By Pepper Fisher

SEQUIM – The Hearing Examiner hired by the City of Sequim to settle legal challenges to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s proposed MAT clinic issued his final decision over the weekend.

Four of the five original appeals were dismissed by Phil Olbrechts in October 8 due to lack of standing. The remaining appeal was filed by the Tribe, challenging the conditions imposed by the City for mitigating impacts of clinic.

Since filing that appeal, the Tribe and City entered into a Stipulated Agreement that resolved the differences between them and essentially wraps up the Hearing Examiner’s job.

Olbrechts went out of his way to praise the efforts of Police Chief Crain on behalf of the City and Wendy Goldberg on behalf of project opponents for their presentations, saying a balanced and thorough analysis of the project’s impacts would not have been possible without the exemplary efforts of both.

Olbrechts concluded his 39-page by saying his Final Decision constitutes a final land use decision of the City of Sequim, appealable only to Superior Court as governed by the Land Use Petition Act.