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News April 2006
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Sewer Extension |
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Sewer Line Extension
Sewer Line Extension out Cooper Point Road
This had been a particularly volatile issue for area residents.
Details regarding this issue can also be found at
our old page - Cooper Point
Alliance
* September 2003 *
Jolene Unsoeld of Olympia writes:
"Tamoshan deserves to be proud" ". . . the community now has not only a
modern, nonpolluting treatment system but also a first-rate community park.
Our sincerest congratulations to Randy O'Hern and the Tamoshan community."
* April 2003 * (by Mike Lynch, Cooper Point Assn Spring 2003
Newsletter)
The Cooper Point Association would like to thank everyone who contributed
time, money or even a kind word in support of our efforts in this case.
While the County was pursuing the appeals, Tamoshan and Beverly Beach
developed and pursued another plan to rebuild their current on-site
treatment plant to handle the waste water from both subdivisions.
The Supreme Court's decision set a major, important precedent in
interpreting the Growth Management Act as a means of preventing "the
inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low density
development." RCW 36.70A.020(2)
* November 2002 * (by Mike Lynch, Cooper Point Assn Spring 2003
Newsletter)
The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeals. In an
opinion written by Chief Justice Gerry Alexander, the majority of the Court
rejected the County's argument for a less restrictive definitiion of the
word "necessary" and held that a more restrictive definition of "necessary"
is required in order to be consistent with the Legislature's intent in
enacting the Growth Management Act to protect the rural character of an
area.
The Supreme Court also rejected the County's argument that extending a
4-inch sewer line four miles beyond the urban growth boundary was not an
extension of urban services, as well as rejecting the County's argument that
the Cooper Point peninsula is not "rural", when, in fact, the comprehensive
plan specifically designates greater Cooper Point (including Tamoshan and
Beverly Beach) as rural.
The Building Industry Assn. of Washington and the Washington Assn. of
Realtors filed "friend of the court" briefs on behalf of the County, while
Thousand Friends of Washington and the Washington Environmental Council
filed a "friend of the court" brief on behalf of the Cooper Point
Association and the League of Women Voters of Thurston County.
* December 1999 * (by Mike Lynch, Cooper Point Assn Spring 2003
Newsletter)
Thurston County amended its comprehensive plan in order to run a 4-inch
sewer line out Cooper Point to the Tamoshan / Beverly Beach residential
communities. The Cooper Point Assn, League of Women Voters of Thurston
County, and several concerned Cooper Point residents challenged the
comprehensive plan amendment before the Western Washington Growth Managment
Hearings Board. The Cooper Point Assn. was concerned that the sewer line
would accelerate higher density growth, and believed there were other
alternatives for addressing the problems at Tamoshan & Beverly Beach.
The Hearings Board upheld the challenge based upon the state Growth
Management Act, which declares in part that:
" . . . is not appropriate that urban government services be extended to or
expended in rural areas except in those limited circumstances shown to be
necessary to protect basic public health and safety and the environment and
when such services are financially supported at rural densities and do not
permit urban development."
The state Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the Hearings Board in the
case of The Cooper Point Association v. Thurston County, 108 Wn. App.
429, 31 P.3d 28 (2001).
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