Friends of Livingston Mountain is a non profit group made up of neighbors and concerned citizens who wish to protect and preserve Livingston Mountain in Camas and East Vancouver Washington. Life on Livingston Mountain is being negatively impacted by the threat of expansion of gravel mining operations.
~ LATEST NEWS ~
NO date has been set for the Board of Clark County Commissioner Hearing on the Policy, Code and Enforcement.
Friends of Livingston Mountain met with Commissioner Madore and Commissioner Barnes, we shared our concerns with the Planning Commission recommendations. The following week we met with Staff and had a very productive meeting. Attached is the Planning Commission Recommendations with the newly added Staff Recommendations. Friends of Livingston Mountain submitted a few proposed amendments to the BOCC on 8/26 to the new recommendations. The first is to Policy 3.5.7, secondly we are recommending periodic inspections by the county of our mines. Our amendments can be seen in red within the attached document.
proposed_ammendment_to_policy_and_code_8.27_workshop.pdf | |
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Article on Friends of Livingston Mountain's latest letter from legal representation, David Mann to the Board of Clark County Commissioners
click here: Columbian Article
click here: Columbian Article
David Mann on June 27th submitted a letter on behalf of Friends of Livingston Mountain. Attached is the letter. If you are not able to view it. Please let us know!
20140627_letter_to_commissioners1.pdf | |
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Mielke to public: I’ve heard enough
Posted on June 13, 2014 by Tyler Graf
Clark County Commissioner Tom Mielke’s evenings are important. Tuesdays in particular, apparently. I can understand this. It’s a good night for TV. I mean, maybe Mielke is a fan of Fargo. That show is fantastic. (edit: It was mentioned by other APIL contributors that Mielke probably watches something like Ice Truckers or Duck Dynasty. Those shows always seem to be on.)
Mielke, the commission chairman, made his aversion to long evening meetings clear this week. The commissioners’ last evening meeting, about expanding mining operations in areas of the county near homes, was a four-hour affair because of all the public testimony. The sad irony for the commissioners and staff who endured the meeting is that it never actually ended because Mielke adjourned it abruptly. It was, even more than most government meetings, a weird exercise in existentialism.
That means the whole public testimony process will start over. Neighbors on Livingston Mountain are among the most opposed to expanding mining operations, saying it would decrease property values, add more trucks to narrow roads and impact the environment. They’ve already provided testimony to the planning commission, which sided with their concerns and voted last fall to recommend not approving an expansion of mining.
At Wednesday’s board time meeting, Mielke said he would not subject himself — or county staff — to another protracted night-time kvetch fest. The commissioners were presented a couple of options at the meeting. They could have scheduled the meeting for July 1, a night meeting, or July 8, a day meeting.
When County Administrator Mark McCauley suggested finishing the hearing on July 1, Mielke said, “I don’t want that day.”
He added: “In the bylaws, I think I have that choice.”
Why the opposition? Because he wants to limit public testimony. And that’s easier to do if you hold a meeting during the day, when people are at work.
“If there was something different, I would probably agree to that,” Mielke said. “I don’t think we’re going to hear anything different that we haven’t heard seven times before. I don’t see the need to put our staff through that.”
Mielke was alone in his support for pushing the meeting back a week to decrease the amount of public involvement.
Commissioner David Madore said he’d prefer to hold an evening meeting, so people would have another opportunity to weigh in on the proposal. “There are so many neighbors that work during the day who have diligently been there each time,” he said. “Hopefully, with one last meeting, we’ll be able to make a decision on it and get ‘er done.”
But Mielke was unyielding. When Commissioner Ed Barnes, a labor leader, said he wouldn’t mind holding a night meeting to hear people who hadn’t already provided testimony, Mielke responded:
“You don’t mind giving up your union meeting? I kind of object to giving up my evening to hear the same thing over again. I respect having people here. I respect taking action on it. But I don’t see the need in doing that.”
http://blogs.columbian.com/all-politics-is-local/mielke-public-ive-heard-enough/
Clark County Commissioner Tom Mielke’s evenings are important. Tuesdays in particular, apparently. I can understand this. It’s a good night for TV. I mean, maybe Mielke is a fan of Fargo. That show is fantastic. (edit: It was mentioned by other APIL contributors that Mielke probably watches something like Ice Truckers or Duck Dynasty. Those shows always seem to be on.)
