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City of Richland Comprehensive Plan 2017

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City of Richland 

Comprehensive Plan 2017 

CITY OF RICHLAND  COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 

2017 – 2037 

October 3, 2017 

Prepared for  

City of Richland 

 

 

 

 

Prepared by  

Oneza & Associates 

  

Prepared with assistance from  

Anchor QEA 

J‐U‐B Engineers Inc. 

ECONorthwest 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to themembers of our community for valuable input. Thank you also to current andprevious City Council Members and Planning Commissioners for your time and effort in thecreationofthisdocumentandtheoriginalplantobuildon.

2017 City Council 

RobertThompson,Mayor

TerryChristensen,MayorProTem

BradAnderson

DoriLuzzoGilmour

PhillipLemley

SandraKent

DavidRose

2017 Planning Commission 

AmandaWallner,Chair

KentMadsen,ViceChair

CliffordClark

JamesWise

MarianneBoring

KylePalmer

DebbieBerkowitz

MichaelMealer

City Staff 

CindyReents,CityManager

JonAmundson,AssistantCityManager

KerwinJensen,Community&DevelopmentServicesDirector

RickSimon,DevelopmentServicesManager

PeteRogalsky,PublicWorksDirector

BobHammond,EnergyServicesDirector

JoeSchiessl,Parks&PublicFacilitiesDirector

TomHuntington,Fire&EmergencyServicesDirector

ChrisSkinner,PoliceServicesDirector

CathleenKoch,AdministrativeServicesDirector

HeatherKintzley,CityAttorney

CityofRichlandComprehensivePlan i

TABLEOFCONTENTSIntroduction............................................................................................................................................................1 

Background...........................................................................................................................................................................1 

GrowthManagementAct............................................................................................................................................2 

CommunityProfile.............................................................................................................................................................2 

History................................................................................................................................................................................2 

PublicParticipation...........................................................................................................................................................4 

PlanningFramework.........................................................................................................................................................4 

IntegratedEIS..................................................................................................................................................................5 

CommunityVision.................................................................................................................................................6 

VisionandValues................................................................................................................................................................6 

GeneralCommunityGoals...............................................................................................................................................9 

EconomicDevelopmentElement..................................................................................................................10 

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................10 

GoalsandPolicies.............................................................................................................................................................11 

ChallengesandOpportunities.....................................................................................................................................12 

TrendsandForecast........................................................................................................................................................13 

KeyOpportunities............................................................................................................................................................16 

LandUseElement...............................................................................................................................................17 

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................17 

GoalsandPolicies.............................................................................................................................................................18 

ExistingLandUse..............................................................................................................................................................24 

LandUsePatternandCompatibility....................................................................................................................25 

PopulationTrendsandProjections...........................................................................................................................28 

FutureLandCapacity.................................................................................................................................................28 

ProposedLandUse..........................................................................................................................................................29 

NaturalEnvironment......................................................................................................................................................30 

CriticalAreas..................................................................................................................................................................30 

Shoreline..........................................................................................................................................................................30 

OpenSpace.....................................................................................................................................................................30 

MineralResources.......................................................................................................................................................31 

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BuiltEnvironment............................................................................................................................................................31 

HistoricandCulturalResources............................................................................................................................31 

UrbanDesign.................................................................................................................................................................32 

HousingElement.................................................................................................................................................38 

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................38 

GoalsandPolicies.............................................................................................................................................................39 

ExistingCondition............................................................................................................................................................41 

ProjectedNeeds.................................................................................................................................................................41 

AddressingtheNeeds.....................................................................................................................................................41 

TransportationElement..................................................................................................................................43 

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................43 

GoalsandPolicies.............................................................................................................................................................43 

Existingsystemandfutureimprovements............................................................................................................45 

MotorizedSystem........................................................................................................................................................45 

Non‐motorizedSystem..............................................................................................................................................46 

UtilitiesElement.................................................................................................................................................48 

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................48 

GoalsandPolicies.............................................................................................................................................................49 

WastewaterFacilities......................................................................................................................................................50 

WaterSupplySystem......................................................................................................................................................50 

StormWaterSystem........................................................................................................................................................51 

SolidWasteManagement..............................................................................................................................................51 

Energy...................................................................................................................................................................................52 

OtherAgencyUtilities.....................................................................................................................................................52 

NaturalGasSupply......................................................................................................................................................52 

Telecommunications..................................................................................................................................................53 

Irrigation.........................................................................................................................................................................53 

CapitalFacilitiesElement................................................................................................................................54 

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................54 

GoalsandPolicies.............................................................................................................................................................55 

GeneralGoalsandPolicies.......................................................................................................................................55 

Parks,RecreationandOpenSpace.......................................................................................................................55 

Schools..............................................................................................................................................................................57 

MunicipalFacilities.....................................................................................................................................................57 

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Fire,Police,andEmergencyServices..................................................................................................................57 

LibraryFacilities..........................................................................................................................................................58 

Parks,Recreation,andOpenSpace...........................................................................................................................59 

MunicipalFacilities..........................................................................................................................................................60 

FireandEmergencyServicesandFacilities..........................................................................................................60 

PoliceServices....................................................................................................................................................................61 

LibraryFacilities...............................................................................................................................................................61 

Schools..................................................................................................................................................................................61 

EssentialPublicFacilities..............................................................................................................................................62 

Appendices............................................................................................................................................................63 

ListofFigures

FigureINT‐1:PopulationGrowthintheLast10YearsinRichland...................................................................3 

FigureED‐1:GDPperCapita,2001‐2015...................................................................................................................14 

FigureED‐2:Benton&FranklinCountiesEmploymentConcentrationandChangebySector,2006‐2015............................................................................................................................................................................................15 

FigureED‐3:MedianHouseholdIncome....................................................................................................................15 

FigureLU‐1:ExistingLandUseDistributioninCityLimitsandUGA..............................................................25 

FigureLU‐2:ProjectedPopulationGrowth................................................................................................................28 

FigureLU‐3:FutureLandUseMap................................................................................................................................34 

FigureLU‐4:CriticalAreasMap.......................................................................................................................................35 

FigureLU‐5:ShorelineMap...............................................................................................................................................36 

FigureLU‐6:OpenSpaceMap..........................................................................................................................................37 

FigureCF‐1:CodeViolations.............................................................................................................................................61 

INTRODUCTION

CityofRichlandComprehensivePlan

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INTRODUCTION

 BACKGROUND  TheComprehensivePlanisabasicfoundationfor local government planning. Richland’sComprehensive Plan acts as a guide for thecommunity’sphysicaldevelopment(landuse)over the long term that reflects thecommunity’s values, activities, and futuregrowth. ItguidestheCity’sdecisionson landuse, transportation, infrastructure, housing,economicdevelopment,andtheenvironment.

Cities and other government jurisdictionsadoptcomprehensiveplanstoserveasguidesfor future activities. A comprehensive plandoesnotcarrytheweightoflaw.Rather,itisa policy statement that points the way to afuture in which the City of Richland thrivesand maintains all the qualities its citizens

value.Thevision,goals,andpoliciesincludedin thisplanaredeveloped throughextensivecommunicationwith awide range of groupsandindividuals.

GMAPlanningGoals: UrbanGrowth

ReduceSprawl

Transportation

Housing

EconomicDevelopment

ProtectionofPropertyRights

PredictablePermits

NaturalResourceIndustries

OpenSpaceandRecreation

EnvironmentalProtection

CitizenParticipationandCoordination

PublicFacilitiesandServices

HistoricPreservation

ShorelineManagement

TheCityusesthepoliciesinacomprehensiveplan as a guide for its future activities,particularly the crafting of ordinances thatrelate to zoning, land use, and development.Theplanprovidesaconsistentframeworkforlegislative and administrative action, alwayssteering the City towards the desired futureandawayfromapatchworkoflawsandrules

Inthischapter,youwillfind: PlanningBackground:why

weplan

o GrowthManagementAct(GMA)

o BentonCountyCountywidePlanningPolicies

RichlandCommunityProfile

PublicParticipationPlan

ComprehensivePlanFramework

INTRODUCTION

CityofRichlandComprehensivePlan

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that conflict with the vision or with oneanother.

GrowthManagementActIn 1990, the Washington State LegislatureadoptedtheGrowthManagementAct(GMA),mandating growth to occur within UrbanGrowth Areas (UGA). Its goals includeconcentratingdevelopmentinurbanareastoprevent sprawl, encouraging affordablehousing,efficienttransportationsystemsandeconomic development, providing adequatepublic facilities, and protecting historic andnatural resources. It contains additionalgoals for citizen participation, permitprocessing,privatepropertyrightsetc.

Richland developed its first ComprehensivePlanunder theGMA guidelines in 1998. Thepopulation in Richland has grown at anaverage rateof twopercenteachyear in thelast20years.Withtheplaninplace,theCityhas accomplishedmanyof itsplanning goalsto accommodate growth. This updatedComprehensivePlanwillserveasaguidelinefor the next 10 years under the GrowthManagement Act. As the City continues toexperience steady population and economicgrowth, delivering public services is key tomaintainingthiscontinuedgrowthpattern.

Benton County CountywidePlanningPoliciesManaging growth can be ineffective if it iscarriedoutinapatchworkfashion.Therefore,the GMA provides a framework for regionalcoordination. Counties planning under theGMA should prepare Countywide PlanningPolicies (CWPP) and establish urban growthareas (UGAs). Cities and the county arerequired to be consistent with theCountywide Planning Policies in theircomprehensiveplanning.

The Benton County Board of Commissionersadopted the “Benton Countywide PlanningPolicies” in 2016 (Appendix B). Thisdocument establishes policies that the City’s

Comprehensive Plan follows in addressingeverything from transportation to theprovision of municipal services to economicdevelopmenttofiscalconsiderations.

COMMUNITY PROFILE  TheCityofRichland liesat theconfluenceofthe Yakima and Columbia Rivers, in thegeographic region known as the Mid‐Columbia Basin. Richland and the nearbycommunities of Pasco and Kennewick arecommonly called the Tri‐Cities. ThisComprehensive Plan looks at the area inRichland from the Hanford NuclearReservation on the north, to Kennewick onthe south, and from the Columbia River ontheeast, to theYakimaRiver and theCityofWestRichlandonthewest.TheYakimaRiverdelta has shaped the City’s growth into twoareas,thenorthandsouthsidesoftheCity.

Dueto its location,Richlandenjoysaccess towater and natural resources. The Columbiaand Yakima Rivers provide water forirrigation of nearby farmland as well as fordomestic use. They offer a variety ofopportunities for the City, such as openspaces, recreation systems, parks, andwaterfrontdevelopments.

HistoryNative Americans lived at the mouth of theYakimaRiver,which they called theTapteal,inanareathatisknownasRichlandtoday.

Richland falls within the Southern Plateau,part of the larger Columbia Plateau culturearea. TheYakima‐Columbiaconfluencehasarich archaeological record, with sites in theareaattributedtoalloftheSouthernPlateauculturalphases.Theareahasbeen“occupiedmoreorlesscontinuouslyforthelast10,000years” (WesternHeritage1983:4).Therearemany recorded archaeological sites within amile of the confluence. National Register‐listed properties include the Columbia Point

INTRODUCTION

CityofRichlandComprehensivePlan

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area, Bateman Island, and the Tri‐CitiesArchaeologicalDistrict(AnchorQEA,2014).

In 1943, Richlandwas a small farming townof about 300 residents. In that year, the USArmy Corps of Engineers, ManhattanEngineerDistrictpurchasedmostof theareafor a massive project to produce plutonium.The federal government planned and built acomplete community to serve this project,including schools, housing, and parks. Twoyearslater,Richlandresidentsworkingatthenew Hanford Nuclear Reservation producedtheplutoniumfuelforAmerica’sfirstnucleardetonation and for the secondnuclearbombused in World War II. By the end of WorldWarII, thepopulationinRichlandswelledto21,000persons.

For15years,onlyemployeesof theHanfordReservation could live in the town that thefederal governmentbuilt.After severalyearsof discussion at both the local and federallevels, the federal government began theprocess of turning Richland into a self‐governingcity.Citizenswereabletopurchasetheir government‐owned houses andRichland was incorporated as a first‐classWashington city in 1958. The federalgovernment began to sell the prefabricatedhousing erected for Hanfordworkers, whichhadbeen intended tobe temporary.Muchofthat housing was renovated and remains inusetoday.

F house

Inadditiontoprefabricatedhomes,AlphabetHomeswerebuilt inRichlandbetween1943

and 1951. The Alphabet Homes were basedonaseriesofhouseplansdenotedbyaletterinthealphabet(anAhouse,anFhouse,etc.).

CurrentTrendsRichlandhasexperiencedrapidgrowthinthelast decade. The Tri‐CitiesMetro area is oneof the fastest growing areas in WashingtonState. In addition to its 2016 population of53,410intheCitylimits,and54,732includingtheUGAboundary,theCityisexpectedtoadd23,699personsinthenext20years.

MuchofthedevelopmentwithintheCitycanbe linked with the Department of Energy’sactivities at Hanford. Most of the highlyskilled Hanford workforce, such asresearchers, engineers, and scientists, live inRichland.ThetopthreeemployersintheTri‐Citiesmetro area, Battelle/PacificNorthwestNationalLaboratory(PNNL),KadlecRegionalMedicalCenter(KRMC),andBechtelNational,are all located in Richland. The economy oftheCity, however, is becomingmorediversewith the rise of the healthcare sector(Kadlec), education (WSU Tri‐Cities andColumbia Basin College (CBC)), and theagriculturalindustryintheregion.

Figure INT-1: Population Growth in the Last 10 Years in Richland

Source: Office of Financial Management, 2016 estimate

44,67846,957

49,090

51,15053,080

53,410

40,000

45,000

50,000

55,000

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

INTRODUCTION

CityofRichlandComprehensivePlan

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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION The City of Richland updated its PublicParticipationPlanin2016.Citiesandcountiesplanning under the GMA must establish“…procedures providing for early andcontinuous public participation in thedevelopment and amendment ofcomprehensive land use plans anddevelopment regulations implementing suchplans.”

In 2016 and 2017, the City conductedmultipleopportunitiesforpublicinvolvementinthe formofpublicworkshops, topicgroupdiscussions,openhouses,citizensurveys,etc.The City established a Comprehensive Planwebpage to disseminate information to, andgather input from, the public. The Cityreached out to stakeholders such as PacificNorthwest National Lab (PNNL), RichlandSchool District, Columbia Basin College, andBenton Franklin Council of Government(BFCG). The City also held PlanningCommission and Council workshops.Planning Commission hearings were held inMay and August of 2017 with publishednotices.TheCityCounciladoptedthePlanonOctober3,2017.ThePlan’sgoalsandpoliciesdirectly reflect the input received from thepublic.

PLANNING FRAMEWORK  Richland’s Comprehensive Plan includesmajor planning components, visions, goals,policies,andanalyses.

A vision is a collective value and target of acommunity, it iswhatacommunitywants tobecome.

Goals are individual values aimed atachievingthevision.

Policiesdefinehowweaccomplishthegoals.

Regulations,codesandordinancesimplementpolicies.

There are six key elements in theComprehensivePlan:economicdevelopment,land use, housing, transportation, utilities,andcapitalfacilities.

PlanElements: EconomicDevelopment

LandUse

Housing

Transportation

Utilities

CapitalFacilities

Goals and policies are included in relevantelementsinordertoensuretheycarryoutthevision of the community. There are sub‐

Goals

e.g. Provide adequate and affordable housing

Policies

e.g. Allow small lot and mixed use housing 

Regulations and Programs

e.g. Zoning Code ‐ permit small lots, mixed use; Budget; Capital 

Improvement Plan

INTRODUCTION

CityofRichlandComprehensivePlan

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elementsundersomeof theseelementswithspecificgoalsandpolicies.

ThisCoreComprehensivePlanisdesignedtobe user‐friendly. A supporting analysisdocument includes additional detailedinformation. The supporting analysisdocument also includes inventory data andanalysis. In order to eliminate redundancy,goals and policies are only included in theCoreComprehensivePlan.

