[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6544344,"mediaKeyId","3769773-705cb3269defb65725c24ea45f60d8f7","parentId",3769773,"title","Public commenters tell Skagit County commissioners wedding-venue rules confusing, nurseries struggling and Lake Cavanaugh recycling timeline unclear","audioSeconds",1291,"startMs",18000,"endMs",1309000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3769773-705cb3269defb65725c24ea45f60d8f7&start=18&end=1309","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3769773-705cb3269defb65725c24ea45f60d8f7/thumbnail_18000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6544344/Skagit-County/Washington/Public-commenters-tell-Skagit-County-commissioners-wedding-venue-rules-confusing-nurseries-struggling-and-Lake-Cavanaugh-recycling-timeline-unclear","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544344-f1bf662576fed9efd065ab096a46363f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156252&Signature=C6mkt6l~ZjsDxUuZlE5fCNjkjkBjSXDjyG2w5w5F-lbVFwwDcg-mpKkhJViiEkZbF2BwJCkimo1nJ0u1qL61mcWT~NQym6NLBWppxkxShHKTR4UJduKV8eVM9XTxt59NsZgcPZ8lF00ObSEVAaIRXryF5IAuyoZ10ZBzVqT8TJKpqDTuXO4LCXIGWr61XtvUQMjsWMSmgB9vnDe5JxO4qw3w7N26SWcMdEjCEAruQ8qMHprj7lf0~MkpcaGw9vOus0cYINEcn7F~8wRqquegMPn-ZPcuSg46AoDkoWaJgR8UUeU5FWsTWPgEdEmm26kzeGQ4RMiaE2925AHgehno4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Skagit County","date","2025-06-10T00:00:00Z","article","Skagit County commissioners heard several public comments on June 10 highlighting local business and service concerns, including confusion about wedding-venue permit requirements, the decline of local nurseries and a request for clarity on curbside recycling timelines for Lake Cavanaugh.

Nick Zicotti of Mount Vernon asked the board for more public input and clearer communication about the process affecting a local wedding venue. \"The papers that we send out, or you guys send out, don't seem to be the things that we're hearing,\" Zicotti said, adding that some county requests felt expensive and that permit notices appeared to be broad, form-based communications rather than individualized guidance.

John Christianson, speaking for Christianson's Nursery, said the county's nursery industry has shrunk dramatically since 1990. \"In 1990, there were 24, 25 nurseries in Skagit County, and now there's about 5,\" Christianson said, noting that nursery work is seasonal and that additional regulatory layers can add prohibitive costs to small, seasonal venue operations.

Lake Cavanaugh resident Loretta Humble (\"Tweety\") said she received an email dated May 13 from a county staffer about a recycling update and that the county's published process described several additional steps. She read the county reply that planning and legal review, approval by commissioners and a subsequent routing and Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission review would be required before curbside recycling routes and fees are set. Humble said she had previously been given a go-ahead to inform her community of an upcoming curbside service at a community meeting in September 2024 and asked the board for a timeline. The county noted the ordinance must be approved by the commissioners before routes and fees are finalized and that the WUTC review may add months to implementation.

Other public remarks included calls to \"fortify democracy\" from Rebecca Peck, who said county leaders need to speak up on the rule of law, and a property owner who accused a neighbor and a public official of title fraud and harassment (the latter remarks were directed to the commissioners as a public complaint and did not result in any immediate action by the board).

Why it matters: Comments raised practical concerns about county communication and permitting, the economic pressures on small, seasonal businesses and the pace of implementing new services in remote, recreational communities.

