[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6675216,"mediaKeyId","2113793-475fdd525f075f17c296e91fa74bf213","parentId",2113793,"title","North Star Collaborative reports $40 million-plus in funding, asks cities and county to ease rules for more housing","audioSeconds",747,"startMs",2300531,"endMs",3047571,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113793-475fdd525f075f17c296e91fa74bf213&start=2300&end=3047","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113793-475fdd525f075f17c296e91fa74bf213/thumbnail_2300531.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6675216/Skagit-County/Washington/North-Star-Collaborative-reports-40-million-plus-in-funding-asks-cities-and-county-to-ease-rules-for-more-housing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6675216-c0e58b4b301ba10e08a2107683c4838d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172606&Signature=LBnCubIaIB~lD6mcMmyIEdFAWcz4TPwo8TGUdbrNn1NTsMzsK93PmqxYjtlcKkAm6AI7YtizDUijZ0519F574kvH4zrj2mxTHVCYhu~j4FJriBSsjHiPyAjQ83wA1yqWnzXrh6XS0jWJ91kooIkp-hXuZAzsNyIruN6-viMLm7Y7JgZTeYyHNm6ddU1Part7LXCHTcHoC3NIWFjOGw6ufNjHs9NGr641CLm~lvZv5oUsniabUmRxD0Ikw-ocRfJwxi7U3J-b0GLwV9RyEoqpGfBszYbVKg~vLDnq1~DSS1qPMdmT9XVi0leS3zTYBEC8j0VDf9JIvA2tZVZDzjENVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Skagit County","date","2025-01-14T00:00:00Z","article","Monica Negrilla, Skagit County’s director of strategic initiatives, and George Kosovich, manager of Community Services in Skagit County Public Health, told the Planning Commission on Jan. 14 that the North Star Collaborative has secured more than $40 million for regional housing and behavioral-health initiatives and is pursuing cross‑jurisdictional policy changes aimed at increasing housing supply and treatment capacity.

What North Star is: Negrilla said North Star is a multi-jurisdiction partnership formed in July 2022 that is led by a leadership team composed of the four mayors (Mount Vernon, Burlington, Sedro‑Woolley and Anacortes) and the county commissioners, supported by an advisory group and technical task forces (housing; recovery/behavioral health; and co‑response). The collaborative focuses on the county’s most vulnerable population segments — particularly those with chronic homelessness and high system costs — so funds and services target people who use intensive crisis and emergency services.

Funding and projects: Negrilla and Kosovich said more than $40 million has been secured for housing and behavioral-health work. The presenters highlighted the Skagit Star Center, which broke ground in 2024 and is scheduled to open in early 2026; the facility will include a higher-level detox unit that accepts first-responder drop-offs, 16 crisis-stabilization beds and 16 co‑occurring-treatment beds. The county and partners also have secured funds for shelter services and nonprofit housing developments, including a Volunteers of America affordable-housing project in Burlington that will include units for low‑income families and veterans.

Housing strategy and local regulatory changes: Kosovich described a publicly endorsed “call to action” signed by the county commissioners and the four mayors that identifies four near-term policy changes intended to speed production of affordable housing:
- Allow mixed‑use development outright in commercial corridors and transit‑served areas.
- Adopt by‑right permitting for identified residential zones (remove discretionary review where code standards are met).
- Reduce parking requirements for affordable-housing projects in transit‑accessible areas.
- Reduce impact fees for affordable housing, especially for smaller‑unit types.

Kosovich said these steps are likely to affect city projects and urban‑area development most directly, and he invited Planning Commission members to look for regulatory opportunities in draft comprehensive plan materials and other code updates.

Data and rationale: Kosovich summarized data showing rising housing costs and links to homelessness: countywide average rent for a two‑bedroom unit was reported as about $1,407; the point‑in‑time (PIT) count last year recorded about 512 people experiencing homelessness in Skagit County, and school‑district reporting identified 801 students experiencing homelessness under McKinney‑Vento definitions. Kosovich said research points to housing cost and vacancy rate as primary drivers of homelessness.

