Ellensburg council sends revised DEI option to planning commission after months of public debate

The Ellensburg City Council on Oct. 4 directed staff and the planning commission to develop a revised version of Comprehensive Plan Chapter 9 (the diversity, equity and inclusion chapter) rather than immediately removing it or leaving it unmodified.

Stacy Henderson, planning manager for the City of Ellensburg, told the council the item (docket 25-02) came out of two community conversations and a Braver Angels common-ground workshop. "No item was listed on that agreement unless every single participant agreed with every single word," Henderson said of the workshop output, which staff provided as exhibit 2. Staff presented six possible options ranging from removing the chapter to revising it or distributing its goals across other plan chapters and asked council for guidance on next steps.

Why it matters: Chapter 9 has become a polarizing local issue and appears likely to shape how the city frames accessibility, belonging and equity work for years. The council’s vote sends the question to the planning process rather than ending it at the council level, meaning the item will return to public hearings with staff and planning-commission recommendations before a final council decision.

What the council decided: After an extended public-comment period that included dozens of residents and two formal statements from the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission, council members debated options 1–6 and narrowed the scope. A motion to forward options 3 and 4 to staff and the planning commission was amended on the floor; the council then voted by roll call to forward option 3 only. The roll call recorded Beauchamp, Goodloe, Lopez, Miller and Elliot as voting yes and Palmer and Thompson as voting no.

What option 3 means: As described in the staff packet, option 3 directs staff to revise Chapter 9 into a replacement chapter (staff suggested drafts entitled "Equity and Community Engagement" or similar), drawing on the themes identified in outreach and the preread but using language tailored to local priorities and measurable goals. Staff told council the revision process can be expanded into the 2026 periodic comprehensive-plan update if more time for outreach and drafting is needed.

Public comment and commission input: During public testimony, speakers expressed a broad range of views. Amber Hofer, reading the DEI Commission’s submission, said the commission recommends retaining chapter 9 and using 2026 to "make revisions as part of the scheduled 2026 periodic comprehensive plan update," adding that the commission believes the workshop showed broad agreement on goals around accessibility, belonging, economic opportunity, safety and civic engagement. Robert Lowering, a county resident, urged removal, citing concern about potential federal-grant risk and asking the city attorney to guarantee grants would not be jeopardized; Carol Kelly said she had documentation she believed showed legal risk. Other commenters offered personal accounts in support of DEI-related goals: "I have met people... I have engaged with them in community building," Cameron Mata said, urging retention and meaningful frameworks for inclusion.

Staff timeline and legal notes: Henderson reminded council that the city follows the annual docketing and adoption timeline for comprehensive-plan amendments and that, if council prefers more time, the work could be folded into the larger 2026 periodic update. Staff also provided initial analysis of legal concerns raised in public comment and noted that more detailed legal review can accompany any staff draft forwarded by the planning commission.

Next steps: The planning commission will receive option 3 and staff direction to prepare a draft and public hearings. Any formal amendment would return to council for adoption on the normal amendment timetable; staff said that could include additional community conversations and possible incorporation into the 2026 periodic update.

Context: The discussion followed months of public outreach, two community conversations (Aug. 20 and Sept. 6), an online preread opportunity, and a Braver Angels-facilitated common-ground workshop on Oct. 4. The DEI Commission’s letter recommending retention and phased revision was submitted to council and read into the record during public comment.

Ending note: Councilmembers and public speakers repeatedly framed the issue as one of language and process: many of those who oppose the current chapter said they do not object to its underlying goals but to the title or perceived ideology; many supporters urged keeping explicit language to guide future city programs and monitoring. The planning process will now attempt to translate those competing views into a draft for public hearings.