This section provides updates and background information on planning, development, and policy issues affecting Anacortes. We summarize key developments, explain relevant processes, and share information that helps residents better understand how local decisions are being made and how those decisions may affect the community.
Speak up for R1 Before Sept 15 hearing
On Sept. 15, the Anacortes Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on amendments to streamline development permitting. The proposed changes will reduce public engagement, affecting every neighborhood in Anacortes and putting added pressure on the about 300-acre R1 Low Density Residential Zone between the city and forestlands. Residents should comment now and attend the…
Editor Opinion: Is Growth Really Inevitable?
Have you ever wondered why people often say growth is inevitable? One of our council members mentioned we’ve been growing at a slow 1% annually and that if a town stops growing, it dies. Perhaps this core belief needs to be challenged? What do you think? Since I don’t know much about the economic realities…
Why I Believe Internal-Combustion Motorcycles Should be Banned in the ACFL
I believe internal‑combustion motorcycles should no longer be allowed in the ACFL because they pose safety risks, create harmful noise levels for wildlife and visitors, and continue to cause significant trail damage even during the limited months they’re permitted. The Forest Plan did not provide best‑available science to justify their use, nor were noise or…
ACFL Forest Plan Security and Efficiency Improvements
The updated ACFL Forest Plan is an improvement, but it should include cost‑saving and efficiency strategies as follows: Recommend installing permanent security cameras at key parking lots and trailheads, plus expanding portable trail‑camera use. A five‑year priority list with rough cost estimates would help guide investment in security infrastructure. Permanent cameras would reduce theft, vandalism,…
Strengthening ACFL Wildfire Defense
Climate change and ongoing drought make wildfires in the ACFL and across Fidalgo Island increasingly likely, and limited local firefighting resources mean outside help may not arrive quickly. Because the Anacortes Fire Department is responsible for wildland fire management in the ACFL, it should lead prevention efforts, hazard‑shutdown decisions, and evacuation planning, with the Forest…
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…
Anacortes Sewer Plan: The Hidden Costs of Growth
Anacortes residents rely on stable, affordable utility rates, and the city has historically emphasized two principles: keeping costs manageable for households and ensuring that new development pays for the infrastructure it requires. Recent planning decisions, however, indicate a shift away from these long‑standing practices. Major infrastructure expansions—particularly those tied to accommodating substantial new growth—could lead…
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…
Anacortes Comprehensive Plan: Will Housing Become Even Less Affordable?
Anacortes’ new Comprehensive Plan outlines a future that could bring thousands of new housing units and significant changes to long‑standing development practices. Some provisions appear to shift major infrastructure costs—such as utility upgrades required by new construction—from developer to taxpayer. Adding roughly 3,000 market‑rate units in an already expensive housing market does not guarantee affordability…
Public Participation in Growth Decisions: Why Community Input Matters
Anacortes was built on public participation — the Growth Management Act guaranteed our voice in big decisions. Now the city seems to be phasing that voice out. We’re required to absorb 7,000 new residents by 2040. Fine — but that means real planning, real cost transparency, and real public input on who pays for growth.…
Affordable Housing Crisis: Experts Say Anacortes’ Comprehensive Plan Misses Key GMA Mandates
Two of our longtime affordable‑housing leaders say Anacortes’ draft Comprehensive Plan fails the basic requirements of the Growth Management Act — especially when it comes to housing for low‑income residents. Their message: The GMA demands specifics. Not vague promises, not “the market will fix it,” but real numbers on who needs housing, how many units…
Conditional Use Permits Improve Projects and Protect Neighborhood Character
For decades, conditional uses helped Anacortes grow responsibly and democratically. Removing them now trades community voice for developer convenience — and risks turning collaborative planning into autocracy. Conditional uses improve projects and protect neighborhood character Skipping them forces neighbors into expensive legal battles Ignoring easements, covenants, and environmental standards just shifts costs onto residents Pretending…
