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Skagit County extends moratorium on permits for certain uses on agricultural natural resource lands
Summary
On July 7 the Skagit County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to extend for six months an interim ordinance that halts acceptance of permit applications for specified uses on agricultural natural resource lands, giving staff more time to write code addressing agritourism and related concerns.
Skagit County commissioners voted July 7 to extend by six months an interim ordinance that declares an emergency moratorium on accepting permit applications for certain uses and activities on agricultural natural resource lands (ag NRL). The extension passed by voice vote after staff briefed the board and commissioners discussed next steps.
Tara Satushik, senior planner with Planning and Development Services, told the board the original moratorium took effect Jan. 14 and was scheduled to expire July 14. She said the extension is intended to give county staff additional time to draft code changes addressing agritourism and related uses on ag NRL. Satushik said a legal notice was published June 5, a public hearing was held June 23 with no oral testimony, and six written comments were received during the June 5–25 comment window — five in support and one critical.
Commissioner Browning said he supported keeping the moratorium until clearer code language and broader agreement are in place. “I think that to maintain the moratorium for a little while longer would be to our advantage to get the clarity that people are asking for,” Browning said. Commissioner Janicki, calling in, said she was “very supportive of extending the emergency, so we can continue this work.”
Satushik told the board that the county had required voluntary compliance forms from existing businesses operating under the moratorium deadline. She said 18 existing operations were identified, 15 forms were already in hand and staff expected one or two more. She said staff plans to meet individually with owners and aimed to have voluntary compliance agreements signed by August.
The motion to extend the ordinance for six months was made by Commissioner Browning and seconded by Commissioner Jack Moore. The board voted by voice, with all voting “aye,” and the motion passed.
The moratorium is intended as a temporary measure while staff prepares proposed code amendments; the county did not adopt permanent code changes at this meeting. Staff indicated they will return with draft code language for public review and additional hearings as required.
