From the Tacoma News Tribune:
Tacoma, WA - May 6, 2006
There’ll be no joy in mudville
SUSAN GORDON; The News Tribune
Published: May 6th, 2006 01:00 AM
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Pierce County has shut down a popular 4x4 rally planned for this weekend near Eatonville, an event that was expected to draw more than 2,000 off-road fans.
Earlier this week, a county biologist handed a cease-and-desist order to the landowners hosting the annual Tacoma Webfooters May “playday.” The site is a wetland, officials said.
“I was totally shocked. My whole family is pretty shook up,” said Dan Bowers, an Eatonville-area club member who looked forward to the event, an annual fundraiser popular throughout the Pacific Northwest.
On Friday, caretakers posted “Please No Entry” signs on the property. Some of the signs blamed Pierce County.
“I’m kind of sick,” said club member Heath Moyer, who lives in Lakewood and helped get the word out. “Why did they have to wait until now?”
The rally was to be held near Cranberry Lake, where landowners Bernie and Doris Larson have hosted it and other ATV and motorcycle get-togethers over past years. The Larsons could not be reached for comment Friday.
Diana Ranes, code enforcement supervisor for Pierce County’s planning and land services department, said the Larson property is regulated under the county’s critical areas law, which protects wetlands and other fish and wildlife habitat.
Complaints about the Cranberry Lake rallies have filtered in to county officials since January, Ranes said. Officials first tried to order the Larsons to abide by the county law in March, but the couple never picked up the certified letter sent to their address, Ranes said.
Environmental biologist Sherri Lampman personally delivered the order Tuesday after county officials fielded more complaints Monday, Ranes said.
Based on the advice of a county prosecutor, Ranes refused to give The News Tribune a copy of the cease-and-desist order Friday. She also withheld the names of the people who complained.
“We haven’t been able to conduct a thorough investigation,” Ranes said. “We want to make sure they (the landowners) are in compliance before they have another activity they want to have in June. There may be some restoration required. They do, at the very least, have to hire a wetland biologist and do some assessing,” she said.
The Webfooters playday was widely promoted on off-road Web sites. Webfooters also advertised it with signs plastered on their Jeeps in last month’s Daffodil Parade and passed out more than 3,000 fliers to spectators, club officials said.
This is at least the third time the Webfooters have used the Cranberry Lake site, organizers said. Each year, the event has attracted bigger crowds. About 2,000 turned out last year, and even more were expected this weekend.
“It’s a tradition. We kick off the race season with this event,” said club president Dan Morris of McKenna. Proceeds support club activities, and a portion goes to charity.
Cranberry Lake is located within the Nisqually River watershed, where the Nisqually Tribe has spearheaded salmon stewardship activities.
The wetland area isn’t suitable for off-road rallies, said David Troutt, the tribe’s natural resources director. “We’re thankful Pierce County used their authority to step in and do the right thing,” he said.
Bowers, the Eatonville-area Webfooter, said the club tries to observe environmental conservation guidelines.
“Our motto is tread lightly,” he said. “We’re 300 to 400 feet from the lake in a basic peat bog area.”
Club leaders said they are trying to reschedule the playday at more suitable location. “We have been putting our time and money into this property for quite a while,” Bowers said. “We are going to fight this somehow. Bernie (the landowner) has been a really good friend to us and we’re good to him.”
On Friday, the club tried to spread word of the cancellation, but Morris said some fans might not find out until they arrive.
“It could get entertaining out there tomorrow,” he said Friday.
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www.tacomawebfootersjeepclub.com/index.htm
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www.tacomawebfooters.com/index.html
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www.pnw4wda.org
Susan Gordon: 253-597-8756
susan.gordon@thenewstribune.com
So it appears that it was the "indians" who were against this and filed the complaint , I wonder if this is going to change the way I vote in the future