​2017 Work Plan:  Development Regulation Update

Freeland Development Regulations

During a public hearing on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 the Board of Island County Commissioners passed Ordinance C-49-19:

• amending the Freeland Subarea Plan, establishing a growth phasing plan for Freeland,
• adopting Chapter 17.06 ICC (the Freeland Zoning Code),
• amending the Island County Zoning Atlas, and
• amending Titles 11, 15, 16, and 17 of Island County Code.
  

• Cover Ordinance (C-49-19)
• Exhibit A - Findings of Fact
• Exhbit B - Amendments to the Freeland Subarea Plan
• Exhibit C - Chapter 17.06 ICC (the Freeland Zoning Code) - REVISED with minor edits
• Edits to Exhibit C of Ordinance C-49-19 from the Planning Commission version
• Exhibit D - Amendments to Chapters 11.01, 11.02, 15.03, 16.06, 16.10, 16.15, 16.17, 16.19, and 17.03 ICC
• Exhibits E & F - Amendments to the Island County Zoning Atlas and list of parcels to be rezoned

Please note that there were a few minor edits made to Exhibit C to correct typos, replace fuzzy graphics, add missing labels, add or correct a cross reference, etc. 

Planning Commission Recommends Approval

On April 22nd, the Planning Commssion held a public hearing and made a unanimous motion to recommend to the Board of Island County Commissioners approval of an ordinance adopting the Freeland Zoning Code.  The ordinance will include all related updates necessary for the adoption of the new code, and will include:

• Adopting Chapter 17.06 ICC (the Freeland Zoning Code) and   
• Amending the following:
• The Freeland Subarea Plan,
• The Island County Zoning Atlas, AND
• Chapters 11.01, 11.02, 15.03, 16.06, 16.10, 16.15, 16.17, 16.19, and 17.03 ICC.

   The hearing documents are posted to the Planning Commission website and below:

• Staff Memo
• Draft Planning Commission Findings of Fact
• Draft Subarea Plan Amendments
• Draft Freeland Zoning Code
     High Quality Print (104 MB)
     Smaller File Size (33 MB)
• Draft Revisions to Titles 11, 15, 16, & 17
• Draft Zoning Atlas revisions & list of parcels rezoned
• Posters
• Handout: Housing Regulations
• Handout: Timeline

Draft 3.0  

Project Summary

Background

Development Regulations are being drafted for properties within the Freeland Non-Municipal Urban Growth Area (NMUGA).  Only those properties that are within the NMUGA, as revised in 2016, will be subject to the new regulations.  The new regulations will transition Freeland from rural to urban standards, based upon the adopted Freeland Subarea Plan. 

• Map of proposed zoning districts (revised Dec 2018)

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our Freeland email updates to be a part of the process for creating the new code. 

Goals & Objectives

• Implementation of the Freeland Subarea Plan. 
• Emphasize Character.  Creating development standards with a "rural village" character for the NMUGA.
• Usability.  Easy to read code, with tables and illustrations throughout for clarity.
• Balance predictability with flexibility
• Create a land use designation of NMUGA as separate from the zoning districts (currently the land use designations are the same as the zoning, making all rezonings a Plan amendment).  This is the same decoupling process that the County went through during the 2016 update of the Comprehensive Plan, and will require an amendment to the Subarea Plan to reflect the change.

Code & Subarea Plan Amendment Drafts

• Draft 1.0 - GMA #13102 (11/01/17)
• Draft 2.0 - GMA #13612 (03/06/18)
• Draft 3.0, Part 1 - GMA #13773 (12/04/18)
• Draft 3.0, Part 2 - GMA #13785 (01/08/19)
• Draft 3.0, Part 4 - GMA #13798 (03/05/19)

• Part 3 - Draft Revisions to ICC Titles 11, 12, 16 & 17 - GMA #13789 (01/22/19)
• Draft Subarea Plan Amendments - GMA #13790 (01/22/19)

• Map of proposed zoning districts (revised Dec 2018)

Meetings & Events

Events Calendar  - open houses & workshops; materials posted below after the event:

* Additional workshops will be scheduled if needed.   

Planning Commission Meeting Documents

Tentative Schedule for Planning Commission discussions:

* Subject to change.  

Planning Commission agendas and materials

Next Steps / Estimated Timeline

Staff is currently discussing policy options with the Planning Commission and the Board, finalizing the draft code, and will be scheduling a series of stakeholder meetings and community events for public review and scenario testing prior to adoption.   A public hearing before the Planning Commission has been scheduled for April 22, 2019.