Public comments requested on Oak Harbor's Comprehensive Plan update and EIS scope.

City of Oak Harbor    Determination of Significance (DS) and Request for Comments on Scope of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)    Date of Issuance:   February 21 th , 2026  Lead Agency:   City of Oak Harbor, Department of Community Development  Agency Contact:   Cac Kamak, Principal Planner, Development Services, 360-279-4514, ckamak@oakharbor.org  Description of Proposal:   The City of Oak Harbor is preparing a periodic update to the Citys Comprehensive Plan for the next 20 years (2025-2045). The Citys 2016-2036 Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 2022. The Comprehensive Plan helps the City manage growth, plan for housing, jobs, parks, transportation, public services, infrastructure, and utilities. Each chapter of the plan will be updated to address the new growth projections provided by Island County for population, housing, and employment in the City of Oak Harbor, and to meet the changes to the Growth Management Act (GMA) including considerations to plan for and accommodate housing at all income levels. As part of the proposal, the future land use map, zoning, and related development regulations may be amended to plan for more housing, responding to the allocated growth projections informing actions and alternatives studied in the EIS.  Location of Proposal:  The Comprehensive Plan addresses City of Oak Harbor city limits.  Proponent & Lead Agency:   City of Oak Harbor  Determination of Significance (DS) and EIS Required:   As the lead agency, the City of Oak Harbor has determined that this proposal is likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment. An environmental impact statement (EIS) is required under RCW 43.21C.030 (2)(c) and will be prepared.  Scoping Focus Areas:  As lead agency, the City of Oak Harbor has identified the following elements of the environment for discussion in the EIS: Earth, Water & Shoreline, Air quality and emissions, Plants and animals, Land use patterns and built environment,  Natural resources Population, employment, housing Transportation, Public services: police, fire, solid waste, emergency medical services, parks, schools, and libraries, Utilities: energy, water, wastewater, and stormwater City of Oak Harbor Comp Plan EIS Determination of Significance 2 Displacement analysis The EIS will share existing city conditions and environmental implications. For each topic, the affected environment, impacts, mitigation measures, and significant unavoidable adverse impacts will be identified.  Alternatives:   A comparative evaluation of alternative courses of action will be included in the EIS. The City of Oak Harbor will study three alternatives as part of the EIS. Alternatives are anticipated to include a No Action Alternative and two-action alternatives that would consider various land use and zoning approaches for accommodating growth projections. The  No Action Alternative  , as required under SEPA, assumes that development would occur within the Oak Harbor based on the existing Comprehensive Plan land use, zoning and development standards, with no changes. The goals, policies, and growth projections under the existing 2016 City of Oak Harbor Comprehensive Plan would be carried forward. In addition,  two Action Alternatives   would be evaluated to explore various ways the City can accomplish City objectives for planning for and accommodating the Citys housing and population growth projections through its land use designations and development regulations.  Scoping:   Agencies, affected Tribes, and members of the public are invited to comment on the scope of the EIS. You may comment on alternatives, mitigation measures, probable significant adverse impacts, and licenses or other approvals that may be required. Comments on the EIS will be accepted on: EIS alternatives which should be considered, EIS elements of the environment, Probable significant adverse impacts, Mitigation measures, and Licenses or other approvals that may be required.  Comments:  The 30-day comment period is from  February 21, 2026    to March 23, 2026.   Please provide your comments between 8:00 a.m. on February 21, 2026 and 5:00 p.m. on March 23, 2026. All comments shall be received no later than Monday, March 23, 2026 by 5:00 pm PST. Comments may be submitted by the following means:  Online Comments   may be submitted through the submission form linked on the project website here: https://www.oakha rbor.gov/808/Oak-Harbo r-Comprehensive-Plan  Written Comments   may be submitted via mail to the following address: Reference: Comp Plan EIS Scoping Comment City of Oak Harbor Comp Plan EIS Determination of Significance 3 To: City of Oak Harbor Community Development Department Address: 865 SE Barrington Drive Oak Harbor,WA98277 After reviewing the comments received during the scoping period, the City of Oak Harbor will finalize the alternatives and elements of the built and natural environment that will be analyzed under the EIS.  Responsible Official:  Stacie Pratschner, Community Development Director, Community Development Services City of Oak Harbor Department of Community Development 865 SE Barrington Drive Oak Harbor,WA98277 spratschner@oakharbo r.org Date: February 18, 2026 Signature:   Appeal Process:   See Oak Harbor Municipal Code 20.04.200 and WAC 197-11-680 Julie Nester City Clerk Posted on February 18, 2026 POSTED: City Hall Bulletin Boards www.oakharbor.gov on 02/18/26 REMOVE: After 03/23/26 Whidbey News-Times On 2/21/26, 2/28/26, 3/7/26, 3/14/26, and 3/21/26 Legal No. WNT1026307 Published: The Whidbey News Times February 21, 28, 2026 & March 7, 14, 21, 2026 ad+#1026817]