Natural Resources

Voluntary Stewardship Program

Voluntary Stewardship Program

The Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) is an optional, incentive-based approach to protecting critical areas while promoting agriculture. The VSP is allowed under the Growth Management Act as an alternative to traditional approaches to critical areas protection, such as “no touch” buffers. Twenty eight counties have “opted in” to the VSP by nominating one or more watersheds in their county where the program would apply. Chelan County received funding to develop a VSP work plan from the Washington State Conservation Commission and the Technical Panel adopted the April 2017. 

The goals of the VSP program include:

  • Promote plans to protect and enhance critical areas where agricultural activities are conducted, while maintaining and improving the long-term viability of agriculture in the state of Washington and reducing the conversion of farmland to other uses.
  • Focus and maximize voluntary incentive programs to encourage good riparian and ecosystem stewardship as an alternative to historic approaches used to protect critical areas.
  • Leverage existing resources by relying upon existing work and plans in counties and local watersheds, as well as existing state and federal programs to the maximum extent practicable to achieve program goals.
  • Encourage and foster a spirit of cooperation and partnership among county, tribal, environmental, and agricultural interests to better assure program success.
  • Improve compliance with other laws designed to protect water quality and fish habitat.
  • Rely upon voluntary stewardship practices as the primary method of protecting critical areas and not require the cessation of agricultural activities (RCW 36.70A.700).

VSP Watershed Work Group:

Chelan County has opted in to the VSP, and has reached out to stakeholders to form a VSP Watershed Workgroup in order to develop amd guide the implementation of this Work Plan and to provide goals, measurable benchmarks, and incentives, leveraging existing watershed plans and other programs. As an alternative to the litgigious and costly approach of the past, the incentive based VSP balances the protection and enhancement of crticial area on agricultural lands while also promoting agricultural viability. 

