Pursuant to Chapter 18.45 of the Unified Development Code (UDC)--Title 18 of the Jefferson County Code (JCC), Jefferson County is conducting an annual Comprehensive Plan amendment process. Consistent with the State Environmental Policy Act (“SEPA” at RCW 43.21C), the Growth Management Act (“GMA” at RCW 36.70A), and the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan, this amendment process involves concurrent analysis of all proposals to review the potential for cumulative impacts.

In general, Comprehensive Plan amendment proposals in Jefferson County fall into one of two (2) categories:

• Formal Site-Specific Amendments are proposals submitted by property owners requesting a change in either Comprehensive plan land use designation or density.

• Suggested Amendments are generally limited to proposals that that broadly apply to the goals, policies and implementation strategies of the Comprehensive Plan. In order to ensure cumulative impact review, suggested amendments that could potentially result in re-designation of groups of parcels are analyzed using the same criteria required for formal site-specific amendments.

Preliminary Docket

The Preliminary Docket (posted in Documents below as a PDF file) is composed of twelve (12) proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.  The nine (9) site-specific applications are automatically included on the Final Docket (see Final Docket next).  Following are brief descriptions of the three (3) suggested amendments that are considered in the Preliminary Docket process.  Each has a Master Land Use Application (MLA) number for reference.

1. MLA07-104 proposed by Jefferson County DCD, requesting the following: 1) The designation of an Industrial Land Bank, a provision of the Growth Management Act under RCW 36.70A.367, to provide additional employment opportunities for citizens.  2) The Comprehensive Plan will need additional policy guidance as a result of this amendment.  3) Additional guidance for reviewing this proposal can be found in the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element).  This amendment proposal was approved by the BoCC for carry-over from the 2007 cycle.
2. MLA08-98 proposed by the Planning Commission, requesting the following: 1) Identify inconsistencies between the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan and the Unified Development Code. 2) Propose alternative language to rectify the inconsistencies. Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(b); the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapter 18.45 JCC. 
3. MLA08-99 proposed by the Planning Commission, requesting the following: Relocate the zoning- density change process from the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan to the Unified Development Code, with the goal of promoting increased efficiency in planning and zoning changes.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070; the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapter 18.45 JCC. 

Site-Specific Amendments:

1. MLA08-32 proposed by Dave Holland/Davos Capital LLC, requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use designation for parcel # 001-064-002, a 14 acre parcel located at the corner of Hastings and Arabian Lane, Port Townsend, Washington 98368;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone from the current land use designation of Rural Residential 1:10 to Rural Residential 1:5.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(b); the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapter 18.45 JCC. 
2. MLA08-56 proposed by Gloria Brown, Trustee, BG Brown Trust (David Goldsmith, agent), requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use designation for parcel # 801-091-002, a 116 acre parcel located one mile west of the intersection of Eaglemount Road and Center Road in Chimacum, Washington, 98325;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone from the current land use designation of Commercial Forest 1:80 to a combination of Rural Forest 1:40 (for 80 acres), and Rural Residential 1:20 or Agricultural Lands of Local Significance (AL 1:20) for the residual property of approximately 36 acres.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(b), and 36.70A.170; the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element), and Chapter 4 (Natural Resource Conservation Element); and JCC 18.15.140, 18.15.150, and Chapter 18.45 JCC.
3. MLA08-59 proposed by Keith and Carla Guise, requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use designation for parcel # 821-175-005, a 5.8 acre parcel located on Oak Bay Road, Port Ludlow, Washington, 98365;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone from the current land use designation of Master Planned Resort (MPR) Single-Family Tracts 1:2.5 to MPR-Village Commercial Center (MPR-VCC).  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d), by which limited areas of more intensive rural development (LAMIRDs) can be designated by local jurisdictions outside of urban areas; the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapters 18.15 and 18.45 JCC.  Withdrawn by applicant through written request on 8/27/08.
4. MLA08-69 proposed by Jeffrey and Tamara George, requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use designation for parcel # 001-191-002, an approximately 20 acre parcel located at 472 South Edwards Road, Port Townsend, Washington, 98368;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone from the current land use designation of Rural Residential 1:20 to Rural Residential 1:10.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(b); the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapter 18.45 JCC.
5. MLA08-73 proposed by James Jackson/Chimacum Heights LLC, requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use designation for parcel # 901-132-002, a 120 acre parcel located near Chimacum, Washington, 98325;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone from the current land use designation of Commercial Forest 1:80 to Rural Residential 1:10.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(b), and 36.70A.170; the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element), and Chapter 4 (Natural Resource Conservation Element); and JCC 18.15.140 and 18.15.150, and Chapter 18.45 JCC.
6. MLA08-84 proposed by Richard Broders/CMR Partnership, requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use of parcel # 901-121-001, an approximately 36 acre parcel located off Oak Bay Road, .3 miles down Cleveland Street, Port Hadlock, Washington, 98339;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone from the current land use designation of Rural Residential 1:20 to Rural Residential 1:5.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(b); the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapter 18.45 JCC. 
7. MLA08-87 proposed by Robert Arthur Efird, Sonja Ling, and Louisa Young, requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use of parcel # 921-092-082, a 15 acre parcel located at Section 9, Township 29N, Range 1E on South Marrowstone Island, Nordland, Washington, 98358;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone from the current land use designation of Rural Residential 1:10 to Rural Residential 1:5.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(b); the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapter 18.45 JCC. Withdrawn by applicant through written request.
8. MLA08-93 proposed by James Burnett/Pope Resources, requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use of portions of parcel #’s 821-324-002, 821-311-001, 821-291-002, and 821-302-001, comprising 142 acres located approximately three miles west of the Hood Canal Bridge immediately north of US Highway 104, and adjacent to the Shine Quarry, Port Ludlow, Washington, 98365;  2) Current land use is Commercial Forest 1:80; Amendment proposal seeks to create a Mineral Resource Land (MRL) overlay.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.170; the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element), and Chapter 4 (Natural Resource Conservation Element); and Chapters 18.15 (Article III and Article VI-C), and 18.45 JCC.
9. MLA08-96 proposed by Michael Holland/Blue Moon Investments requesting the following: 1) Change of the current land use of parcel # 821-333-001, a half-acre parcel located at the intersection of US Highway 104 and Shine Road, Port Ludlow, Washington, 98365;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone from the current land use designation of Rural Residential 1:5 to Rural Commercial. Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d), by which limited areas of more intensive rural development (LAMIRDs) can be designated by local jurisdictions outside of urban areas; the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapters 18.15 and 18.45 JCC.
10. MLA08-101 proposed by Catherine Hendy/Gerard Co., requesting the following: 1) Change the current land use of parcel #’s 801-102-004 and 801-102-002, 9.5 and 1.2 acre parcels respectively, located at 5411 Center Road, Chimacum, Washington, 98325;  2) Amendment proposal seeks to rezone a portion amounting to less than 4 acres on parcel # 801-102-004, from the current land use designation of Resource Based Industrial to Light Industrial.  Statutes guiding review of this proposal can be found under: the Growth Management Act at RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d), by which limited areas of more intensive rural development (LAMIRDs) can be designated by local jurisdictions outside of urban areas; the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan Chapter 3 (Land Use and Rural Element); and Chapter 18.45 JCC.

