plan review manual · plans (including their transportation-related provisions), center plans, and...
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Plan Review Manual
A Resource to Assist with Plan Development and Review - including Certification
September 2010
Updated June 2014*
Policy and Plan Review Manual
*Section 3 (Reporting Tool for Center Plans) and Appendix E-4 (Topic by Topic Guidance –
Center Plans) revised in June 2014 to reflect updated Center Plan Checklist.
For more information, contact .......... Growth Management Planning,
206-464-5815, [email protected]
or visit our website ............................ www.psrc.org
Additional copies ............................... Puget Sound Regional Council
Information Center
1011 Western Avenue, Suite 500
Seattle, WA 98104-1035
PHONE: 206-464-7532
FAX: 206-587-4825
EMAIL: [email protected]
Puget Sound Regional Council
table of contents Overview
Organization of this manual ........................................................................................................ i
Introduction
Why review policies and plans? ................................................................................................ iii
What is the Regional Council‘s plan review process? .............................................................. iii
How does the process work? ...................................................................................................... iii
What is expected for certification? ............................................................................................. v
What about the review of other provisions beyond certification? .......................................... vi
How frequently does review occur? .......................................................................................... vi
Do amendments need to be reviewed? ...................................................................................... vi
What happens if policies or plans are not certified? ................................................................ vii
What happens if policies or provisions are not consistent with VISION 2040? .................... vii
What happens to our certification status when VISION 2040 or Transportation 2040 is
amended? ................................................................................................................................... vii
How does the Regional Council‘s process Relate to the review of policies and plans by the
state Department of Commerce? .............................................................................................. vii
How does the Regional Council‘s review relate to the growth management hearings board
process? ..................................................................................................................................... viii
Are local plans certified with countywide planning policies as well? ................................... viii
How does the plan review process relate to the project selection process? ............................ ix
Part 1: Background
Duties and responsibilities .......................................................................................................1-1
Types of review ........................................................................................................................1-2
Guidance for other planning activities in the region .............................................................1-4
Part 2: Model VISION 2040 statement
example of a model statement .................................................................................................2-1
Part 3: Reporting tools
Reporting tool for countywide planning policies ................................................................ 3A-1
Reporting tool for local comprehensive plans ..................................................................... 3B-1
Reporting tool for center plans (updated June 2014) ........................................................... 3C-1
Reporting tool for transit plans ............................................................................................. 3D-1
Policy and Plan Review Manual
Appendices
appendix A: Puget Sound Regional Council adopted policy and plan review process ........ A-1
appendix B: Policy and plan review
(excerpt from VISION 2040 – Part IV: Implementation) ...................................................... B-1
appendix C: Multicounty Planning Policies ........................................................................... C-1
appendix D: Growth Management Act requirements for transportation planning .............. D-1
appendix E: topic by topic guidance
appendix E-1: VISION 2040 consistency ............................................................................. E1-1
appendix E-2: Consistency with Transportation 2040 ........................................................ E2-1
appendix E-3: Additional requirements
for certification of transportation-related provisions .......................................................... E3-1
appendix E-4: Center plans (updated June 2014) ................................................................ E4-1
appendix F: Example of a plan Review report ....................................................................... F-1
Puget Sound Regional Council i
overview
ORGANIZATION OF THIS MANUAL
This manual has been designed to provide both general and detailed guidance for the
development of amendments and updates to countywide planning policies, local
comprehensive plans, transit agency plans, and regional center subarea plans. It describes
how each of these types of plans should address VISION 2040, Transportation 2040, specific
requirements in the Growth Management Act, and provisions for designated regional centers.
The manual also serves as tool for the Regional Council‘s review of policies and plans
developed in the central Puget Sound region. Following the introduction, the manual
includes four parts and several appendices, which address the following:
Part 1 provides background information on the Regional Council‘s plan review process. It
describes state requirements, clarifications provided by the Growth Management
Hearings Board, and the Regional Council‘s own administrative guidance. This section
discusses the four distinct types of review performed by the Regional Council, including
the review of (1) countywide planning policies, (2) local comprehensive plans, (3) transit
agency plans, and (4) plans for designated regional centers.
