Peninsula and Tribal Forums Combine for Successful Summer Event

Building Partnerships for Resilient Communities: Reflections from the Summer 2025 Peninsula Planner’s Forum

On August 22, 2025, planners, scientists, and environmental specialists from across the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound gathered at the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Long House in Kingston for the Summer Peninsula Planner’s Forum. Organized by the Washington APA, Olympic Peninsula Section, the Washington State Department of Commerce in partnership with the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, the forum offered a full day of learning, networking, and collaboration.

This year’s event drew roughly 40 attendees, including local government planners, critical area specialists, tribal staff, private-sector consultants, and biologists. The mix of professional backgrounds created a dynamic setting for discussions on complex environmental and planning issues. The weather was ideal, with clear skies that set the tone for an uplifting day of dialogue and reflection. The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe also generously provided hospitality: morning coffee and donuts gave participants a warm start, and lunch featured traditional tribal food prepared by a local tribal member, including prized geoduck fritters. Sharing meals together helped cultivate the sense of community and respect that carried through the sessions.

Opening Groundwork: Culture and Context

The forum began with a welcome song by Richard Ogle of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribal community, grounding participants in the cultural history and lived experience of the hosting community.  This intentional acknowledgment highlighted a theme that would run through the day: the importance of honoring tribal sovereignty, culture, and knowledge in planning conversations.

Ted Vanegas, Senior Planner with the Department of Commerce, followed with updates and announcements, reminding attendees of upcoming deadlines for Comprehensive Plan periodic updates, Critical Area Ordinance revisions, and grant opportunities such as the Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP)Commerce Introduction Slides. These reminders emphasized the ongoing connection between state programs and the local and tribal partners working on the ground. 

Larry Harala, WA APA Olympic Peninsula Section President, welcomed the participants and thanked them for their attendance.  He encouraged anyone in the group who was not a member of the APA and working as a planner to consider joining.  He also reminded the participants about the upcoming fall Washington State APA conference and encouraged anyone who was interested in future forms to be watching the Department of Commerce quarterly form page and to feel free to reach out to be added to the section email list.

Marla Powers, Planning Association of Washington (PAW) Past President, welcomed participants and how PAW is pleased to be such a long-time sponsor and supporter of these forums and the Planning Short Courses. Announcements about upcoming webinar opportunities were shared: Oct. 17^th Spooky Planning, Dec. 12^th Development Agreement Do’s and Don’ts, January 2026 Misty Blaire, Department of Ecology and Enforcement and in the Spring a session on Legislation and how to follow the Bills.  PAW develops Boot Camps and will provide one this Fall on Writing Clear & Enforceable Codes and in 2026 on Clean Energy/Renewable Energy.

Strengthening Tribal–Local Government Partnerships

The morning’s first substantive session, “Tribal Planning 101 + Legislative Updates,” was presented by Bridget Ray, Tribal Coordination Manager with Commerce. Ray provided an overview of SHB 1717, a 2022 law that formalized tribal participation in Growth Management Act planning processes.

Her presentation explained how the legislation creates opportunities for tribes to collaborate with local governments during Comprehensive Plan updates, including the option to enter into Memorandums of Agreement or access mediation services. The session underscored the reality that while tribes are sovereign and not required to plan under the GMA, their input is essential for shaping regional policies on land use, housing, climate resilience, and cultural resource protection.

Participants appreciated the clarity and resources Ray shared, including examples of coordination tools, grant opportunities, and best practices for governments seeking to engage in meaningful tribal consultation. For many planners in the room, the session provided practical next steps for advancing equity and honoring treaty rights within their jurisdictions’ planning work.

Science, Habitat, and Salmon Survival

The heart of the forum focused on the intersection of planning and ecological restoration. Several presentations showcased current research and projects addressing salmon habitat, stream protection, and fish passage barriers — issues deeply tied to planning, permitting, and regulatory frameworks.

