 |
|
Regulatory Brief
San Juan Islands, Washington
Contents:
- Summary
- Update
Summary
San Juan County has been trying to regulate seaplane operations for several years. After a major regulatory
victory over personal watercraft, the County included a prohibition on "regular" floatplane access to
private docks. Under the wording of the regulation, "regular" could mean almost anything. A coalition of
floatplane interests led by Kenmore Air Harbor and the Washington Seaplane Pilots Association with financial
and strategic support from the Seaplane Pilots Association brought legal action against the County. The County
ultimately hashed out a settlement agreement that defined "regular" as akin to daily commuting. However,
the settlement language must be approved by the Board of Commissioners. Prior to reaching the Board of
Commissioners, the Planning Board reviewed the issue and recommended a complete ban on seaplane access to
private docks rather than acceptance of the settlement language.
The Board of Commissioners will meet on September 19 to decide on the regulatory language to adopt.
|
| Reference: |
Settlement Agreement (PDF, 62KB)
SPA's Letter of Comment (PDF, 34KB) |
|
| Applicability: |
Access to private docks in San Juan County, Washington. |
|
| Public Hearing: |
September 19, 2000, 1:00 pm |
|
| Comments Address: |
Send comments to:
Ms. Rhea Miller, Commissioner
Ms. Darcie Neilsen, Commissioner
Mr. John Evans, Commissioner
Board of County Commissioners
350 Court Street #1
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
Email: bocc@co.san-juan.wa.us
Comments should be received prior to September 19, 2000. |
|
Update
The San Juan County Board of Commissioners accepted the seaplane community's settlement proposal on
September 19, 2000. The settlement is essentially zero-sum: no one has gained anything, nor has
anyone lost anything.
|
|