HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.15.2022 Planning Commission AgendaArlene Alen – District 1 LD Richert – District 2
Kevin Coker – District 1 Richard Hull, Chair – District 3
Cynthia Koan – District 1 Chris Llewellyn – District 3
Matt Sircely, Vice Chair -District 2 Michael Nilssen – District 3
Lorna Smith – District 2
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name
and address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
1
AGENDA
JEFFERSON COUNTY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Regular Meeting – June 15, 2022
Tri Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road, Chimacum, Washington 98325
COVID-19 NOTICE
NO IN-PERSON PUBLIC ATTENDANCE ALLOWED
(Per Jefferson County RESOLUTION No. 45-21)
You can join this meeting by using the following methods:
Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 886 7104 7253 Passcode: 894561
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88671047253?pwd=OU8vTWZGWTVRRGNRVEQ1c2k0WDVadz09
This option will allow you to join the meeting live. You will need to enter an email address. If you wish
to provide public comment, click on the hand icon at the bottom of the screen to “raise your hand.”.
Participation will be up to the Chair of the meeting
Audio-only: For one tap mobile copy and paste:
+12532158782,,88671047253#,,,,*894561#
Please sign on 5 to 10 minutes before the official start of the meeting to check sound and video quality
This video will be closed-captioned enabled.
5:30PM Welcome Chair and Overview Presentation
1. Call to Order/Roll Call
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes
a. June 1, 2022 Minutes
PUBLIC COMMENT
4. Three minutes per speaker.
5. Planning Commission Updates
a. (10 minutes)
6. DCD Staff and Director Updates (5 minutes)
a. New Planning Technician Sarah Bearman will become the Planning Commission Clerk in
August.
Arlene Alen – District 1 LD Richert – District 2
Kevin Coker – District 1 Richard Hull, Chair – District 3
Cynthia Koan – District 1 Chris Llewellyn – District 3
Matt Sircely, Vice Chair -District 2 Michael Nilssen – District 3
Lorna Smith – District 2
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name
and address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
2
CONSENT AGENDA
7. No Consent Agenda Items this Meeting
REGULAR BUSINESS
8. Legal Lot of Record Outreach Deliverables – Bryan Benjamin
a. Staff Report on Deliverables
b. Draft Communications Plan
c. Storymap Discussion
9. Standard Operating Procedures
a. Staff Report from Director Brent Butler
b. Stock Plans
c. Code Compliance
621 Sheridan St. P: 360-379-4450 Port Townsend, WA, 98368 PCommissionDesk@co.jefferson.wa.us
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name and
address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
1
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
JEFFERSON COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Regular Meeting – June 1, 2022
Tri Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Rd, Chimacum, Washington 98325
5:30 PM Welcome and Overview Presentation
1.Call to Order/Roll Call
District 1 District 2 District 3
Alen Unexcused Sircely Present Hull Present
Coker Present Smith Present Nilssen Present
Koan Present Richert Unexcused Llewelyn Unexcused
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes
a.May 18, 2022 Minutes
Motions
Motion # Motion 1st 2nd Yay Nay Abstain
1 Motion to Approve May 18, 2022 minutes Sircely Smith 3 0 3
2 Motion to Approve consent agenda Smith Coker 6 0 0
PUBLIC COMMENT
4.Three minutes per speaker.
a.Barbara Morey of Port Townsend.
5.Planning Commission Updates
a.Question from Commissioner Nilssen about the Leader’s May 25 article on new affordable
housing project by Habitat for Humanity. Was land in question rezoned outside the
Planning Commission’s purview?
b. Planner Joel Peterson responds that a zoning change would have gone to the Planning
Commission. He will read the article and report back at a future meeting. Based on
available knowledge, the zoning change may be tied to the sewer project and urban growth
areas.
6.DCD Staff and Director Updates (5 minutes)
a.Update on In-Person Attendance in Relation to COVID-19 and Open Public Meetings Act.
In person meetings are “only available provided a hybrid meeting can be held with
reasonable safety, namely that the COVID-19 risk is Very Low, Low or Moderate per the
dashboard located at https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1429/COVID-19 per BOCC
Resolution No. 24-22. If in-person is available, seating capacity may also be limited to
50%.”
b. Update on Process for Temporary Housing Ordinance
ITEM 3A
621 Sheridan St. P: 360-379-4450 Port Townsend, WA, 98368 PCommissionDesk@co.jefferson.wa.us
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name and
address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
2
c.Update on Stipends and Planning Commission Terms
CONSENT AGENDA
7. General Information Item to Read and Receive
a.Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) on Updated Open Public Meetings Act
b. Jefferson County Resolution No. 24-22
REGULAR BUSINESS
8.Legal Lot of Record Outreach – Assistant Planner Bryan Benjamin (60 min)
a.Staff Report
b.Communication Plan
c.Discussion of Communication Plan and Survey Goals
i.Commissioners recommend additional places to post the survey, including
neighborhood newsletters, realtor newsletters, Hadlock Days, KPTZ radio, school
newsletters, gas stations, and grocery stores.
