Questions. Lots of questions about what can and should be done at the informational meeting on Tuesday (1/31/12). Â (This is the meeting Eric Baker, the Special Projects Manager for the county, will explain the zoning options available. Â The meeting is for the public and is from 6-8 pm at the library on Sylvan Way.)
Illahee Boundaries? It was noted that the maps in the previous update did not have the Illahee Community boundaries shown. Â The boundary is shown in white below.
Annexation to Bremeton? A number of people forgot that if you are in an Urban Growth Area (UGA) and are next to a city like Bremerton, that you are in a targeted area for annexation. Â This is why some would like to have Illahee removed from the UGA as they don’t want to annexed and be forced to have the high density zoning that comes with sewers. Â We checked with Bremerton the other day and were told that Bremerton is nearly all sewered, with only about 100 residents still on septics. Â Urban growth areas are required by law to push for high densities and to be on sewers.
Annexation to Silverdale? At one time there were discussions about whether an eventual city of Silverdale would be able to extend itself toward Bremerton and present the possibility that Illahee could be annexed by Silverdale.  When the Barker Creek corridor was established as rural, it became an urban separator which meant Bremerton would eventually annex all the area from Barker Creek south and the eventual city of Silverdale would have the area north of Barker Creek.
Removal From the UGA? The only way to prevent the future annexation of Illahee by Bremerton is to have Illahee taken out of the UGA. Â We don’t think the entire community of Illahee can be removed from the UGA, but that is a question worth asking.
Criteria for Removal? We have heard there needs to be a reason or reasons for consideration for removal from the UGA.  One of the primary reasons for removal would be the high cost to bring services to an area.  Many years ago the county wanted to put in another north-south road through the area and found the steep and unstable slopes around Illahee Creek made it too difficult and costly, so the only north-south road east of State Highway 303 is Illahee Road, one and a half miles away.  The steep and unstable slopes that prevent roadways also inhibit other infrastructure, such as sewers.
Sewer Systems? The next most costly infrastructure item is sewer, which in hilly and steep areas, often require multiple pump stations. Â Pump stations are very expensive and often required to be paid for by the developer. Â (Note: Â In the case of the Timbers Edge project the developer was only required to put in a temporary pressurized pump system, which was a surprise to some, as the county required a full pump station for the Illahee North project.)
Side Note – TE Sewer System To Happen? The county maps show the Timbers Edge sewer lines and temporary pump station as it was an approved preliminary plat. Â As noted in an earlier update, this could still be a possibility for Illahee if another developer purchases the properties scheduled for auction on February 24th, which is why the ICC would like to see the Port intervene.
Illahee Critical Areas? On the county website are critical area maps. Â The many critical areas of Illahee will likely be the justification needed for consideration of removal from the UGA. http://www.kitsapgov.com/dcd/community_plan/remand%202011/remand_alternatives.htm
Illahee Aquifers? Outside of the steep slope critical areas are a few areas with a more level topography. Â It is harder to justify these as areas of lower density, unless one considers that fact the our aquifers are already at water balance. Â Shown below is a map of the critical aquifer recharge areas around Illahee. Â We know that well extractions are already decreasing the base flows in Illahee Creek. Â The county has asked that we provide those studies to them.
Shoreline Zoning? We have been asked if this is a good time to bring up the inconsistency of having high density zoning along the shorelines in the north part of Illahee that have been labeled “Conservancy”.  The reasons for the conservancy designation are high steep banks (critical areas) and the natural state of the shoreline.  The county is proposing a dual designation for these shorelines: “Urban Conservancy” and “Urban Residential”.  The concern is whether you can have shorelines that are recognized as being in a more pristine state alongside an upland high density development (5-9 homes per acre).  Many noted when this was discussed in 2006 that they thought a more appropriate zoning density would be 1-4 homes per acre.
Split Illahee? If we look at the Alternative 1 maps on the website (shown in the last update), it appears the Illahee Community could be split between portions in and out of the Urban Growth Area. Â If the topography of the land is to be the prominent and deciding criteria, then a split Illahee may make sense.
Feb 6th Decisions? It appears decisions need to be made quickly, which is why we are responding to these questions early. Â Eric will present the alternatives to us and decisions will need to be made quickly by the community. Â The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has set Monday evening, February 6, 2012, as the time to receive public testimony. Â They will make a decision to choose several options which will go through an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Â The deadline for a final submittal is August 2012, which is why things are proceeding so quickly.
