On February 28, members of the Shorelines Hearings Board (SHB) “affirmed” King County’s decision to permit the commercial Vashon Kelp Forest project in Fern Cove, as well as the County’s “associated State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance.”

The Board’s 70-page decision provides a comprehensive recap of the appeal proceedings and the rationale for its ultimate ruling. (To read the decision, click the above link, then click the red Download File button at the bottom of the page.)

We very much appreciate that SHB members took the time to visit Fern Cove and recognized that it is a unique, public nature preserve. We are disappointed by and respectfully disagree with the Board’s decision. Fern Cove’s extensive delta and expansive view shed will be scarred if this large commercial project becomes a reality. We are consulting with our attorney and evaluating our legal options.” 

Stay tuned.