Your Use Is Illegal - What A Great Economy!

According to Lovel Pratt's campaign website:

The County Council needs to continue to find ways to support and enhance our existing economy, based largely on tourism and construction, which both depend upon the character and quality of our natural environment. The Council also needs to find ways to encourage and support new forms of economic development, particularly year-round, family-wage jobs that are a good fit for the islands. If elected to the new County Council I will support a strong local economy and economic development that fosters our island way of life.

Then why is she going around (see the multiple emails below) trying to harm a small businessman running a profitable, clean, low-impact, tourist-based business (kayaking); a businessman who pays tens of thousand of dollars every year to Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor in commercial fees?

Lovel never contacted the businessman about a complaint she received, even though she knows him well (they had been neighbors at one point for about 7 years). She never picked up the phone to clarify or understand. She even bypassed the Prosecuting Attorney's office in her efforts to get something on the guy. It looks like Lovel got answers from the County Administrator and County Building Official that she didn't particularly like (see below), so then she went straight to the Municipal Research and Service Center (MRSC).

This witch-hunt was kicked off when someone complained that the business owner intended to use his barn and ADU as storage, employee housing, and an office. The allegations were not entirely true. The business owner had no intention of using his ADU for staff housing, but yes, he was planning on storing kayaks in his barn, perhaps, and he might even use his buildings for a home office.

So what?

Well, apparently, supporting small business doesn't necessarily mean letting people use their property in support of their small business, at least it doesn't look that way according to Lovel. This sort of activity by a Council member takes on that much more weight when we consider that the County is trying harder and harder to restrict uses of our property. The CAOs (and upcoming SMP) will subject us increasingly to what we do, not just what we have on our property.

Good judgment? Responsive? Make decisions in the best interests of our entire community? That's what Pratt's campaign website says.

From: Lovel Pratt
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 12:14 PM
To: Jim Doherty
Subject: RE: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Hi Jim,

Sorry to bring you into this unnecessarily.

I do appreciate the resources that MRSC provides!!!

Thank you!

Lovel

Lovel Pratt

Chair, San Juan County Council, District 1

Office: 55 Second St. N., 1st Floor

360-370-7473

Mail: 350 Court St. #1, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Confidentiality Notice:  This e-mail message, including any attachments, is subject to the Washington State Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56 et al.

From: Jim Doherty [mailto:jdoherty@mrsc.org]
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 12:09 PM
To: Lovel Pratt; Randall Gaylord
Cc: Pete Rose; Rene Beliveau
Subject: RE: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Lovel & Randy,

I received your messages and will hold off on doing any research.

Jim Doherty

Legal Consultant

Municipal Research & Services Center

2601 Fourth Avenue, Suite 800

Seattle, WA 98121-1280

206.625.1300

206.625.1220 Fax

jdoherty@mrsc.org

From: Lovel Pratt [mailto:LovelP@sanjuanco.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 11:56 AM
To: Randall Gaylord; Jim Doherty
Cc: Pete Rose; Rene Beliveau
Subject: RE: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Hi Randy,

I was trying to not burden county staff any further on this issue, but if Amy can address this, that would be great.

Thank you!

Lovel

Lovel Pratt

Chair, San Juan County Council, District 1

Office: 55 Second St. N., 1st Floor

360-370-7473

Mail: 350 Court St. #1, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Confidentiality Notice:  This e-mail message, including any attachments, is subject to the Washington State Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56 et al.

From: Randall Gaylord
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 11:52 AM
To: Lovel Pratt; Jim Doherty (jdoherty@mrsc.org)
Cc: Pete Rose; Rene Beliveau
Subject: RE: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Dear Lovel,

I would prefer if you first allow Deputy Prosecutor Amy Vira to answer this question regarding code enforcement.  I believe the answer requires additional facts and consideration of the San Juan County Code.  Amy will also examine RCW 36.70A.177.

Randy

Randall K. Gaylord

San Juan County Prosecutor

350 Court Street, P. O. Box 760

Friday Harbor, WA  98250

Phone:  360-378-4101

FAX:  360-378-3180

randyg@sanjuanco.com

http://www.sanjuanco.com/prosecutor/

This electronic message transmission contains information which may be confidential or privileged and is intended only for the use of the person or organization named above.  If you are not the intended recipient, please be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this information is prohibited.  If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please immediately return this e-mail to the address above and contact my assistant, Toni Bailey, at 360-378-4101.  Thank you.

From: Lovel Pratt
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2011 11:47 AM
To: Jim Doherty (jdoherty@mrsc.org)
Cc: Randall Gaylord
Subject: FW: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Hi Jim,

I would appreciate additional information regarding a permitting concern in SJC on Agricultural Resource Land.