IntegratedEISAn integrated Environmental ImpactStatement (EIS) is prepared to review thesignificant impacts theupdatedPlan is likelyto have. An integrated EIS is a combinedGMA/State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)document prepared in accordance withWashingtonAdministrativeCode(WAC)197‐11‐235. It discusses how environmentalvalues are considered in the plan such asgoals,policies,andlandusedesignations.

This integrated document analyzesalternatives in an environmental impactstatementsummarydocument(AppendixC).

VISION

CityofRichlandComprehensivePlan

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Inthischapter,youwillfind:TheCityofRichland’svisionandvaluesforthefollowing,

CommunityandNeighborhoodCharacter

EconomicDevelopment

LandUseandGrowth

HousingandNeighborhood

Transportation

OpenSpaceandNaturalAreas

PublicEngagement

UrbanDesignandCulture

Sustainability

ParksandRecreation

PublicFacilities

Utilities

PublicSafety

School

COMMUNITYVISIONVISION AND VALUES VisionsareideasofwhatRichlandwillbelikeattheendofthe20yearsplanningperiod.In2016, the City conducted several visioningworkshops with the public, PlanningCommission, and City Council. An onlinesurvey was also conducted with more than850respondentsparticipating,offering inputon multiple issues. Vision ideas weregathered from a range of people living ordoingbusinessinRichland.

Keycomponentsofthecommunity’slandusevision are categorized into several valuesdiscussed in the subsections below. Detailedvision information is available in the PublicInvolvement Summary document (AppendixD).

CommunityandNeighborhoodCharacter

Richland is a vibrant, progressive, safe,diverse, and family‐friendly communitywithopportunities for jobs, housing, andrecreation.

Vision

Richlandisaprogressive,safe,andfamily‐friendlycommunitythatwelcomesdiversity.Itisnotedforexcellenceintechnology,medicine,education,recreation,tourism,andcitizenparticipation.Thisdynamiccity,situatedontworivers,activelysupportsopportunitiesforeconomicdevelopmentthatareinharmonywiththearea’suniquenaturalresources.

VISION

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Streets and crosswalks

Farmers’ market

PublicEngagement

Richland communicates with the public in avariety of ways to engage, understand, andaddress the community preferences, values,andconcerns.

EconomicDevelopment

Richland uses sound economic developmentpractice to create a diverse and sustainableeconomy.Itisaleaderintechnology,medicalservices, and research. Both small and largebusinessesarevibrantandgrowing.TheCityCenter is walkable with mixed‐uses. Themixed‐use waterfront areas offer views,amenities, and recreational opportunitieswhile protecting certain unique naturalresources.

LandUseandGrowth

Richland manages growth within its urbangrowth area while revitalizing existingneighborhoods and the City Center.Richland’s bustling Central Business Districtis developed as a mixed‐use village withpedestrianamenities,transitaccess,andbikepaths.

HousingandNeighborhood

HousingisavailableinRichlandforallincomeand age groups. It offers multiple housingchoices such as single‐family, multi‐family,mixed‐use,andassistedlivingfacilities.

Transportation

The City’s transportation system is efficientand multi‐modal. Richland’s neighborhoodsare well connected for car and transit, andsafe for bike and pedestrian traffic. Itmaintains efficient connectivity withneighboringjurisdictions.

OpenSpaceandNaturalAreas

The community recognizes that naturalresources add value to the quality of life.Richland preserves and protects existingnatural resources, and critical areas. Usesalong the riverfront protect naturalresources.

UrbanDesignandCulture

Richlandisaphysicallyappealingcommunitywithadiverseculturalheritage.Itisahubofarts,culture,andeducation.

Public visioning meeting

VISION

CityofRichlandComprehensivePlan

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Thecommunityvalueshighqualitydesign inshaping its natural andphysical character inbuilding, landscape, and streetscape design.Its urban areas are revitalized with publicspacesandpedestrian‐friendlyfeatures.

Sustainability

Sustainable growth in Richland bringsopportunities formass transit, and bike andpedestrian trails. The community practiceswater conservation, recycling, and naturalresourceprotection.

ParksandRecreation

Howard Amon Park and the Community Center

Richland protects and maintains its highlyvalued parks and recreation system.Richland’s park system meets a variety ofuser needs including sports and otherrecreational activities in its developed andundevelopedparks.

PublicFacilities

Richlandprovidesqualitypublic facilities forall age and income groups. This includeseducation, library, medical, municipal, andcommunityfacilities.

Utilities

Richland is forward thinking in providingutilitieswithsystemsthataresustainableandsupporttheplannedgrowth.

PublicSafety

Richland Fire Station 74

Richland highly values public safety and asafe lifestyle. As such the City maintainspublicsafetyforallagesandneighborhoods.

Schools

Schools that provide quality education areimportant for the community. Richland'sschools are economically and ethnicallydiverse,providingneighborhoodstabilityandexcellenteducationoutcomesforallstudents.Richland coordinateswith school districts toensure schools are located appropriately toserveitscommunity.

VISION

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GENERAL COMMUNITY GOALS Community Goal 1: Ensure and enhancethe continuing sense of a livable andsustainablecommunityinRichland.

CommunityGoal2: Create a vibrant,progressive, and physically, socially,economically, and culturally diversecommunity providing choices of jobs,housing,andrecreationalopportunitiestoitsresidentsofallages.

Community Goal 3: Encourage continuedinteraction with other city, county,regional, tribal, state, and federalgovernments in order to coordinateregionalefforts.

Community Goal 4: Encourage theidentification, preservation, andenhancementofhistoricelements to givethe future of the City continuitywith thepast.

Community Goal 5: Encourage theidentification, preservation, andrestoration of the City’s open space andnaturalareastomaintainhabitat,provideopportunities for residents to connectwithnature,andmeeteducational,health,and outdoor recreational needs withassociated economic opportunities to thecommunity.

Community Goal 6: Implement programsfor the improvement of the builtenvironment and its aesthetic quality tomaintain a clean, safe, and attractivecommunity.

Community Goal 7: Develop a vibrantCentral Business District planned on ahighdensitylanduse.

CommunityGoal8:Provideinfrastructureand public facilities that serve the bestinterestofthecommunity.

Community Goal 9: Provide and supportan efficient, varied, and well‐maintainedtransportationnetwork.

CommunityGoal10:Achieveadiversifiedmix of private industry and commercecapable of supporting a strong andgrowingeconomy.

Community Goal 11:Work to implementtheCity’sStrategicKeys.

Community Goal 12: Continue activecitizen involvement and outreacheducation in development decisions andplanningforRichland’sfuture.

ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

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ECONOMICDEVELOPMENTELEMENT

 

INTRODUCTION The economic development element of thecomprehensive plan is intended to guideinvestments through a framework ofstrategiesandpolicieswiththeoverallgoalofgrowing economic opportunities in the City.The intent is to identify sound economicdevelopment practices to build a strongeconomy where local businesses arewelcomed and encouraged by the City, andensuretheeconomyisresilient,dynamic,andsustainable for current and futuregenerations.

The City’s ability to understand itscompetitiveadvantagesandproactivelyworkto attract a wide range of employers will inturn createmore high‐wage jobs,whichwillin turn produce municipal revenues formaintaining and enhancing quality servicelevels,infrastructure,andfacilities.

Inthischapter,youwillfind: Goalsandpoliciesguiding

economicdevelopmentinRichland

Challengesandopportunities

Trendsandforecasts Keyrecommendations

ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

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GOALS AND POLICIES EDGoal1:Build thediversity, resiliency,andequityoftheCity’seconomytoensureopportunities for growth and sharedprosperity.

Policy1: Support the growth of a balancedmix of companies in the followingsectors: high technology,professional service, personalservice, retail trade, agriculturalprocessing, energy industries,manufacturing,andtourism.

Policy2: Support expansion andimprovement of businessrecruitment, retention andexpansion programs to provideoutreach and assistance to startupandexistingbusinesses.

Policy3: Encourage educational institutionsand non‐profits to train a skilledfutureworkforce.

Policy4: Recognize that infrastructure,including transportation and utilityplanning are vital to economicdevelopment and attractingbusinesses.

ED Goal 2: Make Richland a center ofentrepreneurial business, and researchanddevelopmentopportunities.

Policy1: Develop a detailed strategy to helpgrow technology businesses in theCityofRichland.

Policy2: Leverage scientific and technologyresearch at PNNL and WSU‐Tri‐Citiesforspin‐offlocalbusinesses.

Policy3: Enhance Richland’s physical andbusiness environment fortechnology‐basedcompanies.

Policy4: Remove unnecessary barriers forstart‐upsandentrepreneurs.

EDGoal3:Supportbusinessesofallsizes.

Policy1:Ensure that small and mediumbusinesses receive similaradvantages as large businesses interms of assistance from the Cityandotheragencies.

Policy2: Streamline and administerregulationstoensurepredictability,efficiency,andtransparency.

EDGoal 4:Work closelywith healthcare,education,andotherregionalinstitutionalpartnerstostrengthencollaboration.

Policy1: Enhance the connection betweensectors – medical, educational,research, and technology toencouragecollaborationandskilledjobplacement.

Policy2: Engage local and regional partnersin discussions about land use,transportation, and facilities tocomplementbusinessdevelopment.

Policy3: Support growth and expansion ofKadlecRegionalMedicalCenteranddiverse medical companies, WSU‐Tri‐Cities, Columbia Basin College,andPNNLwithintheCity.

ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

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ED Goal 5: Ensure that Richland’seconomic development goals are alignedwith regionaleconomicdevelopmentandmarketingefforts.

Policy1: Coordinatewith local, regional, andstate economic developmentorganizations inactivities toattractnew businesses and industries tothecommunity.

Policy2: FacilitatecollaborationwithTri‐CityDevelopmentCouncil(TRIDEC)andthe Tri‐Cities Visitor andConvention Bureau to develop andimplement seamless, collaborative,low‐cost, and effective marketingefforts designed to recruit newbusinesses, expand existingbusinesses, and build a positivenationalimage.

Policy3: Accommodate the continued use ofthePortofBentonbargingfacilitiesin north Richland, consistent withtheCity’sShorelineMasterProgram(SMP).

Policy4: Marketthenewlytransferred1,341areaslandfromDOEtotheCity,thePort of Benton, and EnergyNorthwest for large industrialdevelopments.

ED Goal 6: Encourage vibrantmixed‐useareas inTri‐Cities asdestinations to live,work,andvisit.

Policy1: Stimulate the development ofquality retail and entertainmentvenues through incentives andinfrastructureinvestments.

Policy2: Assist small business owners toenhance their skills and profitopportunities.

Policy3: Work with public and privategroups to expand the range oftouristattractionswithinthecity.

Policy4: Facilitate retail development andencourage infill in the Central

Business District, Uptown, andnearbycommercialareas.

Policy5: Promote performing arts venuesand activities through partnershipswith regional economicdevelopmentagencies.

Policy6: Expand the range of options forhousinginareasplannedforhigherdensitydevelopment.

Policy7: Support development of higherdensityhousing.

Policy8: Attract young professionals bypromoting their preferred types ofjob, housing, and entertainmentoptions.

EDGoal7:Recognizeparks,naturalareas,and a built environment with qualitydesign for the value they offer asmajorattractions.

Policy1: Preserve open space areas andassociatedfunctionsandvalues.

Policy2: Work with public and privategroupstosupporttheseareas.

Policy3: Provideopportunitiesforactiveandpassive recreation in parks andopenspaces.

Policy4: Promote quality design for publicprojects as well as privatedevelopments.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES RichlandincludesmajoremployersoftheTri‐Cities area. The work performed at theHanford site in tandemwith the research atPNNLhave driven economic development inthe region and City for decades. This iscurrently the region’s largest economicstrengthandasourceofitsgreatesteconomicopportunity.

ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

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The region has shown strong growth ineconomic output over the past severaldecades leading to sustained employmentgrowth. From a regional economicperspective, the agricultural sector is one ofthemost competitive in the region,which isnot surprisinggiven the region’sagriculturaladvantages. The region has a strongindustrial/manufacturing base that hassustained itself over time yet the largestportionoftheeconomyisservice‐based(bothprofessional/business and personal) thatcontinues to drive economic growth in therecent decade. However, growth in mostother sectors have mirrored the nation as awhole; fueling economic conversations thatthe region needs to find new growth insectors that can produce and sustain bothcomparativeandcompetitiveadvantages.

The City of Richland contains a largeconcentration of the region's professionalservicesector.TheCityishometothetwoofthe largest non‐governmental employers intheregion,PNNLandKadlec,thataccountfornearly 8,000 employees in the City. From alanduseperspective,Richlandhasmorethanhalf of the region’s commercial office spaceand industrial space, respectively; and issecond only to Kennewick in the amount ofretailspace.

Additionally, Richland has strongdemographics for future economic growth.Employees and households are on averagebettereducatedandbetterpaid,withalarger

segment of the population in its primeworking age. From this perspective, the Cityshouldbewellpositionedtocapitalizeitspastperformanceandexistingassetstoextenditseconomicgrowth.

TRENDS AND FORECAST  The economy of the Tri‐Cities region isprimarily service‐based. Goods‐producingindustries (such asmanufacturing)make upforlessthan25percentofthetotaleconomicoutput. The Tri‐Cities economy was lessimpactedbytherecessionin2008,duetotheincreaseinemploymentatHanfordaspartoftheAmericanRecoveryandReinvestmentAct(ARRA) of 2009. The total output declinedfrom $10.3 billion in 2010 to $8.6 billion in2014 partly due to the end of ARRA andpartly reflecting the national recessiontrends. However, most recent data hasindicated that economic conditions havecontinuedtoimproveoverthepasttwoyears.

On a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) percapita basis, the Tri‐Cities region is not asproductive when compared to WashingtonStateand to thenation.On thismeasure, theregion has been slower to recover than thestate as awhole. GDPper capita is themostcommon indicator of economic performanceof regions. GDP per capita is calculated bymeasuringGrossDomesticProduct inayear,anddividingitbythepopulation.ThereasonsforthelowerGDPpercapitaintheregionarecomplexbutareduetothe largepresenceofgovernment‐supportedactivities.

ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

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Figure ED-1: GDP per Capita, 2001-2015

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2016

The Tri‐Cities area is unique in that itsemployment base is dominated by a selectnumberoflargeemployers.

Table ED-1: Top Ten Tri-Cities Employers

  Company  Industry  Employees 

1

Battelle/ Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Research & Development 4,365

2Kadlec Regional Medical Center Health Services 3,304

3Bechtel National

Engineering & Construction 2,898

4 ConAgra FoodsFood Processing 2,727

5Kennewick School District Education 2,130

6

Washington River Protection Solutions

Environmental Remediation Services 2,077

7Pasco School District Education 2,015

8Mission Support Alliance, LLC

Support Services, Hanford/Dept. of Energy Site 1,928

9Richland School District Education 1,500

10 CH2M Hill

Environmental Remediation Services 1,400

Source: Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC), link. Accessed February 14, 2017

Roughly one in five of an estimated 116,000jobsintheBenton‐Franklinareaarefromone

ofthe10largestfirms/agencieslistedbelow.Eightofthe10topemployersintheTri‐Citiesare located in Richland, a legacy largely dueto significant federal investments in theHanfordNuclearReservation.

The chart below shows the localconcentration of jobs by sector (locationquotient) along with measures of industrysizeandaverageannual employment changein the Tri‐Cities region. Location quotientsmeasuretheconcentrationofjobsinasectorcomparedtothestatewideaverage.Avalueof1.0 signifies that the sector possesses thesame level of employment concentration asthe state. Values above 1.0 are moreconcentratedthanthestateaverage.Thesizeof the bubble represents thenumber of jobswithin that sector. Sectors with sizableemployment and higher than averageconcentration represent strengths for theregion.Fastgrowingsectors,evenif theyarenot very large, represent potentialopportunityareas.