Ending note: Commissioners acknowledged the comments and invited follow-up conversations with staff where appropriate; several speakers were offered time after the public-comment period to meet with county staff.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Skagit County - Record of the Proceedings - Tuesday Session - Jun 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During the general-public comment period, residents and business owners raised concerns about post-permit notices for wedding venues, the decline of local nurseries and delayed curbside recycling service at Lake Cavanaugh.","taxTitle","Skagit County, Washington","taxId",5125,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6544349,"Skagit County closes public hearing on CDBG public services grant; application will seek $64,000 for East County services",1087,1326000,2413000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3769773-705cb3269defb65725c24ea45f60d8f7&start=1326&end=2413","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3769773-705cb3269defb65725c24ea45f60d8f7/thumbnail_1326000.jpg","/articles/6544349/Skagit-County/Washington/Skagit-County-closes-public-hearing-on-CDBG-public-services-grant-application-will-seek-64000-for-East-County-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544349-1a3d29df37cc8200f7bbd85094827424/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156252&Signature=F26wHtC6ehL05ZD29YAPm9UUhfxBkZpZfVmmFh4d99dhXvmEn~3DnNp91NI4TFhj~YOQvjRGIErvOwYkYf-rkTL5q-Y8SW~niUV9BXB87hWbXFzOpIab-ghaGjzBiPkGNawS-yQ37augQLy1D0RkNkQ2qlEaRXeOYMls1y-2ryooXr9p4lUaNGPcN8Gidr7MnL-UCgG~2sQ~WxzPaWgryzafPyqaQhT0Q-~eCBv0MhroAcwOoHIXt0r8yS80uV2sidvbrn7dhshUMmU-d3~f22d15ZI366bAKfbcWd~wsq5zm9uaRhYhprqvuwYIwc40DS4fkp8HBwgG8gG1odoYXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Skagit County commissioners on June 10 closed a public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public services application for 2025–26 after presentations by Skagit County Public Health and East County Community Action. Staff said the county will apply for an annual award of $64,000 to support services in East County.

Madeline Anthony of Skagit County Public Health told the board the grant supports a partnership with East County Community Action and targets services for low-income households in the county's upriver communities. \"The annual award amounts are allocated based on a formula that looks at service area population and poverty levels,\" she said, and reported that the county's award for the next year will be $64,000.

Why it matters: The CDBG public services allocation funds local resource navigation, housing intakes, homelessness prevention, employment services and other essential needs that East County residents may not otherwise be able to access.

Program outcomes and service details
Sandy Finney, Chief Strategy Officer at East County Community Action, and Stephanie (Community Action staff) summarized outcomes for the July 1–June 30 grant cycles covering 2022–24. Key figures and program details reported to commissioners:
- Reach: East County Resource Center served more than 1,200 unduplicated people across the 2022–24 period, about 700–800 unduplicated people per year.
- Poverty and demographics: About half of people served are at or near 50% of the federal poverty line (2024 approximate thresholds: $7,530 for an individual; $15,600 for a family of four). Roughly 28% of clients are ages 25–44 and about 57% are older than 45; staff said the client base includes an increasing number of children and families.
- Housing status and needs: About 27.3% of people served were unhoused at intake; staff also reported that roughly 37% of clients served have a disability and are on Medicaid.
- Services provided: Resource navigation, housing coordinated-entry intakes, homelessness prevention, diversion funds, congregate and sack-lunch meal service, energy and benefits assistance, and severe-weather shelter operations.
- Local results: In the past year Community Action assisted three people into housing (including elderly clients into subsidized housing) and served diversion funds to five people that helped avoid homelessness. The congregate lunch program previously provided nearly 800 meals monthly; during a temporary move and remodel the program served 25–30 sack lunches per day with many recipients senior residents.

Board action and next steps
Commissioner motioned to close the public hearing. Commissioners voted to close the hearing by voice vote; the transcript records \"Motion carries 2 to 0.\" County staff said a resolution to approve submittal of the CDBG public services application is expected in the coming week.

Ending note: County staff said the grant is modest in amount but serves as part of a \"braiding\" of funding that helps East County clients access housing and essential services, and that Community Action's data collection and creative local problem-solving are central to delivering services in upriver communities.","Skagit County Public Health and East County Community Action presented outcomes for 2022–24 and sought comment on a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public services application for 2025–26. Commissioners closed the hearing and a resolution to submit the application is expected next week.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6544353,"Skagit County delays final vote on dangerous-dog code changes, leaves public comment open through June 27",2590,2549000,5139000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3769773-705cb3269defb65725c24ea45f60d8f7&start=2549&end=5139","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3769773-705cb3269defb65725c24ea45f60d8f7/thumbnail_2549000.jpg","/articles/6544353/Skagit-County/Washington/Skagit-County-delays-final-vote-on-dangerous-dog-code-changes-leaves-public-comment-open-through-June-27","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544353-5a8149eda621f0414c7526f60045ccdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156252&Signature=TbjG2nATOC8t5KqXSmFGRQDvnvFQW5JKfeeindXS303vO85~r8dwV3tmODz-I-HbrDSZXDdh9hLf90nYhWX~qAwafhdO5ic-vRox1DTxY40eXEsWo7X8Ryglp1BUWLdIA1eiMdWCgf0bDuC6r8RhtySVpk9~UQZGB2Pz7I3J5zGFsQj6baVKbIFAE4bWeoi32l1PdnuWDjPXoSjCAkrT9GJx77QNN09UI8ICBy7vqhaLcXEYvF9DTq0KlIKufMFxt9Jy8T5lnNIZjEaVRx9caHBIfhKOv8pRPvvgYNBh3kKbk4Z7kzrTLu-hPqlo6Lwxdj2oyAf7uvhSHbF3jzTLGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Skagit County commissioners on June 10 heard a proposal to revise Skagit County Code Chapter 7.06 governing potentially dangerous and dangerous dogs and voted to keep the public comment period open through June 27 before final action.