Your Decision? If the community is going to reach a majority decision to present to the BOCC, it will need to be discussed and voted on following the county’s presentation. Â Please look through the material on the county’s website and ask questions on Tuesday so we will know where individuals and the greater community stands. Â This is a one time opportunity to control the future of Illahee.
Jim Aho
Welcome to WordPress.com. After you read this, you should delete and write your own post, with a new title above. Or hit Add New on the left (of the admin dashboard) to start a fresh post.
Here are some suggestions for your first post.
- You can find new ideas for what to blog about by reading the Daily Post.
- Add PressThis to your browser. It creates a new blog post for you about any interesting  page you read on the web.
- Make some changes to this page, and then hit preview on the right. You can always preview any post or edit it before you share it to the world.
Illahee Sewer Plans. A few years ago Kitsap County looked at the Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) and located likely sewer lines and pump stations, since eventually any area in the UGA would need to be sewered.  We were surprised to see these main sewer trunk lines on on the county remand maps at a meeting on Wednesday evening.  Sewers are the primary infrastructure needed for higher density development, which UGAs are supposed to be.  See the attached map that is available at the following county website:  http://www.kitsapgov.com/dcd/community_plan/remand%202011/remand_alternatives.htm
Two Illahee Maps. Illahee shows up on two of the county’s remand maps: Â East Bremerton & Central Kitsap. Â The Central Kitsap UGA Alternative 1 map is shown below. Â Note on the website are 4 alternatives and what we are showing is just one of them.
Timbers Edge Sewers. The first map shows the Timbers Edge sewer line and pump station, which will run between the Fir Drive area and the Illahee North development. Â This is a pressurized system that runs for nearly a mile through Illahee and will be more costly to hook up to than a gravity system. Â This is the sewer system the concerned many residents during the Timbers Edge hearings and which was eventually approved by the Hearing Examiner. Â If the scheduled February 24, 2012 auction of the Timbers Edge properties is purchased by another developer this sewer line could be a reality. Â While most are not in favor of sewers through Illahee, there are a few who are for a variety of reasons.
ICC Board Approved Motion. Pertinent to the above item is a motion that we heard was approved by the Illahee Community board, which requests the Port of Illahee to become involved. Â This is the motion we saw in an email.
The ICC Board of Directors requests Port of Illahee secure the remaining 15 acres of Timbers Edge properties at the February 24, 2012 auction to ensure protection of aquifers and Illahee Creek.  The desired outcome would be the eventual sale and development of the east 5 acre portion of the Avery Homestead at the current zoning (Illahee Greenbelt Zone (IGZ)) and with the stipulation that Low Impact Development (LID) applications be used to infiltrate storm water, and, if possible, securing the west 5 acre wooded parcel of the Avery Homestead for the Illahee Preserve, along with the roughly 3 acre parcel of the Garrison property for the Illahee Preserve, and the roughly 2 acre parcel of the west Talmo parcel for the Illahee Preserve.  The proposed method for these acquisitions would be to obtain a “bridge loan” from the Trust for Public Lands (TPL) for a period of three to four years.  The bridge loan could be secured using the recently acquired Ocean View properties for collateral.  The possibility of obtaining the Illahee Store could remain on hold for a little longer until these other issues are resolved.  We presume the Ocean View properties which house the Port office and meeting room are no longer necessary with the purchase of the Deitch property which we understand will eventually house the Port office and meeting room in the lower floors of the building.  Because time is of the essence with the upcoming scheduled auction of the properties, we request this request be given urgent review and attention.
Remand Meeting. The sewer issue is actually just one aspect of the remand process that the County is going through and which Illahee residents will have an opportunity to become better informed. Â Eric Baker is the Special Projects Manager at Kitsap County and the person who will be discussing the remand issues and alternatives at an Illahee Community meeting on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at the Sylvan Way library from 6 – 8 pm.
Everyone Welcome. All residents are invited to come to this extremely important meeting as there is the possibility that portions of Illahee could be removed from the UGA, which would mean they would not be subject to annexation by the City of Bremerton. Â From an earlier questionnaire only 2% wanted to be annexed by Bremerton (and 6% who were hoping to be annexed by Silverdale) and the remaining 92% wanted to have a unique community of Illahee, which resulted in an Illahee Community Plan that was approved in 2008.
