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The Skagit Envision Skagit 2060 Project

Consideration and Implementation of Envision Skagit 2060 Recommendations

The Envision Skagit project is moving into its final phase, which involves consideration and possible implementation of the Envision Skagit Citizen Committee's Recommendations by elected officials and other implementing bodies.

There are many potential avenues for implementation of the recommendations. So far this year, Envision Skagit Citizen Committee members and project staff have made presentations about the committee's recommendations to a number of organizations and councils, including: the Skagit County Board of Commissioners; Port of Skagit and Port of Anacortes Commissioners; Skagit County Planning Commission; Skagit County Agricultural Advisory Board; Growth Management Act Steering Committee (County Commissioners and Mayors of Anacortes, Burlington, La Conner, Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley); Mount Vernon City Council; Skagit Council of Governments Technical Advisory Committee (planning directors); and Envision Skagit Steering and Technical Committee members.

In the near future, the committee's recommendations will be presented to and discussed with elected officials from cities, towns, tribes and other organizations that are members of the Skagit Council of Governments (SCOG) . While these organizations and jurisdictions are not obligated to take action, these upcoming meetings will explore opportunities for improving regional collaboration consistent with the Citizen Committee's recommendations on that subject (see Goal Statement 1 in the committee's report). See below for further details about these upcoming SCOG meetings.

The Skagit County Commissioners have committed to also considering the recommendations in upcoming updates to the county's comprehensive plan. Already Skagit County has received a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to consider development of a transfer of development rights (TDR) program which is an action recommended by the Envision Citizen Committee. Any proposed changes to the Skagit County comprehensive plan or development regulations resulting from implementation of Envision recommendations will be considered through the normal planning procedures established under Skagit County Code.

GMA Steering Committee and Skagit Council of Governments Process for Considering the Envision Skagit 2060 Citizen Committee Recommendations

In the coming months, the Citizen Committee's recommendations will be presented to and discussed with elected officials from Skagit Council of Governments member jurisdictions. The schedule for these discussions is as follows:

1 Envision Public Open House (April 25, Burlington City Council Chambers; 4:00 - 8:00 pm)
 
  • Invitees: General public. Also city, town and tribal council members and other elected officials who can't attend the April 26th daytime meeting
  • Presentation on Envision Committee recommendations focusing on regional planning and policy (the sorts of issues addressed by the Skagit Council of Governments and the GMA Steering Committee).
  • Discussion among participants:
    • How can we best work together as a region?
    • Which Citizen Committee recommendations would support that goal?
  • Summary of discussion and comments will be provided to elected officials
2 GMA Steering Committee and Skagit Council of Governments Elected Officials: "A Conversation on Regional Collaboration" (April 26, Burlington City Council Chambers, 9 am - Noon)
 
  • Invitees: Elected officials from SCOG jurisdictions: city and town mayors and councils; county commissioners; tribal chairs and councils; port commissioners; PUD #1 and Skagit Transit boards.
  • Presentation on Envision Committee recommendations focusing on regional planning/policy
  • Broad policy discussion among elected officials:
  • How can we best work together as a region?
  • Which Citizen Committee recommendations would support that goal?
  • Elected officials return to their jurisdictions, continue the discussion there, and return in late May for second Conversation on Regional Collaboration.
3 GMA Steering Committee and Skagit Council of Governments Elected Officials: Second "Conversation on Regional Collaboration" (May 31, Burlington CC Chambers, 9 am - Noon)
 
  • Elected officials return and report back on discussions in their communities.
  • Key discussion points from first Conversation are revisited, with elected officials drawing on the discussions within their jurisdictions.
  • Output: Identify and prioritize issues and recommendations that regional leaders are interested in working together on and those that are more problematic.
4 GMA Steering Committee meeting(s) (Schedule to be determined)
 
  • Drawing on process to date, the GMA Steering Committee members will determine which of the Envision Citizen Committee recommendations - or other ideas developed through the Conversations - relating to regional planning and policy should be implemented.
  • The GMA Steering Committee's action becomes the final Envision recommendations relating to regional planning and policy issues.
How Might the Envision Recommendations Ultimately be Acted Upon by the Skagit Council of Governments or the GMA Steering Committee?

The Envision recommendations are not a package deal that must be approved or rejected as a whole.

Elected officials are being asked to review, consider and discuss the recommendations.

As a result of those discussions, some recommendations may be accepted for implementation or further development, others may be declined.

Goals of the process are to:

  • Promote regional dialogue on how jurisdictions in Skagit County can work together toward shared goals;
  • Help identify what those shared goals are; and
  • Help shape long-range planning efforts (whether the 20-year horizon of GMA planning, including the upcoming 2016 comprehensive plans updates, or the 50-year horizon of the Envision project).

Envision Skagit Citizen Committee's Final Report and Recommendations

The Envision Skagit Citizen Committee's final report and recommendations, released in October 2011, are now under consideration by Skagit County and other jurisdictions for possible implementation.

Final Report and Recommendations [Pdf]

The Citizen Committee, which met from September 2010 through June 2011, consisted of 12 citizen volunteers who were selected from a larger pool of applicants by a committee of county commissioners and city and town mayors. During the time that they met, one of their primary tasks was to listen to the community.

In addition to meeting with local, regional, and national experts, the Citizen Committee hosted community meetings in Edison, Anacortes, La Connor, Concrete, Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, and Burlington. They held additional listening sessions with specific groups, including the agricultural community, the Latino and Spanish-speaking community, and youth from local schools. The committee also received comments through the project website and from presentations to a wide variety of service and interest groups. In total the committee heard from well over 400 residents.

"The Envision Skagit Citizen Committee has developed this vision and set of recommendations for what we believe today's Skagit County residents want Skagit County to be like in 2060 - and what we should do now to help bring that about," says the reports executive summary.

"While our work as a formal committee has ended…that is far from the end of the larger Envision Skagit process. Before any law or significant government policy can be changed, we encourage elected officials to hold public listening sessions to take further public comment. A 50-year plan takes time to implement."

"The conversation is just starting. It is the people of Skagit County that will make this happen. Please speak up and make your voice heard."

The Citizen Committee's report is available at the following libraries: Anacortes, Burlington, Concrete, La Conner, Mount Vernon, and Sedro-Woolley, and at the Skagit County Up River Services office. The report is also available on disk, at no charge, by contacting Linda Christensen at lindac@co.skagit.wa.us, or (360) 336-9410, ext. 7620.

 

Citizens Committee:

List of Meetings, Field Trips, Community Events [Pdf]
Committee Meetings, Notes and Materials
Archives and Reports


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The Envision Skagit 2060 project seeks to develop and implement a broadly-supported, 50-year plan to protect the Skagit and Samish River watersheds' many environmental values, maintain our highly productive natural resource industries, and accommodate population growth in livable, walkable, and economically vibrant communities.

The project is a partnership among Skagit County and numerous local and regional organizations, including conservation groups, tribes, local farmers and foresters, cities, economic development interests and universities.

The effort is funded with a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency with substantial in-kind contributions from Skagit County and its partners. The project will ultimately recommend changes to the County's and other jurisdictions' comprehensive plans and policies addressing land use planning, community and economic development, environmental protection and natural resource conservation.

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