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June 8th, 2012

Envision Skagit 2060 Wins Governor's Smart Communities Award

SKAGIT COUNTY - The Envision Skagit 2060 project has won a 2012 Governor's Smart Communities Award recognizing outstanding local planning and community development efforts from throughout the state.
Envision Skagit 2060 is one of just two projects selected statewide for the Smart Vision Award category, recognizing exceptional examples of comprehensive planning. Winners were selected by a panel of statewide leaders in growth management and community development from a total of 20 nominations.
The Envision Skagit nomination, submitted by Skagit County, focused on the project's first and second phases, conducted between 2009 and 2011, and culminating in release of the Envision Skagit Citizen Committee's Final Report and Recommendations in October 2011.

"The County Commissioners, in cooperation with our fellow mayors, appointed the 12-member Envision Citizen Committee and charged them with looking forward 50 years and considering the challenges and opportunities we will face as a region," said Ken Dahlstedt, chairman of the Skagit County Board of Commissioners. "Now it's time for the elected officials, and the broader citizenry of Skagit County, to continue the conversation about how we can work together to plan for and maintain a bright future for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren."

We are currently in the third and final phase of the Envision Skagit project, during which elected officials from the various jurisdictions that make up the Skagit Council of Governments are discussing the Envision Skagit Citizen Committee's recommendations. None of those jurisdictions are obligated to adopt the recommendations. But they have helped to stimulate valuable dialogue among the county, cities and towns, tribes, ports and other special purpose districts about common interests in maintaining a strong local economy and a high quality of life.

"My fellow mayors and the county commissioners unanimously supported participation in the Envision Skagit 2060 process back in 2009, and later unanimously supported appointment of the Envision Skagit Citizen Committee," said Mayor Ramon Hayes of LaConner, who is chairman of the Skagit Council of Governments. "Collaboration is key to our success here in Skagit County. The Envision committee's recommendations have provided a great starting point for community discussion. They have raised more questions than they answer - and that is a good thing. We're in the process of bringing the discussion down to points where we can agree and working out the details."

The Envision Skagit 2060 project is funded with two grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with matching contributions from Skagit County and other project partners mostly in the form of donated staff and volunteer time. The project's recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Related: Envision Skgit 2060 web site