Hearing Notice

Description of Current Proposal: Jefferson County is amending Title 8 (Health and Safety) and Title 18 (Unified Development Code) of the Jefferson County Code (JCC) relating to commercial shooting facilities within unincorporated Jefferson County.

Title 8 Amendments: The proposal amends Title 8 JCC (Health and Safety) to add a uniform system of regulation for the operational aspects of commercial shooting facilities within unincorporated Jefferson County. The proposal requires all commercial shooting facilities to obtain an operating license, which requires the submission and approval of health and safety plan that includes a safety component, an operations component, an environmental health component, a sound suppression component, a professional evaluation, and a certification. The authority to approve operations permits will rest with the Director of Environmental Health. Jefferson County does not believe that the Title 8 amendments are development regulations.

Title 18 Amendments: The proposal amends Title 18 JCC (Unified Development Code) relating to commercial shooting facilities in unincorporated Jefferson County. The proposal includes amendments to small-scale tourist and recreation uses relating to commercial shooting facilities (JCC 18.20.350), clarifies that commercial shooting facilities are not a home business or cottage industry (JCC 18.20.170 and JCC 18.20.200), clarifies the unnamed use provision (JCC 18.15.045), adds commercial shooting facilities as a named use, and adds limitations to commercial shooting facilities in natural resource lands.

 Planning Commission Public Hearing: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Jefferson County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to take oral and written comments on the proposed amendments. The public hearing will occur on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, beginning at 6:30 PM at the Chimacum High School Auditorium, 91 West Valley Road, Chimacum, WA.

Public Comment Period and Method to Provide Comment: The Planning Commission and DCD will accept written comments on the merits of the proposed amendments starting Wednesday, October 23, 2019 through 4:30 pm on Friday, November 8, 2019. Any written comments on these suggested amendments submitted after the close of the public hearing will be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) for consideration in its legislative decision. The BoCC may also hold a public hearing before taking action on the final amendments. (Formal notice would appear in this newspaper of record at a later date). Written comments on the proposals may be submitted to “Department of Community Development – Title 18 Ordinance” at 621 Sheridan Street, Port Townsend WA 98368 or via email to: plancomm@co.jefferson.wa.us.