Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Planning Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Oak Harbor staff present planning, development services annual reports; permit revenue and housing pipeline highlighted
Summary
City staff delivered the planning commission annual report and the Development Services 2024 annual report, highlighting code updates, increased permitting activity and revenues, multiple housing projects in the pipeline, and planning commission recommendations on affordable housing and active-transportation implementation.
City planning and development staff presented annual reports to the Oak Harbor City Council on April 1, summarizing 2024 accomplishments, ongoing and upcoming projects, and recommendations from the Planning Commission.
Staff reported a notable rise in permitting activity and fee revenue in 2024. The department issued 441 permits in 2024, up from 412 in 2023, and collected approximately $1,300,000 in permit fees in 2024 versus $440,000 the prior year. Staff said the increase reflects several new-building projects: 63 new buildings and an estimated 146 housing units created in 2024, including 37 single-family homes and 82 apartments (plus duplexes/townhomes). Major projects in the pipeline include Camas Flats (noted as 82 units), Crosby Villa (62 units), Crosby Heller (12 units), Crosby Villa-related Crosby Trace, and a single-family Cedar Hill development (about 28 houses).
Planning staff reviewed ordinances and actions from 2024 including adoption of the 24–25 comprehensive plan docket, ratification of county population projections used for planning, changes to conditional use permit ownership transfer rules, and updates to appeals language to conform with state law. Ongoing and upcoming code amendments listed by staff include: updating local code to reflect the state’s shortened land-use review timeline (from 120 days to 100 days), transfers of land-clearing and grading authority to Public Works, updates to daycare/recreation-space regulations to align with state law, and revisions to the zoning ordinance definition section and design guidelines. Staff also flagged environmental and critical-area work: flood damage prevention, fish and wildlife habitat conservation-area updates, NPDES compliance, and a forthcoming comprehensive plan climate and resilience element.
The Planning Commission recommended prioritizing funding or incentives for affordable housing and implementing the active transportation plan to improve pedestrian and bicycle connectivity. Staff noted the city recently provided approximately $42,000 in fee waivers to Habitat for Humanity to support three homes and indicated continued work on a multifamily tax exemption (MFTE) program and a waterfront redevelopment planning process with a public meeting planned for April 17.
Staff identified several administrative changes and projects: a forthcoming interlocal agreement update with Island County on annexation/UGA processes, a parking analysis, middle-housing work, and design standard updates. Staff also cited process improvements in permitting: site plan review remains time-intensive, but the permit-management system has been refined after multi-year work with a consultant.
Council members thanked staff and encouraged recruitment for planning commission openings; councilmembers noted that serving on the planning commission is a good way to learn municipal issues. There were no formal council actions on these reports; the items were presented for review and direction.
The reports included recognition of department staff (including Brian Colbert, building official, and Patty O’Mahoney at the front counter) and acknowledged ongoing coordination needs with Island County on annexation discussions.
Votes at a glance: none — annual reports provided for review; no council ordinances or resolutions were adopted on these items.
