Island County adopts revised countywide planning policies and reduces population projection tied to Oak Harbor UGA adjustment

The Board of Island County Commissioners voted to adopt ordinance C5125, which revises countywide planning policies and the county population projection as part of the 2025 comprehensive plan periodic update.

Emily Neff, assistant director of planning and community development, told the board the county reopened limited-scope countywide planning policies at the board's direction to address Oak Harbor's housing allocations. She said staff coordinated with Langley and Coupeville, and an interlocal agreement addressing lands Oak Harbor intends to annex is on the board's work-session agenda, which will add capacity to city limits. Neff said the previous allocation for Oak Harbor included the city plus its urban growth area (UGA); removing the proposed UGA expansion reduced Oak Harbor's allocation and the countywide projection.

Neff said the planning commission held a public hearing on Dec. 3 and the majority recommended approving the housing-number changes; she asked the board to adopt ordinance C5125 to revise both the population projection and the countywide planning policies. A commissioner moved to adopt the ordinance; the motion was seconded and the board adopted it. Commissioners emphasized that the comprehensive plan is a guidance document for infrastructure and that the county will reassess in five years if conditions change significantly.

Why it matters: the reassessment shifts housing allocations and directs growth emphasis to Oak Harbor's city limits rather than expanding UGAs, which affects infrastructure planning, annexation negotiations and local development expectations. Final adoption requires ratification by all jurisdictions involved.

What’s next: interlocal agreements and jurisdictional ratification steps remain; staff noted minor scrivener's edits to align draft numbering before finalization.