Questions and concerns from commissioners: Commissioners asked about the Star Center’s opening date and service levels (Negrilla said early 2026; the Center will include detox, crisis stabilization and treatment beds). Commissioners also raised concerns about community perceptions of low‑barrier housing and asked how positive outcomes and neighborhood protections would be communicated and enforced. Kosovich and Negrilla said transparency, local coordination and pilot models that integrate supportive services are part of the Collaborative’s approach.

Next steps: North Star staff said they will keep engaging jurisdictions and the public and will provide project and funding details as development proposals are refined. They asked Planning Commission members to consider regulatory changes that would facilitate affordable housing production and to coordinate with city planners and consultants working on comprehensive‑plan updates.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Skagit County - Skagit County Planning Commission - Jan 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Monica Negrilla, Skagit County’s director of strategic initiatives, and George Kosovich, manager of Community Services in Skagit County Public Health, told the Planning Commission on Jan. 14 that the North Star Collaborative has secured more than $40 million for regional housing and behavioral‑health initiatives and is pursuing cross‑jurisdiction policy changes to speed production of affordable housing.","taxTitle","Skagit County, Washington","taxId",5125,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6675220,"Skagit County staff propose reorganization of Title 14 to streamline residential permitting",1116,57721,1174351,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113793-475fdd525f075f17c296e91fa74bf213&start=57&end=1174","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113793-475fdd525f075f17c296e91fa74bf213/thumbnail_57721.jpg","/articles/6675220/Skagit-County/Washington/Skagit-County-staff-propose-reorganization-of-Title-14-to-streamline-residential-permitting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6675220-f22b44ad7266af78c8bc4fb8022ae817/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172606&Signature=m0CrOGjFOrvaqm36yG~Oo~QdWTOkyV4SHAuHQSpFT8LhUjcCAJHw7CwM7lmUPEhBSg4t3ZSRda6uj6ydBhhHfVRNjT7CFbkMuepY3QZIDUIAhQ0SDSZGpJIMOkDSZynckF3VoL0eVagxqIetAZTdHJEnnVssD0GGKyPg-jifki4OvlKqA~Bne-yg38bhc9s0AS9EoivmCIyIF0v1s-eptEhdiAVQW1ekI9PL32R0PwmwTkTPVYMerc7~RmcmWhSzn~JMb~K-AsSRlcB8APsun5L8hIzBzouev6nBxPQXFcoi09S0Ccg8E-wxPvzzi88Kl6ldk8yLmR-f0CDotUjNcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ryan Walters, a private legal consultant to the Skagit County Planning Department, told the Planning Commission on Jan. 14 that staff plan a mostlyorganizational update to Title 14 of the Skagit County Code aimed at improving usability and reducing obstacles to residential permitting.

Walters said the project will group related chapters into six divisions, convert long narrative sections into tables (for uses, setbacks and dimensional standards) and remove non-development items from Title 14. He said the effort is intended to reduce the number of variances required when houses cannot meet current setbacks and to simplify the lot-certification process. “We’re not proposing to rewrite the entirety of Title 14,” Walters said. “It’s really reorganization with limited rewriting.”

Why it matters: staff and commissioners described the changes as intended to reduce time and cost for common residential permits without increasing development entitlements. Walters said typical permit obstacles — such as expensive variance proceedings and a cumbersome lot-certification process — are priorities for streamlining.

Key proposed changes and scope
- Organization: Title 14 would be rearranged into six divisions (general provisions; zoning and land uses; special entitlements; land divisions; land-disturbing activities/stormwater; critical areas and shorelines; and public facilities). Many long chapters would be split into shorter chapters for ease of online navigation.
- Zoning tables: Uses, setbacks, lot coverage and dimensional standards would be placed in code tables so differences among zones are visible and easier to harmonize.
- Variances and setbacks: Staff will consider substantive setback changes intended to reduce reliance on the variance process, which Walters described as costly and time consuming.
- Lot certification: The department will pursue streamlining lot certification requirements that staff say are often an obstacle to straightforward residential permits.
- Director (formerly administrative official) interpretations: Walters said administrative interpretations issued over the years will be collected and proposed as code text so those interpretations are subject to legislative review rather than remaining only on a web page. “What we will do is gather up the director interpretations and move them into the code so the public and the commission can weigh in,” he said.