Final Docket

The Final Docket is established by the BoCC.  See the Process section below.  The Final Docket automatically includes any site-specific amendment proposals on the Preliminary Docket.  The Board established the Final Docket on July 7, 2008.  The Final Docket for 2008 includes the nine (9) site-specific amendments listed above ten (10) are listed, but one (1) was withdrawn in writing by the applicant), and no suggested amendments were included.

Another application (MLA08-59; Guise) was withdrawn by the applicant on August 27, 2008.  This changed the number of proposals to eight (8).

Following the public hearing on April 16, 2008, the Planning Commission completed a recommendation to the BoCC on the 2008 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket.  See Documents below for the formal memoranda.  A County staff recommendation accompanied the Planning Commission recommendation for each item.

The BoCC takes action on the 2008 Docket after reviewing the Planning Commission and staff recommendations.  The BoCC may also hold a public hearing or hearings before taking action.  See Results below for information on the BoCC decisions and Documents below for the adopted ordinances.

Review Schedule for 2008 

March 1 - Proposals due.

April 9 - Joint Planning Commission-BoCC workshop to see presentations from proponents of site-specific amendment proposals and to begin discussion on suggested amendments. 

April 16 - The Planning Commission holds a public hearing on the three suggested amendments for the purpose of taking public testimony and formulating a recommendation to the BoCC regarding the Final Docket.

June 9 - The BoCC held a public hearing on the three suggested amendments.  The Final Docket will be established by the first regular Board meeting in July.  

July 7 -  The BoCC established the Final Docket to include only the nine (9) site-specific amendments.

September 3 - Staff Report and SEPA Addendum published (see Documents below)

September 3 through October 3 - Public Comment Period.  Send comments to the Department of Community Development, 621 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368

September 17 - Public Hearing at the Planning Commission meeting, 6:30 pm, Spruce Room, Should Business Park, Port Hadlock.

October 15 - Planning Commission deliberations on the 2008 Comprehensive Plan Amendments

November 5 - Planning Commission deliberations, and recommendations to be completed

December 1 - BoCC is anticipated to hold a public hearing on the 2008 Comprehensive Plan Amendments

December 8 - BoCC is anticipated to make the final decisions on the 2008 Comprehensive Plan Amendments

Results

In its legislative capacity for Jefferson County, the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approves, approves with conditions or modifications, or denies each of the proposed amendments on a Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket.  The BoCC takes action on each of the Docket items on or before the second regular BoCC meeting in December.  Meeting minutes of BoCC meetings can be accessed from the County's Minutes and Meetings page.

A legal notice of ordinance adoption appears in the The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader newspaper within 10 days after BoCC legislative action.  PDF files of adopted ordinances and related documents are posted in the Documents section below.  Replacement pages for the Comprehensive Plan are posted on the Comprehensive Plan page.

Email: planning@co.jefferson.wa.us

Phone: 360-379-4450
Fax: 360-379-4451