Planning Commission reviews draft economic-development goals, highlights creative-economy support

The Anacortes Planning Commission on May 14 reviewed draft amendments to the Comprehensive Plan's Economic Development element that emphasize support for the city's creative economy, add language backing incubator and microenterprise programs, and update parking and tourism policies.

The proposed amendments call for the city to "collaborate with Anacortes Creative District to foster growth of Anacortes creative economy through recruitment and supportive creative and artistic businesses, supporting the Anacortes Arts Festival and additional arts and cultural events and marketing Anacortes as a destination for art and culture," said Andrew Oliver of Leland Consulting Group while presenting the updated goals and policies. John Coleman, the city's planning director, told commissioners the staff added stronger arts language after seeing survey results and stakeholder input: "we feel strongly that we've got a really good arts and culture community and creative, a creative economy in Anacortes."

Why it matters: the edits reframe several previously broad goals into more actionable policies aimed at retaining and expanding locally owned businesses, supporting workforce housing connected to creative jobs, and directing limited grant dollars toward entrepreneurship supports. Commissioners highlighted the potential economic and tourism effects if the creative economy is intentionally supported.

Key points from the discussion - Creative-economy language: Commissioners and staff backed explicit reference to the Anacortes Creative District and the Anacortes Arts Festival as economic drivers. Oliver said the Creative District is a formal state designation and that staff added several creative-economy policies in response to public input. - Microenterprise/incubator support: Staff said the city is a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) recipient and that the city recently learned its current CDBG allocation is about $108,000. That funding stream can be used for microenterprise support and would align with a policy encouraging incubator space and technical assistance for very small businesses. - Retail, Central Business District (CBD) policy changes: The draft consolidates and shortens many prior policies and proposes removing one prior recommendation to consider limits on nonretail uses in the CBD; staff said that provision was not pursued in the 2019 development regulation update and that existing nonretail uses are considered appropriate. - Parking and climate alignment: The draft adds bicycle parking and electric-vehicle charging to parking policy to match language the consultants used in the climate element. - Tourism and destination strategy: The draft suggests coordinating marketing year-round, exploring a city culture-and-tourism office, and encouraging expanded lodging options. Commissioners debated whether the plan should call for a city-funded office immediately or leave the language exploratory; some commissioners said the plan needs a prioritization mechanism to avoid promising too many initiatives without funding. - Digital infrastructure: Commissioners asked staff to highlight the city's investment in fiber as a marketing tool to attract businesses; staff said fiber is already referenced in the public facilities section but agreed it could be emphasized under economic development.

What staff will do next: Oliver said he will revise the draft to incorporate commissioners'comments and circulate a clean version before the commission's next meeting, when the commission will hold a public hearing. Staff requested commissioners'specific direction on stronger vs. exploratory language for items such as a culture-and-tourism office and on how explicit to be about hotels versus short-term rentals in the CBD.

Ending: The commission did not take formal action on the draft at the meeting; the item will return as a revised draft for public hearing at the next scheduled Planning Commission meeting.