ii. Commissioners determine that the outreach window, mid-June to late July, will end
before the county fair and the Wooden Boat Festival.
iii.Commissioners ask about prioritizing directly contacting property owners whose
parcels are affected by the moratorium.
iv. Commissioners discuss survey goals and suggest that education and linking to
resources should be a pre-survey goal.
v. Commissioners suggest returning to discuss public comments from their
constituents after more education and outreach. Most commissioners have not heard
many questions from their constituents. Those who have heard directly from
constituents direct the questions to DCD.
9.UDC Docket-Amendment Items – Associate Planner Joel Peterson (20 min)
a.Staff Report from Director Brent Butler
b. Updated matrix of proposed amendments
i. Summary of high priority items
ii. Joel Peterson will bring line-in, line-out suggested edits for their suggestions and
approval. These changes will be part of the February 2023 UDC amendment cycle,
except for administrative edits, which can be approved by the Board of County
Commissioners. If planning commissioners want specific changes, please contact
Joel Peterson.
10.Miles Sand and Gravel MRLO Comprehensive Plan Amendment – Joel Peterson
a.Staff Report
b. Miles Sand and Gravel Company Application
c.Discussion:
i.Commissioners ask about the SEPA determination. The SEPA review is ongoing.
ii. Will there be temperature sampling in creeks? Yes, that is part of the review.
iii. Reclamation plan will be discussed in depth at a future meeting.
ITEM 3A
621 Sheridan St. P: 360-379-4450 Port Townsend, WA, 98368 PCommissionDesk@co.jefferson.wa.us
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name and
address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
3
7:29 Chair Hull grants meeting extension
11.Department of Community Development Standard Operating Procedures – Joel Peterson
a.Staff Report from Director Brent Butler
b. Stock Plans
c.Code Compliance
d. Commissioners ask for more information on reproduction of stock plans.
e.Chair asks to move this topic to the next meeting so the commissioners can provide
detailed feedback on the standard operating procedures.
f.Commissioner Smith will attend next meeting virtually or will be excused.
7:36 PM
ADJOURNMENT
The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for June 1, 2022, at 5:30 PM. To attend virtually,
please use the following link or dial in using your phone by calling: +1 (646) 749-3122; Access Code:
883-126-605.
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88671047253?pwd=OU8vTWZGWTVRRGNRVEQ1c2k0WDVadz09
Passcode: 894561
To learn if in-person attendance is possible, please view the next meeting agenda.
These meeting minutes were approved this ____________ day of _________________, 2022.
_______________________________
Richard Hull, Chair Helena Smith, Secretary
ITEM 3A
Arlene Alen – District 1 LD Richert – District 2
Kevin Coker – District 1 Richard Hull, Chair – District 3
Cynthia Koan – District 1 Chris Llewellyn – District 3
Matt Sircely, Vice Chair -District 2 Michael Nilssen – District 3
Lorna Smith – District 2
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name
and address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
1
AGENDA
JEFFERSON COUNTY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Regular Meeting – June 15, 2022
Tri Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Road, Chimacum, Washington 98325
COVID-19 NOTICE
NO IN-PERSON PUBLIC ATTENDANCE ALLOWED
(Per Jefferson County RESOLUTION No. 45-21)
You can join this meeting by using the following methods:
Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 886 7104 7253 Passcode: 894561
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88671047253?pwd=OU8vTWZGWTVRRGNRVEQ1c2k0WDVadz09
This option will allow you to join the meeting live. You will need to enter an email address. If you wish
to provide public comment, click on the hand icon at the bottom of the screen to “raise your hand.”.
Participation will be up to the Chair of the meeting
Audio-only: For one tap mobile copy and paste:
+12532158782,,88671047253#,,,,*894561#
Please sign on 5 to 10 minutes before the official start of the meeting to check sound and video quality
This video will be closed-captioned enabled.
5:30PM Welcome Chair and Overview Presentation
1. Call to Order/Roll Call
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes
a. June 1, 2022 Minutes
PUBLIC COMMENT
4. Three minutes per speaker.
5. Planning Commission Updates
a. (10 minutes)
6. DCD Staff and Director Updates (5 minutes)
a. New Planning Technician Sarah Bearman will become the Planning Commission Clerk in
August.