In theTri‐Cities region, the largest sectors—services and government—have a similarconcentrationasthestate,andaregrowingata rate of one to three percent a year,indicating they are the base of the regionaleconomy.TheagriculturesectorisastrengthintheTri‐Cities;itismuchmoreconcentratedrelativetothestateandisgrowingatarateof3.7 percent per year. Education,manufacturing, wholesale trade,warehousing,transportation,andutilitiesarealso growing at a rate of more than threepercent a year, but are smaller and lessprevalent in the Tri‐Cities compared to thestate. Much of the growth in foodmanufacturing, wholesale trade,warehousing, transportation, and utilitiesmayberelatedtothegrowthandprevalenceoftheagriculturesectorintheTri‐Cities.

$0

$10

$20

$30

$40

$50

$60

2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Rea

l GD

P pe

r Ca

pita

(Tho

usan

ds

of D

olla

rs)

Kennewick-Richland MSA Washington Nation

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Figure ED-2: Benton & Franklin Counties Employment Concentration and Change by Sector, 2006-2015

Source: Washington State Employment Security Department

Federal funding for Hanford has been asignificanteconomiccatalystfortheTri‐CitiesRegion generally with Richland at theforefront.EvenwithsignificantdownsizingatHanford in the 1990s, household incomes inFranklin and Benton Counties continued togrowsteadily.

Today, household incomes for Richlandresidents are nearly ten percent higher thanthe County average and more than twentypercent higher when compared to those ofKennewick residents. Richland enjoyseconomic prosperity not just compared totheir Tri‐Cities neighbors, but compared tostateaveragesaswell,asillustratedinFigureED‐3. Higher incomes are the result oftechnical and professional positions thatrequirehigherlevelsofeducation.

Figure ED-3: Median Household Income

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2015 5-year, Table B19013A

RelativetoKennewickandPasco,Richlandishome to a highly educated workforce. Thedemands for engineers and scientistsgenerated by Hanford and its subsidiaryresearch and development activities havebeenacentralemploymentanddemographiccharacteristic for the Tri‐Cities Region, inparticularforRichland.

Government Education

Finance, Insurance, Real Estate

Construction/ Resources

Manufacturing Warehouse,

Transportation, Utilities

Retail Services

Wholesale Trade

Ag/Forestry

-0.50

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 9% 10%

Loca

tion

Quo

tient

Average Annual Growth Rate

$55,361

$60,041

$61,241

$62,337

$62,873

$68,588

$0 $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $80,000

Kennewick

Pasco

Franklin County,

Statewide

Benton County

Richland

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KEY OPPORTUNITIES Area1.Createaresilienteconomy

ThesinglegreatestthreattotheRichlandandTri‐Cities economy is the winding down ofbusiness and employment and the HanfordNuclear Reservation without suitableeconomic opportunities in place that wouldprovideforacomparablestandardofliving.Areduction inwork atHanfordwillmean lessdirect employment in Richland and largenegative impacts on the businesses thatsupportthemdirectlyaswellastheresultinghouseholds whose wages they support.However, Hanford is also an asset to thecommunity and has been effective atattracting a highly educated workforce inscienceandtechnology.Thesefieldsproduceprofessional‐wage jobs and have producedspinoffbusinessescomingfromPNNL.

To ensure the stability and resiliency of theeconomy, the City should leverage existingassetsbutadaptthemtoachangingeconomy.These efforts should focus on increasingprimarysector,non‐Hanfordscienceandtechemployment by creating a businessenvironment that encourages and welcomeslocal business. Additionally, the City shoulddevelop partnerships with TRIDEC, PNNL,Kadlec,andothermajoremployerstoplanforexpansion and delivery of adequateinfrastructureandservices.

Area2.Buildandattractamoreentrepreneurialanddynamiceconomy

Richland is the regional hub for highlyeducated science and technologyprofessionals. Labor force participation ishigh, particularly for the most productivesegment of the population – 30 to 54 yearolds.Withaccess to innovationpartners andrelatively low land costs when compared tobigger cities like Seattle, the climate forentrepreneurialstartupcompaniesispresent.However, attracting innovation andinvestment is a goal of manymunicipalities.

The City can advance this environmentthrough infrastructure investment,streamlined regulation, and “secondpaycheck” benefits such as livability andaccess to recreation. Working with itsregional education and economicdevelopment partners, the City can play itsrole by creating and supporting a rich“entrepreneurialecosystem”inthearea.

Area3.Leveragethenaturallandscapeasanassetforeconomicdevelopment

Richland’s locationalong theColumbiaRiveroffers exceptional opportunities to easilyaccess attractive natural recreational spaces,as well as close proximity to the region’svibrant agri‐tourism and wine industries. Inaddition to this, professional serviceemployees living in Richland enjoy lifestyleamenities, also called the “secondpaycheck.”These include access to parks, walkablebusiness districts, good schools, diversehousingoptions,qualityrestaurants,andartsand cultural activities. Richland’s ability toleverage its natural environment to directlyspur economic activities and provide anattractive setting for professionals willfurther enhance its competitive advantage.However, residents must be cognizant ofmaintaining a healthy balance betweenenvironmental preservation and economicdevelopmentactivities.

Area4.CloselymonitorzoningandlanduseintheCity

The City has the dual challenge of planningfor urban infill development as well asplanning to accommodate development onmany large and relatively undeveloped siteswithin the City. To ensure zoning isresponsivetomarketconditions,itshouldbemonitored periodically to evaluate potentialhindrances. Working to concentratedevelopment in areas with existinginfrastructure and near job centers will beinstrumentaltooptimizetheCity’sfunding.

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Inthischapter,youwillfind: Goalsandpoliciesguiding

landuseinRichland

Existinglandusesandfutureprojections

o Overallcapacity

Proposedlanduse

Sub‐elements:

o Criticalareas

o Mineralresources

o Openspace

o Historicandculturalresources

o Urbandesign

LANDUSEELEMENT

INTRODUCTION The Land Use Element guides andaccommodates future growth of the Citywhile maintaining the community’s highquality of life and unique characteristics. Itdetermines the community’s need for anddistribution of residential, business,governmental, recreational, open space, andother types of land uses. The accompanyingland usemap (Fig. LU‐3) identifies land usecategorieswithintheCitylimitsandtheUGA.A key component of the GMA and theComprehensive Plan is to allow growthwithintheurbangrowtharea.

Richland implements its various land usesthrough zoning designations as shown inTableLU‐1below.

The City must assess its financial ability toprovideservicesatitsurbandensitylevelandprovide an appropriate supply of land usesfor new developments. The desired result isto provide a greater market choice in landsfor development while allowing for themaximum accountability for public funds

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needed to provide for existing and plannedurban areas.TheCity’s Capital ImprovementPlanisasix‐yearplanthatreassessespriorityareas for funding should the funding fallsshort of meeting the existing needs. To thateffect,theCityalsoadjustsitslongtermlanduse goals to align them with the fundingavailability.

Table LU-1: Land Use Implementation by Zoning

Land Use Designation  Zoning Categories 

Residential

LowDensityResidential R‐1‐12,R‐1‐10,SAG

MediumDensityResidential

R‐2,R‐2S

HighDensityResidential

R‐3,C‐LB

BadgerMountainSouth BadgerMountainMasterPlan

Commercial BusinessCommerce B‐CCentralBusinessDistrict

CBD

Commercial C‐1,C‐2,C‐3,C‐LB,CW

GeneralCommercial C‐3RegionalRetail C‐2Waterfront WFCommercialRecreation CRPublicLands/OpenSpace

DevelopedOpenSpace PPFNaturalOpenSpace NOSUrbanRecreation URPublicFacility PPFIndustrial BusinessResearchPark B‐RPIndustrial I‐M,M‐2MixedUseDesignations

Agricultural FP,AGResidentialOffice C‐LBUrbanReserve AG

GOALS AND POLICIES LU Goal 1: Plan for growth within theurban growth area and promotecompatiblelanduse.

Policy1: Revitalize areas that are alreadywithin the City, especially areaswithintheCentralBusinessDistrict,such as the Parkway and Uptown,andtheIslandViewareas.

Policy2: Facilitate planned growth and infilldevelopmentswithintheCity.

LU Goal 2: Establish land uses that aresustainable and create a livable andvibrantcommunity.

Policy1: Maintain a variety of land usedesignations to accommodateappropriate residential,commercial, industrial, healthcare,educational, recreational, and openspaceuses thatwill takeadvantageof the existing infrastructurenetwork.

Policy2: Ensure that adequate publicservices are provided in areasonable time frame for newdevelopments.

Policy3: Ensure that the intent of the landuseanddistrictsaremaintained.

LU Goal 3: Maintain a broad range ofresidential land use designations toaccommodate a variety of lifestyles andhousingopportunities.

Policy1: Distribute residential uses anddensities throughout the urbangrowth area consistent with theCity’svision.

Policy2: Encourage higher residentialdensities especially in andnear theCentralBusinessDistrictarea.

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Policy3: Innovative and non‐traditionalresidential developments can occurthrough the use of planned unitdevelopments, density bonuses,newtypesofhousing,andmulti‐useormixed‐usedevelopments.

LU Goal 4: Promote commercial andindustrialgrowth that supports theCity’seconomicdevelopmentgoals.

Policy1: Accommodate a variety ofcommercial land uses includingretail and wholesale sales andservices, and research andprofessionalservices.

Policy2: Promote developments such asbusiness and research parks, officeparks, technology centers,manufacturing and processingfacilities, and other types for high‐techuses.

Policy3: Locate neighborhood‐orientedcommercial land uses inNeighborhood Retail Businessareas.

Policy4: Encourage the use of buffers ortransition zones between non‐compatiblelanduses.

Policy5: In areaswhere residential uses arein close proximity to industrial orcommercial lands, adequatedevelopment standards should beused in industrial or commercialdevelopments to mitigate theimpactsonresidentialuses.

Policy6: Supportindustrialdevelopmentsonlands previously owned by theDepartment of Energy andtransferredtotheCityandthePortofBenton.

LU Goal 5: Ensure connectivity thatenhancescommunityaccessandpromotesphysical, social,andoverallwell‐being soresidents can live healthier and moreactivelives.

Policy1: Locatecommercialusessothattheyconveniently serve the needs ofresidential neighborhoods,workplaces, and are easilyaccessiblevianon‐motorizedmodesoftransport.

Policy2: Promote pedestrian and bicyclecirculation throughout thecommunity by connecting with theinfrastructure and the City’snetworkofparksandtrailsystem.

CentralBusinessDistrict

LU Goal 6: Develop an attractive andvibrant Central Business District thatdisplaystheuniquecharacterofRichland.

Policy1: Revitalize declining commercialareasbypromotingclean, safe, andpedestrian‐ and bicycle‐friendlyenvironments.

Policy2: Designate land use and zoning forhigher‐density residential uses,mixed‐use,andbusinessuseswithinandadjacenttotheCentralBusinessDistrict.

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Policy3: Encourage infill development andredevelopment in the CentralBusinessDistrict.

PublicFacilities

LU Goal 7: Encourage efficient use andlocationofpublic facilitiessuchastransitcenters, utility facilities, schools, parks,andotherpublicuses.

Policy1: Locate municipal facilities withintheir service areas and ensure thegrouping of facilities withinneighborhoods,wheneverfeasible.

Policy2: Ensure that the scale, and locationof public facilities are compatiblewith or buffered from existing andplannedsurroundingareas.

Policy3: Wherever possible, the City willlocate park and school facilitiestogether for efficient use of publicfacilities.

Policy4: Encourage the development ofprivate and public regional sportsand recreational facilities of a sizeand quality to attract significantnumbersofusersandspectators.

LandUseinSpecificAreas

LU Goal 8: Address unique land usesituations in theurbanareawithpoliciesspecific to those situations that ensurecompatibility between land uses withoutinfringingonprivatepropertyrights.

Policy1: EnsurethatlandsdesignatedUrbanReserve remain in this holdingcategorytoservefuturedemandforland.

Policy2: Apply the Agricultural designationintheYakimaRiverfloodplain.

Policy3: At designated Waterfront land uselocations, encourage an active mixof commercial, residential, andmarineusesasallowedintheSMP.

Policy4: Identify and encourage thepreservation of lands, sites, andstructures that have historical orarchaeologicalsignificance.

Policy5: Define and identify mineralresource lands located within itsboundaries that are not alreadycompromisedbyon‐site,immediate,or adjacent urban growth and thathave long‐term significance for theextraction of minerals on acommercially‐viablebasis.

Policy6: Property and/or mineral rightsowners should work with the Cityand appropriate agencies forprotection of these sites. Designatemineral resource lands located inthe City of Richland that meet theCriteriaforClassificationofMineralResources(WAC365‐190‐070).

Policy7: Ensure that land uses surroundingtheRichlandAirportarecompatiblewith existing and future airportoperations and do not restrict theairport’s ability to maintain orexpand its existing and futureaviation demands. Coordinate with

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the Port of Benton to restrict landuses in airport areas that wouldcreate conflict or negatively impactthe safe and effective airportoperations.

LUGoal9:WithinIslandView,theCitywillimplement a Single Family Overlay landuse designation for clusters of propertythat are currently used as single familyresidenceswhichhavehighprobabilityofbeing redeveloped with non‐residentiallanduses.

Policy1: The city will use the Single FamilyOverlay concept only in thoseinstances where the majority ofproperty owners have expressed apreferenceforitsuse.

Policy2: Areas designated as Single FamilyOverlay will be zoned for single‐familyresidentialuses,asidentifiedin the city’s R‐2 Medium DensityResidentialzoningdistrict.

Policy3: Areas designated as Single FamilyOverlay will remain as such untilproperty owner(s) bring forward arequest to remove the overlay andchange the zoning to thedesignation contained in the IslandViewSubareaPlan.Insuchcases,anamendment to the comprehensiveplanisnotnecessary.

Policy4: Applicants bringing forward arequest to change the zoning ofproperty designated Single FamilyOverlay should demonstrate thatthe land proposed for amendmentis:

a) large enough to supportredevelopmentfornon‐singlefamilyresidentiallanduses;and

b) willhavesufficientaccess toCitystreets and utility systems tosupportredevelopment.

Policy5: Whenever properties designatedwith the Single Family Overlay arerezoned for non‐single familyresidential uses in accordancewithPolicy 4 above, the Single FamilyOverlay designation should beremovedfromthesubjectproperty.

PrivatePropertyRights

LU Goal 10: Follow controlling law andconstitutional requirements, both stateand federal, to ensure the appropriateprotectionofprivatepropertyrights.

Policy1: Monitor evolving state and federalstatutory amendments and judicialprecedent so that timelyamendments or changes can bemade in the process ofimplementing the comprehensiveplan policies and developmentregulations.

Policy2: Process comprehensive planamendments and developmentregulations using a fair and openhearing process, with adequatepublic notice and opportunities toparticipatetoensuretheprotectionofalldueprocessrights.

Policy3: Processtimely,fair,andpredictableprocessing and review of land usepermitapplications inconformancewith applicable federal and statelegalandregulatoryrequirements.

NaturalEnvironment

NE Goal 1: Promote the protection,conservation, and restoration of naturalareas, shorelines, and critical areas asunique assets to the community, andprovide public access for enjoyment ofsuch facilities based on the ability of theresourcetosupporttheuse.

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Policy1: Use the critical areas ordinance,SMP,thestateenvironmentalpolicyact(SEPA),andotherordinances,asapplicable, todesignateandprotectthe critical areas and naturalenvironment.

Policy2: Consider the goals and policies ofthe SMP as part of thisComprehensive Plan. Encouragedevelopment of water‐orientedrecreational, cultural, andcommercial facilities in certainColumbiaRiverlocations,consistentwith the SMP and its criteria of nonet loss of ecological functions, toenhance and diversify Richland’scommunity recreational resourcesanditsattractivenesstotourists.

Policy3: Ensure public access to shorelineson public land, subject toregulationsprotectingpublicsafety,sensitivehabitatareas,andwildlife.

Policy4: Encourage the public and/orprivateacquisitionoftheprominentridgesinthesouthRichlandareatopreserve views, protect shrub‐steppe habitat, and to providepublic access. Consider thepreservation of the ridges andhillside areas through variousstandards.