One Time Opportunity. This has been called a once in a lifetime opportunity for the community of Illahee to possibly further control its destiny. Â The time to get the information is at the Tuesday meeting and the time to testify before the County Commissioners is on February 6, 2012. Â Not much time to go through everything, but Mr. Baker is a good presenter and will discuss the alternatives for Illahee. Â Also, look at the information on the website that was noted earlier.
Let Your Neighbors Know! Please let your neighbors know about this important remand meeting. Â Again it is at the Sylvan Way Kitsap Regional Library meeting room on Tuesday, January 31, 2012, from 6-8 pm. Â If you have questions give us a call 479-1049.
Jim Aho
Illahee Creek Culvert. We have been thanked for monitoring the culvert that allows Illahee Creek to flow underneath Illahee Road. Â The clear opening remains in the 22 to 23 inch range as of this past weekend. Â A few years ago the measurements were around 30 inches, and before that it was around 36 inches, all of which shows the effects of the storm surges that bring down the sediment from upstream.
Illahee Road Surveyors. We talked with county personnel surveying along Illahee Road north of the Illahee Store. Â Evidently when they resurface the road this year they will also install new storm water piping as the old piping has deteriorated.
Port of Illahee Question. We often get questions regarding the Updates that are put out on the website and distributed to residents. Â A few weeks ago we received the following response and question:
If the Port considers funding this property are they overextending themselves?  With the purchase of the two houses and also looking at the old store, I can see a tax increase on the horizon.   I wonder if the majority of those living in the Port boundaries really care what happens to the TE property.  If taxes are raised you will then hear the outrage, just remember what happened to the Port of Bremerton with some of the things they did.
Our Response. We tried to answer these questions with enough detail to explain how we saw the situation, which turned out to be longer response than we wanted. Â We eventually talked with the questioner who suggested it might be good to let others see it. Â This was how we responded:
You raise some good questions which will take some time to answer.
There are times over the years that I have wondered what the Port sees as their mission – is it just the area around the dock or is it the greater Illahee community?
In the past it seems to have been simply confined to the dock structure.  When they realized the dock was being encroached upon by the excessive sediment coming from Illahee Creek (32 inches of mud under the innermost float), I think they expanded their thinking to the creek and the impacts upstream development was having on it.  It was around that same time they supported a salmon incubation project upstream in the creek that was ruined by excessive sedimentation, i.e. lots of mud.
And near term we are looking at the likely failure of the culvert and the washout of Illahee Road if we have another storm like the one that took out the Gilberton Creek culvert. Â What we saw from the residents, when these issues were before them, was pretty much universal support. Â And that isn’t even mentioning the fact that the community paid about $8,000 for a hydrologist to study Illahee Creek to determine what was happening to it, and found that development in the aquifer recharge area would be impacting the stream. Â He also later found we are currently at water balance, meaning the rain water that gets infiltrated into the aquifers is what we are withdrawing, and around the creek the withdrawal is already decreasing the flows in the creek. Â All of which means we are affecting the ability of the stream to support fish.
So we have some significant issues, and years ago we went to DCD and asked if there was anyone who was concerned. Â We were basically told they were only concerned about big streams and they really didn’t care about our issues or the fact that Illahee Creek would be impacted, which is why the community decided to pay for a stream study and the hydrologist.
Also, Public Works, when we met with them, said they couldn’t do anything unless a watershed analysis was done, which is why the Port put in for a Department of Ecology grant. Â The grant paid for a report that is a road map for all that needs to be done, and which should be part of what the Port is working on. Â My concern is the report is just the beginning, and while it will be primarily up to the county to make most of the major changes, the Port and the community can help and still need to be involved.
But getting back to your question about whether residents really care? Â What seems to get them most concerned is what is what impacts their pocket books, whether it be taxes, sewer hookup fees, etc.
Residents get anxious when they realize we are in the Urban Growth Area and are destined someday to be annexed by the City of Bremerton, especially when they find out what the Bremerton tax and utility rates are. Â More recently when residents realized they would eventually need to hook up to the one mile sewer line Timbers Edge was/is going to put in through Illahee and the costs to hook up could be up to $30,000, plus monthly sewer bills, many of those residents got excited. Â What these major expense items do is help put things into perspective for those affected.
