Big Lake Water. The way of our lives, our health, recreation, and happiness
Help Protect Big Lake Water Quality
CALL TO ACTION!
Please send an email to the Skagit County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)By November 14, 2025
Urge them to amend the Critical Areas Ordinance to protect all critical areas like Big Lake, from new project off-site impacts, not just those critical areas within 200’ of the new project. The staff continues to recommend against doing so. Public comment closes on November 14, the final vote is scheduled for November 26, 2025.
Ask the BOCC to adopt the Department of Ecology recommendation of the 2024 Stormwater Manual (page 149) to look one-mile down stream.
“In the best interests of the general public and environment,” Ecology recommends local governments require development projects that discharge stormwater off-site to submit an off-site analysis report that assesses the potential off-site water quality, erosion, slope stability, and drainage impacts associated with the project. The review should look downstream for a distance of up to one-mile from the project site.
Please send your e-mail labelled “Skagit County 2025 Critical Areas Ordinance Update” to individual commissioners and planning staff by Friday, November 14, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address. If that is not included, your public comment will not be considered. (See “How to Comment” below.)
Thank you, Big Lake Informed
HOW TO COMMENT:
The comment period will be open from Thursday, October 30, 2025,to Friday November 14, 2025 at 4:30 p.m.
Below are the two options for submitting public comments.
Option 1: Email comments are preferred and must be sent to pdscomments@co.skagit.wa.us with the proposal name “Skagit County 2025 Critical Areas Ordinance Update” in the subject line.
Submit comments to:
Commissioners:
Lisa Janicki: ljanicki@co.skagit.wa.us
Peter Browning: pbrowning@co.skagit.wa.us
Ron Wesen: ronw@co.skagit.wa.us
Option 2: Paper comments must be printed on 8½x11 paper and mailed or delivered to:
Planning and Development Services
Comments on “Skagit County 2025 Critical Areas Ordinance Update”
1800 Continental Place
Mount Vernon WA 98273All comments must be received by the deadline referenced above and include your full name and mailing address. Comments not meeting these requirements will not be considered.
For more information, please contact Robby Eckroth, Senior Planner, at reckroth@co.skagit.wa.us.
We need your help NOW!
A local team of Big Lake residents along with the Friends of Skagit County organization are working together to ensure no stormwater pollution enters Big Lake from a new 105-home development.
The new land plan packs 105 homes in 3 rows of ¼ acre lots on the slope above the golf course, in violation of various County land division requirements. The Skagic County Planning Department appears to violate State and County laws requiring a public review process.
We’re fighting back for the public’s right to know and participate in this important decision. WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW. Please help fund our experienced land use attorney to take this to Superior Court.
Skagit County's Hearing Examiner says the public is not entitled to notice of this new plan or an opportunity to participate in its review. The Planning Department refuses to conduct the public hearing on the stormwater system ordered by the Board of County Commissioners last November. The Planning Department says no Environmental Review is required, even with all of the new information since the original review. The Planning Department ignores Dr. Horner’s report that the new stormwater plan, although better than the first plan, will send pollution to Big Lake.
We APPEALED this unannounced and unreviewed new land plan. The Hearing Examiner dismissed our appeal, at the request of Overlook Crest with support of the Planning Department. Details at biglakeinformed.org.
Please send donations, in any amount to: Network for Good - http://nfggives.org/
or send checks to: Friends of Skagit County
PO Box 2632, Mount Vernon, WA 98273-2632
Mark Donations: Protect Big Lake Fund
QUESTIONS?
EMAIL: biglakeinformed@gmail.com or CALL Friends at 360-419-0988, leave a message.
We'll get back to you, ASAP!
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Updates on the latest appeals for the stormwater issue, plus other happenings concerning Big Lake..
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WE ARE IN IMMEDIATE NEED!
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VOLUNTEERS that are motivated, technical, or have legal backgrounds.