Policy5: Develop an integrated pedestriantrail system to provide accessthroughtheCity’simportantnaturalfeatures, such as prominent ridgesand rivershore areas and providenecessary trail linkages betweenthesenaturalfeatures.

HistoricandCulturalResources

HP Goal 1: Preserve significant historicstructures, districts, and culturalresourcesthatareuniquetoRichland.

Policy1: Encourage preservation andpromotion of adaptive reuse ofhistoric “Alphabet Homes” ofRichland.

Policy2: Coordinatewithlocaltribes,federal,state and local agencies to protecthistoricandculturalresources.

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UrbanDesign

UD Goal 1: Create a physically attractiveand culturally vibrant, pedestrian‐ andbicycle‐friendlyenvironmentintheCity.

Policy1: Establish and enhance the positiveattributes of residential,commercial, central business, andother districts with appropriatetransitionbetweenthem.

Policy2: Encourage redevelopment andupgrade of suitable commercialareas.

Policy3: Improve streetscape andconnectivity for safe andpedestrian‐friendlyenvironments.

Policy4: Promotepublic arts,museums, andinterpretivecentersincoordinationwith public plazas and communityspaces that reflect the uniquehistoryandcultureofRichland.

UD Goal 2: Revitalize commercial areas,such as areas in the Central BusinessDistrict including the Uptown retail areaandtheIslandViewarea.

Policy1: Enhancetheappearance,image,anddesign character of the CentralBusinessDistrict.

Policy2: Ensure adequate public transit,bicycle,andpedestrianaccessinthecommercial centers along withparkingandlandscaping.

Policy3: Enhance the welcoming experienceinto the community through well‐designed gateway features inprominentlocations.

Policy4: Design the public realm, includingstreetscapes,parks,plazas,andcivicamenities for the community togatherandinteract.

Policy5: Provide continuity among adjacentusesbyusingcohesivelandscaping,decorative paving, street furniture,public art, and integratedinfrastructureelements.

UD Goal 3: Development throughappropriatedesign,shouldprotectnaturalfeatures such as rivers, shorelines,ridgelines, steep slopes, andarchaeologicalandhistoricalresources.

Policy1: Developmentshouldbesensitivetoexisting topography and landscape,andshouldminimizeenvironmentalimpacts.

Policy2: Hillside development should, asmuch as practical, blend with thenatural shape and texture of theland.

Policy3: Lightingshouldbedesignedsoastopromote public safety as well aspromote"DarkSky"principals.

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UD Goal 4: Promote communitybeautificationbyenhancingpublicspacesand thoroughfares and encouragingprivatepropertybeautification.

Policy1: Improve the appearance of all city‐owned space and majorthoroughfares.

Policy2: Promote programs to improvelandscaping. Encourage xeriscapinganduseofnativeplants.

Policy3: Promote more attractive signagethroughout the City, especially incommercialdistricts.

EXISTING LAND USE  Richland includes a variety of land uses asfollows:

Agriculture(AG)

LowDensityResidential(LDR)

MediumDensityResidential(MDR)

HighDensityResidential(HDR)

BadgerMountainSouth(BMS)

MultifamilyResidentialOffice(RO)

CentralBusinessDistrict(CBD)

Commercial(C)

RetailRegional(RR)

GeneralCommercial(GC)

BusinessCommerce(BC)

SingleFamilyOverlay(SFO)

CommercialRecreation(CR)

Waterfront(WF)

Industrial(I)

Business/ResearchPark(BRP)

PublicFacility(PF)

DevelopedOpenSpace(DOS)

NaturalOpenSpace(NOS)

UrbanReserve(UR)

Richland’s land area consists of a total of28,694 acres (25,846 acres in theCity limitsand2,848acres in theUGA).Richland’s landuse is dominated by residential land useconsisting of about 32 percent of the totallanduse(low,medium,andhighdensitylanduses combined), followed by 22 percentindustrial, and 16 percent open space(developed and natural) land use. Single‐familyresidentialuseispredominantinbothLDRandMDRlandusesareas.Industriallandincludes a recent transfer of 1,641 acres of

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landfromtheDepartmentofEnergy(DOE)tothe City, the Port of Benton, and EnergyNorthwest on the north side of the City. A

majorportionofthislandwaslocatedoutsideof theUGA,and is currentlybeingprocessedtobeincludedwithintheUGA.

Figure LU-1: Existing Land Use Distribution in City Limits and UGA

LandUsePatternandCompatibilityDue to the linear geographic pattern of theCity along theColumbiaRiver runningnorthandsouth,Richland’s land isalsodistributedprimarily from north to south coveringapproximately 25,000 acres in the currentincorporatedlimitsandadditionalover2,800acres in the UGA. Residential lands areconcentratedinthreemajorareas,thecentralareabetweentheColumbiaRiverandSR240,areassouthoftheYakimaRiver,andtheHornRapids area. The Yakima River delta andassociated natural open space land runalmost through the middle of the City.Although commercial lands are distributedthroughouttheCity,themajorconcentrationsare found in the Central Business District,

Queensgate,andtheIslandViewareas.MuchoftheindustrialandresearchusesarelocatedonthenorthernpartoftheCitystartingfromRichland Airport on the south side to thenorthCitylimits.

Richland’s land use distribution focuses onplacing compatible land uses next to eachother.Compatibility isbasedonthe intensityof landuses.Generallyspeaking, industrial isthemostintenseuseduetotheimpactsofitsoperations (noise, light, dust, etc.), need ofsupporting facilities, and overall impact onthe land. Natural areas are considered theleastintenseastherearenodevelopmentsorimprovements on such areas. Therefore, alow density residential next to a heavyindustrial land use would be consideredincompatible because of the impactsindustrial use may have on the residences.

Low Density Residential, 18.35%

Med. Density Residential, 4.97% High Density 

Residential, 1.85%Badger Mountain South, 4.99%

Business Commerce, 0.10%

Central Business District, 0.77%Commercial, 3.70%

General Commercial, 0.28%

Retail Regional, 0.11%

Waterfront, 0.49%

Commercial Recreation, 0.17%

Developed Open Space, 7.62%

Natural Open Space, 8.519%

Public Facility2, 3.63%

Business Research Park, 3.78%

Industrial, 22.39%

Agricultural, 3.15%

Residential Office, 0.07%

Urban Reserve, 4.23%

Rights of Way, 10.84%

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Appropriately designed buffers, landscaping,and transitionareasbetweenusesshouldbeconsideredbetweenincompatiblelanduses.

MixedusesareencouragedinRichlandwherethey are allowed. Such uses are generallymutually supportive of each other. Locatingresidences, offices, neighborhood shops,cafes, etc. in the same building or same sitepromoteswalkabilityandreducesthevehiclemilestraveled.

BadgerMountainSouth

Badger Mountain South is a master‐plannedcommunity of 1,480 acres located in thesouthwest side of the City. The area isintended tobedevelopedwith5,000homes,businesses, and other community activities.The sub‐area plan sets forth various uses inthe area and was adopted by Richland CityCouncilin2010.

The purpose of this area is to establishneighborhoodswitharangeofhousingtypesand to accommodate apopulationofdiverseages and incomes. The plan promotespedestrian‐friendly and mixed‐useneighborhoods with areas for parks, trails,andopenspaceinaconnectednetwork.

CentralBusinessDistrict

Richland CBD is planned to encourage thetransformationoftheareafromprincipallyastripcommercialauto‐orientedneighborhoodtoamorecompactdevelopmentpattern.TheareaischaracterizedbyitscloseproximitytotheColumbiaRiver andHowardAmonPark,concentration of pedestrian‐orientedbusinesses, and the presence of medical,educational, and public institutions.Multipleplanning studies and efforts have beenconductedinthepastdecades,manyofwhichhave been or are being implemented in thisarea including public investments oninfrastructureandstreetscapeimprovements,and code revisions to attract privateinvestment.

TheParkwayhasbeenacenterofpedestrian‐oriented retail and restaurants. KadlecRegional Medical Center’s campus andColumbia Basin College’s Health ScienceCenterbotharelocatedintheCBD.TheSwiftCorridor improvement will connect the CBDwith the waterfront parks and recreationareas.

Residential Commercial Industrial

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ColumbiaPoint

TheColumbiaPointareaislocatedbetweenI‐82tothesouthandGeorgeWashingtonWaytothewest.Theareaisdevelopedwithamixof shops, hotels, restaurants, offices,condominiums, and recreational amenities.Recreational amenities include a golf course,park,marina,andwaterfronttrail.Theareaisclosetobuildout.

HornRapids

TheHornRapidsareaislocatedonthenorthsideoftheCity.Thisconstitutestwoplanningareas: a) the Horn Rapids Industrial Parkarea, a triangular area bounded by HornRapidsRoad to the north and SR 240 to thesouth; and b) the 1,641 acres Horn RapidsNorth Industrial Area, north of Horn RapidsRoad.

AmasterplanforHornRapidsIndustrialParkwas originally adopted in 1995 and updatedin 2011 and 2016. This area has beenenvisioned as an employment and economiccenter in the region. The master planidentifies the necessary infrastructurerequiredtoservetheareaandassociatedcostfor infrastructure improvements. The HornRapids planned residential community islocatedsouthofthisarea.

The 1,641‐acre industrial area has recentlybeen transferred from the Department ofEnergy to the City, the Port of Benton, andEnergyNorthwestbyanactofCongress.This1,341‐acre Horn Rapids Industrial Area isspecifically set aside for industrialdevelopment. The City and the Port plan tomarket theproperty to industrialdevelopersas “mega‐sites” of 200 acres or larger. Theproximity of this land to highways, rail, andutility services together with the largeacreages available provide developmentopportunitiesforindustriesthatexistinveryfewplacesthroughoutthePacificNorthwest.

IslandView

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TheIslandViewarea,alsoknownasRichlandWye, is located on the southeast side of theCitybetweentheColumbiaRivertothenorthand SR 240 to the south. It is north of theregionalColumbiaCenterMall inKennewick.ColumbiaParkWestislocatedtotheeastandBatemanIslandtothenorthofthearea.

TheRichlandWyeMasterPlanwaspreparedin 1998 to revitalize the area and provide ageneralguidelinefortheplanningandfuturedevelopmentofthearea.Theobjectiveofthemaster plan includes stimulating mixed usedevelopment, providing flexibility in thechangingmarketcondition,andensuringhighquality developments with increasedopportunities for waterfront recreation.Implementationstrategiesweredevelopedtoaddress infrastructure, land use, andeconomic development issues. The areaconsistsof amixofGeneralCommercial andRegional Retail on the south side, BusinessCommerceandMulti‐familyResidentialOfficein the middle, with Waterfront land usedesignation on the north side fronting theColumbia River. The entire length of theColumbiaRiverwaterfronthaspublicaccess.The area is now being revitalized with usessuch as, residential, commercial, businesspark,marina,etc.

POPULATION TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS TheTri‐CitiesMetroareaisoneofthefastestgrowing areas in Washington. The City hasgrown rapidly in the last decade with a 24percentgrowthfrom2000to2010,andan11percentgrowthfrom2010to2016.

Based on the 2016 estimate of the Office ofFinancial Management (OFM), the City ofRichland’s current population is 53,410. Thepopulation including the UGA boundary is54,732.

Benton County’s county‐wide allocation andprojected population numbers for Richlandare76,533 for theyear2035and81,366 forthe year 2040. The end of the 20‐yearplanning horizon is 2037. Based on currenttrends,Richland’sprojectedpopulationintheyear2037willbe78,431persons.Thismeansover the next 20 years, the City and itsUGAwill add 23,699 (78,431‐54,732) persons inadditiontoitsexistingpopulation.Identifyinglandforgrowthanddeliveringpublicserviceswill be important to maintaining the highqualityoflifeforitsresidents.

Figure LU-2: Projected Population Growth

Table LU-2: Population and Employment Projections for 2037

Year  Population  Jobs 

2016/2017 53,410 37,67512037Projection 78,431 50,2951 Estimated jobs in 2017

Source: OFM, US Census, OnTheMap; Washington Employment Security Department; ECONorthwest.

FutureLandCapacityIn order to identify land necessary to meetthe future demand, an analysis of availableland was performed. Details of the analysisare available in the Comprehensive PlanSupporting Analysis (Appendix A). Thisanalysis used the City’s existing land usedensity and land inventory in order toidentify vacant andundeveloped landwithin

21,80923,548

48,058

62,03571,700

81,366

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

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theCityandUGA.Theresultsofthisanalysisindicated that the City has sufficient landwithin its UGA to accommodate the landneeds for the projected residential andcommercialgrowth.In2016,theCityandthePort of Benton received land from theDepartment of Energy that is specificallytargeted for future industrial use. This land,togetherwith the vacant industrial land thatis within the City, provides an adequateindustriallandsupplyforfutureemploymentgrowth.

A significant portion of future residentialgrowth will occur in the Badger MountainSouth and Horn Rapids areas. Additionalgrowthwill takeplace in the existing vacantresidential lands throughout the City. It isalso anticipated that commercial andwaterfront areas will accommodate somehigh‐densityandmixed‐usegrowth.

Somelandsdesignatedas“UrbanReserve”inthe land use plan will need to be re‐designatedforresidentiallandusestoensurethat an adequate land supply is provided toservefuturegrowth.

LandsforPublicPurposes

AccordingtotheGMA,theCityisrequiredtoidentify the needs for public facilities,including lands for public purposes. CurrentCity‐ownedpublicfacilitiesincludeparksandopen spaces, transportation, water, sewer,storm water, solid waste, energy, andmunicipalfacilities.Usingtheexistingratioofland per capita for public use, there is asurplus of 72 acres for public facilities land.TheCity’sdevelopedopenspacerequirementforparksfacilitiesisdeterminedbytheparkslevel of service. The existing parklands areadequate to meet the demand. However,areaswithnewresidentiallandusediscussedin thenext sectionwill requireanadditionalcommunity park. The natural open space isdetermined by the existence of critical andnaturalareas,andotherpriorityareaswithinthe City. As the City grows, natural open

spaces will be identified based on the GMAcriteria and best available science (BAS).Existing data and findings from similarcommunities indicate Richland has adequateopen space to meet the future demand.Additional information regarding the CityparklandsandopenspacecanbefoundintheCapital Facilities Element under “Parks,RecreationandOpenSpace” inthisPlan,andinthesupportinganalysisinAppendixA.

PROPOSED LAND USE  The City is planning to accommodate futuregrowth in two areas within the City, on thenorthandwest sidesof theCity.Onearea islocated on the southwest side near the CityView area, abutting Kennedy Road to thesouth andQueensgateDrive to the east. Theotherareais locatedonthenorthsideoftheCity abutting the Horn Rapids residentialdevelopment.

ThelanduseintheCityViewWestareaisre‐designated from Urban Reserve to a mix ofLow, Medium, and High Density Residential,Commercial, Public Facility, Developed, andNaturalOpenSpace.ThelanduseintheHornRapidsNorthwestarea isre‐designatedfromUrban Reserve to Low, andMediumDensityResidential uses. These are shown in TableLU‐3.

Additional landusere‐designationincludesaportion of an area in Columbia Point South,re‐designated from Developed Open Spaceand Public Facility to Urban Recreation andNatural Open Space. The existing NaturalOpenSpacelandintheColumbiaPointSoutharea remains unchanged. Additional NaturalOpen Space land is designated along theshoreline. See Table LU‐3, Proposed LandUse, and Figure LU‐3, the Future Land UseMap.