Cold Water Refugia

Leah Mellinger, Finfish Program Manager with the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, presented on the critical role of cold water refugia in supporting juvenile salmon survival. She described how rising stream temperatures, combined with low snowpack and changing hydrology, are stressing salmon during their outmigration. Cold water refugia — places where groundwater, shaded tributaries, or woody debris create cooler conditions — provide temporary relief that can make the difference between survival and mortality.

Mellinger shared the results of studies on juvenile chum salmon thermal tolerance, noting how even slight increases in temperature can double metabolic stress and threaten survival. Her message was clear: identifying, protecting, and enhancing cold water refugia is essential for sustaining salmon populations.

Fish Passage Barrier Prioritization

Next, Marla Powers, Environmental Planner with the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, presented on fish passage barrier correction prioritization, a pressing issue in the wake of the federal culvert injunction. She explained the scale of the challenge: more than 5,400 culverts have been inventoried within the Tribe’s Usual and Accustomed area, with thousands blocking salmon access to critical spawning and rearing habitat.

The injunction requires the state to correct barriers by 2030, and while progress has been made — WSDOT has already corrected 176 barriers, opening 655 miles of habitat — much work remains. Powers described how the Tribe has developed a priority index to rank projects, ensuring the most impactful barriers are addressed first. She also highlighted recent successes, including barrier removals at Chico Creek and Shine Creek that immediately reopened habitat and saw salmon return within days.

The presentation emphasized how planning, funding, and interjurisdictional collaboration all converge in the effort to restore salmon passage.

Data-Driven Approaches to Water and Habitat

The afternoon turned to the role of data and restoration science in shaping future land use decisions.

Water Typing and eDNA

Jamie Glasgow, Director of Science and Research with the Wild Fish Conservancy, delivered two presentations. The first focused on water typing assessments and the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) technology. Glasgow explained how regulatory stream maps often misidentify fish-bearing streams or leave them unmapped, resulting in inadequate protection under Critical Areas Ordinances.

By combining systematic field assessments with eDNA testing, the Conservancy has dramatically improved habitat identification. eDNA allows for cost-effective testing of many sites, confirming the presence of salmonids and other aquatic species that traditional surveys may miss. Glasgow emphasized that better data leads to better decisions, especially in a region where planning outcomes directly influence habitat preservation.

Finn Creek Estuary Restoration

Glasgow’s second talk detailed the Finn Creek Estuary Restoration Project near Hansville. This project aims to remove three barrier culverts and a tide gate, restoring tidal estuary habitat and fish passage to nearly two miles of upstream habitat. In addition to ecological benefits, the project is designed to reduce flooding impacts and increase community resilience.

Glasgow walked attendees through the project timeline, from early conceptual design in 2017 to permitting and construction anticipated between 2025 and 2028. He also highlighted community feedback, such as requests for beach access, parking, and habitat design considerations, demonstrating how ecological restoration projects must balance technical, ecological, and public use priorities.

Site Visit: Seeing Restoration in Action

Following closing remarks and discussion, participants traveled to Norwegian Point County Park in Hansville for a site visit to Finn Creek. There, they were able to see firsthand the culverts slated for removal and discuss design elements with project leaders. Standing at the confluence of science, engineering, and community planning, the site visit reinforced the themes of the day: that successful projects emerge from collaborative partnerships grounded in both ecological knowledge and community engagement.

Reflections and Looking Ahead

Throughout the day, participants remarked on the value of gathering as a regional planning community. The blend of tribal perspectives, state policy updates, ecological science, and practical planning tools made the forum uniquely rich. Attendees left with not only technical insights but also stronger professional connections and a renewed sense of shared responsibility.

As one participant reflected, forums like this highlight “how planning decisions — whether about zoning, critical areas, or infrastructure — ripple out into habitat, culture, and community resilience.” Another noted the value of seeing science and planning “side by side,” emphasizing that effective land use decisions require both.

With critical issues like climate resilience, salmon recovery, and Growth Management Act coordination continuing to shape the future of Washington communities, the Summer 2025 Peninsula Planner’s Forum provided a timely reminder of the importance of collaboration. By sharing meals, stories, and site experiences, participants reaffirmed that planning is not just about regulations and permits — it’s about building resilient communities where culture, ecology, and people thrive together.