Critical areas and shorelines: deferred to a second phase
Walters said critical areas (chapter currently numbered 1424) and shoreline regulations will be held for a second phase because consultants working on those topics are preparing substantive updates; staff want the Commission and public to evaluate those substantive changes separately from a broad reorganization.

Schedule and next steps
Walters described a draft timeline in which staff would provide complete revisions to the department by April 6, 2025; the department would publish materials for public comment, with a Planning Commission public hearing tentatively set for May 6, and Commission deliberations May 20. Walters said the Board of County Commissioners’ deliberations were anticipated in June and staff were “hopeful” adoption might occur before the end of June to meet comp‑plan deadlines.

Public and commission questions focused on naming conventions for divisions, how a use matrix would work, the mechanics of incorporating director interpretations into code and whether the reorganization would require renumbering chapters. Walters said general‑provisions chapters would likely retain existing numbers, and the draft will use highlighting and explanatory boxes (as used during last year’s permit-procedures update) to show where text originated and where administrative interpretations are being codified.

What will not change, according to Walters, is the underlying policy outcomes: the stated objective is to improve clarity and permit processing efficiency, not to expand development rights.

Next steps: staff will draft the reorganization package and return with a full draft for review and public comment according to the schedule Walters presented.","A consultant briefed the Planning Commission on reorganizing Skagit County Code Title 14 to improve readability and speed residential permitting, including changes to setbacks, lot-certification, tables for zoning standards, and codifying director interpretations; critical areas work will be deferred to a second phase.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6675211,"At a glance: Planning Commission approves minutes, elects 2025 officers; County extends agritourism moratorium",4794,30020,4824421,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113793-475fdd525f075f17c296e91fa74bf213&start=30&end=4824","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113793-475fdd525f075f17c296e91fa74bf213/thumbnail_30020.jpg","/articles/6675211/Skagit-County/Washington/At-a-glance-Planning-Commission-approves-minutes-elects-2025-officers-County-extends-agritourism-moratorium","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6675211-b165ddb22f532e10ec9377b939be9e9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172606&Signature=KPmOpwIK9EGkNezpBmYOdnM1Ktf1aTDz3zyvczonxxq3qkxGxWxWKZfAfy0qd4kR3qec1wQEmas72fgXegFPhxqteEsRuEsKLGfUyuQMKSKM2XI0PbYdOTmUWuK4mjRpyC6zgtiVuHOOPIyCX-W9Jj19GN~HRKNUDl8VkvJrRLuLM2qk4hvJer06iqnJZRf30lGmvo45UBNPjOYj5sNW~0CXVDd6yJ1GsblgtS1j1F4kn0SyHJu05bE2DbzbNUAbOfnR9Syndf4s05CxtSUL9mjwNrgG8rBy4s6fu1ZVIjklGQgzUZ2rhKMcqx9AtE4cnJhpd4mLQW2N-KCvl26i1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Skagit County Planning Commission approved the minutes from its Dec. 10 meeting by voice vote during the Jan. 14 meeting. The motion to approve the minutes was moved and seconded and carried with all commissioners saying “aye.”

The Commission then opened nominations for 2025 officers. Commissioner Gay nominated Commissioner Raschow to continue as chair; that nomination was seconded. A separate nomination to retain Tammy (last name not specified in the transcript) as vice chair was also seconded. The Commission elected the nominees by voice vote; the chair thanked commissioners for their confidence.

In the department update, Planning Department staff reported that the Board of County Commissioners approved a six‑month extension of the county’s agritourism moratorium, effective the day of the meeting. Staff said the extension takes effect immediately and that the department will coordinate with the Commission as part of the comprehensive‑plan related work on that topic.

No formal roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript; outcomes were reported by voice vote and departmental announcement.","During the Jan. 14 meeting the Planning Commission approved the Dec. 10 minutes by voice vote, elected its 2025 chair and vice chair, and staff reported that the Board of County Commissioners approved a six‑month extension of an agritourism moratorium effective that day.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

North Star Collaborative reports $40 million-plus in funding, asks cities and county to ease rules for more housing

Skagit County staff propose reorganization of Title 14 to streamline residential permitting

At a glance: Planning Commission approves minutes, elects 2025 officers; County extends agritourism moratorium