Part 2 provides a model VISION 2040 Statement, to be included in countywide planning
policies, local comprehensive plans, and transit agency plans. This statement summarizes
how the policies or plans relate to and address VISION 2040. The VISION 2040
Statement is a more formal communication piece to inform users of the policies or plan,
including citizens, officials, and other stakeholders.
Part 3 includes a set of four reporting tools to help guide each type of plan that is
reviewed by the Regional Council – countywide planning policies, local comprehensive
plans (including their transportation-related provisions), center plans, and transit plans.
The reporting tools include two parts: a checklist and a set of related questions. The
checklist portion is primarily a tool to assist staff as they work on plan amendments and
updates. The set of questions serves as a communication piece between jurisdiction or
agency staff and Regional Council staff during the review of amendments and updates.
APPENDICES
Appendix A is the Regional Council‘s Adopted Policy and Plan Review Process, which
was last updated by the Executive Board in September 2003. The adopted process
addresses the review of countywide planning policies, local comprehensive plans, transit
agency plans, and center plans.
ii Policy and Plan Review Manual
Appendix B is an excerpt from VISION 2040‘s Part IV Implementation. This section
describes expectations for various policy and planning efforts in the central Puget Sound
region.
Appendix C contains the entire set of Multicounty Planning Policies which were adopted
as part of VISION 2040 in April 2008.
Appendix D is an excerpt from the Growth Management Act and lists the requirements
for transportation planning for local comprehensive plans.
Appendix E is a set of four additional appendices that have been developed to provide
topic-by-topic guidance to policy development for various types of plans. These
appendices provide a greater level of detail than the reporting tool or checklists.
Appendix E-1 describes issues and approaches for achieving consistency with
VISION 2040. This section outlines the multicounty planning policies, which
also serve as the regional guidelines and principles required for certifying the
transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive plans.
Appendix E-2 discusses additional issues related to consistency with
Transportation 2040, the adopted regional transportation plan.
Appendix E-3 describes further issues required in the Growth Management Act
for local transportation planning, which also are factors for the certification of
transportation-related provisions.
Appendix E-4 addresses issues related to planning for centers. While this is
geared to designated regional growth centers and regional manufacturing
industrial centers, it also has applications for planning for central places and more
compact activity areas of different types.
Appendix F provides an example of a completed plan review report.
Compendium. A separate compendium provides examples and best practices to assist
planning efforts with understanding various ways of addressing VISION 2040 and state
planning requirements. The compendium is a working document and is designed TO BE
periodically updated with new examples and practices.
Puget Sound Regional Council iii
Introduction
WHY REVIEW POLICIES AND PLANS?
VISION 2040 represents regional agreement on many
complex issues, including environmental sustainability,
where future development should go, housing, economic
development, transportation, and the siting of public
services. To ensure that individual regional and local
planning efforts are coordinated, the Puget Sound Regional
Council works with countywide planning groups, local
jurisdictions, transit agencies, and others to ensure that
adopted regional policies and provisions are being addressed.
This happens through the review of countywide planning
policies, local comprehensive plans – including subarea plans for regionally designated centers
– and transit agency plans.
The Growth Management Act emphasizes intergovernmental coordination and consistency.
To advance coordination between regional and local planning, the Act requires regional
transportation planning organizations, including the Puget Sound Regional Council, to
formally certify countywide planning policies and local comprehensive plan transportation
provisions. To be certified, the transportation provisions must demonstrate that they are
consistent with the regional transportation plan, with regionally established guidelines and
policies, and with Growth Management Act requirements for transportation planning.
WHAT IS THE REGIONAL COUNCIL’S PLAN REVIEW PROCESS?
The Regional Council process for reviewing various policies and plans is designed to further
regional coordination and satisfy the Growth Management Act certification requirements.
The Regional Council‘s Executive Board last revised the Policy and Plan Review Process in
September 2003 to incorporate guidelines for the review of plans for designated regional
growth centers. The adopted process is provided in Appendix A.
With the adoption of VISION 2040 – including revisions to the multicounty planning policies1
and additional information on the plan review program presented in VISION 2040‘s
Implementation section – new guidance is now in place for the plan review process. This
manual is designed to be a resource for understanding that guidance and the review process.
HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?