Mielke, the commission chairman, made his aversion to long evening meetings clear this week. The commissioners’ last evening meeting, about expanding mining operations in areas of the county near homes, was a four-hour affair because of all the public testimony. The sad irony for the commissioners and staff who endured the meeting is that it never actually ended because Mielke adjourned it abruptly. It was, even more than most government meetings, a weird exercise in existentialism.
That means the whole public testimony process will start over. Neighbors on Livingston Mountain are among the most opposed to expanding mining operations, saying it would decrease property values, add more trucks to narrow roads and impact the environment. They’ve already provided testimony to the planning commission, which sided with their concerns and voted last fall to recommend not approving an expansion of mining.
At Wednesday’s board time meeting, Mielke said he would not subject himself — or county staff — to another protracted night-time kvetch fest. The commissioners were presented a couple of options at the meeting. They could have scheduled the meeting for July 1, a night meeting, or July 8, a day meeting.
When County Administrator Mark McCauley suggested finishing the hearing on July 1, Mielke said, “I don’t want that day.”
He added: “In the bylaws, I think I have that choice.”
Why the opposition? Because he wants to limit public testimony. And that’s easier to do if you hold a meeting during the day, when people are at work.
“If there was something different, I would probably agree to that,” Mielke said. “I don’t think we’re going to hear anything different that we haven’t heard seven times before. I don’t see the need to put our staff through that.”
Mielke was alone in his support for pushing the meeting back a week to decrease the amount of public involvement.
Commissioner David Madore said he’d prefer to hold an evening meeting, so people would have another opportunity to weigh in on the proposal. “There are so many neighbors that work during the day who have diligently been there each time,” he said. “Hopefully, with one last meeting, we’ll be able to make a decision on it and get ‘er done.”
But Mielke was unyielding. When Commissioner Ed Barnes, a labor leader, said he wouldn’t mind holding a night meeting to hear people who hadn’t already provided testimony, Mielke responded:
“You don’t mind giving up your union meeting? I kind of object to giving up my evening to hear the same thing over again. I respect having people here. I respect taking action on it. But I don’t see the need in doing that.”
http://blogs.columbian.com/all-politics-is-local/mielke-public-ive-heard-enough/
John Dentler's (Storedahl's attorney) written testimony along with the map on the "latest news from DNR" that was referenced by Mielke and Dentler during the June 3rd hearing.
john_dentler_testimony_6-3-14_smo_hearing.pdf | |
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john_dentler_map_of_livingston_quarry_6-3-14_smo_hearing.pdf | |
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June 3rd Hearing ~ BREAKING NEWS - DECISION POSTPONED
Despite intelligent and passionate testimony from members of the Livingston and Yacolt communities, and despite the planning commissions strong recommendations, the board was unable to render the final decision to remove all of Livingston and Yacolt from the Surface Mining Overlay.
Madore was ready to delete all areas except section 5 and go home but Mielke would not agree. The final decision was pushed out into the future. Mielke said he needed to do more study and visit Livingston Mountain personally.
It appeared that Milke has made a decision to keep section 14 on the SMO and delete the other areas which he is trying to justify despite all the testimony.
Mielke showed favoritism to mine operator Storedahl when he offered to extend their attorney's testimony beyond 3 minutes while not offering that to anyone else.
After the meeting Mielke was questioned about Storedahl's financial contributions to his political campaign which he corroborated. When questioned as to whether that created a conflict of interest on this issue he just got upset, said no, and left the room.
We cannot allow #14, or any other area remain on the SMO.
Our fight continues.......