Arlene Alen – District 1 LD Richert – District 2
Kevin Coker – District 1 Richard Hull, Chair – District 3
Cynthia Koan – District 1 Chris Llewellyn – District 3
Matt Sircely, Vice Chair -District 2 Michael Nilssen – District 3
Lorna Smith – District 2
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name
and address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
2
CONSENT AGENDA
7. No Consent Agenda Items this Meeting
REGULAR BUSINESS
8. Legal Lot of Record Outreach Deliverables – Bryan Benjamin
a. Staff Report on Deliverables
b. Draft Communications Plan
c. Storymap Discussion
9. Standard Operating Procedures
a. Staff Report from Director Brent Butler
b. Stock Plans
c. Code Compliance
621 Sheridan St. P: 360-379-4450 Port Townsend, WA, 98368 PCommissionDesk@co.jefferson.wa.us
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name and
address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
1
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
JEFFERSON COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Regular Meeting – June 1, 2022
Tri Area Community Center, 10 West Valley Rd, Chimacum, Washington 98325
5:30 PM Welcome and Overview Presentation
1.Call to Order/Roll Call
District 1 District 2 District 3
Alen Unexcused Sircely Present Hull Present
Coker Present Smith Present Nilssen Present
Koan Present Richert Unexcused Llewelyn Unexcused
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes
a.May 18, 2022 Minutes
Motions
Motion # Motion 1st 2nd Yay Nay Abstain
1 Motion to Approve May 18, 2022 minutes Sircely Smith 3 0 3
2 Motion to Approve consent agenda Smith Coker 6 0 0
PUBLIC COMMENT
4.Three minutes per speaker.
a.Barbara Morey of Port Townsend.
5.Planning Commission Updates
a.Question from Commissioner Nilssen about the Leader’s May 25 article on new affordable
housing project by Habitat for Humanity. Was land in question rezoned outside the
Planning Commission’s purview?
b. Planner Joel Peterson responds that a zoning change would have gone to the Planning
Commission. He will read the article and report back at a future meeting. Based on
available knowledge, the zoning change may be tied to the sewer project and urban growth
areas.
6.DCD Staff and Director Updates (5 minutes)
a.Update on In-Person Attendance in Relation to COVID-19 and Open Public Meetings Act.
In person meetings are “only available provided a hybrid meeting can be held with
reasonable safety, namely that the COVID-19 risk is Very Low, Low or Moderate per the
dashboard located at https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1429/COVID-19 per BOCC
Resolution No. 24-22. If in-person is available, seating capacity may also be limited to
50%.”
b. Update on Process for Temporary Housing Ordinance
ITEM 3A
621 Sheridan St. P: 360-379-4450 Port Townsend, WA, 98368 PCommissionDesk@co.jefferson.wa.us
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name and
address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
2
c.Update on Stipends and Planning Commission Terms
CONSENT AGENDA
7. General Information Item to Read and Receive
a.Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) on Updated Open Public Meetings Act
b. Jefferson County Resolution No. 24-22
REGULAR BUSINESS
8.Legal Lot of Record Outreach – Assistant Planner Bryan Benjamin (60 min)
a.Staff Report
b.Communication Plan
c.Discussion of Communication Plan and Survey Goals
i.Commissioners recommend additional places to post the survey, including
neighborhood newsletters, realtor newsletters, Hadlock Days, KPTZ radio, school
newsletters, gas stations, and grocery stores.
ii. Commissioners determine that the outreach window, mid-June to late July, will end
before the county fair and the Wooden Boat Festival.
iii.Commissioners ask about prioritizing directly contacting property owners whose
parcels are affected by the moratorium.
iv. Commissioners discuss survey goals and suggest that education and linking to
resources should be a pre-survey goal.
v. Commissioners suggest returning to discuss public comments from their
constituents after more education and outreach. Most commissioners have not heard
many questions from their constituents. Those who have heard directly from
constituents direct the questions to DCD.
9.UDC Docket-Amendment Items – Associate Planner Joel Peterson (20 min)
a.Staff Report from Director Brent Butler
b. Updated matrix of proposed amendments
i. Summary of high priority items
ii. Joel Peterson will bring line-in, line-out suggested edits for their suggestions and
approval. These changes will be part of the February 2023 UDC amendment cycle,
except for administrative edits, which can be approved by the Board of County
Commissioners. If planning commissioners want specific changes, please contact
Joel Peterson.
10.Miles Sand and Gravel MRLO Comprehensive Plan Amendment – Joel Peterson
a.Staff Report
b. Miles Sand and Gravel Company Application
c.Discussion:
i.Commissioners ask about the SEPA determination. The SEPA review is ongoing.
ii. Will there be temperature sampling in creeks? Yes, that is part of the review.
iii. Reclamation plan will be discussed in depth at a future meeting.
ITEM 3A
621 Sheridan St. P: 360-379-4450 Port Townsend, WA, 98368 PCommissionDesk@co.jefferson.wa.us
Public Comment: When the Chair recognizes you to speak, please begin by stating your name and
address. Please be aware that the public comment period is three minutes.
