Growth hearing board issues order Jan. 30

Initially published Feb. 2, 2009
The County’s land use analysis for the Eastsound Urban Growth Area (UGA) stands; the Eastsound Sewer District’s plans extending service beyond the UGA is non-compliant; and the designation of less-than-urban density land within the UGA is justified by environmental circumstances.

These were the decision issued on Jan. 30 by the Western Washington Growth Management (WWGM) Hearings Board.

The board had been weighing the matters heard before it on Oct. 30 at the Orcas Senior Center, namely

• “the presence of less than urban densities in the UGA [Eastsound Urban Growth Area]
• “failure of the Eastsound Sewer District’s Plan to serve the entire UGA for the 20-year Planning period
• “The adequacy and lack of incorporation of sewer and storm drainage plans in the county’s Comprehensive Plan.
• “The Hearings Board decision states that the environmental conditions of the properties with less than urban densities justifies including them within the Eastsound UGA.

The Board also decided that the county’s storm drainage plan and the sewer districts plan are incorporated into the comprehensive plan, fulfilling GMA requirements for a capital facilities plan. However, the Sewer District’s plan shows that sewer lines extend “far from the UGA’s boundaries.”

The WWGM decided therefore, that the Sewer District plans are not in compliance.

Third, the WWGM Hearings Board decided that the County’s land capacity analysis does “demonstrate that there is enough residential land supply because areas in the UGA zoned Village Residential (VR) are occupied by institutional and commercial uses.”

At the Oct. 30 hearing, Petitioners Fred Klein and John Campbell contended that the land capacity analysis doesn’t show enough residential land supply. However, the Hearings Board upheld the county’s contention that “market and seasonal home factors provided… sufficient capacity to provide for its future residential, commercial and institutional uses.”

The 39-page WWGM Hearings Board decision can be seen when it is posted at the https://www.gmhb.wa.gov