HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-17-2025 Meeting Minutes MINUTES
JEFFERSON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Regular Meeting – December 17th, 2025
WSU Extension Classroom
97 Oak Bay Rd, Port Hadlock-Irondale, WA 98339
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Chair Koan called the meeting to order at 05:31 p.m.
Kevin Coker Present Matt Sircely Present Sunny Allen Present
Cynthia Koan Present LD Richert Present Chris Llewellyn Present
Devin Gonzalez Present Michael Shultz Present Andrew Schwartz Present
APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA: Chair Koan moved to approve the
Agenda and the Agenda was approved by acclimation with one abstention from
Commissioner Gonzalez as he was not present for this portion of the meeting.
APPROVAL OF 11/19/2025 MINUTES: Chair Koan moves to approve 12-03
Meeting Minutes. Minutes are approved with 0 objections to the motion with one
abstention from Commissioner Gonzalez as he was not present
GENERAL UPDATES
PLANNING COMMISSION UPDATES:
1. NONE
DCD STAFF UPDATES:
1. Reminder to PC to please send photos in for 2026 Retreat.
PUBLIC COMMENT – GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENT: Public comments, in their entirety, can be viewed within the
video recording of the meeting which is located in our Laserfiche Web Portal:
www.co.jefferson.wa.us – Services>Laserfiche Web Portal (username and password
are both: public)>Community Development>Planning
Commission>Mtgs>Recordings>PC Meeting Recordings 2025>XX-XX-2025. Time
stamps within the video recording of the meeting are referenced below as necessary
1. NONE
At this time Chair Koan takes a question from commissioners. Commissioner Gonzalez asks
about training on meeting and hearing procedures. Other commissioners provide response.
Commissioner Schwartz asks about procedures for public notice in regard to special
meetings and hearings. Staff provides a response.
TRANSMITTED INFORMATION:
1. 12-03-2025 Meeting Minutes
2. 12-17-2025 Agenda
3. DCD CAO Draft 2025 11 24 clean
4. A. Article I Auth. & II Admin. Track Changes
5. B. Article III CARA & IV Freq. Flooded Track Changes
6. C. Article V Geohazard Track Changes
7. D. Article VI FWHCA Track Changes
8. E. Article VII Wetlands Track Changes
9. F. Article VIII Agriculture Track Changes
10. G. Article IX Special Reports Track Changes
REGULAR BUSINESS
AGENDA ITEM DESCRIPTIONS
1. Public Hearing and possible deliberation: Critical Areas Ordinance
Presentation be Emily Calkins
a. Assignment – Following staff presentation, consider public testimony
and potentially initiate deliberation.
2. A short discussion is held in regard to final date and time for written
testimony to be submitted for the Planning Commission to review. It is
decided that the final day for written comment will be extended through
December 31st at midnight.
PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Julie Boggs – public access to redline document. Are buffer widths
mandatory, or are they what the PC recommended? Tree height
recommendations-why. Is there room for new farms as it stands? Are new
farms set up like old farms or is there a new process of permitting? Most of
the public can’t even follow this
2. Chuck Boggs – In the 50’s and 60’s there were lots of Salmon even though
the valleys were dull of dairy farms, and cows grazed in the wetlands and
along the sides of the creeks. The cows helped by trampling beaver dams and
eating canary grass. Why do we need buffers from agriculture uses like
grazing?
3. Noah Frisch –Comments that since the GMA has been adopted in the 90’s-it
is the method the state has used it to dictate what the counties need to do. It
creates requirements and then counties decide how best to satisfy those
requirements. Is concerned it seems like unchecked power. Much of this
feels like it may not be in the best interest of people in the neighborhood.
Science is very agenda driven. Concerned about agendas behind “best
science”. Where is the best science coming from and who is determines that
this science is the best?
4. Steve Mader – 612 Lawrence St Port Townsend. Staff has done a great job at
taking all the information that is out there. It is tough to come up with a set
of standards that can be consistently applied. Staff has made an effort to do
that. When thinking of buffers, it is important to understand what we can do
in the buffers. Certain activities are compatible in buffers and we need to
allow those.
5. Martin Frederickson 1833 West Valley Road. Owners of One Draw Ranch.
Concerned about definitions on what existing means. When changing crops
or a new owner comes in, is it new or ongoing? There may be reasons 5 years
pass by with a farm unused. Family may have passed away, the land may
need time to rest. Defining an arbitrary time period on that is a bad idea in a
community with a vibrant local farmers market. Farmers have done work to
ensure sustainability and it would benefit the county to be careful on putting
limits on farming.
6. Charlotte Frederickson echoes what Martin Frederickson said. She is
concerned that there will be a loss of farm land and that to her the code
reads as use it or lose it, it seems dangerous when we have so much farm
land here. We may lose agricultural lands due to the 5 year limit. Local farms
are more environmentally friendly to the public than QFC. Our intention isn’t
to be destructive. We think the language should be “and” as opposed to
“instead”.
7. Martin Mills Chimacum Farmer lives on Marrowstone. He highlighted the fact
that when something stops being a farm is complicated. Believes it is a
slippery slope on land use in regard the agriculture. It would help the
presentation to let us know what part of the code comes from the state and
federal level so we know where it is coming from. I think they’re trying to
make the best out of rules from above.
8. David Baliff 788 P Street. Strong support for instituting more objective
criteria on buffers areas, stating that larger buffers are not required.
Concerned about effects on rural areas with buffers. Who is grandfathered in
with new vs. old agriculture? Further distinctions are required to
differentiate between existing and new farms.
9. Leticia Delfino. Echoing statements by others on farmland. We are looking
forward to becoming a family farm. The language feels threatening to new
farmers. Leticia feels that more restrictions are being put in place for those
who are really trying to do what it best for the land.
A discussion follows with questions in regard to the 5 year time span for considering a farm to
be “new”.
NOTICE OF ADJOURNMENT: Chair Koan adjourned the meeting at 07:32 p.m. until the
next regular meeting or special meeting as properly noticed.
The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for January 7th, 2026 at 05:30 p.m.
These meeting minutes were approved this ___________ day of _____ 2026.
Cynthia Koan, Chair Tonya Flores Cruz, PC Clerk