3
7:29 Chair Hull grants meeting extension
11.Department of Community Development Standard Operating Procedures – Joel Peterson
a.Staff Report from Director Brent Butler
b. Stock Plans
c.Code Compliance
d. Commissioners ask for more information on reproduction of stock plans.
e.Chair asks to move this topic to the next meeting so the commissioners can provide
detailed feedback on the standard operating procedures.
f.Commissioner Smith will attend next meeting virtually or will be excused.
7:36 PM
ADJOURNMENT
The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for June 1, 2022, at 5:30 PM. To attend virtually,
please use the following link or dial in using your phone by calling: +1 (646) 749-3122; Access Code:
883-126-605.
Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88671047253?pwd=OU8vTWZGWTVRRGNRVEQ1c2k0WDVadz09
Passcode: 894561
To learn if in-person attendance is possible, please view the next meeting agenda.
These meeting minutes were approved this ____________ day of _________________, 2022.
_______________________________
Richard Hull, Chair Helena Smith, Secretary
ITEM 3A
1
JEFFERSON COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
TO: Jefferson County Planning Commissioners
Brent Butler, Director, Department of Community Development (DCD)
Josh Peters, Planning Manager, DCD
FROM: Bryan Benjamin, Assistant Planner, DCD
DATE: June 10, 2022
SUBJECT: Development Moratorium Affecting Pre-1971 Plats – Ordinance No. 09-1210-21
Legal Lot of Record – Communication Plan
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
Based on the June 1, 2022 Planning Commission meeting, the Department of Community
Development (DCD) has consolidated findings from the Legal Lot of Record outreach
development processes into a Communication Plan. Draft language for the Communication Plan
is attached to this staff report for the Planning Commission to review. The plan will be edited
further based on Planning Commission comment and outreach event confirmation.
In addition, another outreach deliverable is ready to be reviewed by the Planning Commission:
the revised draft of the ESRI StoryMap, which was brought to the April 20, 2022 Planning
Commission meeting for initial review.
The ESRI StoryMap sections can be accessed at the following links:
Introduction: https://arcg.is/iuzvn
Past regulations: https://arcg.is/1COzP9
Land use impacts: https://arcg.is/04yHDm
Critical Area Impacts: https://arcg.is/08m10z
Next Steps: https://arcg.is/1XO5af
BACKGROUND
DCD has held 17 legal lot of record advisory meetings since December 2021. The purpose of
these meetings was to generate guidance on public outreach approaches and deliverables through
County and stakeholder input. The County Advisory Team (CAT) consists of representatives
from DCD, Department of Environmental Public Health, the Assessor’s Office, and Central
Services. Stakeholder input was generated through DCD-led meetings with local Real Estate
Brokers & Agents and through public comments. The Planning Commission has reviewed
ITEM 8A
2
DCD’s work since implementation of the Moratorium, including an analysis of the approaches
other counties have taken to legal lot determination processes and StoryMap development.
MONTH DATES HELD
County Advisory
Team
Real Estate
Brokers
Planning
Commission
December 2021 Dec. 3, 10, 17 Dec. 1
January 2022 Jan. 7 and 14 Jan. 12 Jan. 5
February 2022 Feb. 4 Feb. 9
March 2022 No meetings held*
April 2022 Apr. 11 Apr. 13 and 19 Apr. 20
May 2022 May 20, 27
June 2022 June 1
ANALYSIS
An analysis that has been in development since the implementation of Ordinance No. 09-121-21
is contained within the deliverables prepared for Planning Commission review. Please access the
Communication Plan and StoryMap for further information.
RECOMMENDATION
DCD requests feedback on the three deliverables attached to this staff report, including but not
limited to:
Comments on the content, language, and timeline included in the Communication Plan.
Comments on the content, language, and spatial analysis included in the ESRI StoryMap.
ITEM 8A
1
DRAFT Communication Plan for Legal Lot of Record Outreach
Background
In Jefferson County, many small lots were created through plats that were recorded or otherwise
acknowledged in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1971, the County adopted its first local subdivision
regulation—Ordinance No. 2—which established health, safety, and welfare standards that all new land
division proposals had to meet. Properties within plats established prior to 1971 continued to be
developed over time by individual property owners.
With the recent uptick in the real estate market, the Department of Community Development (“DCD”)
received three applications to develop pre-1971 plats en masse and at urban-level densities. These
applications would result in increased housing densities in the rural county, contrary to the areas
designated under the Growth Management Act to receive urban levels of growth—including the City of
Port Townsend, the Port Hadlock / Irondale Urban Growth Area, and the Port Ludlow and Pleasant
Harbor Master Planned Resorts.
In response to these applications, the County implemented a twelve-month emergency moratorium in
October 2021 affecting development and land use permit applications within pre-1971 plats. The
moratorium was implemented to prevent further development of pre-1971 plats while DCD was tasked to
develop permanent regulations that will replace the moratorium.