What we and other communities have found out it is they need to be proactive and often spend some money upfront if they want to protect or preserve their community.  What happens to many communities is they realize too late that they needed to be involved in these kind of issues.  What I appreciate about the Illahee community is that so far they have been willing to step up to the plate and do the right thing.  I especially remember about 20 some years ago when fish pens were approved by the county for Illahee and the community contacted UW experts who said there was insufficient flushing action in Illahee so they then hired attorney John Merkel to fight the issue before the Shorelines Hearings Board, and they won.
So getting back to the question about whether the community would support the Port getting involved. Â I think they would if they knew all the facts.
The facts as I see them are these.
1, Â Illahee Creek is a troubled stream that is destined for disaster without intervention. Â The problems are the results of upstream development when there were no requirements to control storm water. Â The storm water surges are a major contributor to sediment pollution of Puget Sound as evidenced by the chocolate brown water seen out in the bay after every significant rain storm. Â The sediment has already filled the culvert that was installed in 1999 and raised the lower flood plain by 18 inches. Â The sediment is also responsible for filling the stream pools used by fish in the stream and the demise of salmonids in recent years.
2, Â The aquifers surrounding the area are at water balance and are already impacting the base flows in Illahee Creek. Â As an example of how development can affect the stream, without infiltration requirements for the Timbers Edge development the base flows of the stream were projected to be reduced by an additional 15-20%
3. Â The issue for the Port and most in the community with the Timbers Edge development was the higher density and the sewers. Â There wouldn’t have been any legal challenges if they would have gone to a lower density and septics. Â In other words if now there was a way for this approved development and/or the properties to be purchased and later sold to a developer who would use low impact development techniques, most everyone would be satisfied.
4. Â The community tried to contact land trusts and were unable to obtain their support. Â Both of the land trusts recommended the Port as the agency that needed to be involved.
5. Â The Port has shown in the recent past they are looking out for the entire community rather than just being concerned with the dock. Â They supported many items including: Â the Illahee Community Plan, the geotechnical study of the steep slopes of Illahee Creek, the challenge to the outfall at the dock, and they received the DOE watershed grant.
6. Â The Port has shown that they are interested in improving community interaction and the area surrounding the dock structure by sponsoring Illahee Day, promoting the community website, purchasing the Ocean View property for a meeting space, purchasing the Dietch property for shoreline access, and are actively looking at the Illahee Store property.
7. Â The Port Commissioners have been good about watching out for our tax payers dollars. Â They are cautious and don’t do anything unless they have thoroughly investigated the issues. Â They are unlikely to raise taxes unless there is a clear mandate from residents, and if they felt they had to raise them it would be the minimum amount required. Â This should be reassuring for residents.
I don’t know whether the Port will take this issue on. Â What I heard from one of the Commissioners at their monthly meeting on Wednesday (1/11/12) was that he thought the Port had enough issues before them with the dock and and the properties in the area. Â In other words he didn’t think they should get involved. Â My personal thought is that position is pretty short sighted. Â I think the Port should investigate what they can do to help. Â If they need to determine whether residents are supportive of their involvement, that can be done by the ICC with petitions. Â When the Timbers Edge issue first came up it didn’t take long to get pages of signatures. Â I don’t know how many signatures the Port would need for them to feel there was community support but I feel whatever they need, once the facts are known, the support will be there. Â Hope this long response helps answer some of your concerns.
Support from Community Organization? We heard that the Timbers Edge issue was going to be discussed at the Illahee Preserve Stewardship monthly meeting and at a Thursday ICC Board meeting, both of which were cancelled because of the weather last week. Â We feel it is important that both of these Illahee community non-profit organizations register their positions on what they would like to see happen.
Agenda Item for ICC Meeting? We also hope that the issue will be on the agenda for the ICC community meeting scheduled for 6:30 pm on January 31 at the Sylvan Way library where Eric Baker will be discussing remand options, another topic that can greatly affect the Illahee community. Â This will likely be a similar presentation to what is being planned this week according to a front page article in the Kitsap Sun this morning, which is at this link: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/jan/22/county-plans-meetings-for-public-to-weigh-in-on/
Thoughts? We welcome your thoughts on these issues.
An Old Cougar Sighting Report. We periodically check to see if there are responses at our website (illaheecommunity.com) and found this one regarding an old cougar sighting.
