NEWS

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- The Skagit Board of County Commissioners adopted a new interim ordinance Tuesday, temporarily prohibiting the acceptance of new permits for event venues on Skagit County agricultural land. The interim ordinance, which takes effect immediately, clarifies that permissible tourism-related activity on Skagit farmland does not include permanent businesses that conduct large events, such as weddings and concerts, and requires businesses operating agritourism activities out of compliance with Skagit County regulations to enter into a voluntary compliance agreement (VCA) within one year. The VCA is a standard contract used by Skagit County Code Enforcement to ease enforcement of agreed-upon     (read more)

(OLYMPIA)— The Washington state Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS) has invested in a large-scale campaign to highlight the safety and security of the state’s vote-by-mail process ahead of Washington’s August primary and November general election. Created with agency partner Happylucky, the campaign uses stylized, rooted-in-place imagery and animation to promote the integrity of a process that has enabled accessible and secure voting throughout Washington for more than a decade. This campaign’s positive messaging helps all Washington voters understand how vote-by-mail works, celebrate their democratic rights, and encourage participation, according to a news release from the     (read more)

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- Skagit County has released first drafts of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Rural Element and Natural Resource Lands Preliminary Policy Revisions. These documents are now available for public review on our project page. The comment period is now open through Tuesday, August 22, 2024. To ensure the community and Planning Commission can provide robust input, the project schedule has a two-step policy review process. Preliminary draft policy amendments for each comprehensive plan element will be prepared and brought to the Planning Commission for initial comments in phases between July and October 2024, according to a news release from the county. There be     (read more)

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- There will be open spots on the Skagit County Planning Commission. The Planning Commission works with the Planning and Development Services Department and advises the Department and the Board of County Commissioners on proposed land use plans and regulations in unincorporated Skagit County, according to a news release from the county. The Planning Commission consists of nine members (three from each Commissioner District) and usually meets twice monthly in Mount Vernon at the Commissioners Administrative Building. Meetings are broadcast live on Skagit 21 and archived online. More information about the Planning Commission is available at: www.skagitcounty.net     (read more)

(OLYMPIA)- The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has awarded five new partnerships $3.1 million in total funding from the Regional Challenge Grant (RCG). Eight partnerships initially selected in 2022 will see their funding extended through June 2025, with Yakima Valley Partners for Education (YVPE) receiving a grant award increase to $405,780 after exceeding expectations as an emerging partnership, according to a news release from the WSAC. In total, WSAC has committed more than $11 million in funding from RCG to place-based partnerships.     (read more)