The proposed retreat, Pomona Woods is targeted to be built at 3030 Oak Bay Rd, Port Hadlock.  The proposal includes a 24 unit retreat with a meeting room and exercise room.  They will have two driveways entering/exiting Oak Bay Rd.  This property has virgin forest which has not been harvested in over 120 years.

PERMIT NUMBER: MLA21-000066, PARCEL NUMBERS: 921183008 AND 921183002 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION and PERMIT APPLICATION TYPE: Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Type III permit application for a small-scale  tourist recreation use retreat center. 

SEPA Environmental Review: The optional Determination of Non Significance (DNS) process of SEPA, Washington Administrative Code  (WAC) 197-11-355 is being used. 

This petition is to ask the Planning Commission to consider the residents of Oak Bay.

We request that no exception be made to the zoning of Oak Bay Road and that the Planning Commission reject the Conditional Use Permit.

Should the planning commission decide to permit the Conditional Use Permit, then the residents request that the Planning Commission require an Environmental Impact Report be prepared as a resolution to our concerns. 

Below are the specific concerns of the Oak Bay and Old Oak Bay Residents as concerned citizens:

CITIZENS CONCERNS AND OBJECTIONS 

• Objection of rezoning to Conditional Use Permit from residential zoning. 

• The DNS process of SEPA is not sufficient for a development of this  size and the impact on the neighboring areas along Oak Bay Road  and Old Oak Bay Road.  This is a virgin forest that has not been logged in 120 years.

• The DNS process is not adequate, the review of geologic and custom  soil resource reports does not address or reference or analyze the  known instability and land subsidence issues. Several residents have already experienced land loss due to water runoff from Oak Bay, this would only worsen the problem.

• This proposal exceeds maximum size and impact in an Urban Growth Area. 

• The size of this project does not qualify for a designation Urban  Growth Area.

• An additional Conference Center is not needed or necessary in our  community, there are 5 existing Conference Centers in an  approximately 15-mile radius.

• The additional water usage depleting the water aquifer will add to the  already existing drought concerns.  Several residents are already experiencing a shortage of water in their well.

• The existing significant logging of trees in the area of this project  presents for landslides, the additional removal of trees for this project  supports the strong possibility of landslides and impacts the safety of  our residential neighborhood.  

• We have concerns over water runoff and drainage.

• Ingress and egress.

• Increased traffic, noise (sound & light) burglary, and accidents in residential neighborhoods  on Oak Bay Road.

• Impact on wildlife due to critical habitat loss includes but is not limited to the spotted owl, eagles, Canadian Geese, California Wolverine, Olympic Torrent Salamander, Van Dykes Salamander, Port Townsend Big Eared Bat, Tailed Frog, western toad, bears, and deer. 

• Pollution from the increase of traffic in a residential neighborhood.

• Decline in property values. 

• What happens to the neighborhood area if the Conference Center  fails or the retreat is sold?  

The above mentioned are valid concerns and impacts to our residential  neighborhood, we all purchased our homes with the promise of a  beautifully wooded forest residential zoned area, this project has an  extreme impact on our resident’s investments.

The listed concerns and objections and the DNS, do not provide sufficient  information to address all of our concerns.