It’s a yes for the Country Corner Commercial LAMIRD.

Well, at least from the planning commission. Its final approval will need to come from the county council.

On Sept. 18, the San Juan County Planning Commission met at the Orcas Grange to hear public testimony and deliberate on three options for the land known as the “Country Corner LAMIRD Study Area.”

Senior planner Colin Maycock presented three options to the commission, which included chair Bob Gamble, Brian Ehrmantraut, Karin Agosta, Bruce Orchid, Mike Carlson, Susan Dehlendorf, and Barbara Thomas.

The proposed 16-acre Limited Area of More Intense Rural Development allows for the continued existence and expansion of commercial businesses and more accessory dwelling units. Orcas Village, Deer Harbor, and Olga are all examples.

The land has been deemed a LAMIRD study area because it has experienced development since 1990, and its current density, two residential units per acre, is not rural and the Growth Management Act requires either the zoning or the density be changed. It is currently designated as a service park area in the Eastsound subarea plan, which means most kinds of commercial businesses can be constructed.

Option A called for a commercial LAMIRD with residential zoning around it set at five acres per unit. It would leave the service park zoning outside the LAMIRD the way it is.

Option B is no LAMIRD at all. It would remove the split zone (within the service park there are some rural designations mixed in) and extend the service park to include the storage facility in the area.

Option C, which is what Maycock recommended, is a commercial LAMIRD with residential zoning set at two acres per unit. It would also leave the service park zoning alone.

“When you look at residential density, it’s already at two units per acre, which indicates it’s more than rural density,” Maycock said. “Plus, there is commercial activity already going on. It meets all the necessary requirements of the GMA to be designated as a LAMIRD. We need to recognize something for what it is, and establish regulations to manage future development.”

Before public testimony began, Gamble said that a stack of letters and comments had already been entered into the public record.

Donald Nostrant, a civil engineer who owns property in the study area, testified that he was in favor of Option C, the LAMIRD with the residential zoning set at two acres per unit. He objected to any zoning that was less. He also thanked Maycock for his many hours of working with the Orcas community on setting development standards for the LAMIRD.

Patty Miller, representing the Eastsound Planning and Review Commission, also supported Option C, and thanked Maycock for his work with the community.

Chip Carpenter, who owns the barn storage company, spoke of his land’s varied commercial uses over the last 50 years, from a drive-in movie theatre to rollerskating to a veterinary clinic.

“A LAMIRD would define the development of that region to one area,” he said.

Two voices of concern came from Chris Butler and Mel Shapiro, who both live within the study area. Shapiro didn’t think it was reasonable to have a LAMIRD in the middle of a rural area.

Ron Montgomery, who lives on Montgomery Lane, feared the impact of future development on erosion and stormwater. He felt it’s not being handled well by the county already.

Jeff McKay, who plans to continue his oyster business and open a small vineyard within the LAMIRD boundary, supported a commercial designation.

“I have no plans for a strip mall or gas station,” he said.

Harlow Cameron said he signed an initial petition against the LAMIRD, but is now in favor of it if the residential zoning was changed to two acres per one unit.

When the commission began deliberations, most members were in agreement that the area has been and will continue to be a commercial activity center.

“Orcas Island’s past development has not been well planned,” Carlson said. “It needs to be consolidated. I believe a commercial center has already been going on in that zone. This will give it a purpose and we’ll be able to contain it. If it looks like a duck, it’s a duck.”

“When I moved here in ’78, it was clear to me that it was a commercial area,” Gamble said. “It’s better to regulate it and create good screening standards. Once Country Corner was put in there, the die was cast. I am in favor of a commercial LAMIRD. But I think it’s very important to set building size requirements … If I had my druthers, the whole area would be rural. But it’s just not.”

Ehrmantraut added that the area actually helps Eastsound.

“It serves the hundreds of Moran State Park visitors, which takes pressure off of Eastsound,” he said.

Thomas agreed with her fellow commissioners, but was concerned about run-off from a five-acre parcel that is currently zoned as residential, but would be changed to commercial with the new designation. She argued to keep it as residential, despite its current commercial uses.

The rest of the commission felt that the current county code and design standards would adequately take care of drainage.

A motion was passed to move forward with the recommendation of a commercial LAMIRD. Thomas cast the one dissenting vote.

The commission then moved to rezone the residential lots to two acres per unit; the vote was unanimous.

Between now and a special meeting of the planning commission on Sept. 23 in the county council’s hearing room on San Juan Island, Maycock will outline the allowable uses for a LAMIRD and other design standards that the commission hopes to finalize before making a recommendation to the county council later this year.