SJC Planning Commission Begins the Year by Discussing VRs, Agriculture, Pot Growing, and Tourism

— by Matthew Gilbert, Orcas Issues reporter —

On February 15 the San Juan County Planning Commission met for the first time in four months and got right to it by extending Tim Blanchard’s position as Chair for another two years and approving the minutes from their October 2018 meeting. Planning Department Director Erika Shook then began with a status report on vacation rentals (VR). The department, she said, is still reviewing certificates and determining how many permits are active or inactive. “This is leading to a decision of whether and how much to cap them,” she explained. She also reported that the permit tracking system was almost ready, and that there had been four notices of permit violations and three appeals.

In speaking to vacation rental enforcement actions, Tim Blanchard noted that “folks have the impression that little is being done.” Shook responded that there were between 30 and 40 such actions by year-end 2018, adding that it was important to publish permit numbers. Mike Pickett wondered if there were still 900 active permits; Shook said she will confirm the actual number once all certificates of compliance have been received.

She then reported that a Tier 3 cannabis growing license had been filed for Lopez Island. In Washington State, a Tier 3 license covers the largest growing operations, anything between 10,000 and 30,000 sq. ft. (Most outdoor farms are Tier 3.) “There are location issues and wetlands on the property,” explained Shook. Discussion ensued on whether marijuana is designated agricultural and the “unique impacts” of such an operation. Shook replied that cannabis has multiple state-level designations depending on whether you’re talking about growing or selling, and that there are no specific county regulations that govern marijuana growing operations. They fall under current planning guidelines, but she will revisit a 2014 ordinance that may be applicable. The County will be accepting comments on the license until March 4 and the issue will be on the County Commissioner’s March 19 agenda.

Public access time was filled by a report from the county’s Agricultural Resource Committee (ARC), a volunteer group composed of 15 people, half of whom are members of the farming community. Speakers Learner Limbach, Faith van de Putte, and David Kane emphasized the many positive impacts of a strong local farming economy and the importance of maintaining the county’s “rural character.” Looking forward, the group aspires to develop more “living wage” jobs, a reliable local labor source, infrastructure assets based on good stewardship and healthy soils, and economic resilience. Georgette Wong wondered if agriculture should be a separate element in the Comprehensive Plan (CP) – it’s currently part of the Economic Development Element (EDE). Following discussion, there was general agreement that because of GMA preferences and the need to keep certain interconnected activities in the same planning neighborhood, it will stay within the EDE.

SJC Economic Development Council Board Member Bill Appel then presented the latest revisions to the EDE, beginning with a review of its position on tourism. “As we all know,” he began, “tourism is a double-edged sword,” noting its economic benefits as well as its stress on local infrastructure and services. Ultimately, he said, “a healthy tourism economy depends on a healthy environment. We have to both sell and protect our place. We’re getting less rural over time.” He introduced the idea of “steering” to “keep inevitable growth from destroying this precious resource” while acknowledging the tension between those who advocate pulling up the drawbridge and others who aspire to “share wisely.” He ended by emphasizing that more facts, such as estimates of the county’s “carrying capacity,” are needed to better inform decision-making,

There are dozens of recommended policies, goals, and actions in the EDE, and Chair Tim Blanchard noted that the element does not prioritize among them. “What should the county support and spend money on?” he asked. He agreed that more data is needed, and that some of those facts should be available by the next EDE update. “They will generate a lot of new insights to help make these decisions.” He agreed with Appel that “steering” was better than “controlling” and reminded members that the commission does not have direct economic authority and to “not get too stuck in current iterations until we get more data and public comment.”

Planning Manager Linda Kuller then suggested a process for updating the element and widening public input, which led to a decision to add ARC’s recommendations to the document along with results of the public workshops and online survey (and any new information) and release it again for additional comments.

The meeting concluded with a report from Planner Adam Zack on those workshops and survey results which, as reported in a recent Orcas Issues article, provide only an initial glimpse into public perceptions of what should and shouldn’t be emphasized in the update. “Moving forward,” he said, “we need to broaden our reach and get a wider plurality of responses. We usually get a lot of written comments after new drafts are released.” When Wong asked if there were any “head scratchers” in the data, Zack mentioned a lack of consensus on allowable uses in certain areas as well as enthusiastic support for a private well monitoring program which is a big shift from the past. One data point worth noting: When asked if the County should find more ways to accommodate hotels, resorts, and/or campgrounds, online survey respondents (n = 171) were split: 32% said none were needed; 7% said hotels/resorts only; 22% said only campgrounds; and 39% supported any combination of the three. In the onsite workshops (n = 100) only 23% were open to all three.

Meeting agendas and minutes can be found here (there’s a lag in the posting of minutes). You can also watch or listen to both live and recorded videos of PC meetings here. The Commission itself is composed of nine citizen volunteers appointed by the Board of County Commissioners who make recommendations to the Board on planning decisions.

There are four from San Juan:

• Victoria Compton
• Mike Pickett
• Brent Snow
• Camille Uhlir

Three from Orcas-Waldron-Blakely:

• Timothy Blanchard (chair)
• Pete Moe
• Georgette Wong

Two from Lopez/Shaw:

• Dale Roundy
• Steven Rubey

For questions or to make comments, either generally or to specific commissioners, contact Planning Dept. assistant and Planning Commission clerk Lynda Guernsey: 360.370.7579 / lyndag@sanjuanco.com. The Planning Commission meets on the third Friday of each month. The next meeting is March 15.