By Marcy Stamper
Interested citizens will have at least one more opportunity on Monday (Feb. 2) to give county commissioners their ideas about whether the county’s comp plan outlines the future they want for Okanogan County.
The Okanogan County commissioners adopted a revised comprehensive plan at the end of last year, but were persuaded by reactions from the public that the hearing — held just three days before Christmas — had not given people an adequate opportunity to weigh in on the final draft of the plan, which has been undergoing revisions for the past eight years.
In addition to the main comp plan, the commissioners adopted two subarea plans for the Methow Valley, an interim zoning ordinance and related maps.
In a resolution passed early this month, the commissioners decided to reconsider the comp plan only, but Okanogan County Planning Director Perry Huston said he believes the commissioners are open to public comment on any of the documents.
After taking more verbal and written testimony, the commissioners may re-adopt the plan, rescind it, or send it to the planning department for more work. They may also move to reconsider or ask for changes on the other documents, said Huston.
The hearing on Monday is at 1:30 p.m. in the commissioners’ hearing room in Okanogan. People will be allowed three minutes of verbal testimony at the hearing. They can also submit written comments before the hearing to ljohns@co.okanogan.wa.us.
The comp plan, Methow plans and zoning ordinance, along with the resolutions adopting them, are available on the Planning Department website at www.okanogancounty.org/planning.
For more information, call Huston at (509) 422-7218.
