Changing county planning rules to permit fully contained communities (FCCs) “opens the door for making this county suburban,” said Margery Hite last Tuesday, Jan. 11, during an online Community Conversation sponsored by the Skagit Valley Food Co-op.

“Growth in Skagit Valley: Our Future, Farming & FCCs” drew about 90 Zoom participants, La Conner residents among them.

Hite is on the grassroots campaign ‘Right Growth, Right Place’ advisory group, which opposes permitting FCCs.

She described FCCs and their likely impact on Skagit County in great detail.

“These are enormous residen...