Introduction
This Communication Plan illustrates the goals, objectives, target audiences, and timing of the outreach for
the Legal Lot of Record project. The plan consolidates guidance received from the County’s public
outreach development process, which consisted of 17 advisory meetings since December 2021. The
purpose of these meetings was to generate guidance on best practices for public outreach based on County
and public input.
There were two County entities involved directly in the public outreach development process: the
Planning Commission and the County Advisory Team, which consists of representatives from DCD,
Department of Environmental Public Health, the Assessor’s Office, and Central Services. Public input
was generated through DCD-led meetings with local Real Estate Brokers & Agents, as well as public
comment submitted during dedicated office hours held by DCD’s Director, Brent Butler. Comments and
suggestions from these meetings were incorporated directly into this plan.
Communication Goals and Objectives
DCD’s public outreach development process emphasized three goals that all outreach should achieve: 1)
outreach should be educational, 2) communication materials should be accessible, and 3) all
communications should help generate meaningful contributions from the public regarding regulatory
changes. DCD’s approach to achieving each of these goals is listed below.
Educational Outreach
The County’s emergency moratorium was implemented without prior community input, as the intent was
to stop further development of pre-1971 plats immediately. Community members and stakeholders
expressed that there is a gap in the public’s knowledge and understanding of the moratorium, as well as
the broader regulatory context of subdivisions. Further, these community members and stakeholder
ITEM 8B
2
groups requested clarification on the potential framework of regulations that will follow the moratorium.
Based on these comments, the following objectives were established to ensure that outreach would:
explain what Subdivisions and Legal Lots of Record are.
identify State and local regulations affecting pre-1971 plats.
detail the potential impacts of continued development of pre-1971 plats.
explain why the Legal Lot of Record issue was appropriate for regulatory change.
illustrate the regulatory approach that other jurisdictions have taken.
Accessibility
Three primary features of accessibility were emphasized during public outreach development: adhering to
COVID-19 safety protocols, going to the community at pre-existing events, and offering as many
opportunities for public input as possible. These goals encourage a robust approach to outreach involving
DCD facilitation of both in-person and online approaches to events, focus groups, and workshops with the
public. The following objectives were established to build accessibility into all facets of outreach for this
project.
Events should offer hybrid and pandemic-safe options for participation.
The public should be able to submit feedback online.
All events, resources, and opportunities should be featured on the County website.
In person attendance should be integrated with existing community events.
A timeline of participation opportunities should be advertised well in advance.
Meaningful Public Contribution
The current moratorium will be replaced with permanent regulations that prevent growth from occurring
where the Growth Management Act and the County’s Comprehensive Plan do not anticipate or permit it.
Feedback during the outreach development process emphasized the importance of allowing the
community to help determine the outcomes and regulatory approach that will be implemented. The
following objectives were identified to guide facilitation of meaningful public contributions.
Clearly identify where regulations must change in order to meet State and County policies.
Identify concerns held by the public about continued development within old plats.
Identify concerns held by the public about regulatory changes.
Include the public in review of regulatory language.
Communication Methods
The Planning Commission and public comments have emphasized that the impacts of regulatory change
will directly affect property owners within pre-1971 plats. DCD recognizes that regulatory impacts within
pre-1971 plats have a specific significance that should be met with targeted attention to these property
owners. However, DCD’s analysis demonstrates that regulatory changes to the Legal Lot of Record issue
encompass myriad impacts—real estate values, growth patterns, public services, residential density,
critical areas, pollution, and more—that should include feedback from all of the County’s communities.
As a result, DCD will carry out both a targeted outreach approach to reach property owners within pre-
1971 plats and a more global outreach approach addressing the general public. The targeted and global
outreach efforts will use the same educational tools and information, but additional outreach events and
opportunities will be held for pre-1971 property owners.
ITEM 8B
3
Outreach to property owners within pre-1971 plats will primarily rely on accessing organizations within
plats subject to the moratorium, like homeowners associations (HOAs), community
publications/newsletters, common spaces, focus groups, and other larger outreach events. Focus groups
for pre-1971 plats will be organized by identifying property owners interested in participating in the
group. Larger outreach events offer in person and online attendance options and will be coordinated with
the help of the Planning Commission. However, not all of the 158 pre-1971 plats in the County are
associated with an organization that DCD can partner with to facilitate outreach. In these cases, DCD will
rely on the global outreach approach to reach property owners within pre-1971 plats that are without
central organization.
The County’s approach to communication with the general public entails attendance of regularly held
community events and providing information through channels accessed by the general public, including:
County website advertisement, publication of an educational ESRI StoryMap, newspaper publications,
DCD- and Planning Commission-hosted events, radio interviews, countywide mailers, focus groups,
surveys, attendance of community events, and postings at bulletin boards or places of local importance.
