Shoreline Planning

SGA comments to Planning Commission 8/8/2026 re: Climate Change, Ecological Resilience, and Implementation Gaps in the Updated Gap Analysis and Consistency Review

To: Anacortes Planning Department and Planning Commission From: Smart Growth Anacortes (SGA) Subject: Climate Change, Ecological Resilience, and Implementation Gaps in the Updated Gap Analysis and Consistency Review Planning Commission Members and Planning Staff: Smart Growth Anacortes believes, with excellent and independent factual cause, that the Updated Gap Analysis and Consistency Review provides a useful starting point for the Shoreline Master Program update. The document identifies several important changed circumstances and planning updates, including climate…

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Strengthening the SMP: A Call for a Complete Climate and Science-Based Update

Smart Growth Anacortes supports the City’s Updated Gap Analysis as a useful starting point for the Shoreline Master Program update, but we believe it falls short of fully addressing the environmental realities Anacortes faces. Climate change, extreme weather, sea level rise, and shifting ecological conditions must be analyzed as interconnected risks—not simply listed as future concerns. The City has already commissioned strong scientific and compliance tools through the FACET Report, the Best Available Science review,…

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SGA Comments on Protecting Public Involvement in Proposed Title 19 Permit Streamlining Amendments

Smart Growth Anacortes   Date: July 15th, 2026 Subject: SGA AMC Title 19, Unified Development Code – Comments Corrected. To: Planning Commission   Hello Again Planning Commission Members:   SGA has taken more input on the AMC Title 19, Unified Development Code and has done more analysis. This has led to a more defined and directed set of comments. It is SGA’s hope that these comments are not seen as divisive but rather as a start…

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AMC Title 19, Unified Development Code

Date:  July 13th, 2026 Subject: Nihart comment on AMC Title 19, Unified Development Code   Hello Planning Commission: I have some concerns regarding the AMC Title 19, Unified Development Code proposal I am hoping the Planning Commission members can help me understand better. How does doing a substantial process change at the same time as a huge time-consuming, complex process provide for “better” outcomes than completing the SMP/CAO updates and approval first than doing a…

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