Coupeville authorizes mayor to reply to Island County on urban growth-area parcels after heated debate over school site

The Coupeville Town Council voted to authorize the mayor to send a letter to Island County regarding questions about limited urban growth area (UGA) expansions for two parcels adjacent to town limits, after extended council discussion and public comment.

What the council authorized At the meeting staff presented a letter prepared for the mayor and council responding to Island County questions about whether the town wishes to include two adjacent parcels in a limited UGA. Council later moved and seconded a motion to authorize the mayor to sign the letter; the motion passed with four votes in favor and none opposed.

Public comment and concerns A resident who identified themself as Pat spoke at length opposing the town's request to expand the UGA to include the school-district property and a 5-acre woods parcel. Pat said the 21-acre school parcel is part of the entrance to Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, cited archaeological sensitivity and contributing historic structures, and warned that annexation could shift road-maintenance and other costs to town taxpayers. Pat moved to withdraw the town's UGA request, but that motion died for lack of a second.

Why it matters If the county designates a parcel within a municipality's UGA, annexation becomes a possible next step under state planning rules, which affects permitting authority, planning services and the town boundary. Council members and residents debated whether bringing the school parcel into the town limits would create additional costs (maintenance, policing, roads) and whether the county process could instead address future school improvements without annexation.

Council comments and staff notes - Staff emphasized that the UGA designation is a step in a multi-step process: it does not itself annex property, and separate annexation procedures (including owner consent, where applicable) would be required for any later annexation or utility connections. - Council members asked for clarification about obligations for maintenance of roads and services if parcels were later annexed; staff said future infrastructure extension and hookups are typically paid by the property owner or project at time of development, but other public-cost questions remain subject to negotiation.

Outcome and next steps The council authorized the mayor to sign the letter to Island County responding to the UGA questions. Council did not adopt Pat's motion to withdraw the town's request (the motion lacked a second), and staff will submit the prepared response to Island County as authorized.