Community Development

Planning Commission (PC)

The Planning Commission provides a forum for public review of land use issues and proposals.  This appointed advisory body supports the Department of Community Development and provides recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners.  Topics addressed include goals, policies, regulations and zoning designations that guide land use & development activities in our community.  The group does not review project-specific permits.  Appointees represent their constituents and the general public from their district.


DCDiQuicklLinks
Issue Links     BY TOPIC
Comprehensive Plan
Unified Development Code (UDC)
Permit Information & Application Forms
Permit Database Search & Map Tools

ADDRESS
  621 Sheridan Street
Port Townsend,
WA 98368

PHONE
  Phone: 360.379.4450
Fax: 360.379.4451

HOURS
  Monday - Thursday
9:00 to 4:30

Fridays, Weekends & Holidays
Closed

 

Click on table of contents links below to skip down the page to that section:

Page last updated:9/29/2009

New Items

District 1 Appointment

Andrew Reding of Port Townsend was recently appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to serve the remainder of a four-year term as a District 1 representative.  Andrew has past experience as a planning commissioner in a coastal Florida community and professional background in national and international policy.

District 3 Appointment

Richard Hull of the Coyle Peninsula was recently appointed by the Board of County Commissioners to serve a four-year term as a District 3 representative.  Richard has an extensive background in biological and medical science, higher education, and currently serves on the County's Parks, Recreation and Open Space Advisory Board.

August 5 PC Meeting Canceled

After meeting weekly for several months, the Planning Commission has earned a summer break.  The regularly scheduled meeting set for August 5, 2009 has been canceled.  The next meeting is set for August 19.  See the legal notice here.

District 1 Position Re-advertised

The two applicants for District 1 have both withdrawn their applications.  The Board of County Commissioners wants an adequate pool of applicants from which to appoint a District 1 Representative.  Therefore, the position has been re-advertised with a deadline of August 13, 2009.  To learn more, view the map of Commissioner Districts, and the Volunteer Application form.

District 3 Position Re-advertised

Board of County Commissioners want a larger pool of applicants from which to appoint a District 3 Representative.  The position has been re-advertised with a deadline of May 29, 2009.  To learn more, view the map of Commissioner Districts, and the Volunteer Application form.

PC Open Position for District 1

Planning Commissioner Nightingale is resigning, leaving her District 1 seat open for appointment by the Board of County Commissioners.  Anyone from District 1 interested in serving this volunteer post to assist the Department of Community Development and advising the Board may apply.  To learn more, view the map of Commissioner Districts, and the newspaper ad.

PC to Meet Weekly on Shoreline Program Update

On 2/4/09 the Planning Commission decided to meet weekly to allow additional deliberation on the Preliminary Draft Shoreline Master Program proposal for Comprehensive Plan and development regulation amendments.  Learn more at the Shoreline Update page.

Project-Specific Information

The Planning Commission reviews and provides input on a broad variety of issues in their role of assisting Department of Community Development and advising the Board of County Commissioners.  Use the Issue Links list of topics to find more information and view materials about specific projects.

Signs

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the UDC Amendment proposal on Jefferson County Code 18.30.150, development standards for Signs, on Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at its regularly scheduled meeting at the WSU Extension office, Shold Business Park, 201 West Patison, Port Hadlock. 

Staff reported to the BoCC the Planning Agency recommendations on signs on Tuesday, May 27, 2008.  Because the Planning Commission and staff recommendations differ, the BoCC held a public hearing on the development standards for signs on Monday, June 16, 2008.  The BoCC voted to remand the sign code back to staff and the Planning Commission for additional work. Please click on the links below for the agenda request, Planning Commission recommendations, staff report and recommendation, and for the accompanying attachments. 

Membership, Duties & By-Laws

The Planning Commission is composed of nine citizen volunteers appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and makes advisory recommendations on land use planning matters to DCD and the BOCC, as authorized in the Planning Enabling Act (RCW 36.70.040).

Membership - The current composition of the Planning Commission is as follows (with expiration date of respective four-year terms of service):

  • District 1:
  • Ashley Bullitt (3/17/11)
  • William Miller (3/17/09)
  • Vacant (3/17/12)
  • District 2:
  • Peter Downey (3/17/09)
  • Patricia Farmer (3/17/11)
  • Henry Werch (3/17/10)
  • District 3:
  • Tom Brotherton (3/17/12)
  • Tom Giske (3/17/10)
  • Richard Hull (3/17/13) 
  • Click here for a map of the three Commissioner Districts.

    Duties - See JCC 18.05.050 for a list of Planning Commission duties.

    By-Laws - As amended on 9/3/08


                   
    Schedule of Regular Meetings

    The Planning Commission generally meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at the WSU Community Learning Center, Shold Business Park, 201 West Patison, Port Hadlock.  They may also schedule special meetings and committee meetings in addition to the regular meetings. 

    All meetings and formal public hearings are announced in the newspaper of record, The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader.  Also see the Agendas & Minutes section below.

    Public Comment

    Citizens may submit comments to the Planning Commission via the Department of Community Development. There are also observer comment periods at most Planning Commission meetings and opportunity for formal testimony at Planning Commission public hearings on Comprehensive Plan or Unified Development Code amendment proposals.

    Send written comments to:

    NOTE:  Please don't submit duplicate comments to both as it slows processing time.

    Agendas and Minutes

    NOTE: The Meeting Agenda and Meeting Minutes links that follow will take you to a directory.  Use the links on the right hand side to access the PDF files.  The date on the link itself is the relevant date (i.e., the date of the Planning Commission meeting associated with the Agenda or Minutes).

    Meeting Agenda - Click to access Planning Commission past and future meeting agendas.

    Meeting Minutes - Click to access meeting minutes from past Planning Commission meetings.



    Planning Commission Committees

    The Planning Commission has established several committees to work on issues that are anticipated for future Planning Commission consideration.  Committee membership as of June 2008 includes:

    • Adult Business Committee: Chair Tom Brotherton and members Tom Giske and Henry Werch.  Not active.
    • Bylaws Committee:  Chair Henry Werch and member Patricia Farmer. Not active.
    • Critical Areas Committee: Not active.
    • ILB Committee: Members Tom Brotherton and Peter Downey.
    • Mining Committee:  Members Tom Brotherton and Tom Giske. Not active.  ILB = Industrial Land Bank
    • SMP Update Committee: Chair Peter Downey and member Bill Miller. SMP = Shoreline Master Program
    • UDC Review Committee:  Not active.  UDC = Unified Development Code
    • UGA Committee: Chair Bill Miller and member Tom Brotherton. UGA = Irondale/Port Hadlock Urban Growth Area

    The purpose of the committees is to do the initial review of the pertinent issues and bring forward to the entire Planning Commission suggested recommendations on the topic for consideration. These committees meet on a regularly scheduled basis, when possible, and occasionally hold special meetings outside of a regular schedule.  Public notices for meetings are generally posted in the Government Meetings section of The Leader and in the "Eye on Jefferson" section of the Peninsula Daily News.

    Take...
    A Quick Tour of the Planning Universe from the Planning Commissioner's perspective - provided by The Planner's Web, a Planning Commissioners Journal.

    More Information

    Contact Long Range Planning for more information on the Planning Commission:

    Back to the Long Range Planning page


         
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