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Table LU-3: Proposed Land Use

Land Use   Acres 

HornRapidsNorthwestExistingLandUse UrbanReserve 272ProposedLandUses LowDensityResidential 230MediumDensityResidential 42Total 272CityViewWestExistingLandUseUrbanReserve 340ProposedLandUsesLowDensityResidential 143MediumDensityResidential 25HighDensityResidential 34Commercial 55PublicFacility 40DevelopedOpenSpace 5NaturalOpenSpace 38Total 340ColumbiaPointSouthExistingLandUsesPublicFacility 33DevelopedOpenSpace 71NaturalOpenSpace 153Total 257ProposedLandUsesUrbanRecreation 80NaturalOpenSpace 177Total 257

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 

CriticalAreasRichland’s environmentally critical areasinclude wetlands, fish and wildlife habitatareas, frequently flooded areas, geologichazardareas,andnaturalaquiferareas.Mostof the critical areas are discussed under theopen space subsection below. The criticalareasmap(Fig.LU‐4)indicateswetlands,fish

and wildlife habitat areas, aquifer rechargeareas, and other critical areas such aslandslide,erosion,orseismichazardareas.

The City uses the best available science indeveloping policies and developmentregulations to protect the functions andvalues of critical areas and give specialconsideration to conservation or protectionmeasures.

ShorelineRichland’s shoreline consists ofapproximately 2,600 acres of land on theColumbia and Yakima Rivers shoreline. AShoreline Master Program (SMP) wasdeveloped and adopted by Richland CityCouncil and approved by the Department ofEcology in 2014. This Comprehensive Planincorporates theSMPby reference.TheSMPaims to utilize Richland’s shoreline forvarious water‐oriented uses and facilitieswhileprotecting theecological functionsandcultural and historic values of the shoreline.The SMP designates eight shorelineenvironmentsasfollows:

1. NaturalEnvironment

2. RecreationConservancyEnvironment

3. RecreationEnvironment

4. RuralEnvironment

5. ResidentialEnvironment

6. WaterfrontUseEnvironment

7. IndustrialConservancy

8. AquaticEnvironment

OpenSpaceOpen space in Richland and the UGAcomprises over 17 percent of the total land.These areas include natural areas (NaturalOpen Space) and more formal developedparks and trails (Developed Open Space) inthe land use map. Developed Open Space isdiscussed under the Parks and Recreation

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Sub Element under Capital Facilities. Thissectiondiscussesthenaturalopenspace.

The natural open space system includes theYakimaRiverandColumbiaRivershorelines,islands, greenways, and designated areaswithin residential developments. It alsoincludes environmentally sensitive areas orcritical areas where development would beconstrained by wetlands, geologic hazardsareas,aquiferrechargeareas,fishandwildlifehabitat areas, and frequently flooded areasalongriverorstreamcorridors.

The natural open spaces on or near theYakimaRiverinclude:

The Tapteal Greenway, located on thelowerYakimaRiver. Itprovidespotentialopportunities for non‐motorizedrecreation, education, and habitatprotection. The Tapteal Greenway isowned by multiple public and privateentities including US Army Corps ofEngineers(USACE).

TheChamnaNaturalPreserve,locatedonthenorthbankof theYakimaRiver.ThisareaisownedbyUSACE.

TheRiverviewPreserve is located at theconfluence of the Yakima and ColumbiaRiversandisownedandmanagedbytheUSACE.

BatemanIslandintheYakimaRiverDeltaisalsoownedbytheUSACEandleasedtotheCity.

W.E.JohnsonParkislocatedsouthofVanGiesenStreetandisownedbytheCityofRichland.

TheAmonNaturalPreserve,apartofthewestbranchof theAmonBasin isownedby the City. This area is located on thesouthendof theCitynear the Interstate‐82.

On the Columbia River, natural open spacesinclude:

A portion of Leslie Groves Park arealocatedbetweenSnyderStreetandFerryStreet.

AportionofColumbiaPointSoutharea;alargely undeveloped area located at theconfluence of the Yakima River and theColumbiaRiver.

The islands on the river that are part oftheMcNaryNationalWildlifeRefuge.

In 2004, the City worked with communitygroups and several funding agencies to helpBentonCountyacquire fromwilling sellersa575‐acre preserve on Badger Mountainlocated north of the BadgerMountain Southarea. The City also worked with communitygroups and funding agencies to purchasepropertiesfromwillingsellersalongthewestbranchofAmonBasininordertoenlargetheCity‐ownednaturalopenspaceareas.

MineralResourcesMineral resource lands are resource landsthatareprimarilydevotedtotheextractionofminerals or that have known or potentiallong‐term commercial significance for theextraction of minerals. The GMA requirescities and counties to designate naturalresource landswhereappropriateandadoptdevelopment regulations to assure theconservation of agricultural, forest, andmineralresourcelands.TheCityundertookadetailed analysis of its mineral resources in1998anddeterminedthatnolandswithintheRichland UGA should be designated asmineralresourcelands.

BUILT ENVIRONMENT 

HistoricandCulturalResourcesDue to its settlement history, the City ofRichland does not have an abundance ofhistorical resources. Historic structures

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unique to the City include 12 tract farmhousesinthecentralcityandsixbuildingsindowntownthatpredateWorldWarII,andtheAlphabet Homes, built between 1943 and1951. TheAlphabetHomeswere based on aseries of house plans denoted by a letter inthealphabet(anAhouse,anFhouse,etc.).Inaddition, several apartment buildings andpre‐fabricated homes were part of thisdevelopment scheme. These houses havehistorical significance in that theywerebuiltas part of the federal city created for theHanfordproject.Historicstructuresthathavebeen formally recognized on the NationalRegister of Historic Places include the “GoldCoast” District, a north Richlandneighborhood comprised ofAlphabetHomesthat have largely retained their originalcharacter.

Cultural resources are typically discoveredduring excavation and site preparation fordevelopmentproposals.Whileitisdifficulttoknow where every cultural resource siteexists, the Washington State Office ofArchaeology and Historic Preservation hasrecords of previous investigations in theregion. As discussed before, there arerecordedarchaeologicalsiteswithinamileofthe Yakima River confluence. NationalRegister‐listed properties include theColumbiaPointarea,BatemanIsland,andtheTri‐Cities Archaeological District (AnchorQEA,2014).

GoalsandpoliciesintheComprehensivePlanprovide a framework for reviewing andpermitting future development proposals.Coordination with the State Office ofArchaeology and Historic Preservation andimplementation of policies relating to thepreservation of cultural and historicresources will help to ensure that theseresourcesareprotected.

UrbanDesignUrban design applies to the three‐dimensionalaspectsofthebuiltenvironment

such as buildings, streets, sidewalks, openspaces, and plazas. It also addresses otherurban issues such as circulation andconnectivity, sustainability, neighborhoods,anddistricts.

Design

The City aims to achieve quality design incitywide civic projects such as publicbuildingsandplazas,streetscapeandcorridordevelopment, public art, parks, and openspaces.Highqualitydesigninpublicprojectswill set the standards for the City and mayencourage further quality developments bythe private sector. Richland’s Public Library,Community Center, and the ReachInterpretiveCenteralldisplayqualitydesign.The City promotes quality design in thecommercial and residential developmentsthrough its development standards. TheCityis also planning to add gateway features inthe downtown area that will enhance theidentityofthecommunity.

PedestrianandBicycle‐FriendlyEnvironment

It has been a priority of the community tocreate a vibrant and livable community inRichland. Goals and policies are gearedtowards creating a pedestrian‐friendlycommunity. Mix of uses, higher density,access to transit, safe sidewalks, streetscapeelements, network of paths and trails,building orientation, and articulation aresome of the considerations for creating apedestrian‐friendlycommunity.Richlandhasprioritized its downtown area to be morepedestrian‐ and bicycle‐friendly. SwiftCorridor development is already underwaythat will create a pedestrian‐ and bicycle‐friendly connection between the downtownbusinesses and the residentialneighborhoods. The Parkway area, CBD, andKadleccampusaredesignedwithpedestrian‐friendlycomponents.

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CirculationandConnectivity

ConnectivitybetweenmajordestinationsandneighborhoodswithintheCityandtheregionis important to Richland. Richland’stransportation system aims to provide amulti‐modal circulation system forpedestrian, bike, car, and transit users.Richland has multi‐use trails connecting itsparksandnaturalareas,aswellassomekeylocationswithintheCity.TheCityworkswithpublic agencies and private developers tocreate an efficient circulation patternwithinbusiness and residential neighborhoods. Theproposed Duportail Bridge, once built, willmake a significant improvement inconnecting the northern and southern partsofRichland.

PublicRealm

Richland’s public realm includes plazas,parks, playgrounds, sidewalks, and openspaces. Each public realm is different andserves a different purpose in their formal,semi‐formal, or natural settings. They offerplaces for gathering, interaction, andrecreation. Public places are furtherenhanced by artworks and pedestrianamenities. The John Dam Plaza is a heavilyused public place for community gatheringandevents,whiletheParkwayareaoffersanurban setting for the community. Parks andnatural areas offer recreation and tranquilenvironmentfortheresidents.

District

The visual character of the Richland UGAvaries widely from downtown, Uptown, andthe Richland Wye/Island View area, torelatively new commercial areas such asQueensgateandCityView,tomasterplannedareaslikeColumbiaPointandHornRapidstoolder alphabet housing neighborhoods incentral Richland and to the new residentialneighborhoods in Badger Mountain South.Each of these distinct areas calls for a

differentdesignapproach.Inolderareas,theemphasis needs to be placed on revitalizingneighborhoods; in other areas, maintenancecanbeapriority. Innewlydevelopingareas,theemphasisneeds tobeplacedonbuildingdesign and site planning standards. The Cityrecognizes that it needs to take a targetedapproach with different urban designstandards and strategies to reflect thedifferingneedsofeachareawithintheCity.

EnvironmentandSustainability

Richland’s built and natural environment ismaintained through multiple design andenvironmental protection approaches. Itsnatural resources are protected under theCriticalAreaRegulations,theSMP,aswellasState and Federal Laws. The City alsomaintains energy efficiency, renewableenergy, and recycling programs. The Cityencourages the use of sustainable standardsincluding, but not limited to, passive solarenergy, geothermal energy, solar hot watersystems,GreenBuildingCertification,EnergyStarCertification,bird‐friendlybuildings(i.e.,thosethataredesignedtominimizecollisionswith birds). The City encouragesminimizinglight trespass for energy savings, dark skyambience,andglarereduction.

Landscaping

Landscaping is important for maintainingRichland’s attractive physical appearance.Proper landscaping can highlight an area’sfeaturesandaddaestheticvalue.Landscapingis applicable for both public and privatedevelopments. Given the hot‐arid climate inthe Tri‐Cities area, native landscape andplants are more desirable. Using xeriscapeprinciples can make a water‐efficientlandscape and signify the area’s climate andgeology.Selectionoftreesthatoffershadeonhotsummerdaysisimportantforthisarea.

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Richland City LimitsUrban Growth Area

Land Use CategoriesAgricultureCommercialGeneral CommercialBusiness Research ParkBusiness CommerceRetail RegionalCommercial RecreationMultifamiliy Residential OfficeCentral Business DistrictIndustrialPublic FacilityLow Density RresidentialMedium Density ResidentialHigh Density ResidentialWaterfrontNatural Open SpaceDeveloped Open SpaceUrban RecreationUrban Reserve

E E E E E E E E

E E E E E E E EE E E E E E E EE E E E E E E E

E E E E E E E E Badger Mountain South Area

City of Richland

January 9, 2018

LU-3 - Future Land Use

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Williams Blvd

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K e n n e w i c kK e n n e w i c kRichland City LimitsUrban Growth Area

Geological Hazards and Flood PlainsAquifer Recharge AreasFloodPlains Includes WetlandsGeological Hazards (Steep Slopes)Suspected Wetlands

City of RichlandLU-4 - Critical Areas

January 9, 2018

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Gage Blvd

Horn Rapids Rd

Battelle BlvdWr

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Lee Blvd

Kings

gate

Way

Bellerive Dr

Tapteal Dr

Aaron Dr

Reata Rd

Williams Blvd

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als D

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s Rd

Twin

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es Rd

Duportail St

Englewood Dr

Queensgate Dr

Fowler St

Comstock St

University Dr

Shockley Rd

Gala

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Hage

n Rd

Robe

rtson

Dr

Steve

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Duportail St

By-pass H

wyWe

llsian

Way

Swift Blvd

Westcliffe Blvd

Knight St

Fuji Wy

Melissa St

Stepto

e St

Logsto

n Blvd

Kennedy Rd

UV240

UV240

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s Rd

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RIVER

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COLUMBIA

YAKIMA

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K e n n e w i c kK e n n e w i c k

Richland City LimitsUrban Growth Area

Environment DesignationIndustrial ConservancyNaturalRecreationRecreation ConservancyResidentialRuralWaterfront

City of RichlandLU-5 - Shoreline

January 9, 2018

Keene Rd

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Columbia Park Trl

By-p

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Geor

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ashin

gton W

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Thay

er Dr

Van Giesen St

Jadwin Ave

Gage Blvd

Horn Rapids Rd

Battelle BlvdWr

ight A

ve

Lee Blvd

Kings

gate

Way

Bellerive Dr

Tapteal Dr

Aaron Dr

Reata Rd

Williams Blvd

Goeth

als D

r

Jone

s Rd

Twin

Bridg

es Rd

Duportail St

Englewood Dr

Queensgate Dr

Fowler St

Comstock St

University Dr

Shockley Rd

Gala

Wy

Hage

n Rd

Robe

rtson

Dr

Steve

ns D

r

Duportail St

By-pass H

wyWe

llsian

Way

Swift Blvd

Westcliffe Blvd

Knight St

Fuji Wy

Melissa St

Stepto

e St

Logsto

n Blvd

Kennedy Rd

UV240

UV240

§̈¦182

§̈¦182

Dalla

s Rd

§̈¦82

W e s t R i c h l a n dW e s t R i c h l a n d

K e n n e w i c kK e n n e w i c kRichland City LimitsUrban Growth AreaNatural Open SpaceDeveloped Open SpaceBarker Ranch Conservation Area

City of RichlandLU-6 - Open Space

January 16, 2018Land use designatio ns fo r this area are set fo rth inthe Badger Mo untain Subarea Plan as ado pted bythe Richland City Co uncil o n September 7, 2010 viaOrdinance #25‐10

HOUSING

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Inthischapter,youwillfind: Goalsandpoliciesguiding

housinginRichland

Existinghousingcondition

Projectedneedsandaddressingthedemand

HOUSINGELEMENT

INTRODUCTION Providingaffordablehousingforallgroupsisa priority for Richland. Providing housingnear shopping and transportation andoffering multiple choices for owner andrenter occupied housing would also benefittheCity’svisionfordiversity.

The Housing Element of the City’sComprehensive Plan is intended to providepolicy background and broad direction forhousing programs and decisions towardsmeeting theCity’s goals. Similar to theotherelements of the Comprehensive Plan, theHousing Element provides a framework forfuture planning decisions and outlines goalsandobjectivestheCityplanstoimplementinmeeting its housing needs. The HousingElement is consistentwithotherelementsoftheComprehensivePlan.

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GOALS AND POLICIES HE Goal 1: Provide a range of housingdensities, sizes, and types for all incomeand age groups of the Richlandcommunity.

Policy1: Ensurethatthecomprehensiveplanand development regulations allowforavarietyofhousingtypes,sizes,densities, and lot configurationssuch as small lot single familyhousing, multi‐family housing,mixed‐use development, clusterdevelopment, live/work housing,co‐housing, accessory dwellingunits, single room occupancy units,zero lot line and similarsubdivisions, and planned unitdevelopments.

Policy2: Encouragemixed‐usedevelopmentswithapartmentsandcondominiumsabovecommercialusesintheCity’surban core. Where redevelopmentor infill opportunities arise, allowfor increased housing density inresidential‐designated areas thatimmediately surround the CBD,while respecting the character andscaleoftheexistingneighborhood.

Policy3: Support the development of seniorhousing and long‐termcare/assisted living facilities in theCity in close proximity tocommercial uses and medicalservicesandfacilities.

Policy4: Promote and provide incentives(such as zoning/rezoning, revisedregulations, and provision ofinfrastructure) for infilldevelopment and redevelopment,while respecting the character andscaleoftheexistingneighborhood.

Policy5: Allow and regulate manufacturedhomesinthesamewayassite‐builthomes.

