Jessie Stensland reports from Island County for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
Island County commissioners didn’t attend a Langley City Council meeting this week after all.
Commissioners Jill Johnson and Melanie Bacon, along with planners from the county and the city of Oak Harbor, were expected to go to the meeting to observe and possibly give input on a discussion over the ongoing comprehensive plan update, which is mandated by the state to be completed this year — although extensions are possible.
As a result of a disagreement between the county and Oak Harbor, the commissioners proposed a change in the population projections to be used in the 20-year growth planning document. The proposed change would not affect Langley or Coupeville, but it would prevent Oak Harbor from expanding the Urban Growth Area as part of the update process. To make the change, the commissioners needed approval from two of the three municipalities in the county.
Yet the topic was removed from the council agenda at the behest of the county commissioners. It was unclear how the decision was made outside of a public meeting since the commissioners aren’t allowed to privately discuss such issues with each other under the Open Public Meetings Act.
They Said It
Afterward, Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson said staff members called her about the cancellation. She said the county planning staff is going to explore another option besides lowering the population projection and then present it to the board at a later meeting.
