Appellant asks Skagit County to withdraw objection to intervention in Overlook Crest shoreline hearing

Appellants in an appeal of Overlook Crest shoreline permits asked the Skagit County Board of County Commissioners on Monday to request that county planning staff withdraw an objection to their motion to intervene in a hearing examiner pre-decision conference.

Attorney and appellant Jen Edelstein told commissioners the hearing examiner’s procedural rules adopted in mid-December now require a formal motion to intervene rather than parties participating as of right. She said the appellants filed a motion to intervene and that the applicant has taken no position; planning staff, she said, objected.

Edelstein said appellants have invested “significant time, money, and effort to protect Big Lake” and that they have an expert stormwater witness they plan to schedule. She criticized the planning staff’s objection and urged commissioners to ask staff to reconsider. “They say that we are not aggrieved because they, the planning staff, will adequately represent our interests,” Edelstein said. “Please help us get a chance to effectively make our case at the next hearing.”

The board responded that staff would be asked to review the recording and respond. No formal board action was taken during the Feb. 3 session on the motion to intervene; Edelstein requested the board urge staff to replace its objection with support for intervention if staff cannot identify a legally sufficient reason for objecting.