Commission approves after‑the‑fact site plan, requires 60% restoration and roadside screening

The Eby's Landing National Historical Reserve Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of certificate of appropriateness EBY‑23‑042 for an after‑the‑fact clearing, greenhouse, proposed garage, chicken coop and gate, with conditions to restore vegetation and prioritize roadside screening. Commissioner Marshall Bronson moved the recommendation citing the staff report and hearing record; the motion was seconded and carried without opposition.

Mimi, Island County planning staff, summarized the updated site plan and the recommended conditions, saying the applicant “also proposes to restore at least 60% of the land that was cleared without the COA approval.” Staff explained the revised garage location is roughly 180–181 feet from the front property line and that the new driveway will move to the back of the property to allow additional trees and screening to grow. Commissioners pressed staff for a tree count and for sequencing to prioritize plantings along State Route 20 so newly installed structures will be inconspicuous from the highway. The motion included conditions that require additional natural planting and screening applied to both the gate and fence, adherence to the existing landscaping plan approved in EBY‑22‑044, and that the garage be constructed of non‑reflective materials.

The Commission’s approval includes a condition directing staff to emphasize the fence‑line plantings as a first priority so the roadside view is softened while longer‑term reforestation establishes. The applicant was not present for the hearing; staff will follow up to ensure coordination with the Island County Health Department regarding septic/drainfield permitting, which staff said has an active permit but is not yet closed.