Policy6: Planforanadequatesupplyof landin appropriate land usedesignations and zoning categoriesto accommodate projectedhousehold growth, whileaccommodating other commercial,industrial, andopenspaceneedsoftheCity.

HE Goal 2: Improve affordable housingopportunities for lower‐incomeindividuals, households, and first timehomebuyers.

Policy1: Expand the supply of affordableunits by promoting owner‐ andrenter‐occupied housingthroughouttheCity,consistentwithComprehensivePlan.

Policy2: Promote the use of mixed‐incomehousing developments and mixed‐usedevelopmentsthatprovidebothaffordable housing and economicopportunities throughout the Cityconsistent with ComprehensivePlan.

Policy3: Sustain or improve the quality ofexistingaffordablehousingstockbyencouraging rehabilitation ofhousingunitsbycurrentowners.

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HEGoal3:ImplementthecurrentversionoftheTri‐CitiesConsolidatedPlan.

Policy1: Provideassistance to lower‐incomehouseholds that participate in localimprovement districts forinfrastructure projects. Assistancemay be limited to selectedneighborhoods or to the neediesthouseholds based upon apercentage of median income andfundavailability.

Policy2: Assist infrastructure activities thatrevitalize and stabilize older ordecliningneighborhoodsorareasinwhich the majority of householdsarelower‐income.

Policy3: Improve access for persons withdisabilities and the elderly byimproving streets and sidewalksystems.

NeighborhoodCharacter

HEGoal4:Encouragethemaintenanceandpreservationofexistinghousingstockandresidentialneighborhoods.

Policy1: Encourage reinvestment in olderresidential neighborhoods andsupport the revitalization of suchneighborhoods by keeping thestreetsandothermunicipalsystemsingoodrepair.

a) Encourage the formation of localimprovementdistricts.

Policy2: Implement the City’s affordablehousing and weatherizationprograms.

a) ContinuetoparticipateintheTri‐CitiesHOMEConsortium.

b) Continue to utilize federalCommunity Development BlockGrant and HOME funds for housingrehabilitation and first‐timehomebuyeropportunities.

Policy3: Continue to allow accessorydwelling units in single‐familyresidentialdistricts.

Policy4: Accommodatenon‐profitandpublicagencies’ efforts to purchase,construct, and rehabilitate housingto meet the affordable and otherhousingneedsofthecommunity.

Policy5: Strivetoincreasetherateofowner‐occupancyover time throughCity’sassistanceprograms.

Policy6: Maintainastrongcodeenforcementprogram.

Policy7: Update and implement the IslandViewMasterPlanto includemixed‐use housing and multi‐familyresidential rehabilitation andconstruction.

Policy8: Encourage the use of the City’sCrime Prevention ThroughEnvironmental Design (CPTED)programindevelopments.

Policy9: Continue to participate in the CityPolice Department’s CrimeResistantCommunityLiving(CRCL)Program, which provides freetraining for property owners andlandlords to help provide safe,crime‐resistant communities for allresidents.

HE Goal 5: Ensure compatibility of newresidentialdevelopmentswithestablishedneighborhoodsandthecommunity.

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Policy1: Maintain quality design andlandscaping in the newdevelopments.

HEGoal6:ImprovePublicFacilities.

Policy1: Support the revitalization ofneighborhoods by improving andsupporting public facilities thatserve neighborhoods of all incomelevels.

Policy2: Improve parks and recreationfacilities in targetedneighborhoodsby supporting a range ofimprovements to existing or newparks such as building bicycle andwalking paths, improving publicrestrooms,landscaping,orinstallingplayequipment.

Policy3: Support beautification of ourcommunity by integrating art intopublic facilities in creative andengagingways.

EXISTING CONDITIONS  BasedonAmericanCommunitySurvey(ACS)Census data of 2015, Richland has a total of22,130housingunits.About65percentofthehousing units are owner‐occupied and 35percentrenter‐occupied.ThisissimilartotheUnited States occupancy rate of 64 percentowner‐occupied and 36 percent renter‐occupied.Singleunitdetachedhousing typesdominatetheexistinghousinginventorywith63 percent of the total share. Based on thisdata, thehousingoccupancyrate inRichlandis94percent.Table HE‐1: Housing Occupancy in Richland 

Occupancy Type  Units  % 

Owner‐occupied 13,622 65.5Renter‐occupied 7,170 34.5Totaloccupied1 20,792 100194%ofthetotalhousingunits

Richland’s single‐family homes are mostlyconcentrated between Spengler Street andthe greenbelt (Abbott Street) in northRichland, and between Columbia Park Trailand Interstate82 insouthRichland.Anotherconcentration of housing exists in northRichland in the Horn Rapids area. The CityhasnewhousingdevelopmentsaswellastheoldAlphabetHomesbuiltbetween1943and1951.AlphabetHomes aremostly located intheolderpartoftheCitynearthedowntownarea.

PROJECTED NEEDS As discussed in the Land Use Element,Richland’s population growth will requireadditionalhousingunitsintheCityinthenext20years.Anincreaseofover23,000peopleintheCityandUGAwillrequire1,270additionalhousing units. This will include housingdemand for all incomeandagegroups.Withthebabyboomersretiring,thereisagrowingneedforaffordableseniorhousingintheCity.Based on a discussion with the affordablehousinggroup for seniorsover theperiodof2010 and 2016, occupancy at the affordablesenior housing communities averaged 98percent. This indicates a high demand foraffordable senior housing. The expansion ofeducational institutions triggers theneed forstudent housing andmulti‐family housing inconjunction with the region’s growing needforsingle‐familyhousing.

ADDRESSING THE NEEDS This demand of additional housing will bemetbydevelopmentsintheexistingplannedareas, infill developments, and by re‐designating two Urban Reserve areas. Thisplan will create a mix of residential,commercial,andpublic facilities landusesasshown in the land use plan (Fig LU‐3). Thiswill add additional housing units including

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single‐family, multi‐family, and apartmenthomes.

The City’s current housing assistanceprogram will continue to assisthomeownership for Richland citizens. TheCity’s policies promote infill development,which will be another option for housingdevelopment where infrastructure alreadyexists. The City provides additional housingchoicesby allowing accessorydwellingunitsinsingle‐familyneighborhoods.

TRANSPORTATION

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Inthischapter,youwillfind: Goalsandpoliciesfor

transportation

Existingsystemsandfutureimprovementsfor:

o Motorizedsystems

o Non‐motorizedsystems

TRANSPORTATIONELEMENT

INTRODUCTION  The City of Richland maintains a completemulti‐modal network of transportationfacilities serving residents and businesses. Abrief summary of transportation facilities isprovidedhere,withmoredetailsprovidedinthesupportinganalysisdocument (AppendixA).

GOALS AND POLICIES TEGoal1:Provideanefficientandmulti‐modal transportation network includingroad, trail,rail,water,andair, tosupportthe City’s land use vision and existingneeds.

Policy1: Plan new street segments andconsider modifying existing streetsto provide comfortable and safeelements forbicyclists,pedestrians,and transit users in addition tovehicles.

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Policy2: Identify and secure the rights ofway for new and/or expandedtransportationcorridors.

Policy3: Support rail services for industriesandcommercewithinthearea.

Policy4: Support regional planning effortsfor roadway, rail, air, and non‐motorizedtravel.

Policy5: Plan and implement transportationsystemimprovementsthatmeettheneedsofallareasandresidents.

Policy6: Plan transportation facilities thatare compatible with adjacent landuses.

Policy7: Plan and implement anappropriately classified anddesigned roadway system thatprovides for efficient movement ofpeople and goods and the comfortand safety of residentialneighborhoods.

TE Goal 2: Improve safety, connectivity,and operating efficiency of thetransportationsystem. 

Policy1: Implement appropriate accesscontrol for arterial collectors andarterialstreets.

Policy2: Link local street networks throughsubdivisions to provide efficientlocalcirculation,asappropriate,andprovideadditionalcollectorarterialaccessformajorresidentialareas.

Policy3: Evaluate, plan, and install trafficcontrol devices and intersectiondesignstoimprovetravelsafetyandefficiency.

TE Goal 3: Encourage the use oftransportation modes that promoteenergy conservation, circulationefficiency,andanactivelifestyle.

Policy1: Support increased use of transit,bicycling,andpedestriantravel.

Policy2: Plan facilities for non‐motorizedtravel across jurisdictionalboundaries.

Policy3: Require sidewalks, improvedshoulders, appropriate signage, oroff‐street trails within newdevelopments to accommodateinternal bicycle and pedestriancirculation within and betweenneighborhoods.

Policy4: Encouragenewdevelopmentstobepedestrian‐friendly and compatiblewith the public transportationsystem.

Policy5: Design a circulation system tobecome a bicycle‐friendlycommunitywithcompletestreets.

TEGoal4:Ensurethattheroadnetworkissensitive to the natural and builtenvironment and offers a sense of thecommunity.

Policy1: Use appropriate streetscape andgateway features along the majorentrywaysintotheCity.

Policy2: Implement landscaping and othertypes of buffers along majortransportationcorridors.

Policy3: Construct street systemimprovements to reduce trafficcongestionasameasuretoimproveairquality.

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Policy4: Plan new streets and considermodifyingexistingstreetstoincludestorm water management bestpractices to reduce pollution fromstormwaterrunoff.

Policy5: Plan and implement new streetswith features that mitigate thehazardtowildlife.

Policy6: Plan and implement new streetsand consider modifying existingstreetstoimproveaccesscontroltosensitiveareas.

EXISTING SYSTEM AND FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS Themost recentTransportationPlan for theCity of Richlandwas completed in 2005 andwasusedtopreparethe2008ComprehensivePlan.Manyoftheimprovementsidentifiedinthat Plan have been completed. Severalstudies have been conducted to identifypreferred improvements in corridors wherecongestion is occurring today. These studieshave determined the basis for many of theshort‐rangeimprovementsthatareidentifiedin the Capital Improvement Program for theCity.

A major transportation challenge within theCityofRichland transportationsystem is thecongestion facing north‐south travel duringcommutetimes.Severalfactorscontributetothis situation, such as the major regionalemployers situated north of the City, andsignificant amount of housing is providedsouth and east of the Yakima and ColumbiaRiverswithintheregion.Regionalcommutetraffic from south Richland, Kennewick andPasco, is currently limited to SR 240 andGeorge Washington Way for north‐southtravelthroughtheCityofRichlandduetothechallenge of providing adequate capacity to

cross the Yakima River to the south andColumbiaRivertotheeast.I‐182alsocreatesa barrier given that there are only threeaccess points and four crossings within thecity as well. Congestion as a result of thisnorth‐south demand at commute times ismanifest at several locations as discussed inthesupportinganalysisdocument.Anumberof planned projects are being considered toaddressthisissue;buttheconsiderationsarecomplicated by the needs and vision ofresidentsastheyrelatetoGeorgeWashingtonWay.AsdescribedaboveGeorgeWashingtonWayisakeyelementinsupportingaregionaltravelneed.GeorgeWashingtonWayisalsoaCitystreetpassingthroughareasofRichlandin which a regional commute route doesn’talign with the users goals. Achievingacceptable performance levels for theeconomic vitality of the City and region andmeetingthedesiresforlivabilityontheCity’stransportation system will continue to besignificantchallenges.

ForthepurposesofthisComprehensivePlanUpdate, traffic counts from 2016 conductedby the Benton Franklin Council ofGovernments were used to conduct ananalysisoftheexistingsystemtoidentifyanyadditional deficiencies. Those traffic countswere also used to calibrate and update theregional traffic model to be consistent withanticipated land use for year 2040.Subsequently, an analysis for forecast trafficvolumeswasused to identifypotential long‐rangeissueswiththetransportationnetwork.

MotorizedSystem

Automobile

There areover275miles of roadwaywithinthe City of Richland, including a functionallyclassified network of arterial and collectorroadways as well as local streets. There are66 traffic signals within the City (some areoperated by WSDOT or the City ofKennewick)andfourroundabouts.

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Significant improvements identified in theshorttermincludetheDuportailBridgeovertheYakimaRiver,thewideningandextensionof Queensgate Drive, South GeorgeWashington Way safety and mobilityimprovements, and the Center ParkwayExtension west of Steptoe Street. Theseprojects are anticipated to cost at least $53million.

Long‐range improvements include theextensionofGageBoulevardandQueensgateDrive to serve the Badger Mountain Southsub‐area, interchange improvementsonbothI‐182 and SR240, as well as other collectorroad improvements to serve developingareas. A new arterial route is proposed toconnecttheexistingnorthendofQueensgateDrive to SR 224 (with a Yakima Rivercrossing)aswell asanextensionsouth fromKingsgate Way to connect to SR 224.Additional traffic signals or roundabouts areanticipatedatseverallocationsaswell.

Air

CommuterairtravelserviceisprovidedattheTri‐Cities Airport in Pasco. The RichlandAirportprovidesgeneralaviationfacilitiesontwo 4,000 foot runways. TheAirportMasterPlan currently calls for the extension of thenorth‐southrunwayto5,000feet inordertoaccommodate large aircraft. This runwayextension will require further study andpotential mitigation since the RunwayProtectionZonewillbeextendedoverSR240andsomedevelopedindustrialproperties.

Freight

There are currently approximately 30 milesofrailroadtrackswithintheCityofRichland.Much of this track is owned by the Port ofBentonandoperatedandmaintainedthroughaleasetotheTri‐CityRailroad(TCRR).TCRRprovides local freight switching andinterconnect services to the Union PacificRailroad, while the Burlington Northern

SantaFeprovidesdirectservicetotheCityofRichland.

Therailnetworkhasrecentlybeenexpandedby the City to serve the Horn RapidsIndustrial Park and includes a loop thataccommodates the loading of unit trains.Additional expansions are anticipated to thenorth of Horn Rapids Road to serve newindustrial property acquired from theDepartmentofEnergy.

PortBarge

The Port of Benton provides a high dock aswellasabargeslipalongtheColumbiaRiverin the northern part of the City. Thesefacilities are able to serve barges that travelto thePacificOceanandPacificRimmarketsinacosteffectivetransportationmode.

Transit

There are currently nine transit routesoperated by Ben Franklin Transit that servetheCityofRichland,withfourofthosebeingInter‐City routes that also serve othercommunities and make connections atTransit Centers. Ben Franklin Transitregularlymodifies its services and routes toaccommodategrowthanddevelopment.

Non‐motorizedSystemNon‐motorized facilities within the City ofRichland are mainly composed of sidewalksconstructed inassociationwithstreetsandaseparate bicycle andpedestrian trail system.Therearecurrentlyabout30milesofClassItrails that serve the City of Richland, withover six miles of secondary trails and 36milesofsofttrailsthattraversenaturalareassuch as BadgerMountain or Columbia PointSouth and the Amon Basin. There are alsoover 68 miles of on‐street bike routes thatfacilitatebicycletravelthroughouttheCity.

FINANCING 

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The City receives funding for transportationprojects from a variety of sources, includingimpact fees, developer construction, CityGeneral Funds, Arterial Street Funds,Transportation Improvement Board grants,Highway Safety Program grants, Statefunding, Federal Surface TransportationProgram funding as well as other FederalGrants.

TheCitycollectsTrafficImpactFeeaccordingto Richland Municipal Code (12.03). It iscalled the South Richland Street CollectorFinancing Plan. It assists to develop thearterialstreetnetworkinsouthRichlandandto make other improvements such as trafficsignals as traffic volumes grow. The impactfee area generally involves two zones andcovers the area south of the Yakima Riverwith the exception of the Badger MountainSouthSub‐Area.The impact feewasupdatedin 2008 and 2012 and is expected to beupdatedagainin2017.

Details of proposed transportationimprovements, timeframe and financingsources can be found in the supportinganalysisdocument(AppendixA).

