“Meeting facts Public meeting, sponsored by the Clinton Subarea Planning Committee, on the community’s draft subarea plan and recommendations about future growth, Tuesday, June 9, 7 p.m., Clinton Progressive Hall.A plan for Clinton that could affect lifestyles and pocketbooks for years to come will be presented to the community Tuesday, Jan. 9.On that date, the Clinton Subarea Planning Committee will introduce the draft of its subarea plan, a document that has been two years in the making. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Progressive Hall.The committee, appointed by the Island County Commissioners, will not present a document set in concrete. There is still much more work to be done, but now wider public participation is needed.This is a chance for the community to find out what the committee has done, where they’re going, and to voice your opinion, said Patrick Normile, a retired ferry captain who has chaired the committee since its inception. Other members include co-chair Phil Moore, Mary Jane Aurdal, Bill Stebbins, Mike Helland, Doug Zook, Allen Vautier and Stuart Munson. Don Nelson helped with much of the work but recently stepped down.Committee members will be particularly interested in the public’s opinion on the matter of whether Clinton should be designated a high-growth Urban Growth Area (UGA), or retain lesser densities as presently limited by the RAID (Rural Area of more Intense Development) designation.Normile said he personally thinks Clinton should become a UGA, but opinions on the committee differ. County planners see Clinton as a UGA to help accommodate growth that is no longer allowed in rural areas. But Normile said the ultimate decision will rest with the citizens of Clinton, perhaps through a public vote.Copies of the draft plan will be available at the meeting. Besides the UGA debate, other major items of interest will include housing prices and residential development, sewer, water and stormwater infrastructure, transportation, economic development, historic preservation and critical environmental areas.The draft plan also includes an analysis of existing land uses and an analysis of buildable lands. It is accompanied by draft land use designations, which will say what uses will be allowed in different areas of the community.Normile said people who attend the meeting Tuesday will have a chance to volunteer to help with the next phase of the planning project, which is writing issue papers on a wide variety of subjects, from sewer to greenbelts. The project will ultimately lead to Clinton’s own plan subject to approval by the Island County Commissioners.Freeland also to meet this monthResidents of Freeland will also have a chance to attend an open house on planning this month.The Freeland Subarea Planning Committee will update the public on its efforts on Thursday, Jan. 25 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for refreshments. It will be the second open house since Freeland volunteers started planning their community two years ago. Stop by and find out what the volunteers have in mind for your property and your future.Among the topics will be results of the citizen survey, land use, design review, utilities, highway corridor, public spaces and people movement. “