Where It Starts. The plan review process ideally starts when a countywide planning body,
local jurisdiction, or agency begins an update or amendment. All are encouraged to provide
1 The Act states that multicounty planning policies shall be adopted by two or more counties, each with
a population of 450,000 or more, having contiguous urban areas. They may be adopted by other
counties, according to the process established in the Act or as agreed to among the counties and cities
within the multicounty region (RCW 36.70A.210 (7)).
iv Policy and Plan Review Manual
advance drafts to Regional Council staff for review and comment. Based on the nature of the
update or amendment, the comments can take the form of staff-to-staff communications or
more formal written memoranda or letters.
Along with using this manual, it is helpful to
work with past Plan Review Reports prepared by the Regional Council to identify
specific issues or topics that were previously
identified as needing attention or were
recommended as ways of improving the
plan.
Note: This manual should be used in
concert with the VISION 2040 document
itself, rather than as a stand-alone resource.
VISION 2040 provides the full array of
goals, planning provisions, and explanatory
material to guide various regional and local
planning efforts in the central Puget Sound
region.
PSRC Support – Shifting the interaction to
earlier in the process. Regional Council staff is
available to provide technical assistance and
support in the development of policy
amendments or plan updates. Our goal is to
help each planning effort in the region result
in successfully demonstrating consistency with
VISION 2040 and state planning requirements
well in advance of final adoption.
VISION 2040 Statement. A new
requirement in VISION 2040 is for all
countywide planning policies, local
comprehensive plans, transit agency plans,
and subarea plans for regional centers to
include a brief report or statement in the plan itself. (See Appendix B.) The statement can be
a few paragraphs or more substantive and in-depth on how they address VISION 2040. A
model VISION 2040 statement is provided in Part 2 of this manual. Note: For a minor
amendment to a set of policies or a plan, it may not always be necessary to revise or prepare a
new VISION 2040 statement. (Please consult with Regional Council staff as amendments are
drafted.)
Reporting Tool. A separate reporting tool has been developed for each type of plan reviewed
by the Regional Council, including countywide planning policies, local comprehensive plans,
transit agency plans and center plans. The first part of the reporting tool is a checklist is
designed to help guide the development of plan updates and amendments. The checklist is
primarily designed to assist those responsible for crafting amendments and updates.
Brief Summary of How the Plan Review Process Works
STEP I
Work Starts on Update or Amendments
Agency or planning body contacts PSRC regarding scope
and schedule
Use the Plan Review Manual to identify issues and topics to
be addressed
PSRC Support
PSRC staff is available as material is drafted for review and
assistance
As Work Progresses on Draft Provisions
Craft a VISION 2040 Statement to be included in the final
adopted set of policies or plan
Use the checklist in the reporting tool to ensure key
provisions have been addressed
STEP II: Final Pre-Adoption Review
If not previously provided, a completed draft of the
reporting tool should be provided to PSRC staff for review,
along with the draft revisions 60-days prior to final
adoption. (Note: This corresponds with state agency review
of draft amendments.)
Work with PSRC comments to finalize policies or plan
STEP III: After Adoption
Submit adopted policies or plan to PSRC.
If changes were made to draft policies and plans as part of
adoption, then any related revisions to the reporting tool
should also be submitted.
PSRC staff then drafts a Plan Review Report and
certification recommendation – which is first made
available to the submitter for review and comment
Plan Review Report revised as needed and transmitted to
PSRC‘s boards for action
Puget Sound Regional Council v
The second part of the reporting tool is a series of directed questions that relate to key VISION
2040 provisions and certification requirements. The entire reporting tool should be
completed and submitted to the Regional Council prior to adoption for review and comment –
along with a copy of the actual draft plan update or amendment. This provides an
opportunity to work out any issues or problems that may be identified before final action is
taken. After adoption, the reporting tool may be revised as needed – if changes were made to
draft policies or plans during final adoption. The information provided in the reporting tool
serves as the basis for the Plan Review Report that Regional Council staff will craft for formal
review by the Council‘s policy boards and Executive Board.