UTILITIES

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Inthischapter,youwillfind: Goalsandpoliciesforutilities

Wastewaterfacilities

Watersupplysystemandfacilities

Stormwatersystemandfacilities

Solidwastemanagementandfacilities

Energyservices

Utilitiesprovidedbyothers

o Naturalgassupply

o Telecommunications

o Irrigation

UTILITIESELEMENT

INTRODUCTION TheUtilities Element of the City of RichlandComprehensivePlandescribesutilitypoliciesandregulationstoimplementthegoalsoftheComprehensive Plan. It was developed inaccordance with Section 36.70A.070 of theGMAtoaddressutilityservicewithintheCityofRichlandoverthenext20years.Itconsistsof the general location, proposed location,and capacity of all existing utilities in theUGA.Generalutilitycorridorsareidentifiedinthis Element. The Element was alsodeveloped in accordance with the County‐Wide Planning Policies and has beenintegratedwithallotherComprehensivePlanelementstoensureconsistency.

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GOALS AND POLICIES UE Goal 1: Utilities should support thelanduseandeconomicdevelopmentgoalsoftheCity.

Policy1: Siting of proposed public facilitiesshould be consistent with adoptedlandusepolicies.

Policy2: When available and permittedunder prevailing power supplycontracts, the City will use itsmarketaccesstolow‐costelectricityto provide favorable rates targetedat expansion and attraction ofindustries offering additionalfamily‐wagejobs.

Policy3: Ensure that aesthetic impacts ofutilities will be addressed throughmeasures such as landscaping andscreening.

UEGoal2:Maintainexistingservicelevelsto current customers and ensure thatpublic facilitiesand servicesnecessary tosupport development are planned, sized,and constructed to serve newdevelopment.

Policy1: Maintain current utility servicelevels based on local, state, andfederalstandards.

Policy2: Use a minimum 20‐year planninghorizon to plan for City‐providedpublic utilities and identify newfacilities, expansions, andimprovements that will be needed.The City will work with otherpurveyors of public services toprovide facilities and servicesconcurrentwithdevelopment.

Policy3: Promote the efficient use of landand minimize environmentaldisturbance by requiring that thefacilities of various utilities be

locatedtogetherintheCityright‐of‐waywhereverpossible.

Policy4: The City will designate utilitycorridors and utility facilities asrequired to facilitate and promotethe expansion of commercial andindustrialdevelopment.

Policy5: TheCitywillactivelycooperatewithotherutilityproviderstoestablishaCity electrical service territoryboundary that allows the City’smunicipalutilitytoservenewloads.

UE Goal 3: Provide utility facilities thatensure environmentally sensitive, safe,andreliableservice.

Policy1: All utility expansion andconstruction will consider theenvironmentandways tominimizeimpacts to it in siting, construction,anduse.

Policy2: The Citywill use the best availabletechnology to mitigate adverseimpacts resulting from utilitiesprojects.

UE Goal 4: Adopt programs to conserveandpromotesustainableuseofresources.

Policy1: Establishpublicoutreachprogramsto promote the conservation ofresources, waste reduction, reuse,andrecycling.

Policy2: ImplementtheCity’sutilitysystemsmanagementplans.

UEGoal5:Coordinatewithoutsideutilityproviders for efficient, cost‐effective, andreliableutilityservice.

Policy1: Ensure that land will be madeavailable for the location of utilitylines, including location withintransportationcorridors.

Policy2: Promote,when feasible, location ofnew public and private utility

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distribution facilities in sharedtrenches, and coordination ofconstruction timing to minimizeconstruction‐related disruptions tothe public and reduce the cost ofutilitydelivery.

Policy3: When and where natural gasfranchises exist, promote theextensionofnaturalgasdistributionlines to and within the UGA,constructedorreconstructed.

Policy4: Promote a wider range of high‐speed internet providers toencouragecompetition.

WASTEWATER FACILITIES The Richland sanitary sewer system wasoriginally developed to serve the Richlandcore area, but has been extended to otherareasastheyhavedeveloped,includingnorthRichland, south Richland, the BadgerMountain area, and the Horn Rapidscommunity. The sanitary sewer systemincludes a conveyance system, awastewatertreatment facility, and effluent disposal. AGeneral Sewer Plan was adopted in 2016,which provides a general evaluation of thesewer collection system and WastewaterTreatmentPlant,aCapitalImprovementPlan(CIP)withaparticularemphasison thenext20 years, and assessment of the utility’sfinancialconditionandability tosupport therecommendationsoftheCIP.

The existing Richland sanitary sewercollection system serves approximately 40square miles of area that is divided intoseventeen drainage basins. The collectionsystem consists of over 262miles of gravitycollectionpipes,whichrangeinsize fromsixinches in diameter to 54 inches in diameter.The City owns and operates 14 pumpstations, ranging in size from 1.5 to 35

horsepower. Overall, the collection systemhad adequate hydraulic capacity to conveycurrent flows as well as future flows.Although the hydraulic analysis indicatedrelatively few capacity issues, the collectionsystem is showing its age and a proactiverenewal and replacement program has beendevelopedtoaddressthis.

All flows collected by the Richland sanitarysewer collection system are transported toand treated at the Richland WastewaterTreatment Plant. Since its completion in1985,theplanthasconsistentlyachievedthedischarge requirements specified in itsNational Pollution Discharge EliminationSystem (NPDES) permit. The plant providesprimary sedimentation, followed bysecondary treatment using an activatedsludge process. Plant effluent is disinfectedwith chlorine prior to discharge to theColumbia River. Several renewal andreplacementprojectshavebeen identified attheWastewaterTreatmentPlantthroughtheplanningperiod.

WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM The Richlandwater systemwas constructedduring the 1940s to support the wartimeactivitiesattheHanfordNuclearReservation.This temporary system has developed intothemodernpermanentwatersystemusedintheCitytoday.TheCity’swatersupplysystemconsists of wells, a surface water treatmentplant, pump stations and chlorinators,interties,waterlines,andreservoirs.AWaterSystem Plan was completed in 2016 to beadopted in 2017, which provides a generalevaluation of the water distribution systemand Water Treatment Plant, a CIP with aparticularemphasisonthenext20years,andassessmentof theutility’s financialconditionand ability to support the recommendationsoftheCIP.

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The majority of the population within thecorporate limits of the City of Richland isserved by the City of RichlandWaterUtility.The Utility serves approximately 18,689connections (as of 2016), which includesresidential,commercial,andindustrialusers.

The City has a total available water right of34,948acre‐feetperyearand43,786gallonsper minute (gpm) for instantaneous flow.The City appears to have adequate waterrights for future growth. The City’s potablewater sources include a wellfield and theColumbia River Water Treatment Plant(WTP).Thewellfieldhasatotalcapacityof15milliongallonsperday(MGD)whiletheWTPhas a capacityof 36MGD. Source capacity isadequate for future growth, and watersupplied to the City of Richland is of highquality meeting federal and state drinkingwaterstandards.

The City has approximately 340 miles ofpipelines in the water distribution systemranginginsizefromtwoinchesindiameterto36 inches indiameter.Thereare ten storagefacility sites that provide approximately 22million gallons of storage and ten boosterpumping stations that provide direct waterstorage to seven pressure zones within theCity. Several projects to address capacity aswell as renewal/replacement have beenidentifiedthroughtheplanningperiod.

STORM WATER SYSTEM Richland’s storm water system facilitiesconsist of collectionand conveyance,pumps,undergroundinjectioncontrol(UIC)facilities,regional detention/ water quality facilities.andregionaloutfalls. AStormWaterSystemPlanwasdevelopedbytheCityinApril2017.

Collection and conveyance facilities includecatch basins, manholes, pipes, forced main,culvertandopenchannel.Therearecurrently

over4000catchbasinsandover127milesofgravitypipeintheCity.

There are seven public and privately ownedpumpstationsthroughouttheCity.

Some storm water runoff generated withinthe City is infiltrated via the City’s over 280UICfacilities.

Regional detention/ water quality facilitiesinclude 22 ponds, 2 bioretention cells, 6undergroundstormchambers,and21swales.

Stormwater runoff that does not infiltrate isconveyed to surface receivingwaters via 21regional outfalls that discharge to theColumbia River, the Yakima River, and theAmonWasteway.

Future improvements of the storm watersystemareidentifiedtoreduce: Existing conveyance capacity and

floodingissues; Potential future conveyance capacity

andfloodingissues; Pollutant loading to receiving water

bodies;and Chronicsystemmaintenanceneeds.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT The City of Richland Solid Waste Divisionprovidesmunicipalsolidwastecollectionanddisposal services to residences andbusinesses within the City limits. About 26percent of the solid waste is recycled inRichland based on the 2015 tonnage ofgeneration,recycling,anddisposal.

The City of Richland owns and operates theRichland Landfill (also known as the HornRapidsLandfill).Thelandfillsiteis275acresinsize.Approximately46acresarepermittedforsolidwastedisposal.Thesitealsoincludesa 14‐acre composting facility, a residentialand small commercial customer transfer

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station, a scale house and administrationbuilding, and an operations and equipmentmaintenancebuilding.

The City offers curbside recycling to itsresidential and commercial customers. TheCity currently operates seven drop‐boxrecycling collection centers throughout theCity and delivers the collected recyclableitemstoClayton‐WardRecyclinginRichland.

The City’s waste generation is forecast toincreaseto80,000tonsby2031.ThecurrentspaceintheLandfillwillbeusedupsometimein 2020 at the City’s current rate of wasteplacement.TheCity isplanning for its futuresolid waste disposal capacity by exploringtwooptions:

1. Expanding landfill capacity on thecurrentsitebybuildingalandfillthatmeets current state and federaldesignregulations;or

2. Building a transfer station andhauling waste to a large regionallandfill.

It isexpectedthatadecisionwillbemadeincalendaryear2017,afterwhichpreparationswill be made to construct the necessaryfacilities. Regardless of the disposalalternative selected, the City anticipatesmaintaining its current customer servicelevelsattheRichlandlandfill.

ENERGY Richland provides electrical servicethroughouttheCity,mostoftheUGA,andtheCity’s 50‐square mile service territory using552 miles of primary line and eightsubstations. Ownership and operation ofthese facilities is shared by the City and theBonnevillePowerAdministration(BPA).Bulktransmission of electrical power supply tocustomers in the UGA has historically beenprovided from the BPA transmission grid,with the local utilities providing final pass‐through services. Benton PUD also provides

power to a limited number of people inRichland through a service agreementbetweenBentonPUDandtheCity.

The City currently runs an energy efficiencyprogrambyproviding incentives forreducedenergy usage. Its renewable option programallows residents to purchase clean, zero‐emission wind energy. The City also offerslow‐interest loans to promote use of solarpower.

Electrical service plans are designed andupgraded to provide for future growth andaccommodate new and increased loads.Richland maintains a performance basedlevel of service where failure in one systemwill not cause failure of other systems andcanbepickedupbyothercomponentswithineighthours.

Future deficiencies are identified based onprojected loads. The City has identifiedmultiple capital improvement projectsthrough the year 2027. Major capitalimprovement projects include: plan, design,and construction of a new substation in theDallas Road and Leslie Road area;construction of Kingsgate substation for theHorn Rapids Industrial Park; design andimplementation of smart grid/smartmetering infrastructure; and purchase ofsouthwestserviceareainfrastructure.

OTHER AGENCY UTILITIES  

NaturalGasSupplyCascade Natural Gas Corporation builds,operates, and maintains natural gasdistribution facilities serving the City ofRichland.ItcurrentlyservesmostpartsoftheCity. Natural gas is made availableconcurrently with growth to the best of thepurveyor’s ability. The City will promotelocatingutilitydistributionlinestogetherand

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using existing utility easements whereverpossible.

TelecommunicationsTelecommunication in Richland is providedby the licensing agency’s franchiseagreementswiththeCity.Telecommunicationis mostly regulated at the state level by theWashington Utilities and TransportationCommission.

The City of Richland currently franchisesCharter Communications to serve itspopulation. Charter provides cable TV,Internet, and phone services in Richland.Some other phone and Internet servicesproviders include but are not limited toVerizon, Cellular One, U.S. Cellular, AT&TWireless, T‐Mobile, and Cingular Wireless.Telecommunication facilities offer servicesthrough cell towers on tall poles, latticetowers,and/orco‐locatedinbuildings.

AsgrowthoccurswithintheCity,demandforreliable telecommunication services alsogrows. Telecommunication companiesprovide adequate services according toFederalCommunicationsCommission(FCC).

IrrigationOnlyportionsoftheCityofRichlandcurrentlyhaveirrigationservices.ThesouthernpartoftheCityisservedbytheColumbia,Kennewickand Badger Mountain Irrigation Districts.Columbia Irrigation District operates anirrigation canal and a pump station in thatarea.

Within the unincorporated UGA, irrigationservices are provided by the Columbia andBadgerMountainIrrigationDistricts.

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Inthischapter,youwillfind: GoalsandpoliciesforCapital

Facilities

Parks,recreation,andopenspaces

Municipalfacilities

Fireandemergencyservices

Policeservices

Schools

Essentialpublicfacilities

CAPITALFACILITIESELEMENT

INTRODUCTION The Capital Facilities Element addressesfacilities that are important for the City’sgrowthinthenext20years.Accommodationof the additional growth within the City’savailable land area and the provision ofadequate services for the expected growthare two key aspects to be addressed in thecomprehensive planning process. TheComprehensive Plan Supporting Analysis(Appendix A) provides additional details oftheCapitalFacilitiesPlan.

This element integrates the ComprehensivePlanwiththeCity’sCapitalImprovementPlan(CIP) for capital facilities budget allocations.The CIP prioritizes the needs of the City forinfrastructure and other capital needs, bothwithintheCityandtheUGA.Prioritizationforbudgetdecisionsaremadebasedonthegoalsand policies and future growth indicated inthe Comprehensive Plan. The CapitalImprovement Plan (CIP) is a tool for

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identifying and prioritizing capital projectsand major capital purchases for budgetconsideration. The plan provides a projectplanning schedule for at least a six‐yearperiod and identifies funding sources forprojectsapprovedinthecurrentbudgetcycle.

TheCIP is useful in coordinating communityplanning, determining financial capacity andensuring capital expenditures demonstratesupport for the key elements of the City’sStrategic Plan. The CIP is comprised ofprojects thatmaintain,enhance,orconstructnewfacilitiesandinfrastructure.

TheRichlandCIPusesmanyrevenuesourcesto fund the capital investment projectsidentified in theCIP, includingvarious taxes,revenues, bonds, and grants. The City alsocollects park impact fees to mitigate parkimpacts. Impact fees collected from specificparkzonesareusedwithinthatparkdistricttoaddress the impactbyprovidingparkandfacilitiesaccordingtothestandardssetinthe2014‐2019Parks,RecreationandOpenSpacePlan.

GOALS AND POLICIES 

GeneralGoalsandPolicies

CF Goal 1: Ensure that adequateinfrastructureandpublicfacilitiesexistorcan be provided concurrent with newdevelopmenttakesplace.

Policy1: The City will work with otherpurveyors of public services toprovide facilities and servicesconcurrentwithdevelopment.

Policy2: The City will strive to ensureconvenient and safe student accesstoschoolsites.

CF Goal 2: The City will provide capitalfacilities that ensure environmentallysensitive,safe,andreliableservice.

Policy1: The City will consider ways tominimize environmental impacts insiting, construction, and use of allcapital facility expansion andconstructionprojects.

Policy2: The City will mitigate adverseimpacts resulting from capitalfacilities projects according to theState Environmental Policy Act(SEPA) and other local, state andfederalrequirements.

Policy3: TheCitywill locatecapital facilitiesidentified as essential publicfacilities to provide the necessaryservice to the intended users withthe least impact on surroundinglanduses.

CFGoal3:Provideadequateresourcesforcapital improvements andmake efficientuseoffiscalandotherresources.

Policy1: Prioritize capital improvementneeds that are consistent withoverallplanninggoals.

Parks,RecreationandOpenSpace

CFGoal4:Provideanintegratedsystemofparks, recreation facilities, trails, andopen spaces as an asset consistent withthe Parks, Trails, Open Space, andFacilities Master Plan that enhances thecommunity’squalityoflife.

