Welcome to Skagit County
September 10th, 2007
COMMISSIONERS SIGN ORDINANCE ADOPTING GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT UPDATE
SKAGIT COUNTY – The Board of Skagit County Commissioners signed an ordinance today adopting the Growth Management Update. The ordinance officially adopts the County’s update of its comprehensive plan, development regulations, land use/zoning map, and countywide planning policies which has been underway for several years. The ordinance will go into effect 30 days from signing on October 10, 2007
The ordinance adopted approximately 135 changes to Skagit County Code, 30 changes to the comprehensive land use/zoning map, and a new more streamlined comprehensive plan.
Every seven years, the Washington State Growth Management Act requires Skagit County to update its comprehensive plan and development regulations to ensure compliance with the Act. Skagit County first adopted its comprehensive plan, under the Growth Management Act, in 1997. This update was initially scheduled to be completed by December 1, 2005, but due in part to a large amount of public comment, including more than 1,800 pages of written comments submitted by the public and 107 requests to change the comprehensive plan land use/zoning map, the process took longer than expected, according to Director of Planning and Development Services Gary Christensen.
Christensen acknowledged several groups for their hard work during the process including the 15-member Skagit County GMA Update Steering Committee, the 9-member Skagit County Planning Commission, the Skagit County Agricultural Advisory Board and the Skagit County Forest Advisory Board. He also thanked several staff people from his department, as well as other Skagit County departments involved in the process, including Health, Public Works, Assessor, Parks and Recreation, Administration and Finance, Mapping Services, and the Prosecuting Attorney’s office.
Skagit County Commissioner Chair Sharon Dillon thanked Christensen and his staff. “You really reached out to the people and made sure everyone was heard,” said Dillon.
By 2025, Skagit County is expected to be home to nearly 50,000 additional people, a 45 percent increase in population. “This growth should bring economic opportunities and more diversity to our communities, while also conserving our natural land resource base and protecting our rural lifestyles,” said Christensen. “In order for the quality of life in Skagit County to remain high and its resources to be sustained, we need to work together in the coming years to ensure that the Comprehensive Plan remains a strong blueprint to guide growth.”
For further information,
contact: Kirk Johnson, AICP
Senior Planner/Team Supervisor
360-336-9416