Plan Review Report. After plan update or policy amendments are adopted and the reporting
tool has been finalized, Regional Council staff will draft a Plan Review Report. For more
detailed plan updates, the report will address a broader range of consistency issues. For
simpler amendments, the report may take the form of a memorandum. An initial draft of the
report is first sent to staff of the countywide group, jurisdiction, or transit agency for review
and comment. The report is finalized and transmitted to the Regional Council‘s policy boards
for their consideration. (See example of a Plan Review Report in Appendix F.)
Board Review and Action. The final Plan Review Report is transmitted to the Regional
Council‘s Growth Management Policy Board and Transportation Policy Board, along with a
recommendation regarding certification. Both boards act on the recommendation and then
forward it to the Executive Board. Action by the Executive Board finalizes the process.
WHAT IS EXPECTED FOR CERTIFICATION?
Requirements in State Law. The Puget Sound Regional
Council serves as the regional transportation planning
organization for King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish
counties. As the regional transportation planning
organization, the Regional Council is required to certify
countywide planning policies for each of the four counties, as
well as the transportation-related provisions in the
comprehensive plans for all 86 local jurisdictions in the four-
county region. Certification is based on three things:
(1) addressing what state law refers to as regional guidelines
and principles – which in the central Puget Sound region are
the 174 multicounty planning policies in VISION 2040 (see
Appendix C), (2) conformity with the Growth Management Act requirements for
transportation planning (see Appendix D and Appendix E-3, and (3) consistency with the
regional transportation plan – that is, Transportation 2040 (see Appendix E-2) (Chapter
47.80.023, Revised Code of Washington). The Regional Council‘s Executive Board formally
certifies the transportation-related provisions based on recommendations from the Regional
Council‘s two policy boards.
Regional Transportation Planning
Organization Duties
Certify that transportation-related provisions
(1) reflect the established regional guidelines
and principles, (2) are consistent with the
adopted regional transportation plan, and
(3) conform with requirements for
transportation planning. (See RCW
47,80.023 and Adopted Policy and Plan
Review Process – September 2003)
vi Policy and Plan Review Manual
WHAT ABOUT THE REVIEW OF OTHER PROVISIONS BEYOND
CERTIFICATION?
The Regional Council‘s review also provides an opportunity to comment on other aspects of
countywide planning policies, local comprehensive plans, transit plans, and center plans
beyond what is considered for the purposes of certification. This portion of the review
process takes into account additional regional guidance provided by VISION 2040 beyond the
multicounty planning policies. The Regional Council also takes the opportunity to offer
comments on ways that policies or plans could be improved. This part of the review process
has been developed in response to direction provided by the Interlocal Agreement for
Regional Planning of the Central Puget Sound Area (VII-C) and Framework Plan
(Section 5, 1-c-3)
HOW FREQUENTLY DOES REVIEW OCCUR?
Policies and Plans Remain Certified until Amended or Updated. Once a set of countywide
planning policies or local comprehensive plan (or subarea plan for a regional center) has been
certified, it remains certified until it is next amended or updated. (See Appendix A.)
Countywide planning groups, local jurisdictions, and agencies are encouraged to continue to
be in communication with the Regional Council as amendments and updates are being
developed in order to ensure that that their certification status remains up-to-date.
DO AMENDMENTS NEED TO BE REVIEWED?
All Amendments Must Be Submitted – But Not All Require Formal Action. The Regional
Council requests that it receive all amendments to countywide planning policies, local plans,
transit agency plans, and center plans. However, amendments are treated in different ways
based on the issues they address and their level of detail. For example, minor amendments
typically do not trigger the need for a formal action by the Regional Council.
Major Amendments – Updates or Substantial Revisions. If a set of policies or a plan is
substantively revised or updated, the Regional Council asks for a new reporting tool to be
completed and will prepare a new plan review report, including a recommendation regarding
certification, for consideration by the Regional Council‘s policy boards and Executive Board.
Minor Amendments Related to Certification. If only a portion of a set of policies or plan is
amended that has bearing on one or more of the transportation-related provisions, only that
portion of the reporting tool that relates to the issue(s) being revised needs to be completed.
In such instances, only a brief explanation of the amendment(s) would likely be sufficient.
Also, rather than a full plan review report, a memorandum will be transmitted to the Regional
Council‘s board for consideration. The memorandum will briefly summarize the amendment
and include a recommendation regarding certification.
