Mason County schedules Dec. 16 public hearing for 2025 comprehensive plan update

Speaker 5 told the board the county is ready to advance the Mason County 2025 periodic update to the comprehensive plan and requested that commissioners place an item on the Nov. 25 agenda to set a public hearing for Dec. 16. Staff provided a packet that includes the county’s responses to a comment letter from Jeff Carey and supplemental capital facilities and utilities material from Public Works.

Several commissioners and staff noted they have received a draft initial review letter from the Washington State Department of Commerce and that the county will need to respond. Speaker 5 said the consultant is working through the remaining initial comments and staff have already taken care of multiple points raised in Commerce’s draft.

Commissioners discussed whether local code creates barriers to affordable housing. Speaker 4 argued the county lacks common local barriers — such as impact fee ordinances, design-review requirements and strict parking minimums — and instead identified infrastructure (roads, sewer, water, power) and state regulations as the primary constraints. Speaker 7 urged the staff to explicitly record that state regulations impose constraints so the county can explain external barriers in its response to Commerce.

Staff said they will continue to refine responses, incorporate any additional commissioner concerns and proceed with the timeline that places a resolution on the Nov. 25 agenda so the public hearing can occur on Dec. 16. No formal vote on the hearing date was recorded during the briefing; the item was presented as a requested action for the upcoming agenda.