Details on the frequency, channel, audience, and management of each of the communications above is
shown in the following table:
Communication Frequency Channel Audience Owner
Pre-1971 HOAs Based on HOA
availability
Hybrid meeting,
publications
Property owners
within pre-1971
plats
TBD
Pre-1971 focus
groups
Two meetings Hybrid meeting Property owners
within pre-1971
plats
Bryan Benjamin,
Assistant Planner
Pre-1971 events One meeting per
planning area
Hybrid meeting Property owners
within pre-1971
plats
TBD
County website
advertisement
Project duration Online only General public TBD
ESRI StoryMap Project duration Online only General public Bryan Benjamin,
Assistant Planner
Newspaper
publications
Project launch,
interim, and close
Published
information
General public TBD
DCD and PC
outreach events
One meeting per
planning area
Hybrid meeting General public TBD
Radio interviews Two interviews Radio and online General public TBD
Countywide
mailers
Once at project
onset
Mail service General public Jeannie
McMacken,
Central Services
Focus groups Two meetings Hybrid meeting General public Bryan Benjamin,
Assistant Planner
Survey Once, at project
interim
Online and paper
distribution
General public Bryan Benjamin,
Assistant Planner
Community
events
Based on event
calendars
In-person meeting
only
General public TBD
Bulletin board
postings
Based on
permission,
project onset
In-person postings
only
General public TBD
ITEM 8B
4
Project Timeline
The bulk of outreach for this project will occur during a six-week period between June 20 and August 1,
2022. While DCD will maintain some flexibility in scheduling outreach based on the availability of
partner organizations, stakeholders, and community events, the bulk of outreach should occur during the
six-week period to allow for adequate time to develop new regulations.
The first two weeks of the outreach period—June 20 through July 1—will be dedicated to establishing the
availability of community organizations to set the time, location, and channels of outreach during the
month of July. In addition, DCD will be finalizing its education and outreach materials during this period
and preparing distribution of materials starting the first week of July. An initial outreach calendar is
provided below, and will be updated and incorporated into this Communication Plan as events are
scheduled.
Week +
Date
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Week 1:
June 19
Week 2:
June 26
Week 3:
July 3
PC Meeting
Week 4:
July 10
Week 5:
July 17
PC Meeting
Week 6:
July 24
Event coordination & finalizing outreach materials
Public engagement
Communicating Results
Results from public engagement will be first communicated at the August 3, 2022 Planning Commission
meeting, where results from public outreach will be presented in the form of quantitative and qualitative
data. In addition, a report communicating outreach results will be written and added to the County’s
website after the close of the outreach period. Results will continue to be communicated through the
regulation drafting process, which will involve additional Planning Commission meetings and Board of
County Commissioner workshop events. Final regulations will be developed considering the results of
this public outreach process, and public comments about these results can be submitted throughout the
regulation development process.
ITEM 8B
1
JEFFERSON COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
TO: Jefferson County Planning Commissioners
Brent Butler, Director, Department of Community Development (DCD)
Josh Peters, Planning Manager, DCD
FROM: Bryan Benjamin, Assistant Planner, DCD
DATE: June 10, 2022
SUBJECT: Development Moratorium Affecting Pre-1971 Plats – Ordinance No. 09-1210-21
Legal Lot of Record – Communication Plan
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
Based on the June 1, 2022 Planning Commission meeting, the Department of Community
Development (DCD) has consolidated findings from the Legal Lot of Record outreach
development processes into a Communication Plan. Draft language for the Communication Plan
is attached to this staff report for the Planning Commission to review. The plan will be edited
further based on Planning Commission comment and outreach event confirmation.
In addition, another outreach deliverable is ready to be reviewed by the Planning Commission:
the revised draft of the ESRI StoryMap, which was brought to the April 20, 2022 Planning
Commission meeting for initial review.
The ESRI StoryMap sections can be accessed at the following links:
Introduction: https://arcg.is/iuzvn
Past regulations: https://arcg.is/1COzP9
Land use impacts: https://arcg.is/04yHDm
Critical Area Impacts: https://arcg.is/08m10z
Next Steps: https://arcg.is/1XO5af
BACKGROUND
DCD has held 17 legal lot of record advisory meetings since December 2021. The purpose of
these meetings was to generate guidance on public outreach approaches and deliverables through
County and stakeholder input. The County Advisory Team (CAT) consists of representatives
from DCD, Department of Environmental Public Health, the Assessor’s Office, and Central
Services. Stakeholder input was generated through DCD-led meetings with local Real Estate
Brokers & Agents and through public comments. The Planning Commission has reviewed
ITEM 8A
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DCD’s work since implementation of the Moratorium, including an analysis of the approaches
other counties have taken to legal lot determination processes and StoryMap development.
