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Council declines to move forward on Shaw Island docket change to appointment language
Summary
A docket request to change language in the Shaw Island subarea plan from 'shall appoint' to 'may appoint' a standing committee failed to advance Oct. 7 after extended council and public discussion. Supporters warned the change could preclude creating a formal island committee; proponents of the change said it reflected staffing constraints.
San Juan County planners presented a docket request Oct. 7 to amend language in the Shaw Island Subarea Plan that currently requires the county to appoint a standing committee ("shall appoint") and to change it to discretionary language ("may appoint").
Planner Colin Maycock told the council the change had been requested because no committee members had previously been appointed and the mandatory language was creating an unfulfilled requirement. Maycock noted a department recommendation to add the item to the department's work plan for later consideration.
Council member Fuller and other participants said Shaw Island lacks a standing body to interface with the county and argued the absence of that body has been a longstanding governance gap; Fuller said the committee could help resolve recurring capital and essential public facility issues. Opponents of the change noted staff capacity constraints and that the Shaw subarea plan has not been comprehensively reviewed since 1998.
After public testimony and deliberation, the council did not secure a motion to forward the docket change. With no first and second, the suggested motion died for lack of motion and the item remains off the department's work plan until further council direction.
