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Coupeville staff brief council on economic stability element, jobs and tourism goals
Summary
Planning Director Joshua presented the 'economic stability' element of the comprehensive plan update, reviewed local jobs data and the planning commission’s comments on tourism, child care and workforce connections; council members asked for follow-up data.
Planning Director Joshua presented the economic stability element of Coupeville’s comprehensive plan update at the Feb. 11 council meeting, summarizing three goals the town adopted in 2023: support compatible businesses, strengthen tourism, and expand employment opportunities.
Joshua reviewed job-count data from 2019 and 2022 drawn from U.S. Census sources, showing shifts in where jobs are located and noting a decline in some local sectors since 2019. He said the data distinguish between people who work in town but live elsewhere, residents who work in town and residents who commute out, and that a nontrivial share of jobs reported as located elsewhere may reflect remote workers whose employer’s address is outside Coupeville’s ZIP code.
Planning-commission input cited during the presentation asked the council to consider policies that support the Creative District, expand childcare, and connect affordable housing to workforce needs. Council members asked for more recent (2023) data when available and for clarifications about how remote work and part-time employment are counted in the numbers Joshua presented.
Why it matters: The economic stability element frames local policies about tourism, walkability, business retention and jobs; staff said the element will inform zoning and the larger comprehensive-plan update the council is reviewing this year.
