LWVSJ Observer Corps: Joint County and Friday Harbor Town Council Meeting March 12, 2025

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

In opening remarks, town and county council members welcomed regular consultation and improved coordination and stressed the need for a united front in the face of federal uncertainty and state budget challenges. The meeting then kicked off with a review of Home Fund achievements after seven years, in which revenue had reached about $15 million of which $13 million had been committed to projects and $2 million to be awarded in the 2025 grant round. This money leveraged an additional 480 million in grants and has funded 196 affordable housing units of which 104 are complete and 96 under construction, many of which will be complete in 2025. Lopez island accounts for 32 units, Orcas 90 and San Juan 74. The Argylle project expects to break ground in 2027 as design, permits and financing will take 18-24 months.

The County gave a brief update on the governor’s emergency funds for pilot projects offering barge and interisland passenger service when ferries are down and scheduled passenger service to Anacortes. The requests are out with bids due Friday March 14, with service expected to start in April and run through June 30 and some interim services to cover March-April. County residents are urged to use the services as usage data will inform decisions on extending the services. A Victoria-Clipper-type service may restart in June or July for passenger service to Seattle. A bill on a mosquito fleet is in the state legislature.

The town and county managers reviewed bills in the state legislature that could have local impact. The situation changes daily as bills fail, move forward, or are amended. Bills they are watching closely include a possible lift of the 1% cap on property tax increases, a road usage tax to phase in replacing the gas tax, a bill offering REIT flexibility, and a bill on mobile dwellings.

The Town and County planners gave a joint presentation on their coordination of the Comprehensive Plan updates and efforts to ensure their codes and policies conform with the Growth Management Act and are consistent with each other. They are working closely on Urban Growth Area elements. UGA expansion proposes to include two residential neighborhoods and some Port property—Jensen’s Shipyard and the rest of the airport. The UGA (town) is expected to accommodate 60% of future population growth, but needs to ensure it can provide water, sewer, and other services.

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.