology’s fine.


“As Ecology leaves us no other option, we will appeal this penalty and see them in court,” said Youngsman. “No government should be able to treat its citizens this way. Twin Bridges has been working for 25 years to obtain the required permits for this project. We have created an environmentally sound project that has great public support and demand. I welcome anyone from the public to stop by and tour this facility.”


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