Saw your article about Cougar sighting, I saw a cougar about 5 months ago between East Blvd and Illahee then by another neighbor in his front yard on East Blvd and McWilliams within two weeks of that sighting. Just heard about your site or I would have let you know sooner.
Jim Aho
Auction Continued. The auction of the Timbers Edge remaining properties that was scheduled for this past Friday has been continued to February 24, 2012. Â We know of at least one person who was there on Friday to see what was going to happen. Â We will let you know the details of this auction as soon as we get them.
Snow Pictures. We received some nice pictures of birds at a suet feeder we want to pass on. Â If you have some nice pictures and want to share them we will pass them on. Â We are hoping someday to have a picture section on the website, and are waiting for someone to manage it.
High Tides. We are in the middle of a week of high early morning tides. Â The tide on Saturday wasn’t supposed to be that high, but with the rain and wind it proved to be the most destructive of the season. Â One person lamented that they had a nice log wash up this past year and they tried to anchor it down with two spiral anchors only to have it and the anchors washed away during Saturday’s high tide.
Egg Sacks? We took a picture of what we remember as the egg sacks of a frilled dogwinkle.  Because of their resemblance to oats, they are sometimes referred to as sea oats.  We thought they were more of a spring time occurrence, but maybe not in the Sound?
Illahee Preserve Snow. Not much of a noticeable impact to the Illahee Preserve from the snow and wind this past week.  There were a few small trees down but the most picturesque was the moss on the snow.  We also noticed someone had plowed the Almira parking lot and want to thank them.
Brush Picking Tape. We were told the brush pickers have been in the Preserve and lots of pink tape pieces have shown up in the brochure box at the Thompson Lane parking lot. Â We found several pieces of orange tape on our trip through there on Saturday. Â If you see brush pickers please call 911.
Eagle Food. We saw three horned grebes at the Illahee Dock on Wednesday while cross country skiing. Â These seem to be especially vulnerable to our bald eagle population.
Jim Aho
Cougar Sighting. We received the following email note on Monday from a person who lives close to Illahee State Park. Â Normally when there is a sighting like this there are others in the area who will also report it. Â Let us know if anyone knows anything more.
Last night the Illahee State Park camping host heard a scratching sound around the front door steps of his camping trailer. He saw the back end of a retreating cougar when he opened the door to investigate.
State Park Free Access. We heard access to the State Parks is free this weekend beginning on Friday and through Monday, and thought we would remind residents who might not have paid the $30 for a pass.
More Opened Mail. On Monday we received another report of mail thefts, which read as follows:
For your updates. Just found a bunch of opened mail from the 4300 block of Illahee. A lot with 4330 and different space, trailer numbers. Called the Sheriff and turned it over to them. Most was dated 12/29.
Brush Pickers Back. We have received phone calls that brush pickers have returned to the Illahee Preserve.  If you see them you can call the Sheriff, the Parks Department, the numbers in the Illahee Preserve brochure, or 479-1049.
Timbers Edge Plea. Because of our updates on the Timbers Edge property auction, we have been asked to include the following email plea in an Update. Â We have other residents wondering what to do, and also those wondering how to help. Â It appears to be a drama that keeps unfolding week by week. Â Here is the plea:
I just found out the Timbers Edge project is going to be sold on the steps of the Kitsap County Court House on the morning of January 20, 2012.
According to Mr. Michael Smith, of Comfort, Davies and Smith-Attorney who will conduct this sale, he will be selling two parcels, as  Mr. Jim James of Beach Drive Development LLC has found himself in default and his properties.
THIS IS IT – the opportunity for someone in the Illahee Community to purchase one or both of these properties for approximately $300,000 each. Â We need someone who can help satisfy the density concerns of this Timbers Edge dense development , which will forever change the landscape of our community.
Can you help in this situation? Â Are you an investor who could both satisfy your investment in a way which could profit yourself, serve a community need, and have a grateful community honor you with open heart? Â If you are that person, we need you to step forward, and know that a community thanks you for being able to allow us to keep this community unique and the place we call home.
The time is NOW, the need is NOW, can you help us, NOW?