MONTH DATES HELD
County Advisory
Team
Real Estate
Brokers
Planning
Commission
December 2021 Dec. 3, 10, 17 Dec. 1
January 2022 Jan. 7 and 14 Jan. 12 Jan. 5
February 2022 Feb. 4 Feb. 9
March 2022 No meetings held*
April 2022 Apr. 11 Apr. 13 and 19 Apr. 20
May 2022 May 20, 27
June 2022 June 1
ANALYSIS
An analysis that has been in development since the implementation of Ordinance No. 09-121-21
is contained within the deliverables prepared for Planning Commission review. Please access the
Communication Plan and StoryMap for further information.
RECOMMENDATION
DCD requests feedback on the three deliverables attached to this staff report, including but not
limited to:
Comments on the content, language, and timeline included in the Communication Plan.
Comments on the content, language, and spatial analysis included in the ESRI StoryMap.
ITEM 8A
1
DRAFT Communication Plan for Legal Lot of Record Outreach
Background
In Jefferson County, many small lots were created through plats that were recorded or otherwise
acknowledged in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1971, the County adopted its first local subdivision
regulation—Ordinance No. 2—which established health, safety, and welfare standards that all new land
division proposals had to meet. Properties within plats established prior to 1971 continued to be
developed over time by individual property owners.
With the recent uptick in the real estate market, the Department of Community Development (“DCD”)
received three applications to develop pre-1971 plats en masse and at urban-level densities. These
applications would result in increased housing densities in the rural county, contrary to the areas
designated under the Growth Management Act to receive urban levels of growth—including the City of
Port Townsend, the Port Hadlock / Irondale Urban Growth Area, and the Port Ludlow and Pleasant
Harbor Master Planned Resorts.
In response to these applications, the County implemented a twelve-month emergency moratorium in
October 2021 affecting development and land use permit applications within pre-1971 plats. The
moratorium was implemented to prevent further development of pre-1971 plats while DCD was tasked to
develop permanent regulations that will replace the moratorium.
Introduction
This Communication Plan illustrates the goals, objectives, target audiences, and timing of the outreach for
the Legal Lot of Record project. The plan consolidates guidance received from the County’s public
outreach development process, which consisted of 17 advisory meetings since December 2021. The
purpose of these meetings was to generate guidance on best practices for public outreach based on County
and public input.
There were two County entities involved directly in the public outreach development process: the
Planning Commission and the County Advisory Team, which consists of representatives from DCD,
Department of Environmental Public Health, the Assessor’s Office, and Central Services. Public input
was generated through DCD-led meetings with local Real Estate Brokers & Agents, as well as public
comment submitted during dedicated office hours held by DCD’s Director, Brent Butler. Comments and
suggestions from these meetings were incorporated directly into this plan.
Communication Goals and Objectives
DCD’s public outreach development process emphasized three goals that all outreach should achieve: 1)
outreach should be educational, 2) communication materials should be accessible, and 3) all
communications should help generate meaningful contributions from the public regarding regulatory
changes. DCD’s approach to achieving each of these goals is listed below.
Educational Outreach
The County’s emergency moratorium was implemented without prior community input, as the intent was
to stop further development of pre-1971 plats immediately. Community members and stakeholders
expressed that there is a gap in the public’s knowledge and understanding of the moratorium, as well as
the broader regulatory context of subdivisions. Further, these community members and stakeholder
ITEM 8B
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groups requested clarification on the potential framework of regulations that will follow the moratorium.
Based on these comments, the following objectives were established to ensure that outreach would:
explain what Subdivisions and Legal Lots of Record are.
identify State and local regulations affecting pre-1971 plats.
detail the potential impacts of continued development of pre-1971 plats.
explain why the Legal Lot of Record issue was appropriate for regulatory change.
illustrate the regulatory approach that other jurisdictions have taken.
Accessibility
Three primary features of accessibility were emphasized during public outreach development: adhering to
COVID-19 safety protocols, going to the community at pre-existing events, and offering as many
opportunities for public input as possible. These goals encourage a robust approach to outreach involving
DCD facilitation of both in-person and online approaches to events, focus groups, and workshops with the
public. The following objectives were established to build accessibility into all facets of outreach for this
project.
Events should offer hybrid and pandemic-safe options for participation.
The public should be able to submit feedback online.
All events, resources, and opportunities should be featured on the County website.
In person attendance should be integrated with existing community events.
A timeline of participation opportunities should be advertised well in advance.
Meaningful Public Contribution
The current moratorium will be replaced with permanent regulations that prevent growth from occurring
where the Growth Management Act and the County’s Comprehensive Plan do not anticipate or permit it.
Feedback during the outreach development process emphasized the importance of allowing the
community to help determine the outcomes and regulatory approach that will be implemented. The
following objectives were identified to guide facilitation of meaningful public contributions.
