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Comp Plan OK'd, moratorium lifted

It took fourteen months, but the three county commissioners signed the comp plan revisions Monday, Oct. 2, 2000.

posted 10/03/00
San Juan County commissioners yesterday, Oct. 2, unanimously approved revisions to the county Comprehensive Plan. The plan now goes back to the Western Growth Management Hearings Board for review.

Commissioners approved lifting the moratorium on land divisions. At 12:01 p.m. today, Oct. 3, the county Permit Center will start processing land division applications again. However, divisions in "blue land" must wait until the growth board approves the revisions.

The areas of the county affected by the Western Washington Hearings Board order of invalidity are colored blue on county maps. The owners of the blue land -- mostly resource land, shoreline and activity centers -- will not be allowed to divide their land until the hearings board issues an order. And in the case of shoreline land, at least 180 days until the state Department of Ecology reviews the plan.

The plan includes a mix of the commissioners' planning desires, commissioners Darcie Nielsen of San Juan Island and John Evans of Orcas Island said.

"We have a compromise," Evans said of the plan.

"There's a lot of give and take," Nielsen said.

"I think it's a plan that's defensible and I'm ready to sign it," Nielsen said.

"There's not enough good about about this that I'm a happy camper," Evans said. But, the plan did not contain "enough bad" to warrant not signing it, he added.

Commissioner Rhea Miller of Lopez Island believes future generations will be disappointed that more efforts were not made to limit densities. "We're on the road, the firm road to surburban (densities)," she said.

She commended the county's residents who contributed to the comp plan revisions.

"These islands need extraordinary care," Miller said, "and my hope for these island are that we never stop caring."

Miller asked Nielsen and Evans to reconsider the redisignation of a few properties. She contends changing the designations, and the densities, is "spot zoning." Her request was not discussed.

The plan includes the formation of a San Juan Valley Heritage Plan, a compromise that would allow higher densities in the area than the state would usually allow.

In an attempt to move the heritage plan forward, Evans made this motion: "The goal of the San Juan Valley Heritage Plan is to affirm the 1998 Comprehensive Plan protection of the San Juan Valley floor agricultural lands opens space designations, while allowing for the 1998 Comprehensive Plan rural density on adjoining lands..."

"I want to maintain what was accomplished the last time through, he said.

"It appears to contradict what we just signed," Miller said.

Evans explained he sought "basic consideration, to recognize the work done 20 years ago" before the county's first comprehensive plan was adopted.

"I'm boggled that you're bringing this forward," Miller said.

"I can't believe you're trying to do an end-round," Miller said. "This is not what I signed on to."

"I'm ashamed and I'm outraged by this approach," Miller said. "I can't believe it."

Nielsen also did not support Evans. She noted the commissioners knew densities would be less when they started on a response to the growth board's remand.