ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [June 13, 2025]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., June 13, 2025.

Next Thursday, June 19^th, County offices will be closed in recognition of Juneteenth.

Happy Friday the 13^th! Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 24^th week of 2025.

• Regular Session.  The agenda and recording for the Tuesday June 10^th Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
  • We received six public comments on Tuesday. One offered kudos to the Commissioners for expressing concerns regarding aviation issues. One was a comment about the Harbor Inn. Three were citizens offering comment on the Shoreline Management Program (SMP), wanting the Commissioners to allow permits to protect shoreline homes from flooding. One was another comment about the SMP, wanting the Commissioners to encourage strategic relocation of shoreline homes, and also expressing frustration that the Commissioners have failed to allow sufficient community feedback on the Comprehensive Plan.
  • We passed Resolution C-38-25, Expressing Atonement for Past County Practice Authorizing Racial Restrictions in Housing Plans and Deeds in Island County. With this resolution, the Board encourages owners, occupants, tenants and homeowners’ association boards of properties subject to unlawful deed restrictions or covenants to have such discriminatory covenants and restrictions struck from their chain of title, and commits to waive any Planning Department fees that might normally be required. Community members interested in pursuing such modifications for their Island County deeds are also encouraged to consider their options under RCW 49.60.27. The resolution can be found linked in the agenda above; the discussion begins at mark 00:21:52 in the recording.
  • We held two water franchise public hearings: a renewal franchise for Race Lagoon Water Association, and a new franchise for the Sandberg Water Association. The Race Lagoon public hearing begins at mark 00:27:20 in the recording; the Sandberg public hearing begins at mark 00:35:19. There was no public comment during either public hearing; both franchises were approved.
  • The next regular session will occur at 10 am on Tuesday, June 17, The agenda for that meeting is here. On that agenda: Two Conservations Futures Funding presentations by the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, one requesting $300,000 for the 2025 Double Bluff Preserve Acquisition and the other requesting $250,000 for the Holmes Harbor Community Forest acquisition.
• Upcoming Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • June 24    Rowe Road—continued discussion from Public Hearing held last year
  • July 8        Replacement moratorium
  • July 15      Pleasant View franchise
  • July 15      Camano Colony franchise
  • July 15      Saekow & Wood franchise
  • July 22      Vafeezdah franchise
  • Aug 5        Delcoure franchise
  • Aug 5         Allen franchise
  • Aug 19       Witham franchise
  • Aug 19       Solvang franchise     
• Work Session.  The agenda for the Wednesday, June 11 work session is here; the recording is here.
  • Superior Court brought a conversation about the loss of most of the funding we get from the State for the BECCA program serving truants. The Board decided to augment the loss in funding through 2025, and revisit the program goals and funding for the 2026 budget. Mark 0:2:14 in the recording.
  • Facilities brought a discussion on the bid award for improvements on the County’s Bayshore property. During this discussion we talked about the County space issues. Mark 0:23:00 in the recording.
  • The Commissioners held a discussion on two Deception Pass Bridge safety issues beginning at mark 0:35:48. The first was our concern that the State categorizes Deception Pass Bridge as “ordinary” when we believe it should be categorized as “critical” to ensure acceptable post-seismic service level; the second was a discussion on our continuing concern about suicides on the bridge.
  • Long Range Planning brought three topics to the Board: a review of the comments that the Department of Ecology received on the draft Shoreline Management Program (SMP); a discussion on the draft replacement emergency moratorium; and the Housing and Land Use goals and policies.
  • The SMP public comments to Ecology can be found beginning on page 21 of the agenda; the discussion begins at mark 0:53:35 in the recording. The Board instructed Planning to forward to Ecology our County responses to the comments; those responses can be found in the last column of the spreadsheet that begins on page 22.
  • The Board offered language modifications to Planning for the Emergency Moratorium revision. The first resolution begins on page 87; the revision begins on page 93; the suggested language would affect exceptions items 3 and 5 found on page 96. The discussion on this begins at mark 1:33:50 in the recording.
  • We had hoped to discuss both the Housing Element and the Land Use Elements on Wednesday; unfortunately we only got through goal 3 of the Housing Element and didn’t get to Land Use at all. Board members will discuss any further issues on the Housing element with Planning during our one-on-ones; we will move to the Land Use element next week. The Housing Element draft begins on page 80 of the agenda; Land Use begins on page 54. The discussion by the Board begins at mark 2:05:11.
  • The next Work Session will occur next Wednesday, June 18. Agenda. On that agenda: the Treasurer’s Reports; the 2026-2031 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP); a discussion on the comments received in 2023 on the Speed Study; the Surface Water Quality Report; and the Land Use goals and policies.
• The Board of Health will meet next Tuesday, June 17, at 1 pm. Here is the agenda.   On that agenda: Legislative Summary, presented by Representative Dave Paul; and the Community Health Improvement Project Update.
•   The Washington Department of Health is sponsoring a Care-A-Van Event on June 20th, 2025 from 3:00pm – 6:00pm at Oak Harbor Intermediate School, where they will provide Free childhood vaccines and COVID vaccines. For Camano residents, there will be a Care-A-Van Event in Stanwood on June 18 from 2:30 – 6:30; this event will also provide Flu vaccines in addition to Childhood and COVID vaccines. For more information.
• Thanks to the Clinton, Freeland, and Langley Chambers of Commerce who sponsored a joint meeting last night in Freeland featuring John Vezina of Washington State Ferries and John Hughes of the Pacific Norwest Naval Air Museum.  According to Mr. Vezina, on July 4^th the Coupeville ferry will upgrade to 2-boat service from Fridays – Mondays (they don’t yet have the staffing for 7-day 2-boat service). And at the Mukilteo terminal they will be putting in portapotties near the ticket counter, because that’s a long walk to the restroom for people parked at the end of the line. Also, on the night of June 24^th, the last sailing out of Clinton and Mulilteo will be the 8 and 8:30 boats so they can do some Mukilteo terminal repairs.
• Planning Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Update: This is a link to the Planning Commission page. You can find details on their meetings and minutes, including Zoom info, here. The agendas are published at least a week in advance. The Planning Commission usually meets at 6 pm on the first and third Wednesday of each month in the Commissioners Hearing Room in Coupeville.
• Revised Goals and Policies on eight elements have been released for 45 Day Public Comment Period, through July 14; see this link. 
• I committed to keep the Freeland community apprised of actions associated with the Harbor Inn housing project. The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) has a Site Plan Review (SPR) in for the Harbor Inn, application # 130/25 SPR. The Planning Department will continue to take public comment on this application until the decision is made. The SPR is a Type II application, with an administrative decision made by the Planning Dept. There will not be a public hearing on the SPR, nor will the Commissioners be involved in the approval process. The applicant has not turned in a building permit yet; this typically comes after approval of the land use application. Public comment can be sent to Planner Lizzie Longo at longo@islandcountywa.gov.
• I have really appreciated getting the weekly updates from Langley’s Public Works Director as they’ve been working on their infrastructure project. If you would like to subscribe to that newsletter too, you can do so here.                                                           
• I will be available to meet with interested citizens on County matters on Monday, June 16^th at 3 pm at the WiFire Community Space in Freeland.

Melanie 

“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.”

~Umberto Eco