Planning commission recommends 2025–2045 comprehensive plan; council to review 627-page draft

John Coleman, director of planning, community and economic development, told the Anacortes City Council the Planning Commission has recommended approval of the draft 2025–2045 Comprehensive Plan with minor modifications and released the 627-page document for council and public review.

Coleman summarized major changes: a new climate element, updates to the housing element (including policies to increase housing variety and policy changes on short-term rentals), a rewritten transportation element, and several future land use map amendments affecting port-owned parcels, the senior center and other city-owned sites. He noted the difference between the comprehensive plan’s future land use map and the implementing development regulations; the latter were released on September 17 and will return to the council after the planning commission’s final recommendation.

Coleman described the project timeline and public outreach: the draft was released July 16 for public review (comment period through September), the planning commission held eight public hearings and about 30 planning commission meetings over the process, and the city sent a direct mailer to more than 12,000 households and maintained an email subscription list (176 subscribers at the time of the meeting). The planning commission’s recommendation occurred on Sept. 24; staff said the council could adopt the plan and development regulations together in November or December if scheduling allows, but a required tree canopy assessment map must be added to the parks element before final adoption.

Councilmembers praised the outreach and asked about specifics of several future land use amendments and the port’s input; Coleman said the planning commission’s packet describes minor modifications and that staff will return with maps and additional detail for council deliberation.

Coleman: “The long and short of what happened is, the planning commission after having public hearing made a recommendation that the city council approve the comprehensive plan, with some minor modifications.”