Town of Starbuck Comprehensive Plan Info

Latest Happenings

The mandated 60-day review period has ended.

Next step: The final draft was presented to Town Council at the September meeting, and a public hearing to take for or against the proposed updates will be held on October 8 at 6 p.m. at Starbuck Town Hall, located at 200 Main Street in Starbuck. The updated Comprehensive Plan (PDF) and the Staff Report (PDF) are available for electronic review.

Read the Starbuck Public Participation Plan (PDF).

To receive notifications on the Comprehensive Plan update process please email Dena Martin or call the Planning Department at 382-4676 and ask to be included on the Comprehensive Plan mailing list.

Meeting Materials for Town Council Meeting

  1. Starbuck Council - 12/11/2018 (PDF)
  2. Starbuck Council - 01/08/2019 (PDF)
  3. Starbuck Council - 02/12/2019 (PDF)
  4. Starbuck Council - 03/12/2019 (PDF)
  5. Starbuck Council - 04/09/2019 (PDF)
  6. Starbuck Council - 05/14/2019 (PDF)
  7. Starbuck Council - 08/13/2019 (canceled - no quorum)
  8. Starbuck Council - 09/10/2019 (hearing scheduled for October 8)
    1. Staff Report (PDF)
    2. Final Draft Comprehensive Plan (PDF)
    3. Ordinance 2017-170 Adopting the Starbuck 2019 Comprehensive Plan Update (PDF)

Looking Back and Planning Ahead

In 2013, the Starbuck Citizens Advisory Committee and the Town Council, with assistance from the Washington State Department of Commerce, developed Starbuck's Comprehensive Plan (PDF). 

The plan adopted this set community goals, obtained through a 1995 survey, representative of the unique character of the Town of Starbuck:

  • Grow slowly
  • Respect our rural atmosphere and town character
  • Come together in times of trouble
  • Protect our private property rights
  • Preserve our historic buildings and sites
  • Keep our farm animals
  • Maintain the quiet and peaceful atmosphere and low crime rate
  • Make sure everyone has decent housing
  • Welcome folks of all walks of life and ages
  • Have adequate water and wastewater systems
  • Support local small businesses

While it is clear that maintaining a sense of small-town Americanism is important to the citizens of Starbuck, recent developments must be taken into consideration in updating the town's Comprehensive Plan. Major nearby construction projects, such as the Tucannon River Wind Project and the Columbia Pulp Project have undoubtedly had direct or indirect impacts on the Town of Starbuck in recent years.

Final Starbuck Docket List (PDF)
Town of Starbuck Public Participation Plan (PDF)
Town of Starbuck Open House (PDF)

It is both fun and enlightening to look back at the results of past surveys, such as this one, taken in 1973.

1973 Developmental Survey - Starbuck Results (PDF)
1973 Developmental Survey - Dayton/Starbuck/Columbia County Combined Results (PDF)