Planning Commission starts shoreline management update

No waves are being made in the latest round of updates to the La Conner Shoreline Management Plan.

Town Planning Commissioners enjoyed smooth sailing during their first review of proposed changes to shoreline guidelines here during a briskly paced video-conferenced meeting Oct. 20.

“There are no major changes,” Town Planner Marianne Manville-Ailles confirmed, “just updates to reflect state law.”

The local shoreline management plan outlines land use policies and regulations developed to guide activities along the town’s waterfront. It was last reviewed in 2014.

The updated plan is expected to reflect input received from a major La Conner waterfront design charette held three years ago and which highlighted anticipated future impacts of climate change, most notably sea level rise.

The revised plan will also strike down an existing prohibition on aquaculture, upgrading it to a conditional use, Manville-Ailles said.

“It’s in (as a conditional use) because the state Department of Ecology might not support a full prohibition of aquaculture,” she said.

Manville-Ailles told commissioners it is highly doubtful the Town will receive applications for shellfish harvesting or other aquaculture projects.

“It’s not likely we’ll have any of these here,” she stressed.

The commission will revisit its shoreline plan review and proposed updates on Nov. 17. The panel will also hold a Nov. 5 Zoom meeting to address the transportation element of the Town Comprehensive Plan.

Housing density and pedestrian safety were also considered.

The Commission has previously discussed proposals to reduce minimum lot size requirements for residences.

“(Setback and density issues) are priority items,” said Manville-Ailles, “and the Council won’t let us forget them.”

She said infrastructure is being installed as part of developing eight platted residential lots on Snapdragon Hill and that the Council wants to continue allowing liveaboard vessels on private moorages in town.

Manville-Ailles responded Tuesday to a question raised at a prior meeting by commissioner Linda Talman about removal of an east-west crosswalk at Third and Center streets.

Town Public Works Director Brian Lease told her the crosswalk in question was officially removed years ago since it did not connect with a sidewalk and was at an intersection not having a stop sign for northbound and southbound traffic, she explained.

To reinstate the crosswalk would require funding to install a sidewalk on a section of Centre Street not known for heavy traffic volumes.

“Brian said there are no plans to remove other crosswalks,” Manville-Ailles said, “unless there are safety concerns.”