Why do we need a Comprehensive Plan?
In 1990, the Washington State legislature enacted the Growth Management Act (GMA) in response to rapid and uncoordinated growth at the time. In addition to aligning state, multi-county, countywide, and local planning, the GMA requires local governments in fast-growing and densely populated areas to develop and adopt comprehensive plans. The comprehensive plan is a framework intended to guide the day-to-day decisions of elected official and local government staff. The comprehensive plan is also the basis for localized community plans such as the Guemes Island Subarea Plan and the Bayview Ridge Subarea Plan. Updates to a comprehensive plan require early and continuing public participation where communities, stakeholders, and interest groups can learn more, participate, and provide comments at key stages of the process.
The Skagit County Comprehensive Plan assigns land use and zoning designations for every parcel within the unincorporated area. Zoning establishes where a building can be located on a property, how tall a building can be, or how many homes are allowed based on the size of the property. You can determine the land use and zoning for a parcel by visiting the iMap webpage and use the interactive parcel search function.
Skagit County Code includes regulations adopted by Skagit County for what and how a parcel can be used or developed. These regulations required go through a legislative process for approval with the final decision rendered by the Skagit County Board of Commissioners. Many of these codified titles relate to growth and development requirements that implement the vision, goals, and policies of Skagit County Comprehensive Plan, Capital Facilities Plan, and the Skagit Countywide Planning Policies.
In addition to the Growth Management Act, the County must also abide by other state and federal laws to protect and guide growth in Skagit County:
- The Shoreline Management Act requires Skagit County to update development codes related to shorelines periodically. Skagit County is currently undergoing the final approval process for its Shoreline Master Program. More information on this plan can be found here.
- Building and fire codes (under Skagit County Code Title 15) must abide by the federal FEMA flood insurance program, International Building Codes, and Washington State Building Code Council. Skagit County is currently undergoing the periodic update to the building and fire codes. More information on the updates can be found here.
What is included in a Comprehensive Plan?
The Skagit County Comprehensive Plan includes eleven elements:
| Element | Description |
| Land Use | Outlines a broad vision for development in urban and rural areas, including guidelines for density and determining where various uses, such as residential, commercial, and industrial, will be allowed. |
| Rural | Establishes broad goals and policies guiding residential, commercial, and industrial uses in unincorporated Skagit County consistent with the GMA’s allowance of development in the rural area, including “limited areas of more intensive rural development (LAMIRD).” |
| Natural Resource Lands | Establishes a framework to protect the natural environment. |
| Environment | Provides the policy basis for the protection and regulation of critical areas as requirement by the GMA. |
| Shoreline Master Program | The SMis a combined planning and regulatory document that contains policies, goals, and specific land-use regulations for shorelines. |
| Housing | Sets the goals and policies for the preservation, development, and renovation of housing for current and future county residents of all income levels. |
| Transportation | Sets a plan for transportation facilities and services, including for freight, public transit, vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, to support the needs of current residents and project population in 2045. |
| Utilities | Describes locations, capacities, and need for utilities, including private natural gas, telecommunications, electric utilities, public solid waste, sewer, water, and surface water utilities. |
| Capital Facilities | Provides long-term plans for public facilities in Skagit County, both those provided by the County and non-County services providers. On an annual basis and as part of the budget, the County’s Capital Facilities Plan and Transportation Improvement Plan are reviewed for the 6-year funding plan for capital projects and programs. |
| Economic Development | Economic development is the combination of jobs, services, facilities, urban design, and other features that contribute to the ability to make a living wage, and the desire to want to live and work in Skagit County. The Economic Development element compiles strategies to further the economy in Skagit County. |
| Implementation | Describes how the County will implement goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan. |
What areas of Skagit County will be affected by the update?
The unincorporated areas of Skagit County and regional services, such as transit, sewers, parks, and trails, will be affected by the 2025 Update. Individual cities and townships have also developed and updated their own comprehensive plans for incorporated municipalities.
The following areas have been identified through recent state legislation for counties to focus on:
- Housing options and affordability
- Accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Climate mitigation and resilience
- Public health and safety
Who is responsible for developing and approving the Comprehensive Plan?
Skagit County staff in multiple departments, including Planning & Development Services, Public Health, and Public Works, will develop the updates to the Comprehensive Plan in conjunction with the Planning Commission. Staff will work in coordination with regional and local jurisdictional partners and the public. Public input is welcome throughout the process and there will be many opportunities to submit comments and make requests.
After developing an updated Comprehensive Plan draft with input by the public and stakeholders, staff will present the new language to the Planning Commission for review and additional public input. The Planning Commission will recommend a draft to the Board of County Commissioners who will ultimately decide on the final plan.
What is a LAMIRD?
A LAMIRD refers to a “limited area of more intensive rural development.” LAMIRDS are zoning designations which allow greater development than is generally allowed in the rural area, provided that certain limitations are maintained to retain rural character and prevent sprawl. One category of LAMIRD recognizes areas that were already for the most part developed in 1990, when the Growth Management Act was adopted. These existing residential, commercial, or industrial areas primarily allow infill development, and must be contained within logical outer boundaries to prevent sprawl. Two other types of commercial LAMIRDs – small scale recreation and tourism uses, and isolated small scale businesses – may allow new development provided that development is contained and consistent with the surrounding rural character.
The residential land use designations in the Rural Area which are considered LAMIRDs are:
- Rural Intermediate
- Rural Village Residential
The rural commercial and industrial land use designations in the Rural Area which are considered LAMIRDs are:
- Rural Village Commercial (RVC)
- Rural Center (RC)
- Rural Freeway Service (RFS)
- Small Scale Recreation and Tourism (SRT)
- Small Scale Business (SSB)
- Rural Business (RB)
- Natural Resource Industrial (NRI)
- Rural Marine Industrial (RMI)
