Clallam County planning commissioners reviewed draft comprehensive-plan language on geologically hazardous areas, climate vulnerability and infrastructure resilience, with staff clarifying mapping limits and commissioners debating road-width standards and alternatives to traditional widening.

The discussion centered on three interrelated matters: (1) how geologic-hazard maps are used in permitting; (2) whether the comprehensive plan should encourage narrower, context-sensitive road design to preserve rural character while maintaining safety; and (3) how to integrate resiliency measures such as backup power and utility redundancy.

Bruce, a planning staff member, told commissioners that geologically hazardous-area maps included in the packet are "merely for information purposes" and are not the regulatory trigger; what determines permitting requirements is site-specific conditions on the ground, such as slopes greater than 40 percent that prompt geotechnical review.

Commissioners raised concerns about a trend toward widening and straightening rural roads for higher speeds and heavier vehicles and suggested alternative traffic-calming and design techniques that can reduce speeds while preserving rural character and minimizing pavement and maintenance burdens. One commissioner cited Dry Creek Road as an example where widening increased speeds without delivering safety benefits.

On resilience, staff said the draft climate element and its vulnerability assessment emphasize moving infrastructure away from high-hazard locations where practical and prioritizing investment to reduce long-term risk. Commissioners also discussed options for utility resiliency in remote areas, including encouraging local battery backup or solar-plus-storage solutions as alternatives to extending long transmission lines into high-risk terrain.

Speakers referenced both recent localized flooding and larger sea-level rise questions; Commissioner Dan May noted that local coastal uplift currently offsets some sea-level rise in limited places but said accelerating global ice melt will change long-term risk calculations.

No formal policy vote or adoption occurred at the meeting. Staff incorporated minor edits to the public-comment summary and said they would return with clarified language and options on mapping, road-design standards and resilience measures for further deliberation.

Next steps: staff will refine draft policy text to clarify the informational role of maps, propose language for context-sensitive road standards, and add guidance on practical resilience alternatives for off-grid or remote areas.