County Council Approves Eastsound Subarea Plan

— by Margie Doyle —

On Tuesday, Dec. 15, the San Juan County Council voted to approve the Eastsound Subarea Plan update, and to move it into the San Juan County Uniform Development Code (UDC).

Councilman Rick Hughes noted that two proposed map amendments were not adopted in the plan:

exending the Village Commercial district along the north side of Main Street west of Washington Federal bank (“The West Gate” entrance to Eastsound Village);

changing the split-zoned parcel at the corner of North Beach and Mount Baker Road, owned by the Port of Orcas to one zone, designated Service Light Industrial (SLI).

Restrictions on the Eastsound commercial zoning on Madrona Street between the public school and the public library were retained, as approved by the council at its meeting in Eastsound on Dec. 11.

As part of the adoption of the Subarea Plan update, the council voted to revised regulations concerning some allowed and prohibited uses within zoning districts; including allowing “decorative lighting” between October 15 and February 15 in Eastsound Village; clarifying language so that the requirement for the underground utility lines, would allow overhead lines for additions and replacement of existing lines.

The Council also accepted the recommendation to have the Public Works-owned lot which extends Fern Street between Prune Alley and North Beach Road (“The Fern Street Extension”) designated as a “multi-modal” transportation hub. The Eastsound Planning Review Committee had strongly recommended that the lot be designated “non-motorized;” but Councilman Hughes said, “Since road funds were used to purchase the property, we changed the wording, so it could be a Park and Ride area or a transit stop. It’s important for the county to have options going ahead.”