The proposed changes, presented by Jalan Spasov, Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, would remove an intermediate review step by the sheriff and allow an animal-control officer or other designated county employee to make determinations that a dog is potentially dangerous or dangerous. Spasov said the revisions also clarify appeal procedures, impoundment notice timing and other administrative processes.

Spasov said the draft increases administrative efficiency and clarifies the county's options for impoundment and redemption. \"An owner has 20 calendar days to appeal a determination by the animal control officer,\" he said, and the updated determination form includes a service certification to document when the 20-day appeal period begins.

Why it matters: County staff said the change would speed determinations and free deputy sheriff resources now used for review. The rewrite also updates forms and definitions to reflect issues the county has encountered enforcing the code.

What the draft would change
- Decision authority: The review now may be made by \"the county,\" which the draft defines to include employees such as the animal-control officer. That removes the current mandatory review by the undersheriff.
- Appeals: Owners would appeal a determination to district court; the draft specifies a 20-calendar-day filing window and details what must appear on the appeal paperwork.
- Impoundment and notice: The draft explicitly requires the county to serve impoundment notice within 72 hours and describes a redemption process for reclaimed dogs.
- Multiple-dog properties: For properties keeping 15 or more dogs, the draft shifts the burden to the owner to identify which dog caused a violation; if the owner cannot, the county may deem all dogs on the property potentially dangerous or dangerous.
- Poultry threshold: The draft adds a poultry-specific threshold: a dog would be treated as potentially dangerous if it bites poultry in five or more separate incidents, and dangerous if it kills poultry in five or more incidents. The county said this clarifies how poultry are treated versus other livestock.
- Updated forms: The county replaced several short witness and declaration forms with a longer combined determination form designed to document facts relied on, specify applicable statutory language, and record service and appeal rights.

Questions and concerns from commissioners and the public
Commissioners and members of the public asked for clarification about what counts as a \"separate\" incident, how owners and neighbors document repeated problems, and what civil remedies are available to livestock owners. Emily (Animal Control Officer) said documentation and witness statements can be used to show prior incidents if the owner of the livestock did not call immediately.

A county resident asked what rights a property owner has when a dog threatens livestock; the animal-control officer said, \"If the dog is an immediate threat to you, your animals, or your family, you have the right to do what's necessary to protect you, yourself, and your animals.\" The hearing also included requests that the county provide outreach explaining the changes to dog clubs, 4-H groups and other dog owners.

Next steps and action taken
After discussion, the board voted to keep the public comment period open through June 27 and to consider the ordinance amendment on a future consent agenda. Commissioners agreed to allow staff and communications to run targeted outreach while the comment window remains open. The motion passed by voice vote; the record indicates the motion \"carries\" but does not list a roll-call tally in the hearing transcript.

Ending note: County attorneys emphasized the changes are intended to make the process clearer for owners, complainants and staff, not to alter enforcement options beyond those described in the draft code.","County prosecutors and animal-control staff proposed revisions to Skagit County Code 7.06 to streamline determinations of \"potentially dangerous\" and \"dangerous\" dogs. Commissioners accepted the revisions for further public comment and set a June 27 deadline for additional input before taking the matter to consent.","actionData","errors"]

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Public commenters tell Skagit County commissioners wedding-venue rules confusing, nurseries struggling and Lake Cavanaugh recycling timeline unclear

Skagit County closes public hearing on CDBG public services grant; application will seek $64,000 for East County services

Skagit County delays final vote on dangerous-dog code changes, leaves public comment open through June 27