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Scott Lake resident calls required critical‑area sign 'blackmail' and asks commissioners to intervene
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Summary
Ken Miller of Scott Lake told the Thurston County Board that as a condition of his building permit he was required to post a 'critical areas ordinance' sign on his property, which he called 'kind of blackmail,' and Commissioner Mejia asked staff to ensure Miller’s comments are forwarded to the Planning Commission during the ordinance process.
Ken Miller of Scott Lake used the public-comment period at the Feb. 3 Thurston County meeting to criticize a permit requirement that he post a critical-areas sign on his property.
"Some of you have been to my property... The thing I'm here to talk about today is the last step in getting final approval, on the permit was I had to put up a sign... It doesn't require anything other than it's just a notice," Miller said, arguing the sign was unnecessary and "kind of blackmail" because it felt like a condition tied to receiving the permit.
Miller said his wetlands are more than 300 feet from his house and that the sign was placed in a visible location on his tree farm, where he described it as unsightly. He said the county staff who helped with his permit were cordial, but he asked commissioners to "take a look into it" and press the unnamed county group responsible for the sign practice.
Commissioner Mejia followed up during commissioners' reports, asking staff to ensure Miller's comments are submitted to the Planning Commission for consideration as the critical-areas ordinance proceeds through the planning process.
The remarks were made during general public comment; no board action on the signage practice was taken during the business session. The Planning Commission and the formal ordinance process are the venues for substantive rule changes to critical-area notice or permit conditions.