Contact: Â Mr. Michael Smith, Attorney
1901 65th Avenue West
Fircrest, Washington
Gifted 21 Acre Deed Filed. We did see a copy of the Bargain and Sale Deed on Wednesday, which shows it was filed on Monday, January 9, 2012 (this is for the gifted 21 acres in settlement for dropping the appeal to the Shorelines Hearings Board). Â For those interested in the process, the documents first went through the County Treasurer for payment of the Excise Tax, and then to the Auditor for the actual recording or filing of the the deed. Â After this we assume someone in the county updates their records to show the 21 acres removed from the tax parcels, and new tax parcel numbers and descriptions assigned. Â We think this could greatly impact the auction sale that is being planned for January 20th, and wonder if the attorney selling the properties is aware of the recent filing that could affect his auction sale?
Your Thoughts? Let us know your thoughts on how you would like to see this drama play out?
Jim Aho
(We have been asked to note that these Updates are filed and posted on the illaheecommunity.com website)
Missing Kids Found. We were asked about the the pictures posted on signs in Illahee on Friday.  We took a picture of one of the posts which is shown below.  We also called the NCIS duty officer this morning and found out the kids have been found.
Papers Signed for 21 Acre Settlement Agreement. We heard the Port of Illahee and the Illahee Community Club have signed the Settlement Agreement by which 21 acres of open space land along Illahee Creek have been conveyed to the Port of Illahee (to eventually be added to the Illahee Preserve). Â Thank you Jim James and Beach Drive Developers! Â And also the Port of Illahee and the Illahee Community Club, and attorneys Ron Templeton and Ryan Vancil for following through with the paper work.
TE Property Auction Scheduled for January 20th. We heard that the Timbers Edge property auction that was originally scheduled for 12/16/11 is now scheduled for 1/20/12.  Since some of these properties have been affected by the gifting of the open space portions to the Port, we are waiting to see how they will be described in the reported upcoming posting of the sale in the paper.
GPCÂ Clarification. We sent a copy of the last update where we talked about the GPC and the TPL not being able to help the community with the TE property purchases. Â They felt we did not correctly state their position, so we have copied portions of their email below.
Thank you for sharing a copy of your recent newsletter with me. Unfortunately, your brief summary is an inaccurate summary of Great Peninsula Conservancy’s position on the Timbers Edge properties.
Great Peninsula Conservancy decided not to be an active participant in the potential acquisition of the Timbers Edge properties because we felt that with the transfer of the 21 acres out of the total of 36 acres that the lion’s share of conservation of critical habitat had been accomplished.  Further, the remaining 15 acres appear to have limited capacity for attracting grant funding due to lack of significant habitat or trails. In our estimation, financing for the purchase of the remaining 15 acres will need to come from private donations and/or public financing. We felt that the community and/or Port were in the best position to provide that funding.
In addition to private donations which you already are pursuing, we suggested that the Port of Illahee might consider a levy or some other funding mechanism. We pointed you to a successful model for a local levy supported by private donations in Anacortes that was used to acquire a community forest. This might be particularly attractive as you indicated only 5 of the 15 acres were suitable for addition to the Preserve and the remaining 10 acres might be suitable for low impact development. Perhaps the Port could use its bonding authority to purchase the land and use a levy and/or income from developing the 10 acres to pay back the bond.
Like Trust for Public Land, this project is too small for GPC to consider.  The capacity issue I mentioned has to do with how Great Peninsula Conservancy prioritizes projects we take on, and this project did not rank highly in our estimation for the reasons described above. Nonetheless, we recognize the community’s interest in acquiring the land and provided guidance to assist you in achieving your goal.
GPC Supportive. The Great Peninsula Conservancy spent considerable time investigating the TE project, researching the project area, looking for grants, making numerous calls, which included bridge financing resources, and providing suggestions such as those mentioned above. Â We appreciate their time and effort and realize as they stated in an email “We simply cannot take on every conservation project that is brought to our attention.”
Importance of the 15 Acres. While the GPC found the 15 acres less important from the aspect of significant habitat and trails (and therefore less eligible for grants), many in the community feel the critical issues are with aquifers, the base flows in Illahee Creek, and storm water impacts.  It appears if anything is going to happen now it is up to the local Illahee community and the Port of Illahee.
What Next? There are many wondering what will happen next, including this update scribe. Â Let us know your thoughts.
Jim Aho
Culvert Measurements. “Can you show us what the culvert measurements are?” has been a request for some time. Â Last month we received a yardstick mounted to plastic pipe (the plastic pipe is dense so if it falls into the stream everything will not float downstream into the culvert). Â We took some pictures before the last rain which showed the maximum culvert clearance at 22.5 inches. Â The rains we received on Jan 3 & 4 showed some change in the gravel buildup, but the clearance was the same.
