Members of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Chain Gang gather trash and belongings for disposal during a sweep Tuesday of homeless camps on state Fish & Wildlife land in the Morse Creek Valley east of Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Members of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Chain Gang gather trash and belongings for disposal during a sweep Tuesday of homeless camps on state Fish & Wildlife land in the Morse Creek Valley east of Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Tents, shelters cleared off site near Morse Creek

Department of Fish & Wildlife parcel had already been vacated once earlier this month

PORT ANGELES — A former homeless encampment that once held eight developed, illegal residential campsites next to Morse Creek off U.S. Highway 101 was cleared Tuesday of tents, makeshift shelters and garbage.

Four people who had repopulated the state-owned site east of Port Angeles after it was emptied of residents Aug. 3 left Tuesday without incident, said state Fish & Wildlife Police Sgt. Kit Rosenberger.

Rosenberger said about a half-dozen Clallam County Chain Gang workers clad in work boots and orange shirts and pants spent most of Tuesday filling at least five, 15- to 20-foot trailers with refuse, their toils monitored by two deputies.

He said when three Fish & Wildlife officers arrived at about 8:30 a.m., a couple was living in one large tent, the doorway of which had held a small painting.

The stench of human waste wafted near the hodgepodge shelter Tuesday.

Rosenberger said the couple, who appeared to be in their 30s, might be charged with littering.

They had left the property Aug. 3 in the first sweep of Fish & Wildlife agents, who unlike Tuesday were accompanied by several deputies.

Rosenberger said a social worker had offered the couple housing options.

Sgt. Kit Rosenberger of the state Department of Fish & Wildlife Police peers into a semi-buried shelter on a hillside above Morse Creek on Tuesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Sgt. Kit Rosenberger of the state Department of Fish & Wildlife Police peers into a semi-buried shelter on a hillside above Morse Creek on Tuesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

An additional two adults living in separate tents on the property Tuesday morning appeared to be in their late 20s or early 30s.

The woman departed with her tent, a few suitcases, some bags of personal belongings and a machete.

“She told me she didn’t have a place to live,” Rosenberger said.

“I told her it was unlawful to set up a residential campsite on the property, and she packed up her belongings and left.”

The single male who set up residence near the parcel’s boundary line told Rosenberger he had been there a night or two.

Since 2002, Fish & Wildlife has owned the property at Morse Creek curve, near a memorial commemorating a motorcycle fatality, as a preserve for urban wildlife.

Before Aug. 3, Fish & Wildlife allowed temporary camping at the site, then permitted day-use only visits.

Rosenberger described the potential return of campers as “the million-dollar question.”

Persistent camping might force the agency to prohibit all public access, at least temporarily, if domiciles are set up a third time, Rosenberger said.

In the meantime, Fish & Wildlife will increase area patrols for the next couple of weeks.

“Closing it is a worst-case scenario,” Rosenberger said, framing the future in question form.

“If we can’t get a handle on people destroying land out there, do we close it to everyone and clean it up and get a handle on the situation?”

Rosenberger said residents have called Fish & Wildlife to let them know about suspicious activity on the parcel in the past month or so, after the encampment’s existence became publicly known.

One area resident reported watching someone carrying bags onto the parcel, Rosenberger said.

“One citizen who lives nearby stopped by and thanked us for our efforts and to complain about drug activity in the area, and was happy to see us working in the area to clean it up,” Rosenberger said.

________

Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.

A trailer filled with trash and personal belongings awaits disposal after a sweep of homeless camps in the Morse Creek Valley on Tuesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

A trailer filled with trash and personal belongings awaits disposal after a sweep of homeless camps in the Morse Creek Valley on Tuesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

More in News

Electronics recycling event set for Saturday

The Port Angeles Noon Rotary will host an electronics… Continue reading

Lane closure set Wednesday for art installation

The southbound lane of Race Street in Port Angeles… Continue reading

Beachgoers look for a spot on the sand on Sunday afternoon at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. Mount Rainier looms in the distance. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Summer sand

Beachgoers look for a spot on the sand on Sunday afternoon at… Continue reading

First Fed accused in Ponzi scheme

Resignations came amid $107M lawsuit

Ballots for Aug. 5 primary election to be mailed today

Hospital commission, Port Angeles, Port Townsend city council races to be determined

Port Angeles to host forum on Rayonier cleanup

Special meeting scheduled for Tuesday

Drought conditions may require trucks to bring water to West End

Clallam Bay/Seiku and Island View water systems are under stage… Continue reading

Clallam County Democrats to host candidate forums

The Clallam County Democrats will host a series of… Continue reading

Firefighters work to contain a wildland fire on Tuesday afternoon near Brinnon. “Go now” evacuation orders were given from Jefferson County’s Emergency Operations Center. (Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office)
Evacuation orders given in Brinnon-area fire

Several areas near Brinnon were being asked to evacuate due… Continue reading

Kennedy Reynolds, 2, takes a look at a row of lavender plants with her mother, Chelsea Reynolds of Port Angeles, during a Saturday outing to B & B Family Lavender Farm west of Sequim. The farm will be a participant in this weekend’s Lavender Weekend, a celebration of all things lavender in Sequim and across the Dungeness Valley. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Fields of lavender

Kennedy Reynolds, 2, takes a look at a row of lavender plants… Continue reading

Burn ban ordered due to forecast

Peninsula expecting temperatures near 90