Planning commission recommends moving land‑clearing rules to public works; ordinance sent to council

The Oak Harbor Planning Commission on June 10 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve Ordinance 2025 (repeal OMC 19.47 and add OMC 20.15) to consolidate land‑clearing and grading regulations under the engineering division of public works.

The change, presented by planner Dennis Lefever, is intended to bring land‑clearing and grading into a single municipal code chapter and a single permitting lens. “Shifting the land clearing responsibilities over to engineering would make for a much better process,” Lefever told the commission, saying the two activities are “so very closely linked” and would benefit from coordinated review in Title 20, the city’s environmental title.

Staff said the consolidation aligns the city code with other jurisdictions and with state programs such as forest practices and the Shoreline Management Act. Lefever told commissioners the city prepared a State Environmental Policy Act checklist for the proposal and received a determination of nonsignificance; the SEPA appeal period closed without comments. Legal review comments were incorporated into the draft and the City Council has already discussed the amendment; the council’s public hearing is scheduled for July 1.

Commissioners asked whether public works has capacity to take on the consolidated permitting. Lefever said, “It’s my understanding they have the staffing, currently available to handle both clearing and grading.”

Commissioner Frye moved to recommend approval, seconded by Commissioner Bradley; the motion passed unanimously.

The planning commission’s action is a recommendation to the City Council; the ordinance will return to council for a public hearing and final action.