Planning and Development Services

Upcoming Planning Commission Meetings for Draft Policies to the Comprehensive Plan Period Update

Why do we need a Comprehensive Plan?

In 1990, the Washington State legislature enacted the Growth Management Act (GMA) in response to rapid and uncoordinated growth at the time. In addition to aligning state, multi-county, countywide, and local planning, the GMA requires local governments in fast-growing and densely populated areas to develop and adopt comprehensive plans. The comprehensive plan is a framework intended to guide the day-to-day decisions of elected official and local government staff. The comprehensive plan is also the basis for localized community plans such as the Guemes Island Subarea Plan and the Bayview Ridge Subarea Plan. Updates to a comprehensive plan require early and continuing public participation where communities, stakeholders, and interest groups can learn more, participate, and provide comments at key stages of the process.

The Skagit County Comprehensive Plan assigns land use and zoning designations for every parcel within the unincorporated area. Zoning establishes where a building can be located on a property, how tall a building can be, or how many homes are allowed based on the size of the property. You can determine the land use and zoning for a parcel by visiting the iMap webpage and use the interactive parcel search function.

Skagit County Code includes regulations adopted by Skagit County for what and how a parcel can be used or developed. These regulations required go through a legislative process for approval with the final decision rendered by the Skagit County Board of Commissioners. Many of these codified titles relate to growth and development requirements that implement the vision, goals, and policies of Skagit County Comprehensive Plan, Capital Facilities Plan, and the Skagit Countywide Planning Policies.

In addition to the Growth Management Act, the County must also abide by other state and federal laws to protect and guide growth in Skagit County:

• The Shoreline Management Act requires Skagit County to update development codes related to shorelines periodically. Skagit County is currently undergoing the final approval process for its Shoreline Master Program. More information on this plan can be found here.
• Building and fire codes (under Skagit County Code Title 15) must abide by the federal FEMA flood insurance program, International Building Codes, and Washington State Building Code Council. Skagit County is currently undergoing the periodic update to the building and fire codes. More information on the updates can be found here.

What is included in a Comprehensive Plan?
The Skagit County Comprehensive Plan includes eleven elements:

What areas of Skagit County will be affected by the update?

The unincorporated areas of Skagit County and regional services, such as transit, sewers, parks, and trails, will be affected by the 2025 Update. Individual cities and townships have also developed and updated their own comprehensive plans for incorporated municipalities.

The following areas have been identified through recent state legislation for counties to focus on:

• Housing options and affordability
• Accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Climate mitigation and resilience
• Public health and safety

Who is responsible for developing and approving the Comprehensive Plan?

Skagit County staff in multiple departments, including Planning & Development Services, Public Health, and Public Works, will develop the updates to the Comprehensive Plan in conjunction with the Planning Commission. Staff will work in coordination with regional and local jurisdictional partners and the public. Public input is welcome throughout the process and there will be many opportunities to submit comments and make requests.

After developing an updated Comprehensive Plan draft with input by the public and stakeholders, staff will present the new language to the Planning Commission for review and additional public input. The Planning Commission will recommend a draft to the Board of County Commissioners who will ultimately decide on the final plan.

What is a LAMIRD?

A LAMIRD refers to a “limited area of more intensive rural development.” LAMIRDS are zoning designations which allow greater development than is generally allowed in the rural area, provided that certain limitations are maintained to retain rural character and prevent sprawl. One category of LAMIRD recognizes areas that were already for the most part developed in 1990, when the Growth Management Act was adopted. These existing residential, commercial, or industrial areas primarily allow infill development, and must be contained within logical outer boundaries to prevent sprawl. Two other types of commercial LAMIRDs – small scale recreation and tourism uses, and isolated small scale businesses – may allow new development provided that development is contained and consistent with the surrounding rural character.

The residential land use designations in the Rural Area which are considered LAMIRDs are:

• Rural Intermediate
• Rural Village Residential

The rural commercial and industrial land use designations in the Rural Area which are considered LAMIRDs are:

• Rural Village Commercial (RVC)
• Rural Center (RC)
• Rural Freeway Service (RFS)
• Small Scale Recreation and Tourism (SRT)
• Small Scale Business (SSB)
• Rural Business (RB)
• Natural Resource Industrial (NRI)
• Rural Marine Industrial (RMI)

The Washington State legislature has passed several bills which pertain to the periodic Comprehensive Plan update process for cities and counties planning under the GMA. Staff will review legislation to ensure the Comprehensive Plan is consistent with the new mandates. These bills are:

• SB 5275 allows more options for development and redevelopment inside the boundaries of Limited Areas of More Intense Rural Development (LAMIRDs).
• SB 5042 provides for effective dates of actions that expand an urban growth area; removes the designation of agricultural, forest, or mineral resource lands; creates or expands a LAMIRD; or creates or expands a master-planned resort.
• HB 1220 – amended the GMA to instruct local governments to “plan and accommodate” for housing affordable to all income levels.
• HB 1241 – changes the update cycle for comprehensive plans from every eight years to every ten years, with a progress report due every five years.
• HB 1717 – requires that local governments collaborate and coordinate with federally recognized tribes for participation in the planning process under the GMA, that tribes shall be invited to collaborate with cities in preparation of container port elements for lands located adjacent to tribal reservations, and makes provisions for coordinating planning for urban growth by tribes and local governments.
• SB 5593 – requires that each county that designates Urban Growth Areas under RCW 36.70A.110 review patterns of development occurring within the UGA. If, during this review, the county determines patterns of development have created pressure in areas that exceed available, developable lands within the UGA, the UGA may be revised to accommodate identified patterns of development and likely future development pressure for the succeeding 20-year period if certain requirements are met.
• HB 1181 – adds a new element to the GMA related to climate change and resiliency and requires eligible counties and cities to revise their comprehensive plans to include a climate change and resiliency strategy.

• Skagit Countywide Planning Policies
• Skagit County Code

Robby Eckroth, Senior Planner reckroth@co.skagit.wa.us
Tara Satushek, Senior Planner taras@co.skagit.wa.us