Planning staff presented a broad Phase 1 package of amendments to the Ventura County noncoastal zoning ordinance that would convert many conditional use permits to plan‑development permits, expand allowed uses in commercial/industrial zones, and modernize permit processes; the commission voted 5‑0 to forward recommended edits to the Board of Supervisors.

Farm Bureau and CoLab told the commission they broadly support the Phase 1 reforms to reduce permit costs and delays but urged retaining protections for existing entitlements, restoring a 500‑sq‑ft ministerial nursery threshold, and adding metrics and outreach before the Board hearing.

City staff presented eight pre‑approved accessory dwelling unit (ADU) plan sets developed through the LaMarinda PADU program, funded by a statewide grant. Plans range from about 490 to just under 800 sq ft and are designed to keep most options under state streamlined thresholds; council adoption is scheduled for Sept. 14 to preserve grant funds.

Planning and economic development staff described an express permitting pilot that aims for a first-cycle turnaround of no more than three weeks and a two-cycle review process with a meeting between plan reviewer and design professional; the pilot will include a permit liaison and a consultant to scale capacity.

City planning staff presented a repeal-and-replace package for consolidated planning procedures to align Sedro-Woolley code with recent state law and the city's comprehensive plan; commissioners praised clarity improvements but pressed staff for fixes on SEPA timing, ADU/unit-lot definitions and density calculations.

The council unanimously adopted clarifying amendments to residential zoning and to permit administration that codify prior interpretations, improve readability, and align local procedures with recent state law; separate frontage and utility undergrounding rules were adjusted to limit some costs to the town‑center area.

Development services director Samantha Luec told the council that while pre‑application activity has declined, overall land‑use, engineering and building permits remain steady; Kenmore reported compliance with the state permit‑streamlining report and is tracking pipelines affected by market trends and costs.

On Feb. 25, 2026, the Snohomish County Council unanimously adopted four ordinances that update commercial and transportation-related permit fees and streamline townhouse permitting by consolidating separate mechanical and plumbing permits into a single residential building permit to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Officials propose online permit system to improve access for weekend visitors.

The PJM Interconnection has set a capacity price ceiling of $329.17 per megawatt-day for the upcoming service year, highlighting a pressing imbalance between increasing energy demand in 13 states and Washington D.C., and insufficient corresponding supply growth. To mitigate this issue, PJM is extending the operation of fossil-fired power plants to bolster grid energy availability, while also emphasizing the need for proactive state support, particularly for "shovel-ready" projects navigating the PJM interconnection queue.

Planning staff told the Downtown Committee they will propose zoning and subdivision code changes to add an administrative (ministerial) approval process for qualifying residential projects under AB130, including a 10-day courtesy notice to nearby residents; the change would remove public hearings for qualifying projects.

Council approved a pilot allowing licensed professionals to self-certify select commercial nonstructural tenant-improvement permits, paired with a three-strike audit regime, exclusions for high-risk uses and reporting back on program metrics.

The joint committees approved a motion directing streamlined permitting processes for work in the public right-of-way tied to national and international events hosted in Los Angeles.

Council aims to streamline permit processes to reduce delays and attract new businesses.

Members discussed a pre-approved plans approach to reduce permitting time and fees for common lot sizes, debating whether it is a county implementation matter or a state legislative priority and weighing risks that it could encourage tear-downs rather than missing-middle housing or ADUs.

OpenGov software streamlines building permit processes and enhances public access to permit tracking.

Kansas proposes Fast Track Permits Act to expedite local permit processing and alleviate housing costs.