Madore was ready to delete all areas except section 5 and go home but Mielke would not agree. The final decision was pushed out into the future. Mielke said he needed to do more study and visit Livingston Mountain personally.
It appeared that Milke has made a decision to keep section 14 on the SMO and delete the other areas which he is trying to justify despite all the testimony.
Mielke showed favoritism to mine operator Storedahl when he offered to extend their attorney's testimony beyond 3 minutes while not offering that to anyone else.
After the meeting Mielke was questioned about Storedahl's financial contributions to his political campaign which he corroborated. When questioned as to whether that created a conflict of interest on this issue he just got upset, said no, and left the room.
We cannot allow #14, or any other area remain on the SMO.
Our fight continues.......
john_dentler_map_of_livingston_quarry_6-3-14_smo_hearing.pdf | |
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Letter to the Board of County Commissioners
On 4/30/2014 the legal representation of Friends of Livingston, David Mann sent a letter to follow up on the BOCC workshop on 4/17/2014
20140430_letter_to_commissioners.pdf | |
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Thank you - Thank you to all of the people that attended last nights work session 4-17-14. This was just posted on David Madore's Facebook page. Great news and a step in the right direction to SAVING LIVINGSTON MOUNTAIN.
Surface Mining Overlay – resources already compromised:
“Save Livingston Mountain” is the cry of the residents affected by the mining, crushing, and hauling operations of the Livingston Mountain Quarry.
Washington law requires counties to identify and preserve mineral resources so that they will not become unavailable for future infrastructure needs. That mandate does not stand alone. The consequences of extraction are inseparably linked to that process.
If the extraction of those resources would significantly compromise other properties, those minerals are simply not available. Last night’s joint meeting with the Planning Commission, Legal Counsel, and County Commissioners provided a clear light bulb moment for me.
Significant quantities of high quality minerals have been identified in areas 13 and 14 on Livingston Mountain, which ideally should have been preserved for extraction. Yet, in my view, that opportunity was forfeited years ago by the unconstrained development of neighboring properties. The door was closed when the land immediately adjacent to those areas made extraction incompatible.
In addition to other problems, those homes have wells for water that may be compromised by blasting and mining in such close proximity. The image above shows areas 14 and 13 in red as possible new mining zones. Yet, the homes already built right in the middle have already made the preservation of extractable minerals too late.
The existing quarry is already permitted within the existing light green area, but not for expanded boundaries. Revoking that permit is not an option.
In my view, Livingston Mountain has been saved, not for the expansion of mineral extraction, but for those who have chosen to make this beautiful part of Clark County, their home.
As representatives of the people, our duty now is to preserve the quality of life for those citizens. In this case, that means accepting the recommendations of the Planning Commission that worked so hard to get this right.
References:
Friends of Livingston Mountain Website:
http://www.friendsoflivingstonmountain.org/surface-mining-overlay.html
Friends of Livingston Mountain Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/livingston.mountain.1
Surface Mining Overlay Map with area 13 & 14:
http://www.clark.wa.gov/planning/documents/MAP02-MLTF-Recommend_Rev10-08-2013.pdf
Planning Commission Grid:
http://www.clark.wa.gov/planning/PCmeetings.html
Clark County zoning map:
http://gis.clark.wa.gov/mapsonline/?site=ZoningCompPlan&ext=1
This can be seen on David Madore's Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/DavidMadorePublic?fref=nf
Surface Mining Overlay – resources already compromised:
“Save Livingston Mountain” is the cry of the residents affected by the mining, crushing, and hauling operations of the Livingston Mountain Quarry.
Washington law requires counties to identify and preserve mineral resources so that they will not become unavailable for future infrastructure needs. That mandate does not stand alone. The consequences of extraction are inseparably linked to that process.
If the extraction of those resources would significantly compromise other properties, those minerals are simply not available. Last night’s joint meeting with the Planning Commission, Legal Counsel, and County Commissioners provided a clear light bulb moment for me.
