During the recent Planning Commission meeting on July 18, 2025, community engagement took center stage as Faith Vandeput from Lopez Island presented on behalf of the Madrona Institute and the Climate Compass Project. Vandeput expressed gratitude for the commission's efforts in updating the comprehensive plan, highlighting the importance of incorporating islanders' voices into the process.

The Climate Compass Project has engaged over 254 residents from Lopez, Orcas, San Juan, and Shaw Islands through interactive sessions, resulting in 120 comment letters and 945 ideas that have been ranked by importance. This initiative, supported by a completed Department of Commerce grant, aims to enhance public participation in climate discussions and policy-making.

Vandeput emphasized that the project has successfully broadened community involvement, bringing new perspectives to climate conversations and generating actionable recommendations. She noted that participants valued the opportunity to share their insights and expressed a strong desire for their input to shape county policy.

The final report from the Climate Compass Project is forthcoming, and Vandeput offered to present the findings to the commission in a future meeting. This report will include diverse community perspectives, including insights from Spanish language and youth sessions, ensuring that all voices are represented.

The meeting underscored the county's commitment to transparent and inclusive planning, with a focus on integrating community feedback into the climate action plan. As the commission moves forward, the insights gathered from residents will play a crucial role in shaping the county's environmental policies and initiatives.