Oak Harbor Recasts Planning Role, Hires Experienced Community Development Director

Oak Harbor officials announced this week that the city formalized a transition from a Development Services Director to a Community Development Director and appointed Stacie Pratschner AICP RPA to the new position. City Administrator Sabrina Combs framed the change as a strategic realignment, saying, "This change represents where we are headed as a city." The hire and title change are intended to centralize planning, permitting, economic development, and community initiatives under a single, more outward facing leadership role.

Pratschner joins Oak Harbor with nearly 20 years of planning experience across urban and rural jurisdictions in Northwest Washington. She most recently served as the Community Development Services Director for the City of Mount Vernon. Her background includes legislation and policy development, strategic planning, permitting, code enforcement, parks planning, and transportation planning. Pratschner has guest lectured in urban planning and anthropology at Western Washington University and contributes to the Washington State Department of Commerce Short Course on Local Planning. She holds a master’s degree from Western Washington University and professional certifications from the American Institute of Certified Planners, the University of Washington College of Engineering, the International City County Management Association, and the Register of Professional Archaeologists.

City officials tied the title change to a policy emphasis on redevelopment and local economic vitality, important issues for residents and businesses on Whidbey Island. Combs said, "Our focus is on redevelopment and economic vitality, and this new role positions us to do exactly that," and added, "Stacie brings a clear vision for how to support our community’s growth in a thoughtful, and balanced way. We are excited for her to lead the City’s efforts in planning, development, and strategic community initiatives." Those priorities could shape how the city approaches zoning adjustments, permit review timelines, and capital projects for parks and transportation, as well as the sequencing of redevelopment opportunities downtown and in commercial corridors.

For residents the change means a single point of leadership for planning questions and a potential shift in how the city solicits and responds to public input on development proposals. Community meetings, code enforcement practices, and strategic planning efforts may reflect the broader community development focus. For questions or more information contact Communications Officer Magi Aguilar at maguilar@oakharbor.org.