PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County commissioners on Monday extended the life of the Critical Areas Ordinance Subcommittee to continue its study of the current controversial plan.
The commissioners voted unanimously to give the subcommittee until April 1 to make recommendations to the county Planning Commission, which will then give recommendations to the commissioners.
When the 17-member subcommittee — comprised of citizen stakeholders and planning commissioners — was formed in August, it was given until now to make modifications and recommendations to the draft ordinance, which among other things doubles private-property buffers around some wetlands.
But as work got under way on the proposal first submitted to the public on May 17, it became apparent that more time was needed to do a thorough job, said Jim Hagen, Planning Commission chairman and a Critical Areas Ordinance Subcommittee member.
“The committee as a whole agrees that it was necessary to take more time and do this right,” Hagen said.
Broad support sought
The extension is necessary to come up with recommendations that would garner broad public support and create an ordinance that “everyone can live with,” according to Hagen.
Jefferson County has a settlement agreement with the Washington Environmental Council to come up with a critical-areas law that uses “best available science.”
The agreement originally gave a July 18 deadline to adopt the ordinance, but the commissioners extended it to Jan. 18.
Monday’s move has extended it again, with adoption not likely to take place until October of next year.
