Protecting Public Participation in the Title 19 Permit Streamlining Amendments

Smart Growth Anacortes urges the Planning Commission to strengthen the proposed Title 19 Permit Streamlining Amendments to ensure early, meaningful public involvement and avoid unintended consequences in sensitive neighborhoods such as the R1 Zone. While we support efforts to improve efficiency, the current draft shifts too many permits to administrative review, reduces early engagement, and creates a “lock‑in” effect by limiting later review of site plans. We recommend requiring pre‑application neighborhood meetings, restoring pre‑decision public hearings for Type 2 reviews, and addressing offsite impacts early in the process. Our goal is a respectful, productive dialogue that results in a streamlined permitting system that still protects transparency, public trust, and high‑quality project outcomes.