La Conner planning commissioners conditionally approve Economic Development element with edits

The La Conner Planning Commission voted to conditionally approve the draft Economic Development element of the town’s comprehensive plan after commissioners requested specific edits and clarifications.

Commissioners said the chapter should be forwarded to the town for revision with the changes discussed at the meeting, and a motion for conditional approval carried on a voice vote.

The approval followed detailed debate about the element’s tone and specific policies. Commissioners questioned a line that emphasizes “emerging technology-based enterprises,” asking whether that phrasing unfairly privileges tech firms over other types of local industry. Commissioners also discussed language aimed at retaining and expanding local businesses and suggested the plan add clearer tie-ins to existing local programs, including marketing efforts being developed with the Chamber of Commerce and Main Street programs.

Commissioners spent time on the element’s strengths and weaknesses section. One item—strength number 5, which characterized a lack of traffic congestion as a community strength—was debated at length. Some commissioners said the town’s issue is more about parking than through-traffic; others argued the language should remain because peak events can create congestion. The chair agreed to retain the language for now and revisit it after monitoring next year’s events.

The commission also discussed adding more specific guidance to support a potential Creative District application. One commissioner urged generalizing the text to avoid naming many specific partner organizations, while another said naming Arts Washington, the Chamber and the Arts Commission would strengthen a future Creative District application. Staff said they would rephrase the policy to keep the section parallel with other goals while preserving the ability to reference partners where helpful to grant applications.

Commissioners also raised editorial issues: a line that referred to a completed “commercial transition sub-area plan” was questioned because the plan was not yet adopted; staff agreed to remove or rephrase any presumption that the sub-area plan is already complete. The commission asked that acronyms be defined the first time they appear in each element and that a single glossary of terms be maintained for the online and printed plan.

On public participation, staff reported the town is still accepting applications for a youth advisor to this commission; the application window “will close in January” (year not specified in the record) and staff will include application materials and recommendation letters in the packet for the February meeting. Commissioners encouraged additional public workshops in spring and early summer and asked staff to coordinate public outreach with the planned edits.

A separate but related discussion addressed the Port/industrial area and zoning that would allow live-work buildings and workforce housing in commercial areas. Staff said the town will work with the Port of Skagit to develop a new “port commercial” zoning section that will be subject to its own public notice, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA/CEPA) review and state commerce review before adoption.

Motion and vote: a commissioner moved “conditional approval based on the updates that we’ve discussed tonight, for the economic development element.” Another commissioner seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote; the record shows multiple “aye” responses and does not list a roll-call tally.

Next steps: staff will incorporate the edits discussed (tech emphasis language, parking/traffic wording, Creative District phrasing, glossary/acronym placement, and removal or rewording of any presumption about the commercial transition sub-area plan), produce a revised draft and forward it to the town council and other required reviewers for formal adoption action.