Clearly identify where regulations must change in order to meet State and County policies.
Identify concerns held by the public about continued development within old plats.
Identify concerns held by the public about regulatory changes.
Include the public in review of regulatory language.
Communication Methods
The Planning Commission and public comments have emphasized that the impacts of regulatory change
will directly affect property owners within pre-1971 plats. DCD recognizes that regulatory impacts within
pre-1971 plats have a specific significance that should be met with targeted attention to these property
owners. However, DCD’s analysis demonstrates that regulatory changes to the Legal Lot of Record issue
encompass myriad impacts—real estate values, growth patterns, public services, residential density,
critical areas, pollution, and more—that should include feedback from all of the County’s communities.
As a result, DCD will carry out both a targeted outreach approach to reach property owners within pre-
1971 plats and a more global outreach approach addressing the general public. The targeted and global
outreach efforts will use the same educational tools and information, but additional outreach events and
opportunities will be held for pre-1971 property owners.
ITEM 8B
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Outreach to property owners within pre-1971 plats will primarily rely on accessing organizations within
plats subject to the moratorium, like homeowners associations (HOAs), community
publications/newsletters, common spaces, focus groups, and other larger outreach events. Focus groups
for pre-1971 plats will be organized by identifying property owners interested in participating in the
group. Larger outreach events offer in person and online attendance options and will be coordinated with
the help of the Planning Commission. However, not all of the 158 pre-1971 plats in the County are
associated with an organization that DCD can partner with to facilitate outreach. In these cases, DCD will
rely on the global outreach approach to reach property owners within pre-1971 plats that are without
central organization.
The County’s approach to communication with the general public entails attendance of regularly held
community events and providing information through channels accessed by the general public, including:
County website advertisement, publication of an educational ESRI StoryMap, newspaper publications,
DCD- and Planning Commission-hosted events, radio interviews, countywide mailers, focus groups,
surveys, attendance of community events, and postings at bulletin boards or places of local importance.
Details on the frequency, channel, audience, and management of each of the communications above is
shown in the following table:
Communication Frequency Channel Audience Owner
Pre-1971 HOAs Based on HOA
availability
Hybrid meeting,
publications
Property owners
within pre-1971
plats
TBD
Pre-1971 focus
groups
Two meetings Hybrid meeting Property owners
within pre-1971
plats
Bryan Benjamin,
Assistant Planner
Pre-1971 events One meeting per
planning area
Hybrid meeting Property owners
within pre-1971
plats
TBD
County website
advertisement
Project duration Online only General public TBD
ESRI StoryMap Project duration Online only General public Bryan Benjamin,
Assistant Planner
Newspaper
publications
Project launch,
interim, and close
Published
information
General public TBD
DCD and PC
outreach events
One meeting per
planning area
Hybrid meeting General public TBD
Radio interviews Two interviews Radio and online General public TBD
Countywide
mailers
Once at project
onset
Mail service General public Jeannie
McMacken,
Central Services
Focus groups Two meetings Hybrid meeting General public Bryan Benjamin,
Assistant Planner
Survey Once, at project
interim
Online and paper
distribution
General public Bryan Benjamin,
Assistant Planner
Community
events
Based on event
calendars
In-person meeting
only
General public TBD
Bulletin board
postings
Based on
permission,
project onset
In-person postings
only
General public TBD
ITEM 8B
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Project Timeline
The bulk of outreach for this project will occur during a six-week period between June 20 and August 1,
2022. While DCD will maintain some flexibility in scheduling outreach based on the availability of
partner organizations, stakeholders, and community events, the bulk of outreach should occur during the
six-week period to allow for adequate time to develop new regulations.
The first two weeks of the outreach period—June 20 through July 1—will be dedicated to establishing the
availability of community organizations to set the time, location, and channels of outreach during the
month of July. In addition, DCD will be finalizing its education and outreach materials during this period
and preparing distribution of materials starting the first week of July. An initial outreach calendar is
provided below, and will be updated and incorporated into this Communication Plan as events are
scheduled.
Week +
Date
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Week 1:
June 19
Week 2:
June 26
Week 3:
July 3
PC Meeting
Week 4:
July 10
Week 5:
July 17
PC Meeting
Week 6:
July 24
Event coordination & finalizing outreach materials
Public engagement
Communicating Results
Results from public engagement will be first communicated at the August 3, 2022 Planning Commission
meeting, where results from public outreach will be presented in the form of quantitative and qualitative
data. In addition, a report communicating outreach results will be written and added to the County’s
website after the close of the outreach period. Results will continue to be communicated through the
regulation drafting process, which will involve additional Planning Commission meetings and Board of
County Commissioner workshop events. Final regulations will be developed considering the results of
this public outreach process, and public comments about these results can be submitted throughout the
regulation development process.
ITEM 8B