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ADDRESS
621 Sheridan StreetPort Townsend,WA 98368
PHONE
Phone:360.379.4450Fax:360.379.4451
HOURS
Monday - Thursday9:00 to 4:30 closed 12:00 - 1:00 for lunch
WeekendsClosed
Background and History
From the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the tranquil
waters of Puget Sound and Hood Canal, the area now
referred to as Jefferson County has been an
inspiration to the generations who have called it
home. The stories and legends of native tribes who
inhabited the area speak eloquently of the spirit of
this land; and the journals of the early explorers are
replete with descriptions of the awesome beauty and
bountiful natural resources found here.
First explored by Spaniards in 1775, it was several
decades after Capt. George Vancouver’s extensive
exploration of the inland waters of Puget Sound and
the Strait of Juan De Fuca in 1792 that settlers began
to arrive. Coming by land and by sea, these early
settlers found refuge in the harbors and bays that
today bear the names of Discovery Bay, Port
Townsend, Port Hadlock, and Port Ludlow. Soon
shipbuilding, logging, sawmills, farming and canneries
became the mainstay of the economy. The harbors
were filled with sailing vessels representing nearly
every maritime nation in the world. The more
adventurous settlers moved farther out from
population centers. Many of the rural communities of
Jefferson County, such as Nordland, Brinnon,
Gardiner and Discovery Bay, have their names and
roots tied to these early settlers.
The native people who inhabited this area long before
the arrival of the first explorers and settlers, were
integrally linked to the land, its bounty and its
beauty. Through the signing of the Point No Point
Treaty with the United States in 1855, followed by the
Quinault Treaty, local Indian tribes ceded their lands
and waters to the United States, reserving the right
to continue fishing, hunting, and gathering activities
in the ceded territories. In addition, the tribes
reserved lands for their people represented today by
the reservations of the Skokomish in Mason County,
and the Hoh and the Quinault. Following the signing
of these treaties, non-Indian settlement proceeded
rapidly.
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Jefferson County’s economic history reflects the
enthusiasm and disappointment of the events of the
day. The excitement of positioning itself to be the
terminus of the transcontinental railroad in the 1870's
became an economic disaster when the railroad
stopped on the eastern shores of Puget Sound. Then,
after the economy was buoyed by the military build-
up of World War I and II, the post-war
decommissioning of coastal defense system at Forts
Worden, Townsend, and Flagler dismantled dreams of
a strong economic base.
While many people chose to leave this area to pursue a more stable economic future, some remained. Their love for the area and its resources and their commitment to the community overcame the unknowns presented by a changing world.
The qualities that brought the early settlers to
Jefferson County continue to attract new immigrants
with the beauty, resources, people, and unique way
of life offered here. Unguided and undirected,
however, the growth and development necessary to
accommodate these new residents may unknowingly
alter the very qualities that attracted them in the first
place.
In 1990 the Legislature of the State of Washington
determined that statewide assets and community
qualities were becoming increasingly at risk as more
and more people were attracted to the resources and
lifestyles offered. To address these issues, the
Legislature passed the Growth Management Act
(GMA), which established a statewide land use
planning framework for individual communities,
regional bodies and state agencies. For the first time,
efforts at all levels of government were to be
coordinated and conducted in a manner that
minimizes impacts on the natural environment and
preserves the natural resource base of the State,
while accommodating anticipated growth and
development.
The Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan is a
reflection of the wide variety of individual and
community desires, needs, aspirations, short-
comings, and accomplishments, all of which are
tempered by the parameters established by the GMA.
The Plan is a set of guidelines; goals, polices, and
strategies to give growth and development both
context and direction, aimed at promoting the best
environmental, social and economic future for
Jefferson County citizens.
The Comprehensive Plan and its promise:
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The Comprehensive Plan as presented herein has
been eight years in the making. Discussed, debated,
revisited and revised, it represents the time and
energy of hundreds of citizens contributing thousands
of hours. It also represents a fundamental
restructuring of the delivery of community services by
prioritizing public expenditures to areas designated to
accommodate new population growth, and requiring
the coordination of services to maintain stated service
levels.
While the Plan will impact the future delivery of
services, its purposes go well beyond how public funds are to be spent and services delivered. The Plan, in a very real sense, is a statement about Jefferson County as a community, and how it will be in the future as a place to work and play, to raise a
family or retire, to get an education or start a
business. To this end, the Plan represents a
statement of basic principles. And it is these principles
by which its success will be judged:
•Maintain and preserve the natural beauty, rural
character, and variety of life styles that make
up the intrinsic character of this community.
•Support a healthy, diversified, and sustainable
local and regional economy by recognizing
existing local businesses, making prudent and
appropriate infrastructure investments, and
encouraging new business start-ups and
recruitment which are compatible with and
complementary to the community.
•Protect and conserve the local natural resource
base, balancing both habitat and economic
values. •Reinforce and enhance the historic sense of
"place" or "community" around traditional
population centers.
•Prevent the inappropriate or premature
conversion of undeveloped land in favor of infill
and the strengthening of local communities.
•Provide a degree of flexibility and autonomy for
local communities to address their own unique
needs.
•Encourage yet unrealized opportunities in
community education, technology,
transportation alternatives, habitat restoration
and economic diversification.
To accomplish the above principles, our decision-
making must take into account the need for local
communities to shape their own sense of the future
within the guidelines contained in this Plan. We must
work together, tapping the strengths and diversity of
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the citizens of the community. We must clearly
understand the fiscal impacts of our decision making
and create opportunities for those who have less or
are just starting out to be able to participate fully in
all aspects of the community. And finally, we must be
consistent, coordinated, and flexible in the delivery of
community services.
The Comprehensive Plan as a living document:
The Comprehensive Plan is a living document and will
change as circumstances, challenges and outside
influences change. Remaining to be answered are a
number of questions such as classification and designation of the Port Hadlock and Glen Cove areas; the designation of the airport and surrounding area; the potential listing of a number of salmon species as endangered; and the availability of ground and
surface water resources. As issues are reviewed and
the Plan is revised, the foundational principles that
guided the development of this document will in turn
be applied to any change. For the Plan to accomplish
its stated goals it must be reflective of the values
which make up the community. To this end, the Plan
must ultimately support a community and a future
that is livable, affordable, and sustainable. This is no
small task, but neither is it an impossible task. The
ingredients necessary for the promise of this plan to
be realized are an active and informed citizenry and
an understanding and responsive government.
The Comprehensive Plan and our vision:
The Comprehensive Plan which follows is a statement
about the future. We, the Board of Commissioners, in
adopting this Plan, are projecting a future in which
the essence of the rural nature and character of
Jefferson County is retained, while accommodating
new growth and development in traditional
community settings and specific designated areas. We
see a future where new development actively
supports the public services and community assets
necessary to accommodate the development. We see
the retention of our traditional natural resource
industries, while providing opportunities for private
sector diversification of our economic base. We see
active participation in the balancing of competing
uses for community resources, and the restoration of
critical habitats and environmentally sensitive areas.
And we see a future that embraces options and
opportunities for all citizens to fully participate in a
healthy economy and a clean environment within
their local community.
To accomplish the above, the rules, regulations and
requirements which will implement the provisions
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contained in this Plan must: a) balance the needs of
the community with the rights of individuals; b)
recognize and reflect the diversity of landscape and
traditions found in various parts of the County; and,
c) provide for both consistency and flexibility in their
application.
The development of the Comprehensive Plan has
been a significant community undertaking. With
continued cooperative support of the community and
its government, the qualities reflected in this Plan
which first brought people to this area and are
cherished by those living here today, will be passed on to future generations who will call this place home.
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