Planning commission hears public input on capital facilities, utilities; continues housing action plan discussion

The Anacortes Planning Commission on Feb. 26 held a public hearing on proposed amendments to the capital facilities and utilities sections of the city’s 2025 comprehensive plan and continued work on the Housing Action Plan strategies, including recommended changes to housing types allowed in Old Town.

Planning manager Libby Grage told commissioners the amendments mostly reorganize and clarify existing language, update level-of-service standards for public facilities and utilities, and add a proposed funding-prioritization process to guide future capital decisions. "As a reminder, the capital facilities element identifies existing publicly owned facilities, current capital facility needs, future needs to serve the growth anticipated in the land use element, and how to fund them," Grage said.

Nut graf: The revisions being reviewed guide how the city plans water, sewer, stormwater, parks, public safety, transportation and utility services to serve anticipated growth and set priorities for scarce capital dollars; the same meeting also advanced discussion of specific housing…