ISLAND COUNTY: A Message from Commissioner Bacon [June 6, 2025]

Island County Commissioner Melanie Bacon (D-Langley) sent the following newsletter on Fri., June 6, 2025.

Thank you for reading my newsletter for the 23^rd week of 2025.

• Regular Session.  The agenda and recording for the Tuesday June 3^rd Regular Session of the Board of Island County Commissioners is here.
  • The Board received 4 public comments at the start of the meeting: one on the public comments the Department of Ecology received on the Shoreline Master Program (SMP); one on the housing element of the comprehensive plan; and two related to code enforcement.
  • We held two public hearings. The first amended Ordinance C-90-21, Related to Imposing an Additional Sales and Use Tax of One-Tenth of One Percent for Housing and Related Services as Authorized by RCW 82.14.530 (purpose: to make it clearer that the County can use those sales tax funds to purchase existing housing units for use as affordable housing). There was one public comment. The recording begins at mark 00:13:55 in the video.
  • The second public hearing was on Ordinance C-29-25 Adopting an Emergency Moratorium on the Processing of Applications for and Construction in Mixed-Use RAID Zones of Rural Center, Rural Village, and Camano Gateway Village (the public hearing on the original emergency moratorium passed in April). We received public comment from ten people. There was no motion to repeal the emergency moratorium, so it remains in effect at least until July 8, when a public hearing will take place on a replacement moratorium. The discussion and public hearing begin at mark 00:28:15 in the recording.
  • The next regular session will occur at 10 am on Tuesday, June 10, The agenda for that meeting is here. On that agenda: welcome new employees; Resolution C-38-25 Expressing Atonement for Past County Practice Authorizing Racial Restrictions in Housing Plans and Deeds in Island County; and public hearings on the two franchises listed below.
• On Tuesday afternoon the Board held a business meeting with Human Services, Public Works, Planning, and Public Health Directors to discuss a variety of detailed issues, including the possibility of creating and adopting a public operations manual for Planning, consolidating clearing and grading permits under a single department, on-site septic outreach, an approach to metric tracking for community impact sharing, and our SmartGov permitting software. The recording of this meeting can be found here.
• Upcoming Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Public Hearings (held during Tuesday board meetings, beginning at 10 am):
  • June 10         Franchise renewal, Race Lagoon Water Association
  • June 10         New franchise, Sandberg Water Association   
  • July 8             Replacement moratorium
  • June 24         Rowe Road—continued discussion from Public Hearing held last year
  • July 15          Pleasant View franchise
  • July 15          Camano Colony franchise
  • July 15          Saekow & Wood franchise
  • July 22          Vafeezdah franchise
• Work Session.  The agenda for the Wednesday, June 4 work session is here; the recording is here.
  • Facilities brought preliminary drawings for three PSE Up and Go EV charging stations that will be located at 1 NE 7th St in Coupeville (the front of the County Administration building, across the street from Coupeville Town Hall). These will be public electric vehicle charging stations. The discussion begins at mark 0:21:23 in the recording; the specifications can be found beginning on page 16 in the agenda.
  • The Board decided that the breakdown for the $725,000 allocated for 2% Hotel-Motel Lodging Tax Revenue grants for 2026 will be as follows: 12% for Capital requests; 20% for Museums, Historical agencies and Ebey’s; 30% for non-Chamber activities; and 38% for County Chambers of Commerce. Mark 00:35:32 in the recording.
  • Long Range Planning gave us a preliminary look at the draft Vision and Values Statement and the revised goals and policies for 8 elements of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan update. The agenda documents begin on page 134, but most of the presentation focused on pages on the public website. The conversation begins at mark 1:03:58 in the recording.
  • We also held an add-on conversation with Long Range Planning at the end of the meeting to discuss the emergency moratorium; mark 1:52:35 in the recording.
  • The agenda for the June 11 work session is here. On that agenda: a conversation on how to make up for the State’s cuts to the BECCA program (truancy); a review of the bids received for improvements to County’s Bayshore Drive property (Oak Harbor); a discussion about Deception Pass Bridge safety issues; a review of the public comments received by the Department of Ecology on the Shoreline Master Program (SMP); and a review of the revised goals and policies trackers for the Land Use and Housing Elements of the Comprehensive Plan update.
• Today the Board of Island Transit held their regular monthly meeting. Agenda here.
  • We agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Oak Harbor Police Station.
  • We authorized staff to issue a solicitation for an Automatic Passenger Count (APC) system for installation on Island Transit’s fixed route system.
  • We approved Island Transit’s Title VI Non-Discrimination Plan 2025-2028. 
• During public comment on Tuesday, a citizen asked why the County burns cans of paint instead of making them available to the public. Public Works got back to me to let me know that we do NOT burn paint—we participate in the State’s Paint Recycling Program, which collected more than 1 million gallons of postconsumer (leftover) paint in 2024. This paint is then recycled. To read more about this program, go here.
• 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 now been released for 45 Day Public Comment Period, through July 14; see this link. 
  • The next Planning Commission meeting will take place next Wednesday, June 11; the agenda is here. On that agenda: two workshops, to review the proposed goals and policies for the Land Use and Housing elements of the Comp Plan.
• As I mentioned last week, South Whidbey Prepares is really building momentum. Here is a recording of the Thursday, May 29, “Island Prepares Presentations with Scott James and Eric Brooks”. To sign up to help, ask questions or get on the email list for South Whidbey Prepares, mail them at southwhidbeyprepares@whidbey.com. 
• The Coupeville Wharf is celebrating its 120^th anniversary in July, and the Town of Coupeville and Port of Coupeville plan numerous fun activities. For example, Saturday, July 19 will be a big anniversary party. Follow the Port of Coupeville, the Coupeville Chamber of Commerce, and the Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association for updates.
• Island Senior Resources provides free assistance to help clients identify, understand, and access the services they need to live their best life. Their Resource Specialists provide information on assisted living and other supported living options; caregiver support, In-Home Care options; chore/housekeeping/home maintenance; meals; elder abuse; energy assistance/weatherization; hospice, respite resources; transportation services, Veterans resources, and more. Contact them at 360-321-1600 to schedule an appointment. 
• I will be available to meet with interested citizens on County matters on Monday, June 9^th at 3 pm at the WiFire Community Space in Freeland.

Melanie 

Today we remember D-Day, the June 6, 1944, invasion of the beaches at Normandy in northern France by troops from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries during World War II. 

“The eyes of the world are upon you.”

~General Dwight D. Eisenhower