Comprehensive Plan Amendments - Adopted

The Planning Commission held a hearing on October 27, 2009 on the Comprehensive Plan Amendments and recommended that the City Council adopt the amendments. The City Council held a hearing and adopted the amendments on December 2, 2009. The adopted documents are listed below.


2010 Comprehensive Plan
2009-2014 Capital Improvements Plan

Amendment to the process

This year the Planning Commission and the City Council will review a proposal to change the process by which Comprehensive Plan Amendments are considered. The proposed process recommends use of a docket system to consider amendment. The docket system will increase the number of public input opportunities. The docket system will involve public involvement at the beginning of the amendment process. Flow charts to illustrate the existing and proposed process is attached below.

Existing process and Proposed process - The flow chart boxes are color coded. The green boxes indicate public involvement, the orange boxes indicate decision points and blue boxes indicate review and analysis.

The proposed process, if approved, will be codified in the Oak Harbor Municipal Code Chapter 18.10. The code language is scheduled to be considered by the planning commission on October 27, 2009 at 7:30pm. The Planning Commission meets at the City Council chambers at city hall.

SEPA Determination

A DNS has been issued for the 2009 Comprehensive Plan update. The comment period ends on October 21, 2009. To see the determination and the checklist, click here

2009 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Scope

The City did not receive any applications for land use amendments this year. However, there are other regular amendments that are part of the annual update that are moving forward. These are:

• The Capital Improvements Plan - This is updated annualy to reflect the list of capital projects for next six years. These include streets, wastewater, stormwater, water and other facilities.
• Parks, Recreation and Open Space Element - The City adopted the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan early this year. The goals and policies of the adopted plan will be included in the Comprehensive Plan.
• Comprehensive Plan Amendment Process - This year the City is reviewing the amendment process and will be recommending some changes. The changes will include codifying the process, time lines, schedules and more public involvement opportunities. More information on this will be posted soon
  

Amendments move ahead despite lack of land use applications

The City did not receive any application for land use changes despite the extended deadline. However, there are other amendments that are moving ahead. The annual review and amendments to the Capital Improvements Plan and the update to the Open Space Element will be considered. In addition, the City is also considering updating and formalizing the process for considering Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Updates every year. More information on this will be posted as the internal review and analysis moves forward.

DEADLINE EXTENDED

The deadline for submitting applications (land use changes) for the 2009 Comprehensive Plan Amendment cycle has been extended to May 29, 2009. The extension will not impact the overall schedule for the amendment process.

This year's amendment process will involve some code amendments to Title 18 entitled "Planning" that will codify the Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment Process, update to the Capital Improvements Plan and update the Open Space Element.

Information about these amendments will be added to this blog as they progress.

Call for Applications

The 2009 Comprehensive Plan Amendment process has commenced. Applications for requesting land use changes can downloaded by clicking the link below. The application is also available on the "Document and Links" sidebar. Similar to last year's process, the land use request can be categorized as either "Minor" or "Major"

More details on the process and schedule is included in the application

2009 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Land Use Application