HomeMy WebLinkAboutWORKSHOP re Comprehensive Plan JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Chelsea Pronovost,Interim Director,Community Development
Joel Peterson,Associate Planner,Community Development
DATE: December 1,2025
SUBJECT: WORKSHOP and POTENTIAL ACTION on Resolution Extending the Date for
Adopting the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update,and Combining the 2025
Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update with the 2026 Annual Comprehensive Plan
Amendment Cycle
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The comprehensive plan periodic review was anticipated to be completed by the second Board meeting in
December,2025. Additional time is needed by DCD and from the Prosecuting Attorney's Office(PAO) for
the 2025 Comprehensive Plan periodic review. Accordingly, staff recommends extending the date for
adopting the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update, and combining the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic
Update with the 2026 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment Cycle. RCW 36.70A.130(6)(b) and WAC
365-196-610(1)(b)authorize Jefferson County to take up to an additional 24 months to complete the periodic
update process if the county has a population of less than 50,000 and has had its population increase by no
more than 17 percent in the 10 years preceding the deadline.
The Growth Management Act(GMA) allows revision of a comprehensive plan no more often than one time
per year. Therefore,the DCD and the PAO advise that the 2026 annual amendment cycle and the 2025
periodic review be rolled together so that cumulative impacts analyses can consider both periodic review and
annual amendment proposals, and the comprehensive plan will be amended no more than one time per year.
ANALYSIS:
Jefferson County has engaged in a multi-year planning process with funding from the Department of
Commerce and assistance from consultants,to update the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan, including
outreach and involvement strategies with project website,public media,public events, and open houses
hosted by the Planning Commission. As part of the periodic update, the Planning Commission has held
public meetings through 2024 and 2025 on public policy and proposed amendments to the comprehensive
plan. The Comprehensive Plan update has generated both written and oral testimony from citizens,
including proposed amendments that could have significant impact to the County's land use patterns for the
future.
Additional time is needed by DCD and the PAO to meet requirements of Ordinance No. 02-0528-24 to
review draft Comprehensive Plan and development regulation amendment proposals and related analysis
documents related to the periodic update.
RCW 36.70A.130(6)(b) and WAC 365-196-610(1)(b) authorize Jefferson County to take up to an additional
24 months to complete the periodic update process if the county has a population of less than 50,000 and has
had its population increase by no more than 17 percent in the 10 years preceding the deadline. Using state
Office of Financial Management population numbers of the last 10 years, the countywide population grew
from 31,266 in 2015 to 33,825 in 2025, or a 10-year growth rate of 8.2%, below the 17%threshold in WAC
364-196-610.
Although the county has made substantial progress in its periodic review of the Comprehensive Plan and
related development regulations, including the required Critical Areas update, DCD fords the public interest
will be served to extend the decision-making date for the comprehensive plan periodic review, and to
incorporate analyses of the periodic review into the 2026 annual amendment cycle.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Long-range planning activities are funded through the General Fund. Originally slated to be completed by
June 30,2025,the state legislature extended 2025 periodic update deadlines to December 31, 2025. Project
planning and budget anticipated the first deadline of June 30, 2025, though project funds were economized
to extend as far as possible to account for a new December 31, 2025 deadline. At this point, all Periodic
Update Grant funds from Department of Commerce have been expended. Costs from the periodic update
and county-sponsored proposals in 2026 will be borne by the County.
As part of the 2026 annual amendment cycle, there may be amendments proposed by the public.
Suggested amendments are those that are subject to the docketing process,while site-specific amendments
are those that are paid for by proponents through application fees.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an update on the comprehensive plan periodic review. Approve a motion to adopt the attached
resolution extending the 2025 periodic review deadline to December 14, 2026,thereby integrating periodic
review with the 2026 annual amendment cycle, including cumulative impact analyses.
REVIEWED BY:
Vge,79-5—
Jos D. Peters, County Administrator Date
STATE OF WASHINGTON
County of Jefferson
In the Matter of extending the deadline to
take final action on the 2025 Comprehensive RESOLUTION NO.
Plan Periodic Review from December 8,
2025,to December 14,2026, and combining
the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic
Update with the 2026 Annual Comprehensive
Plan Amendment Cycle.
