Welcome to Skagit County

April 2, 2004

COMMISSIONERS ADOPT INTERIM ORDINANCE ON LOT CERTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT ON SUBSTANDARD SIZE LOTS

SKAGIT COUNTY – The Skagit County Board of Commissioners adopted an Interim Ordinance addressing lot certification, development on substandard size lots of record, and historic aggregation policies at their regular meeting, March 22, 2004. The effective date of these new provisions will be after an order of compliance is entered by the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board in Case No. 00-2-0046c. A compliance hearing is scheduled for May 4, 2004. The Hearings Board decision is expected shortly thereafter. Until that time, the existing Interim Ordinance which requires aggregation of contiguous substandard lots has been extended and will remain in effect.

The adopted Ordinance is different in several aspects compared to the public comment draft released in late January. These changes were made by the Skagit County Commissioners pursuant to the review of the public comments received.

The following are some of the main points of the new Ordinance:

Codifies Lot Certification as an administrative review process required for development permits. The Lot Certification will determine 1) was the lot created legally and is therefore eligible for conveyance, and 2) is the lot eligible to apply for development permits (either meets the minimum lot size of the zoning district or meets the requirements of the proposed SCC 14. 15.850(4)0. All Lot Certifications will now be recorded.

Eliminates the historic requirement of aggregation of contiguous, substandard losts based on common ownership.

Implements new criteria for developing on lots of record (meet the minimum lot size for the zone, or, if substandard, meet one or more the exemptions listed in the proposed SCC14.16.850 (4)).

For further information, contact: Carly Ruacho, Associate Planner
336-9410 ext. 5582