Opinion ID: 1225292
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: phase ii zoning guemes island residential

Text: After delivering Regional Planning in Skagit County, M.G. Poole & Associates continued their studies, and in logical sequence submitted next to the county commissioners in February, 1965, a comprehensive zoning plan for Skagit County. With its appendix, the plan laid out highly detailed information and reports, covering all of Skagit County and depicted the recommended uses for which the land within it should be reserved, declaring that the plan, as proposed, had been devised to carry out the following basic objectives: [T]o promote a coordinated development of the undeveloped areas in this County [T]o prevent and eliminate the pollution of air, soil and water in this County [T]o coordinate with the long range plans of other government agencies in this region [ T ] o develop and protect neighborhoods in existing and future residential areas [T]o provide for the highest and best use, in the public interest, of the land in Skagit County. (Italics ours.) As with the earlier regional planning report, the comprehensive plan was neither casual nor perfunctory, but represented the results of a deep study of the whole county, including its economic and social needs. In short, the comprehensive plan set forth just about everything essential for establishing a county-wide zoning law. Among other things, it depicted the population densities by areas, rates of growth and migrations, and forecasted population trends. It said that between 1960 and 1985, the county would have an increase of 36,000 people, represented by an additional 11,500 households  the great majority of whom would reside in single-family dwellings, with few in apartments. The total increase in population would directly foster an increase in the labor force, along with an expansion of existing and development of new industries. The comprehensive plan showed population density patterns, traffic patterns, recreation areas, and described the suitable land use for various parts of the county. Again, as in the regional planning report, Guemes Island was designated exclusively for residential and outdoor recreational purposes with not the least hint that a zone for heavy industry be allowed there. Drawing thus upon a wealth of factual data, the comprehensive plan set forth the conclusion that there is adequate land, resources, cheap electric power and pure water to insure a strong potential for economic growth. It also designated several areas available for industrial growth and expansion, and warned against pollution of land, air and water. Supporting its observations with maps, charts and tables, the plan stated that industry occupied 6 per cent of the land within incorporated cities and towns and 7 per cent of the fringe areas near the outer boundaries, and that vacant land accounted for one-fourth of the areas within incorporated limits and three-fourths of the land in rural districts. The county commissioners now had before them specific proposals to present to the people, a program vitally affecting every parcel of land in the county. They called for and gave notice of a series of public meetings to be held in different places in the county, inviting the comments, information and arguments concerning the adoption, rejection or amendment of the proposed comprehensive plan. The meetings which followed considered the advisability of adopting, rejecting or amending the proposed comprehensive plan and enacting zoning resolutions pertaining to it. Of apparent concern to everyone was ascertaining which areas should be zoned for industrial uses and which should be preserved for residential. Minutes of a public meeting of February 23, 1966, for example, concerning the comprehensive plan, consisting of five and one-half double-spaced, legal size, typewritten pages, devoted two and one-half pages exclusively to industrial zoning and one-half of another page reflected concern for the same subject. The board, the planning commission and the public, it is thus seen, had the question of industrial zoning foremost in mind and had devoted great effort and thought to a broad but detailed study of the needs and requirements of industry and future industrial expansion. Never, in all of these proceedings and studies, is there found even a remote suggestion that Guemes be industrial in the slightest degree, or be zoned other than residential and recreational. The minutes of a public meeting of the planning commission held on the evening of April 4, 1966, again show that the topic of industrial sites was a prominent topic of concern, the subject being discussed on the floor several times. At the end of the discussion, the planning commission by resolution approved the proposed comprehensive plan and recommended that the county commissioners adopt it along with an interim zoning ordinance. Next day, at a public meeting, the Board of County Commissioners of Skagit County, in open session, by resolution, approved and adopted the comprehensive plan, consisting of the map, objectives, standards, and policies as set forth in the text, and the land use map all of which designed Guemes Island as residential and recreational. Then, on April 12, 1966, the Skagit County Commissioners conducted a public hearing to consider a county interim zoning ordinance contemplated by RCW 36.70.790 to effectuate the comprehensive plan. Minutes of that meeting show that several persons present exhibited genuine concern about industrial zoning. One of the commissioners assured the meeting that it was their intention ... to allow a buffer zone between residential and industrial sites. According to the minutes of that meeting, other persons asked repeatedly from the floor why it was necessary to industrialize the Bayview area. Mr. Kite, the county planning director, answered that M.G. Poole, planning consultant, had selected the area as best suited for land-based industry  contributing factors being its proximity to the airport, transportation facilities and utilities. Others protested the future industrialization of the Padilla Bay and Bayview Ridge areas. Again and again during the meeting, the question of industrial zoning came up, and the areas designated by the maps and comprehensive plan for future industrial expansion were considered by the commissioners. Thereupon, the board of county commissioners, pursuant to RCW 36.70.790, enacted the Skagit County Interim Zoning Ordinance, which contemplated that Guemes Island be zoned residential-recreational and the areas set aside by official maps and text of the comprehensive plan for existing industry and future industrial expansion remain so. The term interim, used to describe an interim zoning ordinance (RCW 36.70.790), is something of a misnomer when applied to the Skagit County resolution of April 12, 1966, for its adoption represented the near completion of a zoning scheme for Skagit County. It was designed to afford broad protective controls ... until such reasonable time as a detailed zoning map and detailed regulations were established in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. (Italics ours.) The ordinance adopted the official Interim Zoning Map and all explanatory matter connected with it. This zoning ordinance was no casual stopgap regulation, but rather a detailed zoning code enacted pursuant to statute (RCW 36.70.750), regulating the use of buildings and structures and fixing the use in accordance with the comprehensive plan and interim zoning maps. It required conditional use permits for some uses such as excavating, incinerating, automobile wrecking, outdoor theaters, bowling alleys, and industrial enterprises creating obnoxious odors, noises, smoke, unsightliness, or which involved explosives. It prescribed by mathematical formula minimal lot sizes for single, double and multifamily dwelling units and for public, commercial and industrial buildings. For example, the interim zoning ordinance required a minimum of 25 feet offset at the front for residential construction on ordinary streets and 35 feet on arterials. The interim zoning ordinance prohibited nonconforming uses, exempted buildings under actual construction, and established a board of adjustment to hear and decide upon the granting or denial of conditional uses, the issuance of building permits, and the allowance of variances. In brief, the interim zoning ordinance in seven and one-half legal-sized pages of single-spaced typewriting set forth a detailed zoning code for Skagit County. Further evidence of the care and deliberation taken in effecting an interim zoning ordinance is seen in the adoption October 25, 1966, of an amendment thereto again fixing minimum lot widths and side and front offsets for building sites and requiring at least 10 offstreet parking spaces for new or remodeled commercial buildings. No where, and at no time throughout the elaborate, detailed and studied proceedings, beginning with the initial planning in 1961 and on through the preliminary planning and continuing into the regional plan, the adoption of a comprehensive plan and interim maps, and culminating with the enactment of an interim zoning ordinance and the amendment to it in October, 1966, has Guemes Island been either zoned or described as other than a residential-recreational area. The record is barren of any indication that anyone ever suggested officially or unofficially, directly or indirectly, throughout the whole, long, drawn-out proceedings that any part of the island be zoned for industrial uses. Thus, the island's status in the ultimate zoning scheme as a residential district had been arrived at as a result of numerous public hearings, public discussions and controversies, official deliberations, study and planning, running over a period of some 5 years, culminating at last in openly arrived at and lawfully enacted legislation by the legislative body for Skagit County, the board of county commissioners.