County soil regulations are not universal

The editorial “Curbing runoff,” [Opinion, Aug. 9] raised excellent reasons for new regulations on stormwater control. The counties have a year to customize the regulations to the type of soil. Currently, Kitsap County has one set of rules for all types of soil.

We are building a small, green-built home; our soil is sandy, on top of 63 feet of gravel. We have never, in 18 months of studying this land, seen a puddle, let alone a rivulet of runoff. Water sinks straight down into the gravel, giving us a great water well. Yet we had to follow the same regulations as the part of the county that has impervious red clay. The regulations placed upon us were expensive and made no sense, given our soil type.

When I have to pay $5,000-plus in fees just to get the county to look at my plans, I feel I deserve better individual attention.

— Suzanne Smith, Kingston