Island County adopts Freeland zoning changes to allow more multifamily housing without sewer in limited areas

Island County commissioners on Aug. 26 approved amendments to the Freeland zoning code intended to ease development of workforce housing in parts of Freeland that currently lack a sewer connection. County planning staff said the changes allow limited multifamily and attached single-family development in parts of the business village and near light-industrial areas when certain conditions are met.

John Lanier, planning staff, told the board, "Today planning would like to bring forward the finalization of an item allowing for some more housing development in Freeland under existing conditions that is without a sewer." He said the proposal includes two primary changes to Chapter 17.06 of the Freeland zoning code: removing a 500-foot buffer around the light-industrial and nonresidential mixed-use zones when an "area employer" signs the land-use application, and eliminating a mixed-use requirement for some development in the business village zone except along Main Street and Harbor Avenue.

The first change would allow housing to be proposed in areas currently kept clear by a roughly 500-foot buffer around industrial operations only if an area employer signs the land-use application. Lanier said the county has not yet defined "area employer" in code and…