After losing its appeal before the Shorelines Hearings Board last fall, the Fern Cove Preservation Alliance turned to State Superior Court for a review of that ruling. FCPA’s case was assigned to Superior Court Judge Tanya Thorp, and will be heard on December 20, 2024. Proceedings will begin at 8:30am via Zoom. Happy holidays.

The Alliance is contesting the decision by King County to grant Vashon Kelp Forest a permit to operate a commercial aquaculture business on 12 acres of public aquatic lands near the entrance to Vashon’s Fern Cove Nature Preserve. (Sound Action, the local environmental watchdog group, has taken similar legal action against the County’s decision to permit SPARO Industries, the seaweed and shellfish business planning to set up shop on 10 acres along Vashon’s southwest coastline. Sound Action’s case is pending before the State Court of Appeals.)

The Department of Natural Resources is still deliberating over whether to lease the 12 requested acres to Vashon Kelp Forest.