Anacortes planning commission recommends council adopt updated comprehensive plan, future land use changes

The Anacortes Planning Commission voted Sept. 24 to recommend that the City Council adopt the periodic update to the comprehensive plan, including revisions to Volume 2 (background data and analysis) and eight proposed future land use map amendments, with staff-recommended edits and an added glossary. The motion passed on a 5–0 vote and will be forwarded to the council for consideration.

Why it matters: The periodic comprehensive plan update (2025–2045) contains the policy and background framework the city will use to guide land use, housing, transportation and public facilities for the next 20 years. Volume 2 provides the data, inventories and analysis that support the plan’s goals and policies; changes to the future land use map (FLUM) set expectations for how specific parcels may be rezoned or developed in the future, and therefore shape possible projects, public investments and permitting outcomes.

Planning staff led the presentation. Libby Grage, planning manager with the Planning, Community and Economic Development department, told commissioners that Volume 2 had been updated primarily to refresh data and figures, to add required Growth Management Act (GMA) context and to ensure statutory compliance. “The draft plan has two volumes, volume 1 and volume 2,” Grage said as she summarized the background-element updates and the staff recommendation to open a continued public hearing and take testimony.

Transportation analysis and multimodal requirements were highlighted by consultant Chris Como of Transpo Group, who walked commissioners through the updated transportation inventory, the newly required active transportation network and the multimodal level-of-service approach now required under GMA. “This is all required by the GMA,” Como said, describing roadway inventories, freight routes, ADA requirements and the need for multimodal planning and a transit level-of-service standard.

Public comments at the continued public hearing focused on several specific parcels and neighborhood concerns. Pat Barrett, acting chair of the Anacortes Housing Authority, urged support for rezoning the Olsen Building parcel so the housing authority can proceed with an affordable housing project. Barrett said the Olsen project would provide 27 units and noted, as he described it, that the property deed includes a requirement that it be used for affordable housing. “We need affordable housing in this community. It provides 27 units,” Barrett said.

Neighbors from a small pocket east of downtown asked the commission to preserve that area’s low-rise, transitional character rather than folding it into higher-intensity central business district development. Paul Whitrock and Julia Henry described a neighborhood between Fourth Street and the Housing Authority building that they said now functions as a mixed residential-civic pocket and asked that the plan include a policy or future land use designation that protects that character.

Brett Linsford, Anacortes Museum director, asked that the museum parcel at 1305 Eighth Street be designated public use, noting the building’s long history in public service dating to 1910.

Staff summarized the FLUM recommendations and changes. The staff memos consolidated by date (staff memo dated 08/22/2025 with a consolidated future land use recommendation, and an updated staff memo dated 09/19/2025 with six additional minor amendments) were the basis for the motion. Staff told commissioners there were eight requested FLUM amendments under review and that staff recommended approval of most requested changes but recommended partial approval for a Port of Anacortes request in the Capstanley Marina area (staff recommended some parcels change to commercial marine while retaining commercial designation on other parcels where staff found no direct water relationship). The urban growth area adjustment requested by the city and approved by the Skagit County Board of Commissioners was noted; staff recommended designating the now-included parcels in the UGA as public on the FLUM.

Formal action: Commissioner McCombs moved and Commissioner Currier seconded a motion to recommend that the City Council adopt the proposed comprehensive plan amendments and FLUM amendments with the six additional amendments shown in the staff memo dated Sept. 19, 2025, the consolidated staff FLUM recommendations dated Aug. 22, 2025, and to include the glossary provided to commissioners; the motion also asked the commission to review an outstanding wildlife/animals section in Volume 2 when that section is completed. Miss Gleichman recorded the roll call: McCombs—Aye; Ryan—Aye; Martin—Yes; Juretsky/Duretsky—Aye; Currier—Aye. The motion passed, and staff will forward the commission’s recommendation to the City Council for its review and final action.

Discussion vs. decision: Commissioners and staff clarified that a FLUM change is distinct from the city’s zoning map; if the council adopts FLUM amendments the city typically follows with zoning map and ordinance amendments to implement the FLUM. Commissioners discussed concerns about the Olsen Building block’s adjacency to port industrial uses and suggested that the Port and the housing authority continue coordination; staff noted the port letter and described options such as cooperative easements or other mitigation approaches. Commissioners specifically requested that the incomplete wildlife/animals background section in Volume 2 be finalized and returned as part of the record.

Next steps: The commission forwarded its recommendation to the City Council. The planning staff told commissioners the update and the record will be provided to council members so they can review the consolidated memos and the public-comment response matrix prior to council hearings and final adoption.

Ending: The planning commission’s recommendation completes the commission-level review of the comprehensive plan periodic update; final adoption will be a city council decision after council review of the record and staff recommendations.