Policy1: Implement the Parks, Trails, OpenSpace, and Facilities Master Planand programs for park andrecreationfacilities.

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Policy2: Coordinate thedevelopmentofCityof Richland trails, open space, andother recreational facilities andprograms with other municipalfacilities development, whereappropriate.

Policy3: DevelopandadoptMasterPlansforspecificparksasnecessary.

CF Goal 5: Provide diverse active andpassive recreational opportunities forresidentsandvisitorsofallages,basedonneeds.

Policy1: Develop participation and interestin organized and individualrecreation based on trends andchanginglifestyles.

Policy2: Provide adequate facilities to meetthe sports and active recreationalneedsofdifferentagegroups.

Policy3: Help citizens make full use ofexisting facilities through increasedpublicawareness,revisedandclearmaps,anddirectionalsignage.

CF Goal 6: Identify, prioritize, andpreserve unique natural habitat,ecologicallycriticalareas,shorelines,andsignificant landforms and develop publicrecreational activities appropriate totheseresources.

Policy1: Develop property and ecologicalmanagement programs consistentwith the SMP, and Critical AreasOrdinance.

Policy2: ProvidepublicaccessanduseoftheColumbia River and Yakima RivershorelineconsistentwiththeSMP.

Policy3:Evaluate opportunities to acquireand/or protect additional openspace to protect significantlandforms, critical habitat areas,and appropriate native vegetationareas.

Policy4: Promote environmental educationinanappropriatemannerbasedonthesensitivityofthesubjectarea.

CF Goal 7: Enhance the community andregion’s cultural and historic heritagethrough features incorporated incommunityandregionalparks.

Policy1: In cooperation with the ArtsCommission, incorporate art insuitablepubliclocations.

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CFGoal8:Extendand improve themulti‐use trail system to link parks, activitycenters,schools,andemploymentcenters.

Policy1: Identifydesirable trail linkagesandtrail extensions needed to connectwiththeCity'strailnetworkaspartofexistingtrailplan.

Schools

CF Goal 9: Work with the Richland andKennewick School Districts to helpmeetthe needs of the school districts to servethecommunity.

Policy1: Coordinatewiththeschooldistrictstoidentifylocationsoffutureschoolsites.

Policy2: Continue to work closely with theRichland and Kennewick SchoolDistrictsandspecialusergroups topromote joint use recreationprogramsandfacilities.

Policy3: Developandmaintainsaferoutestoschools by pedestrian and othermodesoftransportation.

MunicipalFacilities

CFGoal10: Providemunicipal facilitiesas needed for efficient services, rapidresponse times,andconvenientcustomerservice.

Policy1: Consider leveraging investments innew municipal facilities that helpthe City achieve other goals andoperateefficiently.

CFGoal11: The City’s investment inmunicipal facilities should, to the extentpracticable, encourage additional privateinvestment.

Policy1: Consider strategically locatingcertainmunicipal facilities in areasthat can act as catalysts for privatedevelopments.

Fire,Police,andEmergencyServices

CFGoal12: The City will provideefficient, cost‐effective, and concurrentlevelsofpublicsafetyservicesdesignedtomaintainqualityoflife.

Policy1: The City will identify the fundingmechanism to construct and stafffireandemergencyservicefacilitiesin areas of the City wherever fivehundredhomesormorearelocatedoutside a four‐minute drive timefrom an existing Richland Fire &Emergency Services facility or aneighboring jurisdiction facilitywith similar staffing levelsparticipating in an automatic aidagreement.

Policy2: The City will identify a fundingmechanism to increase staffinglevels from three to six in station’sinitial response districts when theresources/crewoutofservicenorm

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reaches 4.8 hours per 24‐hourperiodforemergencyresponse.

Policy3: TheCitywillevaluatetheadequacyof the public safety facilities andequipment, mutual and auto aidagreements, and personnel staffinglevelsanddeploymentneedsforthepresentandprojectedchange.

CFGoal13: Maintain and improve safeneighborhoodsinRichland.

Policy1: MaintainanadequateforceofpoliceofficersthroughouttheCity.

Policy2: Implement physical planning andCrime Prevention ThroughEnvironmental Design (CPTED)principles to enhance usersurveillance, de‐opportunizecriminal activities, and minimizepotentialforcrimes.

Policy3: Create a high level of publicawareness and support from thecommunityforpositiveengagementwith the police and crimeprevention and deterrenceprograms

CFGoal14: Provide efficient, cost‐effective, and concurrent levels of publicsafety services designed to maintainqualityoflife.

Policy1: Maintain community educationprograms on crime and fireprevention to increase the level ofcommunityawareness.

Policy2: Emphasize continued cooperationthroughinter‐localagreementswithrural fire districts, fire, and policeagencies of adjacent jurisdictionsand other public safety serviceproviders.

Policy3: Evaluate the adequacy of publicsafety facilities and equipment,mutual aid agreements, and

personnel staffing and programneeds, for the present and forchanges in needs with anticipatedgrowth.

Policy4: Ensure quality public safetypersonneltoservethecommunity.

LibraryFacilities

CFGoal15: Maintain the RichlandPublicLibraryasasafe,inviting,inclusivedestination, as well as a center ofcreativity and innovation that also offersservices,collections,andgatheringspacesthatmeetdiverseneeds.

Policy1: Provide library facilitiesappropriate for Richland’spopulation, circulation, technology,books,andmaterialresources.

Policy2: Maintain adequate service levels,based on comparative statisticsgathered by the Washington StateLibrary for libraries of a similarstatisticalsize.

Policy3: Maintain and accommodatetechnological advances in resourceandinformationmanagement.

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PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE Richland’s parks system consists ofneighborhood parks, community parks,regionalparks,specialuseareas,linearparks,and natural open spaces in 2,286 acres ofland.Althoughsomenaturalopenspacesareincluded,manynaturalopenspaceareasarenot included in the park system. Richland’snatural open space in general is discussedundertheLandUseElement.

Table CF-1: Park Categories

Park type  Acres  Number 

of Parks 

NeighborhoodParks 78.6 25

CommunityParks 220 4

RegionalParks 170 2

SpecialUseAreas 702 11

LinearParks 240 9

NaturalOpenSpace 873.98 7

TotalParksandRecreationAreas

2,285.6 58

In addition to City‐owned parks, Richlandresidents enjoy parks and recreationalfacilitiesownedbyotheragenciessuchastheBadgerMountainCentennialPreserveownedbyBentonCounty, theopenspaceownedbyUSACE,andRichlandSchoolDistrictfacilities,etc.

TheCityalsohasasystemoftrailsconsistingof Class 1 trails, secondary trails, and softtrails. The existing trails map (Fig. TE‐6)indicates the locations and distribution oftrailsthroughouttheCity.

Richland Parks and Public FacilitiesDepartment offers events, aquatic, andathletics programs in multiple City‐ownedfacilities (see Table CF‐2). Listed below is a

brief sample of activity categories withcategorieschangingbasedondemand: Aquatics swim lessons, lap swim, open

swimpre‐schooleducationalactivities Arts & Crafts, General Education‐chess,

huntereducation,firstaid,andmore Dog training, park ranger programs,

geocaching,hikes,andclasses Home and garden, language, computer

andtechnologies Fitness Yoga,martialarts,dance,wellness‐check‐

ups Sports:teamandindividualsports Adventurecampforyouth Cards,socialstrips

Table CF-2: School District and City of Richland Facilities

Facility Type  Existing 

Inventory 

YouthBaseballGameFields 10FieldsYouthBaseballPracticeFields 12FieldsYouthSoftballGameFields 5FieldsYouthSoftballPracticeFields 10FieldsAdultSoftballFields 4FieldsIndoorBasketballPracticeCourts(RichlandSchoolDistrict)

7Courts

IndoorBasketballGameCourts(RichlandSchoolDistrict)

5Courts

IndoorVolleyballCourts 21CourtsOutdoorSwimmingPool 1PoolYouthSoccerPracticeFields 27FieldsYouthLacrosseGameFields 0FieldsYouthLacrossePracticeFields 0FieldsYouthFootballGameFields 1FieldYouthFootballPracticeFields 0FieldsGolfDrivingRanges 1RangeGolf,18‐HoleCourses 1CourseArcheryRanges 1CourseSkateboardPark 22,700sfOutdoorTennisCourts 28Courts

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As the City grows, the use of park andrecreationfacilitieswillincrease.Thecurrentinventory of neighborhood parkland isadequate to meet the future demand. Newareasre‐designatedwiththisComprehensivePlan update will require one additionalcommunityparktoservethearea.Thereisaneed to complete the park amenities atBadger Mountain Park and Hanford LegacyPark.Master plans have been completed foreach Community Park. Additionalrecreational facilitieswill be needed such assportsfieldsandcourts,golfcourses,etc.

AlthoughRichlandincludesmoreopenspacethan adjacent communities do, there iscommunityinterestinpreservingopenspace.Approximately 34 acres of Urban ReservelandalongtheYakimaRiver isre‐designatedto Natural Open Space (Table LU‐3). Theneed for open space and associated cost tomaintain them should be further assessedthroughstakeholdersandpublicinvolvement.

MUNICIPAL FACILITIES This section describes the City of Richland’sadministrativebuildingsandothermunicipalfacilities, includingCityHall,CityHallAnnex,Community Center, Development ServicesCenter, and the City Shops and WarehouseFacility.

The current City Hall, located at theintersection of Swift Boulevard and GeorgeWashingtonWaywasconstructedin1959.Ithouses the Council Chambers, along with afew other departments. The City Hall Annexadjacenttoitwasbuiltin1977.

The Community Center was constructed in2002and serves adual role as anewseniorcenter and a recreation andmeeting facility.ItalsohousestheadministrativeofficesoftheParksDepartment.

The Development Services Center buildingwasacquiredfromthefederalgovernmentassurpluspropertyandrenovated tobecomeaone‐stopplanninganddevelopmentfacility.

TheCity’sshopscomplexislocatedona160‐acreparcelneartheQueensgateinterchange.The complex was constructed in 1999. In2010, the City constructed an addition tohouse theCity's ITdata center.The complexconsists of three separate buildings andoutdoorstorage.

An evaluation of the City Hall building wasdone last in 2003 andwas assessed that thefacilitywas inadequate in size and flexibilityanddoes not complywith basic accessibilityandenergycoderequirements.Basedonthis,a newCityHall hasbeenplannedacross thestreetfromitscurrentlocation,intheparkinglot of the Federal Courthouse. The newbuildingwill be three stories, approximately46,000squarefeet,andwillcombinetheCityHall, the City Hall Annex, and theDevelopment Services Building into onefacility, therefore eliminating three agingbuildings.Constructionwillbeginin2017andwillbecompletedin2019.

Anassessmentofmajormunicipalfacilitiesisavailableinthesupportinganalysisdocument(Appendix A), under the Capital FacilitiesElement.

FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AND FACILITIES Fire and emergency medical services are akey part of public safety services for thecitizens of Richland and the thousands ofvisitors and workers who pass through theCity. TheCityofRichlandhasaprofessional

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fire department,whichprovides fire and lifesafety protection, emergency medicalservices (EMS), technical rescue andhazardous materials response to citizens,visitors,andthebusinesscommunity.

The Richland Fire & Emergency ServicesDepartment also provides Advanced LifeSupportEMSthroughInter‐localAgreementsto segments of unincorporated areas ofBentonCounty.

POLICE SERVICES TheRichlandPoliceDepartmentprovideslawenforcement services within the City limits.Law enforcement within the unincorporatedUGA is currently provided by the BentonCountySheriff’soffice.ThePoliceDepartmentis located at 871 George Washington Way.Thestationwasconstructedin2001.

TheRichlandPoliceDepartmentestablishedapartnership with the Washington StateDepartment of Corrections (DOC) in 2002 tobetter monitor criminals who are underactiveDOCsupervisionandlivinginRichland.Atpresent,RichlandPoliceisalsoleadingtheBenton County Emergency ManagementAgency’sactivities.

Basedon2015and2016data, the incidenceof some types of crime is decreasing whileother types are increasing. For codeenforcement cases, calls for service, codeviolations, and citizen complaints aredecreasingasshowninthetablebelow.

Figure CF-1: Code Violations

Richland Police provides a value‐basedservice. Richland measures its levels ofservice for public safety based on thecommitted and uncommitted time of theofficersandsupportstaff.Futuregrowthwillincrease demand for police protectionservices and police department communityprograms. However, the Department iscurrently not seeking an increase in thenumberofpoliceofficersasitaimstomeetitsdemand through an efficient allocation ofcommitted time. It continues its currentprograms of community services and crimepreventionprograms.

LIBRARY FACILITIES Library services for Richland residents areprovided primarily by the Richland PublicLibrary, operated by the City of RichlandParks and Public Facilities Department.AdditionallibraryservicesareavailableattheWashington State University (WSU)Consolidated Information Center (CIC),ColumbiaBasinCollegeinPasco,andtheMid‐Columbia Library System in the adjacentjurisdictions. The Kadlec NeurologicalResourceCenter has a specialized library onneurological disorders that is open to thepublic.

SCHOOLS Richland is served by both Richland andKennewick School Districts, as the schooldistrict borders do not follow themunicipalities’ geographic borders. SchoolsservingRichlandstudentsareasfollows:

Elementaryschools: Badger Mountain,JasonLee, Jefferson,LewisandClark,MarcusWhitman,Orchard,Sacajawea,Tapteal,WhiteBluffs,WilliamWiley,andVista.

Middle schools: Carmichael, Chief Joseph,Enterprise,andDesertHills.

0

500

1000

1500

2000

Calls forservice

Nuisancecode

violations

Citizencomplaintcases

2015

2016

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High schools: Richland High, Hanford High,Rivers Edge, Three Rivers HomeLink, andKamiakin.

Special education schools located outsideRichlandbutservingtheregioninclude:DeltaHigh School (Science, Technology,Engineering,Math) located inPascoandTri‐TechSkillsCenterlocatedinKennewick.

School districts provide services based onpopulation growth. Currently, the plannedgrowthoftheBadgerMountainSouthareaiscreating the need for future schools in thisarea.TheRichlandSchoolDistrictisplanningto expand service in this area onapproximately54acresownedby theschooldistrict. Adequate services such as roads,utilities,andsafetyareneededinthisareatoserve the school site once built. The schooldistricts face challenges in locating schoolsiteswithin theUGAs.Coordinationbetweenthe school district and City during theplanning process helps addressing the sitingissues.

ESSENTIAL PUBLIC FACILITIES Essential Public Facilities (EPF) includefacilitiesthataretypicallydifficulttositedueto difficulties in finding the suitable andappropriate locations and perceived or realenvironmental, economic, or social impacts.Examples of EPF include airports, stateeducation facilities, state and localcorrectional facilities, solid waste handlingfacilities, state or regional transportationfacilities,theinterstatehighwaysystemetc.

Citiesandcountiesarerequiredtoestablishaprocess for identifying and siting essentialpublic facilities and adopt or amend itsdevelopment regulations as necessary toprovide for the siting of secure communitytransitionfacilities.

Richland reviews the siting of such facilitieswith a process established in the RichlandMunicipal Code (RMC 23.42.060, Essentialpublicfacilities).

REFERENCES

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REFERENCES

AnchorQEA,2014.CityofRichlandShorelineInventory,AnalysisandCharacterizationReport.2014.

APPENDICES

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APPENDICESA. ComprehensivePlanSupportingAnalysis

B. BentonCountyCountywidePlanningPolicies

C. EnvironmentalImpactStatementSummaryDocument

D. PublicInvolvementSummary

E. CityofRichlandShorelineMasterProgramUpdate,2014

F. CityofRichlandCapitalImprovementPlan2017to2030

G. 2015GeneralSewerPlanUpdate

H. CityofRichlandComprehensiveWaterSystemPlan,2017

I. CityofRichlandStormWaterManagementPlan,March2016

J. CityofRichland2011SolidWasteManagementPlan

K. Parks,Trails,OpenSpaceandFacilitiesMasterPlan,2014‐2019

L. StrategicLeadershipPlan