City Council

Oak Harbor City Council Special Joint Meeting with the Island County Board of Commissioners Minutes February 11, 2025 This was both a physical meeting location and a virtual meeting, held at Board Hearing Room B102 of the Island County Board of Commissioners in Coupeville, WA. The meeting was viewable via Island County Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/91927039571?pwd=ysbgj15bUeZkXTCqhiLflU67Wg81Q9.1 CALL TO ORDER Island County Board of Commissioners Chair Melanie Bacon reconvened the Board of Commissioners meeting, from their regular meeting held earlier in the day. Mayor Wright called the special joint meeting for the City of Oak Harbor to order at 2:30 p.m. and noted those in attendance from the City. ROLL CALL City Council Present: City Staff Present Mayor Ronnie Wright Interim City Administrator Sabrina Combs Mayor Pro Tem Tara Hizon Development Services Director David Kuhl Councilmember Jim Woessner Public Works Director Steve Schuller Councilmember Bryan Stucky Principal Planner Rajesh “Cac” Kamak Councilmember Eric Marshall City Clerk Julie Nester Councilmember Christopher Wiegenstein Councilmember Barbara Armes City Attorney Hillary Evans of Kenyon Disend, PLLC Councilmember James P. Marrow County Staff Present County Commissioners Present: Prosecuting Attorney Greg Banks Commissioner Melanie Bacon Chief Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Paul Brachvogel Commissioner Jill Johnson Director, Planning & Community Development Commissioner Janet St. Clair Jonathan Lange Assistant Director, Long Range Planning Emily Neff Long-range Planner Emily Carr Long-range Planner John Lanier Environmental Public Health Mgr. Heather Kortuem Clerk of the Board Jennifer Roll Deputy Clerk of the Board Megan Read Deputy Clerk of the Board Layla Tromble MAYOR Mayor Wright thanked both City of Oak Harbor and Island County staff for planning today’s meeting. He noted Councilmember Wiegenstein was participating remotely. Mayor Wright explained that both the City and the County are faced with comprehensive planning updates, which include Countywide Plan- ning Policies (CWPP). He noted this was the second joint meeting between the City and the County to review and discuss land use policies and regulations of mutual interest, although members of both staff have met several times since the last joint meeting in April of last year. Mayor Wright noted the City was Special Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025 Page 1 of 3 looking forward to meaningful, productive, and civil discussion of how to best meet the challenges for planning, boundaries and zoning, and housing allocations. BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Board of Commissioners Chair Bacon provided opening remarks for the County. She noted this meeting was to move forward as a follow-up to letters exchanged last fall. Countywide Planning Policies were ratified by all three municipalities on Whidbey Island and Commissioner Bacon reviewed the County’s understanding of the numbers agreed upon for growth. For Oak Harbor, the County has allocated 41% of 0-50% Area Median Income (AMI) level income housing to be within the Oak Harbor city limits and more specifically within the downtown “triangle” core. Commissioner Bacon stated the option provided by the City would place 25% of the 0-50% AMI in the downtown core with more located in the City’s Urban Growth Area (UGA) which currently lacked services. She stated the County was concerned this was inconsistent with County policies and that the County would like to see the City of Oak Harbor adopt in-fill redevelopment. Commissioner Bacon noted the comprehensive Economic Development Strategy adopted last year prioritizes funding for projects in downtown and that one example would be for the City to rezone the triangle area to higher density, which would allow for more mixed-use development. She also acknowledged some UGA expansion might be necessary, but noted the County wanted the City to direct its staff to work with County staff to direct more growth within the city limits and not all within the UGA. Mayor Wright explained the City had presented plans at multiple City/County staff meetings and had brought its state grant-funded consultant to these meetings to explain how best to handle growth but had not seen plans or proposals from the County based on those presentations. Commissioner Johnson noted the population allocation was the County’s plan. She stated the Commis- sioners were asking for a plan they could defend when going before the Growth Planning Board and needed to demonstrate that Oak Harbor has enough accommodation for growth to defend and justify any expansion. She noted the City had committed to planning for population growth of 5,000. Mayor Wright noted the City had come to the table with that plan and that the City and the County were currently working through medication on these issues, when Commissioner Johnson asked for today’s meeting. Commissioner Johnson stated the County understood there was not enough room in the City and asked what zoning changes the City was proposing to accommodate growth. She noted the County also must absorb AMI density and will have to examine how to get more growth in areas. Mayor Pro Tem Hizon observed that there seemed to be an impression that the City was being uncoop- erative. She noted City consultants have explained the City is bound by its current regulations and codes and the City was working within that framework and not with hypotheticals. In response to a question from Commissioner Bacon on whether the City has had discussions about greater density by building up, Mayor Pro Tem Hizon noted the City has had multiple discussions regarding ideas for growth and build-up. Commissioner Bacon observed the County does expect to hear from the City with requests for funding to do so. Mayor Wright noted that specific to the triangle area, even if it were rezoned to R-4, there would still be a shortage of the 41% AMI the County wants to see in that area. The City will still need the UGA for expansion. He asked Councilmember Woessner to expand on discussions he had had with Commis- sioner Johnson on this subject. Councilmember Woessner explained in the case of the City’s Central Business District (CBD) there had been discussions of going from four stories to five stories maximum. Regarding the triangle area, those Special Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025 Page 2 of 3 numbers were still to be determined. He explained the City realizes it has a shortage of low AMI housing but also has a shortage of commercial land and was looking at the triangle area as a commercial zone. That area already has mixed use and should remain as mixed use. For Clarification, Principal Planner Kamak noted the population allocation was for 5,500 and was ac- cepted by the City for inclusion in both the city limits and the UGA. He noted if the allocation was only to within the city limits, it would have been a different number. It is a joint allocation to the City and to the UGA. The City wants to bring the UGA into the City and has proposed this to the County. The Countywide Planning Policy does not have 41% AMI required within the city limits. The City’s Land Capacity Analysis (LCA) has the capacity noted by the CWPP based on height regulation changes and areas identified for rezoning. Principal Planner Kamak explained all cities in Western Washington are facing a lack of land zoned appropriately to accommodate the density requirements from the State over the next twenty-year period. Planning for this capacity is required to be submitted to the State at the beginning of the twenty-year period. With this basis for discussion, Commissioners Johnson, Bacon, and St. Claire, and Mayor Wright and Councilmembers Stucky, Marshall, Armes, Marrow, Woessner, and Mayor Pro Tem Hizon provided their respective questions and comments. Topics included: • Density • Zoning and Rezoning • Growth Management • State of Washington requirements • Potential for land swaps of undevelopable lands for developable lands • Planning for public transportation • Planning for urban services, including water and sewer infrastructure • Ownership of lands within the city limits by others, such as the School District, churches, etc. that limit the City’s available land • Acknowledging growth – the City’s population has grown by 26% since the year 2000 • Annexation and any needed interlocal agreements • When the City agreed to the numbers using the Housing Action Plan (HAP) tool, there was no requirement for 41% AMI with the city limits • Multi-family units versus single family homes • Urban Growth Area (UGA) expansion • Rural economic development funds • Benefits to redevelopment • Partnership grant opportunities with the County for funding and revitalization and a commitment from Island County to fund trails and infrastructure for Oak Harbor The meeting was recorded by the County via Zoom Meetings and saved to both the County and City websites. ADJOURN Commissioner Bacon noted the meeting had been extremely helpful and thanked all for attending. Mayor Wright thanked the Commissioners and County and City staff for their time today and adjourned the special meeting on behalf of the City at 4:00p.m. Certified by Julie Nester, City Clerk Special Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025 Page 3 of 3