Significant quantities of high quality minerals have been identified in areas 13 and 14 on Livingston Mountain, which ideally should have been preserved for extraction. Yet, in my view, that opportunity was forfeited years ago by the unconstrained development of neighboring properties. The door was closed when the land immediately adjacent to those areas made extraction incompatible.
In addition to other problems, those homes have wells for water that may be compromised by blasting and mining in such close proximity. The image above shows areas 14 and 13 in red as possible new mining zones. Yet, the homes already built right in the middle have already made the preservation of extractable minerals too late.
The existing quarry is already permitted within the existing light green area, but not for expanded boundaries. Revoking that permit is not an option.
In my view, Livingston Mountain has been saved, not for the expansion of mineral extraction, but for those who have chosen to make this beautiful part of Clark County, their home.
As representatives of the people, our duty now is to preserve the quality of life for those citizens. In this case, that means accepting the recommendations of the Planning Commission that worked so hard to get this right.
References:
Friends of Livingston Mountain Website:
http://www.friendsoflivingstonmountain.org/surface-mining-overlay.html
Friends of Livingston Mountain Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/livingston.mountain.1
Surface Mining Overlay Map with area 13 & 14:
http://www.clark.wa.gov/planning/documents/MAP02-MLTF-Recommend_Rev10-08-2013.pdf
Planning Commission Grid:
http://www.clark.wa.gov/planning/PCmeetings.html
Clark County zoning map:
http://gis.clark.wa.gov/mapsonline/?site=ZoningCompPlan&ext=1
This can be seen on David Madore's Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/DavidMadorePublic?fref=nf
bocc_meeting_4-17.png | |
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Concerned citizen of Livingston Mountain testified before the County Commissioners over concerns of the latest letter from DNR to Clark County.
click here to listen to Mark (Resident of Livingston Mountain) testimony to the BOCC at Tuesday nights hearing 3-4-14. Please fast forward to 23 minutes and 34 seconds.
At the very end of the BOCC (Board of County Commissioners) Board Time last Wednesday, February 12th, 2014. BOCC briefly spoke about a letter they received from DNR. Below is the DNR letter the BOCC references. This letter is the reason for delaying the hearing that was set for March 4th, 2014. This can be heard in the last 7 minutes and 30 seconds or an hour and 56 minutes into Board Time.
Click Below to listen
http://www.clark.wa.gov/thegrid/boardtime021214.MP3
dnr_3.pdf | |
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Clark County Commissioners Hearing on Surface Mining Overlay
Date: TBD
The hearing for March 4th was canceled. At this time there is no hearing date scheduled
Date: TBD
The hearing for March 4th was canceled. At this time there is no hearing date scheduled
traffic_reports_and_planning_commission_recomendations_to_the_bocc.pdf | |
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Work Session Jan 15th Board of County Commissioners:
Click Here to Listen to BOCC Work Session Jan 15
Click Here to Listen to BOCC Work Session Jan 15
BOCC Board Time on Jan 29th Discusses How the Hearing Will Proceed, Starts 1:30 In:
Click Here to Listen to Board Time
Click Here to Listen to Board Time
Official Recommendations from the Planning Commission to the Board of County Commissioners 1/13/2014
pc_recommendations_to_bocc_12_05.pdf | |
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traffic_study_262nd_bradford_and_53rd_12-27-2013.pdf | |
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livingston_road_traffic_report_10-1-2013.pdf | |
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map_overlay_recomendations_from_the_pc_to_the_bocc.pdf | |
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On December 19th Friends of Livingston Mountain
challenged the SEPA Determination of Non Significance (DNS) on the proposed
surface mining overlay for Livingston Mountain.
Please see file below:
sepa_appeal_12-19-2013.pdf | |
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Questions or Concerns Please Contact us at: friendsoflivingston@outlook.com
Your donation to Friends of Livingston Mountain is tax-deductible to the limits set by the IRS for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. All donations support Friends of Livingston Mountain's mission and goals.