San Juan County enters final stage of review for Comprehensive Plan update

||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||

Yesterday marked the first of many County Council meetings devoted to reviewing the 2036 Comprehensive Plan Update. County Council will review different elements of the Plan every Monday through October 17 with additional, semi-regular meetings to follow, leading up to the public hearing scheduled for November 29. 

This final series of meetings, reviews, and recommendations is the culmination of years of work. The 2036 Comprehensive Plan Update process began in 2016 and has been a major focus of the County’s Department of Community Development and the Planning Commission. Monthly commission meetings, regular presentations to council, and extensive public involvement have contributed to this final phase of recommended updates that the council is expected to adopt by the end of the year. 

The changes are aimed at meeting the needs of the 2036 population and implementing the county’s Vision that was updated in 2018. Changes also improve the usability of the Plan and provide new analyses, assessments, and inventories. They also address key challenges like housing, economic diversification, tourism management, preserving rural character, and climate change.  

Those interested in reading the current draft and learning more about the Comprehensive Plan Updates can visit the Comprehensive Plan landing page. Below, find a preliminary schedule of the Plan elements to be reviewed at upcoming meetings. Public comments will be accepted throughout the review process. 

Preliminary Review Schedule: 

• September 12: Governance and Land Use & Rural Elements
• September 19: Housing, Transportation, Historic/Archeological Preservation Elements
• September 26: Capital Facilities, Utilities, and Economic Development Elements
• October 3: Review draft of Official Map changes for Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw Islands
• October 10: Review Section B, Element 4, Water Resources; Review draft Official Map changes for San Juan Island
• October 17: Review Plan formatting and tie up loose ends
• October 31: Review draft ordinance (1^st touch)
• November 7: Follow up on questions or changes made to the draft ordinance at the previous meetings (2^nd touch)
• November 29: County Council public hearing; Adopt the Plan update

About San Juan County’s Department of Community Development: 

San Juan County’s Department of Community Development is responsible for building permits and inspections, code enforcement, land use designations, long range planning, and more. The department’s main office is located at 135 Rhone Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Department of Community Development, visit www.sanjuanco.com/1778/Community-Development.