Sliding in a bit under the radar for the average land use change is a state mandated Comprehensive Plan Review. The reason is, state law changes and Comp. Plans need to stay current. This review and resulting changes don’t come with public notice or yellow signs posted on a neighbor’s property. No, this is only obvious to those geeks looking at the Land Use Advisory Agendas and meeting materials regularly.
Tonight, I sat in on the Graham Advisory Commission. At the same time, the Mid-County Land Use Commission was also meeting about their plan changes. I was flabbergasted at the amount of area affected by the changes in the Graham land use designations. To help, here is the link to the interactive map of affected areas. It is on the maps, but you have to know how to use a “QR Code” to get the link to the master map. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/846641f0f7d941f3a84f940a9eee5877/
Graham, Mid-County, and South Hill have already voted to affirm the changes. Graham and South Hill LUAC’s both made motions after their vote to have an additional meeting so they and the public can better understand what these changes are and what they mean to our various communities. In other words, they took a vote to give the county planners what they needed without fully understanding the changes or the implications.
Of course, the county planners are pushing the rush button. They have to have this done by the end of the year, December, 31, 2024. Where have we heard that before? Yes, that does also happen to be when a new administrator will take over the County Executive’s office and run the Planning and Public Works Department among others. But of course, the state needs it by then they say.
Here is some of the material from the Graham presentation:
Comprehensive Plan Update Meetings – OR – Community Plan Update Meetings
Proposed amendments to the “X” Community Plan remove policies that are inconsistent with the Pierce County 2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review. These amendments are required by the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) so the “X” Community Plan is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan (Figure 1).
Pierce County is required by the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) to review the County’s Comprehensive Plan every 10 years and update where necessary. This is also known as a periodic review. A major focus on the periodic review is to ensure alignment between the County’s Comprehensive Plan and changes in state and regional policy. The Comprehensive Plan’s periodic review must be completed by December 31, 2024. The GMA also requires that subarea plans such as the “X” Community Plan are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
Suburban Residential (SR) is a new zone that combines the similar Moderate Density Single Family (MSF) and Single-Family (SF) zones. Density will remain similar, at 4-6 dwelling units per acre. They also may have changed the meaning of “Rural Reserve” – or did they?
Here are the maps and the timeline for the process of approving these changes through the LUAC’s, Planning Commission, Planning Committee and Council.
Here are the links to each sub area community plan and LUAC meeting information. You can also listen to recordings if you are tough enough. The estimated dates of the meetings are listed, they may be subject to change.
Parkland Spanaway Midland Community Plan Land Use Advisory Commission 6 p.m. Sept 4, 2024
Graham Community Plan Land Use Advisory Commission 6:30 p.m. August 13, 2024 approved
Mid-County Community Plan Land Use Advisory Commission 6:30 p.m. August 13, 2024 approved?
South Hill Community Plan Land Use Advisory Commission 6 p.m. August 5, 2024 approved
Frederickson Community Plan Land Use Advisory Commission 7 p.m. on August 26, 2024
Planning Commission October, some Wednesday
Pierce Prairie Post 