Judging by construction permits and real estate transactions, the pressure and speed of development in San Juan County has never been greater. Fortunately, the County’s Comprehensive Plan, or Comp Plan, can be a key tool for managing growth and protecting our County’s rural character. Right now, citizen interest is growing in how this tool can best ensure that sensible, science-based planning and environmental stewardship manage growth and development in our County.
One element of the Comp Plan update is that the County can change the designation or zoning of land. For example, the County is currently considering opening up 127 acres of protected forest lands to allow for more intense development. In San Juan County, we need forest lands as they are essential support for our current forest economy, rural character, and benefits like air and water quality, aquifer recharge, recreational activities, healthy wildlife habitat and connectivity, and carbon sequestration. The parcels in question are currently zoned as Forest Resource Lands, but the County’s Planning Commission recently voted to preliminarily recommend changing these parcels to the Rural Farm Forest designation. A Rural Farm Forest zoning would allow vacation rentals and non-forestry commercial uses and would triple the allowance for impervious surface on the properties.
Citizens are mobilizing to oppose this decision through efforts like Friends of the San Juans’ Comp Plan Action Team. Both at the Planning Commission and County Council meetings, our community has the opportunity to weigh in on whether opening up these Forest Resource Lands to more intense development makes the most sense for environmental stewardship, climate resilience, and preserving the rural character of our island communities.
In addition to the Comp Plan’s importance for guiding how development unfolds in the San Juan Islands over the next 20 years, it also lays the groundwork for the County’s response to the climate crisis. To their credit, the County’s Community Development staff have done an admirable job in making climate-forward recommendations to the Planning Commission on environmental issues in the Comp Plan update. For example, new language in the Comp Plan update includes recommendations for a County-wide climate change impact study, energy-efficiency upgrades, and climate mitigation in a variety of contexts. But a strong climate response requires strong voices from our community, watchdogging the process to make sure our County’s climate response is strong and bold; climate action should be a requirement, not just a recommendation.
Through the Comp Plan Action Team and other efforts, Friends of the San Juans is joining with other organizations and community efforts, encouraging San Juan County’s citizens to engage effectively in the Comp Plan update process, both to address the current explosion of development and to put climate response and climate resiliency front and center. For information about joining in on the Comp Plan Action Team’s monthly meetings, email Brent Lyles.
Resources:
- Info about the Comp Plan and tips on engaging effectively
- San Juan County’s Comp Plan update web page
- Fact sheet and FAQ about Forest Resource Lands
- Fact sheet and FAQ about Agricultural Resource Lands
Photo above by Rainshadow Consulting
