Rosario Resort could get a reprieve.

The San Juan County Council on Tuesday set the stage for a change in local rules that would give the new owners of the resort up to four years to begin renovation of the landmark hotel, and its accompanying facilities, as outlined in its master plan.

That master plan was inherited by Jerry and Jan Barto when the Anacortes couple purchased the historic resort for $5.45 million at auction in November. It acts as a guide for implementation of a series of far-reaching improvements, upgrades and remodels slated for the 74-acre resort on Orcas Island, which celebrates its Centennial this year.

Crafted by the resort’s former owner, Olympus Partners, the master plan was approved by the council in June 2007. The clock began to tick at that time on a two-year deadline for applying for a permit and to launch the first phase of renovation. Though the possibility of a 12-month extension exists, the plan, under current rules, would become “null and void” unless an application is submitted to the county within that two-year period.

In addition to Rosario, San Juan Island’s Roche Harbor Resort and West Beach Resort on Orcas also operate under master plans.

According to Rosario General Manager Christopher Peacock, the resort’s new ownership, known as Rosario Signal LLC, will be hard-pressed to meet the deadline even with a 12-month extension.

The master plan, Peacock said, does not contain the level of detail either architecturally or in engineering required for even the first phase of renovation.

For example, he noted, Phase I includes the renovation of the resort’s centerpiece, the 100-year-old Moran Mansion and its annex, construction of a new restaurant and lounge, and turning the mansion’s formal dinning room, and its kitchen, into 24 new guest suites.

“There are no architectural drawings,” he said. “(The owners) have to go out and get their own team to produce those blueprints and that whole first process will be time-consuming.”

“They don’t know when they’ll be able to apply for this master plan,” he said.

The potential rule change will be considered by the planning commission and council at a series of upcoming public hearings, the dates of which have yet to be determined.