County adopts comp plan update

The Pierce County Council adopted the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update, concluding a multi-year community outreach, planning, and legislative effort. The Comprehensive Plan is a foundational document that guides the County's growth and development over the next 20 years.

The plan aligns with the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements, Puget Sound Regional Council’s Vision 2050 objectives, and local priorities to ensure a balanced approach to population, housing, economic, and environmental needs.

Key highlights of the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update include:

Promoting Affordable Housing: Policies aim to address housing affordability and equity, with an emphasis on middle housing options, emergency housing, and anti-displacement measures.

Focusing Growth Around Transit: High-Capacity Transit (HCT) areas will see new growth concentrated to foster sustainable, transit-oriented development, while reducing development pressure on rural lands.

Conservation and Climate Action: Expansions of conservation programs will protect up to 100,000 acres of working forests, farmland, and open spaces. Climate change mitigation and resilience strategies are integrated across all policy elements.

UGA Retraction: The update scales back Urban Growth Areas by over 700 acres, preserving rural character and addressing challenges with infrastructure delivery.

Enhancing Community Health and Equity: Comprehensive equity and health-focused policies ensure inclusive planning, prioritize access to opportunity, and address disparities in underserved areas.

This update reflects extensive collaboration between County departments, local jurisdictions, community organizations, and residents. A robust public engagement process ensured diverse input was incorporated into the final plan.

The update isn’t considered final until the Pierce County Executive signs it into law or 10 days after transmittal to the Office of the Executive, excluding weekends and holidays.

To review the archive of documents associated with the comprehensive plan process, visit the official Pierce County website at piercecountywa.gov/CompPlan. The final version of the Comprehensive Plan will be available in January 2025.