WHEREAS, Jefferson County chose to plan under the Washington Growth Management Act,
Chapter 36.70A RCW(GMA), under 36.70A.040; and,
WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (BoCC) is the legislative authority
under GMA,to codify a process for amending the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan; and,
WHEREAS, Jefferson County has established procedures for amending the Comprehensive Plan
in the Jefferson County Code(JCC)chapter 18.45; and,
WHEREAS, chapter 18.45 JCC specifies procedures for amending the Jefferson County
Comprehensive Plan and development regulations; and,
WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan was initially adopted December, 1998,
underwent the last periodic update on December 10, 2018, in Ordinance No. 14-1210-18; and,
WHEREAS, the BoCC initiated a comprehensive plan update in 2024 by engaging the Growth
Management Steering Committee (GMSC) to update the Countywide Planning Policy (CPP) and
make population projection recommendations to the BoCC as the basis for updating the Jefferson
County Comprehensive Plan; and,
WHEREAS, GMA requires early and continuous public involvement, including provisions for
open discussions, consideration, and response to public comments by the legislative body; and,
WHEREAS, Jefferson County has engaged in a multi-year planning process with funding from
the Washington State Department of Commerce and assistance from consultants, to update the
Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan,including outreach and involvement strategies with project
website, public media, public events, and open houses hosted by the Jefferson County Planning
Commission; and,
WHEREAS, as part of the periodic update, the Jefferson County Planning Commission has held
public meetings through 2024 and 2025 on public policy and proposed amendments to the
Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan; and,
WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan amendment cycle has generated both
written comments and oral testimony from citizens, including proposed amendments that could
have significant impact to the county's land use patterns for the future; and,
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WHEREAS,the county has made substantial progress in its periodic review of the Comprehensive
Plan and development regulations, including the required Critical Areas Ordinance update; and,
WHEREAS, GMA provides that Jefferson County, as part of the 2025 periodic update, complete
the periodic update by the end of December, 2025; and,
WHEREAS, Jefferson County adopted a uniform process for the adoption of ordinances and
resolutions in Jefferson County through Ordinance No. 02-0528-24, which has been codified in
chapter 2.55 JCC; and,
WHEREAS, JCC 2.55.060 contains the rules for adoption of ordinances and resolutions,
including approval by the Prosecuting Attorney's Office of all ordinances and all resolutions that
require a public hearing before any public hearing by the Jefferson County Planning Commission
and before a recommendation on a proposed ordinance or resolution from the Jefferson County
Planning Commission is submitted or provided to the BoCC; and,
WHEREAS, project delays were experienced due to the nature of new legislative requirements
amending the GMA, and with the evolving guidance from state Department of Commerce about
meeting these new GMA requirements; and,
WHEREAS, additional time is needed by DCD and the PAO to meet requirements of Ordinance
No. 02-0528-24 to review draft Comprehensive Plan and development regulation amendment
proposals and related analysis documents related to the periodic update; and,
WHEREAS, RCW 36.70A.130(6)(b) and WAC 365-196-610(1)(b)authorize Jefferson County
to take up to an additional 24 months to complete the periodic update process if the county has a
population of less than 50,000 and has had its population increase by no more than 17 percent in
the 10 years preceding the deadline; and,
WHEREAS,using state Office of Financial Management population numbers of the last 10 years,
the countywide population grew from 31,266 in 2015 to 33,825 in 2025, or a 10-year growth rate
of 8.2%, below the 17%threshold in WAC 364-196-610; and,
WHEREAS, this "safe harbor" provision of GMA allows Jefferson County to take advantage of
the deadline extension provision of RCW 36.70A.130(6)(b), allowing Jefferson County to remain
in compliance with GMA during the extended schedule; and,
WHEREAS,GMA at RCW 36.70A.130,does not allow the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan
to be amended more than one time per year; and,
WHEREAS, extending the Comprehensive Plan periodic update into 2026 would preclude
amendments in the same year for the 2026 annual amendment cycle, which may include
comprehensive plan amendment proposals important to other county projects; and,
WHEREAS, although a periodic review schedule extension is allowed up to 24 months,Jefferson
County will only need to extend the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan periodic update
timeline 12 months,to coincide with the legislative action deadline of the 2026 annual amendment
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cycle; and,
WHEREAS,the BoCC fmds that it is in the public interest to extend the decision-making date for
the comprehensive plan periodic review, and to incorporate analyses of the Jefferson County
Comprehensive Plan periodic review into the 2026 annual amendment cycle.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
JEFFERSON COUNTY,WASHINGTON,HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Whereas Clauses are Findings of Fact. The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners
hereby adopts the above"Whereas"clauses as Findings of Fact.
Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of this resolution is to extend the date for final legislative action
on the 2025 comprehensive plan periodic update and combine the upcoming 2026 Comprehensive
Plan annual amendment cycle with the 2025 comprehensive plan periodic update.
Section 4.Adoption of Extended Schedule.The deadline for legislative action on the 2025 periodic
update is changed from December 8,2025,to December 14,2026;and the 2026 annual amendment
cycle will be incorporated into the comprehensive plan periodic review analyses, for final
legislative action December 14, 2026. 2026 Schedule benchmarks include:
a) March 2,2026, 4:30 PM (March 1 is a Sunday): JCC 18.45.040(2)(a) says, "Deadline.
All applications for formal site-specific and suggested amendments shall be submitted to
DCD by March 1st of the current calendar year in order to be considered during that
year's amendment process; except that county-sponsored proposals to amend the capital
facilities element of the Comprehensive Plan may be accepted later than other proposed
amendments because of their relationship to the county's annual budget process."
b) March 13,2026: JCC 18.45.050(2) says, "List of Suggested Amendments. Each year,the
administrator shall maintain for public review the annual list of suggested amendments
made by citizens, the board of county commissioners or members of the board of county
commissioners, county staff, county departments or other agencies. By the end of the
second full business week of March of each year, this list of suggested amendments shall
be compiled into a preliminary docket. JCC 18.45.060 sets forth the process for selecting
which suggested amendments will be placed on the final docket to be formally reviewed
during the annual review process."
c) May 11,2026: JCC 18.45.060(4)(a) says, "Review and Decision Process. By the second
regular board of county commissioners meeting in May of each year,the board of county
commissioners shall review and consider the planning commission's report and
recommended final docket at a regularly scheduled commissioners meeting. The board of
county commissioners may adopt the planning commission's recommended final docket
without a public hearing; however, in the event that a majority of the board of county
commissioners decides to add or subtract suggested amendments, it shall first hold a
public hearing, noticed as set forth in subsection(3) of this section, which shall be held
by the first board of county commissioners meeting in July."
d) October 15,2026: JCC 18.45.080(2)(e) says, "Transmittal to State. The administrator
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shall transmit a copy of any proposed amendment of the Comprehensive Plan to the
Washington State Office of Community Development(OCD) at least 60 days prior to the
expected date of final action by the board of county commissioners, as consistent with
Chapter 36.70A RCW."
e) December 14,2026: JCC 18.45.080(2)(d) says, "Adoption by Ordinance. The board of
county commissioners shall adopt any amendments to the Jefferson County
Comprehensive Plan by ordinance. This final action on the docket must be taken by the
second regular board meeting in December of each year."
f) December 24,2026: JCC 18.45.080(2)(e) says, "The administrator shall transmit a copy
of any adopted Comprehensive Plan amendment to OCD within 10 days after adoption
by the board."
Section 5. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or section of this
Resolution or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this
Resolution or its application to other persons or circumstances shall be fully valid and shall not be
affected.
Section 8. SEPA Categorical Exemption. This Resolution is categorically exempt from the State
Environmental Policy Act under WAC 197-11-800 (19).
Section 9. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect and be in full force immediately upon
passage by the Board of County Commissioners.
(SIGNATURES FOLLOW ON THE NEXT PAGE)
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ADOPTED and APPROVED this day of , 2025.
SEAL: JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Heidi Eisenhour, Chair
Greg Brotherton, Member
Heather Dudley-Nollette, Member
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Carolyn Gallaway, CMC Date Philip C. Hunsucker, Date
Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
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