The Skagit Valley Planning Commission on Oct. 14 reviewed proposed updates to the county's 2026–2031 Capital Facilities Plan (CFP), a document used to identify public infrastructure needs and the eligible projects for impact fee programs. The staff presentation described mostly administrative changes, targeted updates to district capital estimates and a handful of substantive changes affecting energy, stormwater and behavioral health planning.

Why it matters: The capital facilities plan implements Goal 12 of the Growth Management Act by ensuring public facilities and services are adequate to support development without reducing service levels. Projects listed in the CFP can be prerequisites for charging impact fees; accurate inventories and funding expectations therefore affect long‑term infrastructure planning for unincorporated Skagit County.

Key updates described: A staff presenter summarized administrative edits, renumbering and updated forecasts through 2031. Two substantive updates highlighted in the staff presentation were:

- Clean‑building compliance: The plan updates an energy efficiency section to reflect Washington Clean Building Performance Standards for commercial buildings larger than 50,000 square feet, noting compliance timelines (staff said compliance would be required by June 2028 and the county was on track to meet requirements).

- Bayview Ridge drainage: The drainage section for the Bayview Ridge urban growth area was revised to more accurately reflect Skagit County Public Works' role as municipal stormwater manager and to clarify responsibilities between county public works and local drainage/irrigation districts.

Other items and schedule: Staff noted a possible change in use for the Leila Lane behavioral crisis triage center in Burlington — public health is considering converting it from detox/stabilization to short‑term recovery housing in 2026 — and said most other updates were minor (fire district equipment estimates, school enrollment updates for 2025). The CFP public comment period runs Oct. 16 through Nov. 6; commission deliberations are scheduled for Nov. 18 and possible Board of County Commissioners adoption is scheduled for Dec. 8 at 1:30 p.m.

Commission discussion: Commissioners asked staff for clarification about grant or funding contingencies tied to facility uses and whether converting an intended use (for example, from detox to housing) would affect grant conditions. Staff replied that use changes may be contingent on grant terms and budgeting and said the CFP update is intended to make those funding expectations transparent. Several commissioners expressed concern about deliberating on the CFP and a separate, potentially contentious agritourism item on the same Nov. 18 agenda; after discussion the commission decided to leave the current schedule as written, prioritizing CFP items early in the Nov. 18 meeting and continuing agritourism deliberations if more time is needed.

Follow-up and public participation: Staff said Public Works will maintain a separate annual Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) review process (decoupled from the CFP update) and encouraged interested parties to monitor the county transportation program website. Written comments on the CFP are due Nov. 6; the Planning Commission will accept public comment during its Nov. 18 meeting and may continue deliberations on a separate date if necessary.