HomeMy WebLinkAbout86-1215-25RSTATE OF WASHINGTON
County of Jefferson
In the Matter of extending the deadline to
take final action on the 2025 Comprehensive
Plan Periodic Review from December 8, RESOLUTION NO. R6-1S - 2 5 R
2025, to June 30, 2026, and deferring the
2026 Annual Comprehensive Plan
Amendment Cycle to 2027.
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,
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
separate amendments in the same year for the 2026 annual amendment cycle; and,
WHEREAS, although a periodic review schedule extension is allowed up to 24 months, Jefferson
County expects only need to extend the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan periodic update
timeline to June 30, 2026; however, the county also expects to be working on the Critical Areas
Ordinance and Shoreline Master Plan during 2026; and,
WHEREAS, the BoCC finds that it is in the public interest to extend the decision -making date for
the comprehensive plan periodic review, and to defer the 2026 annual amendment cycle to 2027.
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 defer the upcoming 2026 Comprehensive
Plan annual amendment cycle to the 2027 annual amendment cycle.
Section 4. Adoption of Extended Schedule. The deadline for legislative action on the 2025 periodic
update is changed from December 8, 2025, to June 30, 2026; and the 2026 annual amendment
cycle will be deferred to 2027.
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)
ADOPTED and APPROVED this day of,ect er, 2025.
SEAL: JE ERSON COUNTY BOARD OF
M
OMMISSIONERS
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ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Carolyn llaway, CMC ate Philip C. Hunsucker, D to
Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Jeremy Willammee, Director, Community Development
Joel Peterson, Associate Planner, Community Development
DATE: December 15, 2025
SUBJECT: WORKSHOP and POTENTIAL ACTION on Resolution Extending the Date for
Adopting the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update, and Deciding Whether to
Combine the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update with the 2026 Annual
Comprehensive Plan Amendment Cycle, or Defer the 2026 Annual Amendment
Cycle to 2027
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
In the December 1, 2025 Board of County Commissioners (Board) meeting, the Department of Community
Development (DCD) presented the issue of extending the 2025 Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan
periodic update ("periodic update" or "periodic review") schedule into 2026. Two options for work planning
in 2026 were presented: firstly, an extended schedule for the 2025 periodic update with a concurrent 2026
annual amendment cycle, with anticipated conclusion in December 2026; and secondly, an extended
schedule for the periodic update into 2026 without an annual amendment cycle in 2026, with anticipated
conclusion in spring or summer 2026.
Much of the Board's discussion on December 1 weighed upon whether the public is anticipating a 2026
Annual Amendment cycle and what number of site -specific amendment applications there may be waiting
for 2026. DCD returns to the Board with additional information regarding the public's interest in submitting
stie-specific amendment proposals.
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. 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.
An important aspect of the Board's decision is that the Growth Management Act (GMA) allows revision of a
comprehensive plan no more often than one time per year. Therefore, DCD recommends that 2026 annual
amendment cycle be deferred until 2027 and that the 2025 periodic review be completed in 2026 on its own
schedule (i.e., unbeholden to the prescriptive annual amendment cycle outlined in JCC 18.45). If an annual
amendment cycle were initiated for site -specific proposals in 2026, then both planning processes would need
to be brought together so that cumulative impacts analyses could consider both periodic review and annual
amendment proposals, as the GMA requires that comprehensive plan amendments occur no more than one
time per year.
ANALYSIS:
DCD surveyed Planning Commissioners and other community contacts to determine if there were
applications being developed for the March 1, 2026 deadline for site -specific comprehensive plan
amendment proposals. DCD also posted a pop-up web request for information about any forthcoming
applications in 2026. Through telephone calls to Planning Commissioners and to customers who may be
submitting proposals, no people reported intent to submit a site -specific amendment proposal for a 2026
annual amendment cycle. No responses in the affirmative regarding site -specific proposals have been
generated from the website outreach or telephone inquiries. That said, there may be no way to reach
everyone who may have intentions to submit a site -specific amendment application, and corresponding
application fee, before the March 1, 2026 deadline.
Note that a county proposal for Essential Public Facility (EPF) designation is considered a Special Use
Permit. The process for considering such a proposal is akin to a Type V process in the Unified Development
Code, including review by the Planning Commission and ordinance adoption by the Board, but is exempt
from GMA's once -a -year Comprehensive Plan amendment constraint by law and Jefferson County Code.
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 webpages, public media, public events, and open houses
hosted by the Planning Commission. As part of the periodic update, the Planning Commission 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 residents, 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—the
"ordinance on ordinances" —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 Ordinance (CAO) update, DCD finds
the public interest and the Board will be served to extend the decision -making date for the comprehensive
plan periodic review.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Long-range planning activities are funded through the General Fund and, when applicable, outside grants.
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.
2
DCD advises that finishing the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review without a 2026 annual
amendment cycle, and corresponding regimented schedule, will yield a more straightforward and efficient
planning process, better interaction with the public on the comprehensive plan periodic update materials, and
a more cost-efficient approach overall. The 2024 annual amendment cycle was combined with project
initiation of the 2025 periodic review. This experience revealed difficulties with records development,
scheduling, and public understanding of the process. If there were important and imminent site -specific
rezone proposals requiring a 2026 annual amendment cycle, DCD would combine 2025 periodic update
schedule with the annual amendment schedule in JCC 18.45, thereby stretching adoption to December 2026.
Other long-range planning work would be affected, including adoption of development code amendments
associated with the 2025 periodic update, DCD support of the pending Shoreline Master Program (SMP)
update, and the capacity to see grant funding for long-range planning work in 2027.
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. If DCD takes in applications for site -
specific rezone proposals in a 2026 annual amendment cycle, the application fee covers a portion of DCD's
costs.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an update on the comprehensive plan periodic review and the likelihood of site -specific rezone
proposals for an annual amendment cycle in 2026. Approve one of two resolutions offered by staff for Board
consideration: one extending the 2025 periodic update schedule to June 30, 2026 and deferring the 2026
annual amendment cycle to 2027 (Option 1), and one extending the 2025 periodic update schedule to
December 14, 2026 in combination with a 2026 annual amendment cycle (Option 2).
Staff recommends Option 1 for the reasons outlined above.
REVIEWED BY:
(APPAU) C6�nw 1 ;L / I
b
Josh-b. Peters, County Administrator Date