LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council October 21, 2024

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

The Sheriff gave the Council copies of lifesaving awards to two sheriff’s deputies for saving a car accident victim last August by pulling them to safety as the fuel tank exploded. Several EMS personnel received meritorious service awards.

The Council heard an update on the Department of Community Development (DCD) regarding recruitment, the new third party review (TPR) process and large projects. In September, DCD filled the planning manager and permit technician positions; is now interviewing for a code enforcement officer; and in November will advertise for an admin specialist. Interviews of applicants for the DCD director will take place in November.

The TPR contractor started in July with a two-year contract and is processing all 2024 permits after DCD staff ensure documentation is complete. The team is learning new permit software, its interface with county software and is increasing efficiency steadily. A small team of DCD staff is processing outstanding 2022 and 2023 applications. County staff are handling land use and conditional use requests, but this will shift soon to the TPR contractor. DCD is still working on the dashboard that will better track permitting. So far in 2024 they have issued 480 permits with another 40-50 which are completed but awaiting applicants to pay the final fee and pick them up.

Several large projects are underway. The Comprehensive Plan Update will hold three public meetings this week on SJI, Lopez and Orcas. Consultants are working on the land capacity and housing needs analyses. A climate element needs to be developed for the Comp Plan. They are preparing to update the Critical Areas Ordinance in 2025, and they are using a state grant to do education on the implementation and compliance with the Shoreline Planning and Management Act, including creating a user’s guide and an on-line shoreline permitting process. They continue to work on reviewing the building code with a public hearing scheduled for November 15. They are working to assess the number of existing vacation rentals and a new process to accept vacation rental permit applications when slots are available under the cap.

The County will hold a public meeting on Shaw on December 5 to present island residents with the site analysis for redesignating the recently acquired Shaw property from rural Farm Forest to Essential Public Facility Use for public works.

The Council continued a review of a planned update to the county code on internal council procedures that will simplify the code, clean up language and adjust for the change to a three-person vs. the six-person Council and county manager vs. county administrator.

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.