Washington towns, cities, and counties all must adopt comprehensive plans, and most must fully comply with requirements of Washington State’s Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A). The Act requires communities to consider forecast population growth and develop a set of internally consistent policies to guide local decision making and public investment. The Act requires cities to include multiple elements in their plans, including land use, transportation, housing, capital facilities, utilities, economic development, parks and recreation, and climate resilience. Policy direction in all these topic areas lays the foundation for local subdivision, zoning, and permit review regulations. It also establishes the community’s public investment priorities.

According to the Washington State Department of Commerce, ‘middle housing’ is a term for homes that are at a middle scale between detached single-family houses and large multifamily complexes. Examples include: duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, fiveplexes, sixplexes, courtyard apartments, cottage clusters, and townhomes. These types of housing may generally provide for more housing affordability and contribute to a more efficient land use pattern, something the Growth Management Act encourages.

Sometimes called a “non-motorized transportation plan,” and active transportation plan seeks to make it easier, safer, and more convenient to travel on foot, wheelchair, bike, or public transportation. These plans usually assess existing conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, making recommendations on a variety of transportation system improvements to better accommodate those who may not be driving.

Washington adopted several updates to the Growth Management Act and other related statutes, compelling local jurisdictions to consider new approaches to land use, housing, transportation, and climate change. The laws also require these new approaches to be incorporated into local jurisdictions’ “periodic updates” to their comprehensive plans. Port Townsend is required to have its comprehensive plan and development regulations compliant with the new rules – and to adopt the updates by June 30, 2025. These processes take some time – to make sure the community is engaged and to ensure the plans benefit from the best possible information – so the City is starting it now.

Adrian Smith is the City’s project manager and will be the community’s point of contact. Signing up on the Contact page will ensure those who do will receive occasional updates on the process, invitations to public events, and reminders to check the project website for new content.

The new version of the comprehensive plan may be quite similar to the one now in place, but it may also be quite different. The process will dictate the ultimate outcome. At a minimum, the plan will change to address the new housing, transportation, and climate resilience requirements. Change may expand from there, however, reflecting new community attitudes about important issues impacting Port Townsend’s future.