OKANOGAN – The Okanogan County Office of Planning and Development is seeking public participation in the five-year review of the Official Control Amendments – Zone Code Revision and Shoreline Management Program.

Both code revisions/reviews are slated to be adopted by July 1, 2023, according to Char Schumacher with the Office of Planning and Development. Rule (WAC 173-26-090) of the state Department of Ecology requires that every eight years a periodic review of Shoreline Master Programs be conducted to reflect changing local circumstances, new information, or improved data. It further assures that the master program complies with applicable law and guidelines in effect at the time of the review and assure consistency of the master program with the local governments comprehensive plan and development regulations.

The Zone code revision is a court stipulation requiring an immediate revision of the zone code following the adoption of the comprehensive plan. It will reflect changing local circumstances, new information, and improved data. In addition to assuring the zone code regulation complies with applicable law and guidelines, Okanogan County’s comprehensive plan and other development regulations.

The public can find information about these code/regulation revisions and participate in process in the following ways:

1. Attend or Zoom into the Planning Commission meetings by visiting the county’s website Commissioners – Okanogan County, WA. People can find live streamed meeting information for attendance, the agenda with a zoom link to the meetings and meeting minutes.

2. Visit the Okanogan County office of Planning and Developments website at this link: Planning – Okanogan County, WA

, then click on the link for Shoreline Master Program Periodic Review and/or Zone Code Revision.

3. Watch the county’s news of record, which are the Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune and the Methow Valley News newspapers for public notices on opportunities to review the documents, comment on the SEPA Checklist and give written or verbal comments during public hearings.