Hearing examiner rejects resort request
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 24, 2026
PORT ANGELES — A Clallam County hearing examiner has rejected a request to reconsider her approval of a conditional use permit for a proposed resort on the West End, leaving in place conditions the developer argues are unlawful and overly restrictive.
In an order on Friday, Stephanie Marshall upheld her earlier approval of a conditional use permit for Luminary Resort at Sol Duc, a proposed 20-acre development on Grouse Glen Road with four specific conditions.
Those conditions — reducing the number of cabins from 32 to 20, banning mirrored siding on the cabins, scaling back the operating season from year-round to six months, and limiting use of a community center to overnight guests — were challenged in a reconsideration request filed March 11 by attorney Jane Koler of Land Use & Property Law on behalf of 9999 Grouse Glen LLC, the project’s developer.
Marshall’s decision followed a Feb. 5 public hearing that drew significant public opposition, with Sol Duc Valley residents raising concerns about traffic, noise, wildlife, emergency services and the resort’s impact on the area’s rural character.
The project is in a Rural Woodland 5-acre zone, where low-density development is the standard, but resorts and similar uses can be approved through a conditional use permit (CUP).
Grouse Glen LLC’s arguments shifted between its response to Marshall’s original March 3 decision and its request for reconsideration. In its first response, Grouse Glen LLC argued the conditions were unnecessary and could be addressed through existing regulations and standard mitigation.
In its request for reconsideration, Koler, on behalf of Grouse Glen LLC, went further, saying the conditions were legally flawed, arbitrary and not tied to specific impacts, and would harm the project’s viability and exceeded the county’s authority.
Koler, who could not be reached before press time, said the hearing examiner made a legal error by upholding conditions not supported by county rules, the comprehensive plan or environmental review. She said the county failed to justify the restrictions and improperly placed the burden on Grouse Glen LLC to prove they weren’t needed.
Marshall rejected all of Grouse Glen LLC’s arguments, finding its request did not show an obvious legal error or overlooked facts — the standard required for reconsideration under county code.
She added that the county has the authority to impose conditions on a CUP to ensure compatibility with zoning, surrounding land uses and its comprehensive plan.
Marshall also pointed to significant concerns raised in public testimony and emails as well as input from planning staff in the Department of Community Development, saying the conditions were necessary to address them and bring the project into compliance.
The order represents the county’s final action on the CUP. Grouse Glen LLC can move forward with its development of the resort under the conditions of the CUP or challenge the decision in court. The deadline for an appeal is April 10.
Heather Cantua, a Sol Duc Valley resident who opposes the resort, said the project has raised awareness of planning and development issues in the West End, although it remains to be seen whether that interest will translate into broader public participation.
The issue already has surfaced elsewhere, she said, pointing to a 30-acre parcel of forest zoned RW5 along the Bogachiel River that is listed for $4.2 million and marketed for potential resort development. The description, she said, underscored concerns about how RW5 zoning could be used to justify similar projects.
“What is the real threat of how quickly these people are coming?” she said.
On April 1, the county planning commission is expected to consider whether to hold a public meeting in the West End to discuss land use, zoning and development in the Western Planning Region.
________
Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
