HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-09-2026-Meeting Minutes ls gb jpPLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
JEFFERSON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
Regular Meeting – September 9, 2026
Jefferson Transit Center
63 Four Corners Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Chair Koan called the meeting to order at 5:30
PM Recording started and then stopped and not started again. Meeting ended at
7:45pm.
Kevin Coker Present Virtually Matt
Sircely Present Sunny Allen Present
Cynthia
Koan Present LD Richert Present Chris
Llewellyn Present
Devin
Gonzalez
Unexcused
Absence
Michael
Shultz Present Andrew
Schwartz Present
APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA: Chair Koan asked the
commissioners if there were any objections to adoption of the agenda as written. No
objections were made. The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
APPROVAL OF 06-10-2026 MINUTES: Chair Koan requested a motion to approve the
minutes. A motion was made to approve, the motion seconded, and passed 8-0-0.
APPROVAL OF 08-14-2026 RETREAT MINUTES: Chair Koan requested a motion to
approve the minutes.
A motion was made to approve, the motion was seconded, and passed 8-0-0.
GENERAL UPDATES PLANNING COMMISSION UPDATES: NONE
DCD STAFF UPDATES: NONE
PUBLIC COMMENT – GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENT: NONE
TRANSMITTED INFORMATION
1. 09-09-2026 Agenda
2. 06-10-2026 Meeting Minutes
3. 08-14-2026 Meeting Minutes
4. 2026 08 31 Chapter 18.32 JCC (Transportation Concurrency) – PC Public Hearing
Draft
5. Summary of Transportation Concurrency
6. Process Improvements Summary from 8-14-26 Retreat
7. Draft 2026 Planning Commission Goals
8. Community Development & Planning Commission Goals
9. 04-16-2025 Planning Commission Bylaws with Recommended Amendments (to
be transmitted Tuesday September 8th).
REGULAR BUSINESS
1. Nominations and possible elections for Chair and Vice Chair positions.
a. Chair Koan opened the floor for annual nominations to Chair and Vice-
Chair positions. Chair nominations: Cynthia Koan. Vice-Chair
nominations: Andrew Schwartz.
b. A motion was made by Chris Llewellyn, and seconded by Andrew
Schwartz to hold the annual election of officers this evening rather than
next meeting pursuant to the PC bylaws. The motion passed 8-0-0.
c. The motion to re-elect Cynthia Koan as Chair and Andrew Schwartz as
Vice-Chair passed 8-0-0.
2. Environmental Public Health Presentation “Residential Design & Food
Processing, Septic Considerations”, Carter Erickson. (5:45pm-6:55pm). Slides
were provided and added to the meeting record.
a. Septic components and design parameters: Septic sizing per WAC 246-
272A-0230, consisting of number of bedrooms (2 people per) x standard
gallons/person/day + surge capacity surcharge. Examples and caveats
discussed.
b. Soil type and percolation rate determines “Hydraulic Loading Rate”
(formerly “percolation rate”) and drainfield sizing. Requires minimum 12
inches soil + two feet of separation from water or restrictive soils.
Examples of loading rate and different system designs discussed.
c. Cottage foods & kitchens: Regulated by Washington Department of
Agriculture food safety (ch. 16-149 WAC). Local jurisdiction’s rules also
apply. Health codes applied to kitchens making food for sale directly to
public (not to supermarket). Has to be shelf-stable, not requiring
refrigeration or heating. Septic system capacity is evaluated for any
additional waste strength or loading from food processing (WAC 246-
272A-0230).
d. Septic classes available through Public Environmental Health for
homeowners. Authorizes homeowner to make system inspections.
e. Greywater Use for subsurface irrigation. Can’t use greywater during wet
months, so storage is required. Can’t use greywater for other water reuse
in Jefferson County.
f. Outhouses. State of Washington does not allow outhouses anymore. Can
install a holding tank septic system, but requires pump-out every two
weeks at a cost of ca. $1,000 for pump-out service.
3. Transportation Concurrency Ordinance, Greg Ballard. (6:57pm-7:10pm)
The 2025 Comprehensive Plan, adopted by Ordinance No. 03-0713-26,
specifically calls for development of a transportation concurrency ordinance.
The purposes of proposed chapter 18.32 JCC (Transportation Concurrency) are
to ensure that adequate Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan’s adopted Level
of Service (LOS) standards are maintained and achieved concurrently with new
development.
a. The background info on the concurrency and the proposed concurrency
ordinance was provided in the PC packet. Greg provided a general
summary of the proposed concurrency ordinance and provided some
general background of why it was being proposed. He provided the
background on the issues with the Mason Street development and the
Hearing Examiner (H.E.) issue with the adequacy of the intersection of SR
19 and SR 116. The courts determined that the issue brought up by the
H.E. was not appropriate. The Concurrency Ordinance only applies to
county roads and not state highways. Cynthia Koan asked what would
happen if someone proposed 1,000 lots off of a state highway. Greg
Ballard indicated that a Traffic Impact Analysis would be required and
that if the development brought county roads below the established LOS
that the proposal would require modification, mitigation, or would be
denied per the proposed concurrency ordinance.
b. A public hearing is scheduled for the 9/23/26 Planning Commission
meeting.
4. Summary of 8/14/2026 PC and Board Retreat & items to operationalize. Joel
Peterson (7:10pm—7:30pm).
a. Participants reviewed “Process Improvements Summary from 8/14/26
Retreat” document and discussed coordination opportunities between PC
and Board. No additional implementation items were added. Discussion
about joint workshops with Board—they would be efficient for small
items, but big topics may be better served by having hearings and public
participation at both PC and at Board.
b. Participants reviewed document “Community Development & Planning
Commission Goals”, and the proposed new text from the 8/14/2026
retreat to Goal #3: “On a quarterly basis, invite a Board member to the
Planning Commission to increase alignment with Board priorities”. A
motion to incorporate this language and to update the DCD/PC goals
document from 2024 to 2026, passed 6-0-2.
5. Proposed Amendments to Planning Commission Bylaws, Cynthia Koan. (7:30pm-
7:45pm)
Amendments to the Planning Commission bylaws were suggested at the
8/14/2026 Retreat. Specific text amendments to the bylaws include a
description of required member training (new Section 4), and discussion on
member attendance (no new text proposed). Discussion queried if we need to
be clear about what the consequences are if members do not take the training.
Pursuant to bylaws Section 15, the proposed amendments are discussed as an
item of business at a meeting (i.e., this meeting is for that purpose), and
proposed changes are given at least a 10-day review of the proposals by the PC
before consideration and action at the next regular PC meeting, scheduled for
September 23, 2026. No action was taken on this item at this meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON REGULAR BUSINESS ITEMS
No public comment (only one attendee in person)
ADJOURNED at 7:45pm.
The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled September 23rd at 5:30 p.m. at the
Jefferson Transit Center.
These meeting minutes were approved this ___________ day of _______________ 2026.
_____________________________ ________________________
Cynthia Koan, Chair Tonya Flores Cruz, PC Clerk