Okanogan County adopts revised zoning code

OKANOGAN – Following three well-attended contentious public hearings that drew testimony from county residents, the Board of Okanogan County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted d in the revisions to the Okanogan County zoning code at their Dec. 23 meeting.

The adoption fulfilled an earlier court requirement stipulated by a lawsuit brought by the Yakama Nation over the county’s 2016 comprehensive plan and zone code.

The BOCC said the zone code revisions resolve several existing land use issues by:

1. Updating and improving the organization of Okanogan County code chapter 17 to increase usability. 
2. Conforming water availability requirements to be consistent with state law and regulations, and Okanogan County Superior Court rulings. 
3. Regulating new special uses that, due to their nature, require specific regulations to further the health, safety, and general welfare of county residents. 
4. Increasing lot area requirements to conform with state and local septic regulations. 
5. Facilitating an increase in needed services to rural communities. 
6. Preserve the county’s rural character with density and lot coverage requirements and changing allowed uses in the rural zone designations. 

The board also approved a resolution asserting its option to revisit possible future changes related to issues brought up by residents at the public meetings, including ridgetop development, dark skies (lighting sand glare), and church conditional use permits (CUP).

Future zoning changes cited by the board in the county chapter 17 zoning are:

• Ridgetop development.
• Lighting and glare.
• Removal of church CUP requirement.
• Misdemeanor penalties.
• Rezone lower valley Methow Review District (MRD).
• Revisit the MRD site unit boundary map to possibly include one subunit rather than three.
• Which uses should require a CUP and agency review.
• Multi-family dwellings.
• Allowance one-time division of five-acre R160 property.
• Zone areas as buildable that are currently non-buildable. 
• Full zoning reform using Smart Growth Area (technical assistance).

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media