Skagit Alternative Futures Project

In fall 2008, Skagit County received a four-year Targeted Watershed Grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to address conflicts between agricultural, environmental, and development interests in the Skagit watershed through an “alternative futures study.” The objective is to develop a long-term (50-year) plan that has broad support from diverse stakeholders, regulatory agencies, and the wider community, which would address the needs of agriculture, growth, and ecosystem conservation in the Skagit River watershed. The project will ultimately recommend changes to zoning, regulations, incentives, and other policies and programs necessary for implementation.

Project Description

• Project Backgrounder (24kb PDF)
• Work Program (PDF)

Process Diagrams and Committee Structure (PDF)

• Process Diagram
• Project Organization Diagram
• Technical Committee List
• Logic Model

Presentations

• August 18, 2009
  • Presentation to the Board of County Commissioners (WMV Video)
• May 12, 2009
  • Presentation to the Board of County Commissioners (WMV Video)
• April 23, 2009
  • Envision presentation
    The Envision software was developed by staff at Oregon State University (OSU). Dr. John Bolte of OSU visited Skagit County to demonstrate Envision at the first Joint Technical Committee Meeting for this project. Envision was developed directly out of the Willamette Alternative Futures project to assist with the comparison and analysis of complex future land use scenarios. The Skagit Alternative Futures project will use Envision to evaluate the alternative futures against a range of ecological, agricultural, development and forestry criteria.
    
  • PowerPoint Presentation (PPT)
  • Envision Presentation Video (WMV Video)
• February 24, 2009
  • Presentation to the Board of County Commissioners (WMV Video)
• PowerPoint presentation

Project Plan

The project will occur over three phases. The first phase, expected to extend from July 2008 through most of 2009, will involve defining and evaluating four alternative futures for urban development and rural and resource land conservation in the watershed, given population growth pressures and future climate change. The Steering Committee will work with a Technical Committee to define the alternatives and choose appropriate technical parameters for evaluation.

The second phase, beginning in late 2009 through most of 2010, will involve work with a Stakeholder Committee to review the technical evaluations of the first four futures and to develop a “Preferred Future” that can receive broad support (ideally consensus) from the Stakeholder Committee. To the greatest extent possible, the Preferred Future should meet multiple interests, including satisfying criteria for continuing a robust agricultural economy; improving water quality and restoring habitat and key ecological functions in the face of growth and climate change; and increasing certainty and predictability for future development.

The final phase, expected to begin in 2010 and last through the remainder of the grant term (June 2012) and beyond, will incorporate the Preferred Future into changes to zoning and land use policies in the County Comprehensive Plan, development regulations, strategies for restoration and farmland preservation, landowner incentives, and other policies and programs.

Steering Committee’s Agendas and Meeting Summaries
Ground Rules for Steering Committee

The Alternative Futures Steering Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month, from 9 a.m. to noon, in the Multi-Purpose room on the Skagit Valley College Campus, 2405 E. College Way.
For additional information, please contact Linda Christensen at lindac@co.skagit.wa.us or 360.419.7620.

Committee Structure
The project will involve four committees:

• Steering Committee. Advises Management Committee on overall project direction and key strategic decisions; assists outreach to key stakeholder groups. Membership: citizen and staff leaders of stakeholder groups.
  
• Stakeholder Committee. Responsible for developing the preferred alternative to be recommended by the project. Membership: citizen and elected representatives of stakeholder groups.
• Technical Committee. Coordinates and performs technical work in support of the project. Membership: staff leading different aspects of the technical analysis.
• Management Committee. Responsible for management of the project and meeting the terms of the grant contract. Membership: project managers from the County and the University of Washington (which is coordinating technical work in support of the project), with an EPA ex officio representative.
  

For more information, contact Kirk Johnson, Project Manager, at kirkj@co.skagit.wa.us or 360-336-9410ext. 5916.