Town and County Councils will continue to partner on the variety of services residents depend upon
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||
This week, the Town of Friday Harbor and San Juan County Councils held a special joint meeting where they discussed tourism and economic development in the islands, ferries and significant legislation, affordable housing projects, and opportunities for collaboration. The meeting lasted approximately three hours, and a recording is available on the Town’s website.
“I appreciated the positive, productive conversation and the strong desire for collaboration,” said County Council Chair Justin Paulsen. “It was encouraging to see how closely the County and Town are already aligned on issues, and I’m excited that our joint councils agreed to increase our direct work on specific community needs like transportation and affordable housing.”
Washington State Ferries were a key topic of discussion with Council members and presenters discussing ways to support WSF operations as well as opportunities to support future legislation for transportation in the islands. The two councils agreed on the need to identify joint priorities to discuss with the 40th District legislators.
County Manager Jessica Hudson and Town Administrator Denice Kulseth reviewed impactful legislation in 2026, including bills about housing and development, authorizations for jurisdictions to pursue new revenue options, public works and risk management legislation, and more.
Additionally, Community Development Directors for both the Town and County, accompanied by the County’s Affordable Housing Coordinator, presented information on the prioritization of affordable housing in both
The County and Town will also be coordinating on Comprehensive Plan Official Map amendments for the Town of Friday Harbor Urban Growth Area and on updating Joint Planning Policies to address language consistency between the documents and to ensure alignment with the Growth Management Act. The Councils and staff also discussed the impact of vacation rentals on affordable housing stock, along with local permitting practices.
What’s Next
The Town and County Councils will continue to partner on the variety of services residents depend upon. The meeting ended with positive comments from Councilmembers who touched on the desire for continued collaboration and the inclusion of other local partners in future meetings.
Stay up to date with Council news throughout the year by subscribing to ‘Council News Flashes’ sent to your inbox here: https://www.
Stay up to date with Town news throughout the year by subscribing to News Flashes sent to your inbox here: https://www.
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