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08/25/2005: "Comp Plan Update Workshops Attract Few"

Public Participation In Friday Harbor

So far only a handful of citizens have shown up at the workshops for the seven year updates to the Comprehensive Plan and the UDC (Uniform Development Code). Two of the workshops are now complete, and the third and last will be Thursday, August 25, from 4 to 6 PM at the Eastsound Senior Center. At the San Juan workshop the members of the general public were outnumbered by the professionals and members of various county boards and committees that were attendance.

The workshops are necessary to meet state mandated requirements that the Comp Plan and UDC be reviewed and updated to include any changes or additions to it that are necessary to meet GMA requirements, and any local concerns or changes that are deemed appropriate based on changes in the county. The state mandated areas that must be addressed range from the minor ("Rename ‘environmentally sensitive areas' to ‘critical areas'") to the major ("..siting of essential public facilities…should be based on adopted policies and procedures"). One interesting requirement is that the "best available science" must be used in the review. It was not explained to what extent this would be projected back on past findings -if at all- or would only be used for the current work.

The planning staff reviewed their population forecasts, based on US census and other sources, that show a decline in the population growth in San Juan County from a high of 3.7 per cent for the last 20 years, to a 2.02 per cent for the last 5 years. It was not clear from the presentation the cause for this, and one citizen wondered if it could be the result of families moving out of the county and being replaced by retired couples.

Another area used as a data basis for forecasting growth is a land use inventory that was arrived at by assuming that all property that can be developed, will be "developed to full designated densities". It was pointed out by The Island Guardian that not all property will be developed, but the staff did not indicate if they accepted that as valid, however they did indicate that the comment "was noted".

The next time for public participation will be on September 7, when a list of proposed/prioritized changes to the Comp. Plan and the UDC will be posted.