LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council December 10, 2024

||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS |||

During public access eight people from Orcas Island spoke in favor of the cultural access program. A person from Lopez supported the tree planting plan for Lopez Village. This was the last in-person meeting for council members Minney and Wolf, but they will attend meetings on December 16 and 23 virtually. The Council approved the letter to 14 tribal governments about a proposed engagement framework.

At a public hearing on the cultural access program and sales tax at which an additional 25 county residents spoke in support of the program, which is supported by all four county public school districts. The Council approved the tax and creation of the program. Council member Fuller abstained as she would have preferred the tax go on the ballot for voter approval and due to concerns about a potential negative impact on the chances of a levy to establish a Parks and Recreation District on Lopez.

After public hearings the council approved the transfer of a parcel of land to the Agricultural Conservation Land Program and added 2024 docket requests of proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and the County Code to the Department of Community Planning’s workplan. Friends of the San Juans spoke in favor of moving quickly to update the code to allow renewable energy projects on Rural Farm and Forest Land, now only allowed on Agricultural and Forest Resource Lands. The council noted the burdens on the Department’s workload that it was important to address this in the upcoming comprehensive plan and code updates.

The Council approved a $12,000 grant to volunteer entities running cold weather shelters. They approved grants of $84,000 from Housing Sales Tax to each of the three resource centers for housing case management services. The Council adopted a resolution setting 2025 state legislative session priorities. The Council approved the recommended Public Facility grants– four to the Economic Development Commission and a $500k grant to the Town of Friday Harbor for the water treatment plant.

The Council approved the Public Works Department moving forward to request designating the land purchased for an essential public facility of Shaw for rural industrial use instead of rural general use. The process will be similar but faster because the allowed uses are narrower. The next step in the process is the CEPA checklist and Shaw Island residents have lots of questions about the impacts of the proposed uses.

The Council reaffirmed their recommendation to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee to allocate a flat $500k to the Visitors Bureau for destination marketing.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization encourages informed participation in government. The Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to expand public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.