HomeMy WebLinkAbout062722ra01 JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Mark McCauley, County Administrator
FROM: Brent A. Butler, Director, Department of Community Development
Joel Peterson, AICP, Associate Planner
DATE: June 27, 2022
SUBJECT: BRIEFING re: Potential Permit Paths to Permanent Supportive Housing at
Caswell-Brown Village.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The purpose of this workshop is to obtain direction on the pathway to move forward toward permitting
Permanent Housing Facilities in the county. At the May 23, 2022 workshop entitled Draft Temporary
Housing Facilities Ordinance, the Department of Community Development(DCD) also shared pathways to
permit "Permanent Housing Facilities" in response to inquiries from the Board of County Commissioners
("BoCC"). As envisioned by Olympic Community Action Programs ("OlyCAP"), a non-profit 501(c)(3), the
Caswell-Brown Village site formerly known as the Mill Road site would provide a permanent area for
temporary housing needs, and additionally provide future supportive housing. Jefferson County entered into
a professional services agreement with OlyCAP, a non-profit 501(c)(3)to provide shelter services. As they
are now considering investment in the site to achieve a continuum of care, DCD investigated permit
pathways to develop permanent facilities alongside temporary housing. For clarity, this permit pathway
would be separate and apart from the Temporary Housing Facilities process pathway.
ANALYSIS:
The Jefferson County Unified Development Code, Title 18, outlines five pathways to permit approval with a
Type I process being for ministerial decisions, through Type V process that provides for the highest level of
public process. The permit path in the Temporary Housing Facilities ordinance as proposed—at the time of
this writing—is a Type II administrative permitting pathway that includes public input and authorizes the
United Development Code ("UDC") Administrator to make a final decision. However, permanent facilities
require Planning Agency (Planning Commission and Planning Division) review and submittal of
recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners ("BoCC"); permitting paths that would possibly
include additional review criteria and decision-making levels in the approval process.
At the May 23, 2022 workshop, staff opined that a Permanent Housing Facility could be permitted either as
an essential public facility or public purpose facility. The applicable approaches include either a Type III or
a Type V process as set forth under Jefferson County Code 18.40.040. A Type V process requires final
approval by the BoCC after receipt of a Planning Commission recommendation. The BoCC final decision
can be appealed to the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board. Siting of essential public
facilities through a special use permit process falls into this category.
The essential public facilities designation grants the County wide latitude in siting facilities typically
difficult to site and include uses such as airports, state education facilities, regional transportation facilities,
group homes, state and local correctional facilities, solid waste handling facilities, inpatient facilities, and
secure community transition facilities, among others.
Should the BoCC deem permanent supportive housing an essential public service, then the BoCC could
assign essential public facilities as a zoning overlay for Caswell-Brown Village and other areas. This
process involves either the special use permitting process, or an amendment to the United Development
Code, Title 18 and the Comprehensive Plan, should there be conflicting language, to designate them as a
category of use under JCC 18.15.040 with a separate permitting process.
Alternatively, if a permanent housing facility is considered to be a"public purpose facility", the siting of the
permanent housing facility would follow a Type III pathway. Type III processes are prepared by a staff
planner, and reviewed and approved by the Jefferson County Hearing Examiner. The Hearing Examiner's
decision can be appealed to the Superior Court.
DCD staff continues to evaluate this issue and will apprise the BoCC of its findings.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact varies and depends largely upon the degree of advanced planning that may be required.
RECOMMENDATION:
Commissioners listen to briefing and ask any questions.
REVIEWED BY:
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