Mason County commissioners voted to move forward with the county’s 2025 comprehensive plan update after a public hearing that included detailed staff presentation and extended public testimony.

Marissa Watson of the Planning Department told commissioners the draft before them is the version recommended by the Planning Advisory Commission with board-directed revisions, and that the process included PAC review, Department of Commerce comments and a final environmental impact statement issued on 11/25/2025. Watson explained the update includes appendices such as the housing needs assessment and a 2026–2031 capital improvement program and noted a new future‑land‑use designation, "Forest Legacy Lands," created in response to Green Diamond’s conservation easement enrollment.

Several residents urged changes. Peggy Morrell asked the board to align the plan’s vision more closely with current public preferences. Linda Links Shelton urged stronger, mandatory‑sounding language in the climate resilience chapter to protect mature forests and link forest protection to water- and shellfish-farm health. Julianne Gale (Mason County Climate Justice) presented a written report and public testimony that, she said, shows ‘‘BIPOC renters in Mason County are 4.8 times as likely to be cost burdened’’ and urged policies to address racial disparities in housing, such as incentives for affordable multifamily housing in urban growth areas and multilingual outreach.

Rook Figgleton of Futurewise, speaking by Zoom, and others urged stronger, measurable policy language in housing, land‑use and transportation and suggested delaying adoption to incorporate Commerce’s final comments; commissioners discussed the possibility of additional PAC review. One commissioner cautioned that changing certain land-designation language could have legal and taxation consequences for working timber lands.

A motion to move the comprehensive plan forward was made and seconded; the motion passed by voice vote. Commissioners asked staff to pursue targeted follow-up on specific chapters and policy language in the coming months and noted the plan can be updated on an annual basis.