On February 10, 2003, the Skagit County Board of Commissioners adopted the following resolution recognizing the Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee.

SKAGIT COUNTY
Resolution No. R20030037

Recognizing the Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee as the Community-based Representative for Purposes of Obtaining Funds and Initiating a Subarea Plan for Guemes Island.

Whereas, subarea planning may be considered under the provisions of the Growth Management Act provided the subarea plan is consistent with the locally adopted comprehensive plan (RCW 36.70A.080); and

Whereas, Skagit County Countywide Planning Policies support subarea planning as an approach to addressing homogenous natural features and communities in Skagit County; and

Whereas, Skagit County adopted its Growth Management Act required comprehensive plan in 1997; and

Whereas, the Skagit County Comprehensive Plan is based on a community planning process that is designed to strengthen communities at three geographic levels: countywide, subarea and joint. Subarea plans are detailed land use plans for smaller geographically areas, typically watersheds and/or islands. Community subarea plans coordinate and provide for consistency with the Comprehensive Plan at a scale and level of detail than can not be attained under the broad guidelines of a comprehensive plan because of the diversity in the character of various parts of the County. In some cases, the Comprehensive Plan policies may not specifically address issues confronting individual communities. The Comprehensive Plan serves as an “umbrella” document and provides a foundation for which community subarea plans are developed. Community subarea plans implement and enhance the Comprehensive Plan; and

Whereas, the purpose of the community subarea planning process is to enhance community values and identify and assure sensible growth and development. Community subarea plans result from partnerships that unite the County and citizens of a planning area. A community subarea plan puts into action the general policies of the Comprehensive Plan. Community subarea plans address issues at the local level that are not in a general comprehensive plan. Patterns of land use, protection of unique resources, design, traffic circulation, and services expressed within a community subarea plan are a function of local economic, social, physical health, safety and welfare issues of the people who live and work within the coumiunity planning area. Compatibility and consistency with surrounding land uses are also considered as part of a community subarea plan. Community subarea plans focus on enhancing individual communities in a manner that benefits the entire county. Citizens decide what they want to nurture and what they want to change at a level that they are knowledgeable about and comfortable relating to; and

Whereas, the Skagit County Comprehensive Plan, Community Development Plans Element (Chapter 14), provides a process for initiating the development of community subarea plans, and one such method is that communities may petition the Board of County Commissioners to initiate the community planning process; and
Whereas, the Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee (GIPAC) was elected by the residents and property owners of Guemes Island for the purpose of preparing a subarea plan; and

Whereas, on June 28, 2002, the members of GIPAC unanimously voted to submit a petition to Skagit County proposing that the Board of County Commissioners authorize GIPAC to prepare a subarea plan for Guencs Island in accordance with the Skagit County Comprehensive Plan and the Growth Management Act; and
Whereas, on July 9, 2002, GIPAC submitted the Guemes Island subarea petition to the Board of County Commissioners; and

Whereas, the Guemes Island subarea petition addresses those submittal requirements as specified in the Comprehensive Plan (Policy 14A-1.1(a)(i)(l-7)); and
Whereas, on September 3, 2002, GIPAC appeared before the Board of County Commissioners to present and discuss the petition for proposing a Guemes Island subarea plan; and

Whereas, GIPACs Guemes Island subarea plan petition demonstrates evidence of community support in accordance with Comprehensive Plan Policy 14A-1.2(c); and
Whereas, GIPAC seeks Skagit County recognition as the Guemes island community-based representative for purposes of enhancing GIPACs standing when applying for public and/or private funding for the development of the Guemes Island subarea plan; and
Whereas, the Board of County Commissioners acknowledges that creating public/private partnerships for community-based planning is in the County’s and community’s best interest.

Now, Therefore Be it Resolved, that the Board of County Commissioners hereby recognizes the Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee as the community-based representative for purposes of seeking planning funds and initiating a subarea plan for Guemes Island; provided that, once financial commitments are obtained for doing a Guemnes Island subarea plan that a scope of work and timeline will be reviewed and approved by the Board of County Commissioners before proceeding with further work on the Guemes Island subarea plan.