I received a constituent complaint that a permitted barn with an Accessory Dwelling Unit currently under construction on ag resource land is intended for use by a kayak business for office, storage and seasonal employee housing.

I am interested in any information you can provide and want to specifically ask if RCW 36.70A.177has any bearing on this.

Thank you for your attention to this request!

Lovel

Lovel Pratt

Chair, San Juan County Council, District 1

Office: 55 Second St. N., 1st Floor

360-370-7473

Mail: 350 Court St. #1, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Confidentiality Notice:  This e-mail message, including any attachments, is subject to the Washington State Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56 et al.

From: Rene Beliveau
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 2:34 PM
To: Lovel Pratt; Pete Rose
Cc: Shireene Hale; Amy Vira; Chris Laws
Subject: RE: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Lovel

Quick answer is no.

There is nothing that ties either a Home Occupation or Cottage Enterprise to an agricultural use or requirements of a specific land use district.

Thanks

René M. Beliveau

Director/Chief Building Official

San Juan County

Community Development and Planning

P.O. Box 947

Friday Harbor, WA  98250

360-370-7571

From: Lovel Pratt
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 12:38 PM
To: Pete Rose
Cc: Shireene Hale; Amy Vira; Chris Laws; Rene Beliveau
Subject: RE: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Hi Pete,

A follow-up question: Does the Ag Resource Land Use District designation require that home or cottage occupations that are not agricultural be secondary to an agricultural use?

Thanks,

Lovel

Lovel Pratt

Chair, San Juan County Council, District 1

Office: 55 Second St. N., 1st Floor

360-370-7473

Mail: 350 Court St. #1, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Confidentiality Notice:  This e-mail message, including any attachments, is subject to the Washington State Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56 et al.

From: Rene Beliveau
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 12:05 PM
To: Pete Rose
Cc: Shireene Hale; Amy Vira; Chris Laws; Lovel Pratt
Subject: RE: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Pete

The permit for this project was just recently issued and the building is currently under construction. At this point the project is not far enough along to be occupied or used for any purpose. While we share concerns about potential future alleged uses, we cannot act based on “word on the street” or other rumors.

Without an actual complaint of an ongoing activity it is difficult to fully analyze the issues. However, this property is within the Agricultural Resource Lands. A compliant Home Occupation would be allowed. A Cottage Enterprise might also be approved under a Provisional Use permit. Under the Home Occupation or Cottage Enterprise rules, the operator of the business would have to reside on the property.

Thanks

René M. Beliveau

Director/Chief Building Official

San Juan County

Community Development and Planning

P.O. Box 947

Friday Harbor, WA  98250

360-370-7571

From: Chris Laws
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 3:07 PM
To: Pete Rose
Cc: Rene Beliveau; Shireene Hale; Amy Vira
Subject: RE: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Good Afternoon,

There is a permit for a barn with an ADU above.

-       Chris

Christopher S. Laws

Code Enforcement Officer

San Juan County

Community Development & Planning

PO Box 947

Friday Harbor, WA 98250

(360) 370-7587

chrisl@sanjuanco.com

From: Shireene Hale
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 2:50 PM
To: Chris Laws
Subject: FW: constituent complaint - code enforcement

From: Pete Rose
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 1:52 PM
To: Rene Beliveau; Shireene Hale (shireeneh@sanjuanco.com)
Subject: FW: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Please have someone review.

Thanks,

Pete Rose, County Administrator

San Juan County

350 Court Street No. 5

Office Location 55 Second Street

Friday Harbor, WA  98250

(360) 378-3870

From: Lovel Pratt
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 1:46 PM
To: Pete Rose (PeteR@sanjuanco.com)
Cc: Rene Beliveau
Subject: constituent complaint - code enforcement

Hi Pete,

I got a complaint call from a constituent who said they “heard it on the street” that the new construction of a barn-like building taking place at what appears to be tax parcel #352231002000 (on Douglas Road next to the Hudson family’s old barn) is intended for use by a kayak business for office, storage and seasonal employee housing.   The caller wants to remain anonymous and asked me to find out if the land use district would allow for this type of commercial use and if the appropriate permits have been secured.

Thank you for your attention to this!

Lovel

Lovel Pratt

Chair, San Juan County Council, District 1

Office: 55 Second St. N., 1st Floor

360-370-7473

Mail: 350 Court St. #1, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Confidentiality Notice:  This e-mail message, including any attachments, is subject to the Washington State Public Records Act, RCW Chapter 42.56 et al.