Land Trust Rejections. There were a series of emails we saw yesterday that were disappointing to say the least. Â We are going to copy and paste them as follows so you will know what we know regarding the rejections. Â While the rejections aren’t good news, we need to remind ourselves that the Port of Illahee was the recipient of 21 acres that will eventually be transferred to the Illahee Preserve which is good news.
Rejection Email #1.
We just heard from the Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) that they decided they are unable to help us with the TE property purchase due to capacity issues, financial and staffing.  While this is disappointing, we decided early on to contact two land trusts, a local one and a national one, the GPC and the Trust for Public Lands (TPL).  Our hope early on was that the GPC would take on the lead role and work with the TPL as needed since they have teamed up together before.  Since that didn’t happen we now hope the TPL will be able to work with us.  Ryan made contact with the TPL before the Christmas holidays, and we will follow up now that the GPC is no longer an option.
Rejection Email #2.
We talked with the Trust for Public Lands (TPL) this afternoon and just heard back from them. Â They said our project was too small for them, though they did hold open the possibility that they may be able to work with the Port of Illahee, if the Port was interested and contacted them.
What is amazing is that our project is TOO BIG for the Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) and TOO SMALL for the Trust for Public Lands (TPL). Â What do we do when we fall in the middle?
Any suggestions of what to do next would be greatly appreciated.
Importance of TE Properties to Illahee. We have been asked what is so important about the TE properties that the community would go through all the trouble to try and find a land trust to help save them? Â The short answer is most in the community are not against development but were against the high density of the Timbers Edge development. Â They felt larger lots with septic systems were a better fit for aquifers and the creek. Â Some of the reasons were:
Aquifer Recharge. Early on the community paid for scientific studies to better understand the hydrology of Illahee Creek and what the effects the Timbers Edge development would be. Â Those studies and others that followed showed the development as originally planned could result in decreased flow in Illahee Creek by 15 – 20 percent, and more importantly that the Manette Peninsula is essentially at water balance, which means we are extracting water at the same rate it is being infiltrated. Â The implications of this fact should be of concern to everyone, and especially officials. Â A lower density development or no development in this area would be better for aquifer recharge.
Illahee Creek Inflow. Illahee Creek is fed by rain water that eventually flows out from springs and seeps flowing from the shallow aquifer.  The shallow aquifer is in hydraulic continuity with the deeper aquifers.  The USGS modeling of the Bainbridge Island aquifers also covered the Manette Peninsula which when applied showed that well extractions are already resulting in decreased flows in Illahee Creek.  A lower density development or no development in the area would better support the base flows in Illahee Creek.
Salmon. Historically Illahee Creek, though a small stream, had salmon runs which have been reported. Â The base flows during dry periods are already low and any further reduction could affect the ability of the stream to support salmon. Â Also, the high flows that come from any significant rains, because of the lack of storm water controls in the upstream areas of the watershed, bring excessive sediment that fills the pools in the stream that are necessary for fish. Â A lower density development or no development in this area would be better for salmon.
Illahee Creek Culvert. While the failing Illahee Creek culvert is a major concern for the community, the Timbers Edge engineers realized the problem and call for the storm water from the project to be infiltrated to help with the aquifer issues and excess storm water discharged on the downstream side of the culvert.  However, the TE engineers want to run the sewer line from the development in the roadway above the culvert rather than under the stream.  With a culvert that is jeopardy of failing the community is concerned about these plans and is another reason for wanting a lower density development with septic systems.
Illahee Dock Sediment Buildup. The storm surges that have filled the culvert have also deposited extreme amounts of sediment out on the delta and under the Port of Illahee’s community dock. Â Several years ago the mud under the inner float was measured at 32 inches. Â The concern of the Port is at some point the draft under the dock will increase to the point dredging would be required. Â Higher density developments are more likely to exacerbate the issue than lower density developments or no development.
Cumulative Effects. The effects of each one the above items is why many in the community would like to see a lower density development or no development, and when they are coupled together, the are called cumulative effects and have an  even greater impact which is why they contacted the Land Trust to see if they could help.
Did Anyone Give $10,000? We contacted the treasurer of the Illahee Forest Preserve (IFP) who said there was one person who gave $10,000 a couple of days before the end of the year because of tax reasons.
Jim Aho
jim5930 