Click here to View the 2021 Virtual Outreach Video for VSP

Meeting Agendas and Minutes

Documents and Presentations

 2014-2017 Meeting Agendas and Minutes
   December 12 2017_Workgroup Agenda .pdf 6 KB
   December 12 2017_Workgroup Meeting notes .pdf 469 KB
   December 2015 meeting notes.pdf 294 KB
   October 2014 Final Work Group Meeting Notes.pdf 338 KB
 2018 Meeting Agendas and Minutes
   February 28 2018_meeting notes .pdf 372 KB
   February 28 2018_Workgroup Agenda.pdf 109 KB
   January 30 2018_meeting notes.pdf 379 KB
   January 30 2018_Workgroup Agenda.pdf 108 KB
   March 26 2018_meeting notes.pdf 377 KB
   March 26 2018_Workgroup Agenda .pdf 112 KB
   October 25 2018_Workgroup Agenda.pdf 247 KB
   October 25 2018_Workgroup meeting notes.pdf 486 KB
 2019 Meeting Agendas and Minutes
   April 23 2019_Workgroup Agenda .pdf 293 KB
   April_23_2019_FinalMeetingNotess.pdf 228 KB
   Feb_20_2019_WorkGroup_Meeting_Minutes.pdf 453 KB
   February 20 2019_Workgroup Agenda.pdf 297 KB
   January 8 2019_meeting notes.pdf 407 KB
   January 8 2019_Workgroup Agenda.pdf 196 KB
   July 30 2019_Meeting Notes.pdf 410 KB
   July30 2019_Workgroup Agenda .pdf 300 KB
   June_25_2019_FinalMeetingNotes.pdf 403 KB
   June_25_2019_WorkgroupAgenda.pdf 293 KB
   Mar 26 2019_Workgroup Agenda.pdf 299 KB
   March 26 2019_FINAL_Meeting_Notes.pdf 1007 KB
   May_28_2019_Agenda.pdf 293 KB
   May_28_2019_FinalMeetingNotes.pdf 409 KB
   October_22_2019_FinalMeetingNotes.pdf 414 KB
   October_22_2019_WorkgroupAgenda .pdf 297 KB
 2020 Meeting Agendas and Minutes
   January_14th_2020_Workgroup_Agenda.pdf 297 KB
   Meeting notes Dec 1 2020 FINAL.pdf 225 KB
   Meeting notes July 14 2020 FINAL.pdf 165 KB
   Meeting notes May 5 2020 FINAL.pdf 168 KB
   Meeting notes Sept 22 2020 FINAL.pdf 146 KB
   Meeting notes_Jan 14 2020 FINAL.pdf 406 KB
   September_2020_WorkGroup_Agenda.pdf 304 KB
   Workgroup Agenda Dec 2020.pdf 288 KB
   Workgroup Agenda July 2020.pdf 297 KB
   Workgroup Agenda May 2020.pdf 283 KB
 2021 Agendas and Meeting Minutes
   April_28_2021_Special_Meeting_Notes.pdf 134 KB
   April_28_2021Workgroup Agenda Special Meeting.pdf 32 KB
   August 3 2021_MeetingNotes.pdf 185 KB
   August 3 2021_Workgroup Agenda.pdf 82 KB
   December 17 2021 Agenda Chelan County VSP Work Group Meeting.pdf 123 KB
   June_1_2021_FINAL_MeetingNotes.pdf 167 KB
   June_1_2021_Workgroup Agenda.pdf 84 KB
   March_2 FINAL_Meeting notes .pdf 144 KB
   March_2_2021_Updated_Workgroup Agenda .pdf 124 KB
 2022 Agendas and Meeting Minutes
   December 2022 Agenda VSP Work Group.pdf 120 KB
   December 2022 VSP Work Group Meeting Minutes.pdf 137 KB
   June Agenda VSP Work Group.pdf 121 KB
   June VSP Work Group Meeting Minutes.pdf 151 KB
   March VSP Agenda.pdf 129 KB
   March VSP Work Group Notes.pdf 135 KB
 2023 Meeting Agendas and Minutes
   May 2023 VSP Agenda.pdf 49 KB
   May 2023 VSP Minutes.pdf 59 KB
   November 2023 VSP Agenda.pdf 49 KB
   November 2023 VSP Meeting Notes.pdf 59 KB
   VSP March 2023 Agenda.pdf 103 KB
   VSP March 2023 Minutes.pdf 115 KB
 2024 Meeting Agendas and Minutes
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 Resources
   Appendix H VSP Checklist.pdf 710 KB
   Chelan VSP Whitepaper.pdf 3285 KB
   Chelan VSP Whitepaper_Appendices_B_to_I.pdf 3684 KB

Posted: 02/12/2015 11:34 AM
Last Updated: 06/17/2022 03:21 PM

Chelan County Calendar

Upcoming events and schedules at the county!

  • 18
    Dec 2024
    01:00 PM - 03:00 PM

    Hearing Examiner - December 18, 2024

    Posted by: Community Development

    By Zoom Video Conference or in person
  • 18
    Dec 2024
    06:00 PM - 09:00 PM

    Planning Commission - December 18, 2024

    Posted by: Community Development

    400 Douglas Street
  • 11
    Dec 2024
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Chelan County Civil Service Commission

    Posted by: Human Resources

    The Chelan County Civil Service Commission will be meeting on December 11, 2024.

    Chelan County Commissioners Office, CM Conference Room 1
  • 04
    Dec 2024
    09:00 AM - 11:00 AM

    Hearing Examiner - December 4, 2024

    Posted by: Community Development

    Chelan County Administrative Building or zoom
  • 26
    Nov 2024
    01:30 PM - 02:00 PM

    Public Meeting: Certify Election

    Posted by: Chelan County Elections

    The Canvassing Board of Chelan County, pursuant to RCW 29A.60.160, will hold public meetings at the dates and times listed below. The meetings of the Canvassing Board are open, public meetings under the applicable provisions of chapter 42.30 RCW, and each meeting shall be continued until the activity for which the meeting is held has been completed.

    Chelan County Auditor’s Office