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Hearing examiner takes Orcus Rose subdivision under advisement after staff recommends approval with conditions
Summary
San Juan County staff recommended approval of a 21‑lot preliminary plat on Orcas Island (LandUse 25‑0095) subject to conditions addressing roads, utilities, drainage, cultural resources and open‑space requirements; the hearing examiner took the matter under advisement and will issue a written decision.
San Juan County Hearing Examiner Gary McLean took under advisement a preliminary plat application for a 21‑lot subdivision on Orcus (LandUse 25‑0095) after county staff recommended approval subject to a set of technical conditions.
At the March 25 public hearing, contract planner Jeff Morgan told the examiner the proposal covers 4.86 acres at 631 Rose Street in the East Sound urban growth area and would create 21 lots, an overall density of roughly 4.3 dwelling units per acre — above the 4‑unit minimum and well under the 12‑unit maximum for the site’s Village Residential designation. Morgan said the application had a Determination of Non‑Significance under SEPA on Feb. 18, 2026, and no written appeals of that determination were filed.
Morgan said staff recommended approval subject to conditions that require compliance before final plat approval, including upgrades to Viking Way to meet private‑road standards, verification of water and sewer service and extension of mains as needed, completion of required stormwater/drainage work, fire‑protection measures required by the fire marshal, and an inadvertent‑discovery plan for cultural resources. He also noted the application does not yet demonstrate how the project meets the county’s 30% open‑space requirement but said that is a correctable issue before final approval.
Developer and applicant representative Evan Westcott described the project as an effort to provide smaller, cottage‑style housing in the East Sound town area and said the plan can be modified to set aside open space or reduce lots if necessary to meet the 30% open‑space rule. "If we have to lose a lot, we will," Westcott said, describing prior community outreach and support.
There were no public speakers on the Orcus Rose preliminary plat; McLean closed the public comment portion and said he would take the matter under advisement and issue a decision in writing after reviewing the record.
What happens next: The hearing record remains open only for the examiner’s decision; neither staff nor the applicant called for additional submittals during the hearing. The examiner will notify parties when the decision is issued.
