A proposal that would amend the county code to require at least twice the minimum lot size for planned developments in Mazama will have a hearing before the Okanogan County planning commission next week.
The change would make zoning in the Upper Valley more consistent with zoning in the rest of the Methow Review District. Planned developments are an alternative to traditional subdivision and often allow greater density in exchange for clustered buildings, open space and other environmental benefits.
The change would affect two zones, rural residential and low-density residential, which were created for Mazama a decade ago. When the change was made, the code did not address planned developments, which the Mazama Advisory Committee says was most likely an oversight. The zones currently exist only in Mazama, but could be applied elsewhere in the county.
The planning commission is no longer accepting written comments, but interested parties can testify about the proposed change at the hearing on Monday (Feb. 24) at 7 p.m. in the commissioners’ hearing room in Okanogan. The county commissioners will make the final decision on the proposed amendment.
For more information, call senior planner Ben Rough at (509) 422-7122.
