Columbia County Board of Commissioners Adopts 2019 Comp Plan Update

DAYTON—During their regular session on Monday, Sept. 16, the Board of Columbia County Commissioners adopted the county’s 2019 Comprehensive Plan Update, and its three new ordinances regarding; water availability for the new building, critical areas, and zoning.

Some of the Hirst decision language was incorporated into Ordinance 2019-04, regarding water availability for the new building, said Dena Martin, Planning Associate.

“It generally doesn’t affect us, but it is in there,” she told the commissioners.

She said Ordinance 2019-05 is a rewrite of the old Code for critical areas.

Ordinance 2019-06 adds a military training overlay in the northernmost part of the county, along with updated Accessory Dwelling Unit regulations, and a new section to allow A-1 Zoning for cluster type housing developments, she said.

Martin said all of the plans add docketing procedures.

Although the BOCC adopted the Plan, Commissioner Chuck Amerein cast a dissenting vote for Ordinance 2019-06 based on a question he wants answered about some of the rules on the design and architecture of Accessory Dwelling Units, distances, and rules about their depending on similar utility services.

The Planning Commission held their first 2019 Comprehensive Plan Update meeting for public comment in Nov. 2018.

Their final public meeting was on Sept. 9.

There were only two public comments made at the Sept. 9 public hearing. Both people spoke in support of the Plan.

John Andrews, representing Tucannon AG Partnership, in Starbuck, gave the Plan his blessing, and Port Executive Director Jennie Dickinson spoke about the importance of the Plan in getting the land surrounding the Blue Mountain Station into the Urban Growth Area.

“This is so the City can furnish water and wastewater services to the property,” she said.

Dickinson said the Port had been waiting for this to happen for the past seven years.

That meeting was officiated by Planning Commission Chair Jason Towery, and Commissioners Jay Ball, Chuck Reeves and Planning Director Meagan Bailey.

The 2019 Comprehensive Plan Update was certified by the Palouse Regional Transportation Planning Organization, as written, on Sept. 10, Martin said.