PORT ANGELES — Clallam County will let the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe to use a residential beach deck as a public viewing platform during the two-day Tribal Journey canoe stopover next month.
The commissioners on Tuesday reversed a portion of a hearing examiner’s ruling that required a conditional use permit for the 30-by-40-foot deck at James Âtown beach during the annual landing of the tribal canoes.
The proposed deck would have a wheelchair ramp to assist tribal elders in viewing the traditional ceremony.
Hearing Examiner Chris Melly approved a shoreline permit for the deck on May 21 with 12 conditions. The last condition requires a conditional use permit.
Code unspecific
The tribe has filed for a conditional use permit, but to ensure the deck is ready for the July 15 stopover, the tribe appealed the hearing examiner’s 12th condition to the three commissioners, who have judicial powers in the appeals process.
Greg Ballard, Clallam County senior planner, said county code is not very specific for temporary uses like the canoe journeys.
“This kind of has a lot of precedence throughout the county,” Ballard told the commissioners in his staff report.
Annette Nesse, chief operations officer for the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe, said the Tribal Journeys are an “extremely important cultural event” embraced by tribes throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
This year’s Tribal Journey culminates in Neah Bay on July 19.
“We’ve met all of the permitting requirements [for the deck],” Nesse said.
“Based on our original shorelines permit application, we just felt that the conditional use permit criteria was over-burdensome for this size and use of the deck itself.”
Permanent structure
Commissioner Steve Tharinger noted that the deck would be a permanent structure, unlike temporary tents set up along the Olympic Discovery Trail for the North Olympic Discovery Marathon.
The commissioners said they would allow the tribe to use the deck for the Tribal Journey, but would require the tribe to have a conditional use permit for other uses.
They also directed staff to set clear guidelines for short-term uses of residential structures.
Meanwhile, after two public hearings, the commissioners approved debatable budget emergencies and amendments to the six-year transportation to allow for expansion of the Olympic Discovery Trail.
No public comment was taken in either hearing.
In the regular meeting Tuesday, the commissioners signed a $45,984 contract with K&H Printers for the all-mail primary election.
On July 27, the board will take public testimony of the midyear review of the 2010 county budget.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.