Planning commission recommends Kittitas County comprehensive plan update with six amendments; staff seeks extended board review

Kittitas County staff told the Board of Commissioners on March 30 that the planning commission recommended approval of the county's comprehensive plan periodic update by a 5‑0 vote and attached six amendments for board consideration. Chad Vail, who identified himself in the meeting as "Chad Vail, CBS director," summarized the recommendation and next steps.

"The planning commission recommended approval with a 5 0 vote, and they included 6 amendments," Vail said, listing changes to utility and parks policies, sewer options, and edits submitted by commissioners and county public works.

The amendments described by staff would: add a utility‑element policy to encourage joint planning with utility providers to improve communications during outages; authorize permitting of innovative sewer systems in rural areas through formation of sewer districts as allowed under RCW 57; incorporate draft redlines proposed by Commissioner Deneen; create a dedicated recreation division manager in the recreation/parks/open‑space element; authorize agritourism and nature‑based recreational enterprises on some commercial agricultural and forest lands; and incorporate changes submitted by the county Department of Public Works.

Vail said staff is finalizing findings, goals and policies and recommended the board choose an option that allows an additional board comment period and public testimony before final adoption. "Option B seems like the best option and direction for staff because we want the ability to take in all the comments that we received, amend policies that we need at board's direction and present a complete, appropriate document for approval," he said.

Staff noted the packet and attachments include public comments (13 in total for the periodic update, with additional comments submitted the night of the planning commission hearing). Vail said the finalized materials will be provided to "Stephanie Hartung's office" for attorney review and stressed that legal compliance is a priority in drafting findings and policies.

On scheduling, staff proposed an initial hearing on May 5 and taking comments at the May 19 agenda hearing; commissioners expressed a preference for scheduling a night hearing to make public participation easier. Staff also reported that a separate 30‑day comment period for development code and critical areas code review began March 26 and will close April 27, and that a joint meeting with the planning commission is set for April 14 to discuss required state mandate changes.

Next steps: staff will finalize the findings and proposed ordinance language, submit the packet for attorney review, and return the updated materials and a recommended hearing schedule for the board's decision.