Other Minor Amendments. Minor amendments that deal with issues that do not address
certification requirements or consistency with VISION 2040 should also be submitted to the
Regional Council. In the case of local comprehensive plans, jurisdictions may opt to transmit
drafts of these minor amendments to the Regional Council at the same time they submit them
to the Department of Commerce for state review.
Puget Sound Regional Council vii
If a portion of a set of policies or plan is amended that does not relate to certification, there are
two possible outcomes. If the issue addressed may be of interest to the Regional Council‘s
policy boards, an information item may be composed to inform board members of the subject
and how it has been addressed. No action is taken by the board to retain certification status.
For other minor amendments, the Regional Council staff will acknowledge receipt of the
amendment and include it in its collection of policies and plans.
WHAT HAPPENS IF POLICIES OR PLANS ARE NOT CERTIFIED?
Only those transportation or economic development projects or programs located in
jurisdictions whose policies or plans have been certified are eligible to receive PSRC-managed
funds. This includes projects sponsored by an agency other that the local jurisdiction itself. In
some instances, jurisdictions or agencies may apply for funds while work is underway to
revise policies or plans to address certification requirements. In those cases, a project may be
identified for funds but may not receive them until the certification requirements are
fully met.
WHAT HAPPENS IF POLICIES OR PROVISIONS ARE NOT
CONSISTENT WITH VISION 2040?
For other planning issues that are not directly transportation-related, the Regional Council‘s
Plan Review Report will discuss consistency with pertinent provisions in VISION 2040.
Should an issue be identified, the Report will provide information on how the policies or plan
could be revised to better address VISION 2040. The adopted Policy and Plan Review Process
identifies how unresolved issues are to be addressed (see Appendix A).
WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR CERTIFICATION STATUS WHEN VISION
2040 OR TRANSPORTATION 2040 IS AMENDED?
Countywide planning policies and local comprehensive plans retain their certification status
until they are updated or amended. In case VISION 2040 or Transportation 2040 are updated,
countywide policies and local plans are expected to reflect any new regional provisions during
subsequent update and amendment cycles.
HOW DOES THE REGIONAL COUNCIL’S PROCESS RELATE TO THE
REVIEW OF POLICIES AND PLANS BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF COMMERCE?
Countywide planning policies, local comprehensive plans, and related regulations are required
to be submitted to the Washington State Department of Commerce for review and comment
60 days prior to adoption. The Department coordinates a review of the draft provisions
involving various state agencies. This review often involves a response to the countywide
planning group or local jurisdictions with comments on the draft. However, it is important to
note that this review does not result in a formal certification or approval of the policies or
plans by the state. The only formal certification that takes place is that by the Regional
Council (as the regional transportation planning organization) and occurs after the policies or
viii Policy and Plan Review Manual
plans have been adopted. Also, the Regional Council does not review regulations or
zoning codes.
The Regional Council and the Department of Commerce do coordinate in developing
materials and criteria used to review policies and plans. This allows countywide policy groups
and local jurisdictions to provide similar responses to common issues expressed in both review
processes. The Regional Council also typically receives copies of comments provided by the
Department in the state agency review of draft policies and plans. The Regional Council has
that information at the time it prepares a Plan Review Report and certification
recommendation once the policies or plans are formally adopted. It is strongly recommended
that countywide planning bodies and local jurisdictions provide advance copies of draft
amendments and updates to the Regional Council at least during the 60-day period for
Department of Commerce review – preferably earlier.
HOW DOES THE REGIONAL COUNCIL’S REVIEW RELATE TO THE
GROWTH MANAGEMENT HEARINGS BOARD PROCESS?
As the regional transportation planning organization in the four-county region, the Regional
Council is required to review and certify transportation-related provisions for all countywide
planning policies and local comprehensive plans. This function is separate from any challenge
to the validity of policies or plans that may be brought before the Central Puget Sound
Growth Management Hearings Board. The Regional Council‘s certification action is based on
determining consistency with (1) the multicounty planning policies, which serve as the
regional guidelines and principles, (2) Transportation 2040, the regional transportation plan,
and (3) Growth Management Act requirements for transportation planning.
The Hearings Board has more of a quasi-judicial mandate when it is petitioned to review a set
of policies or a plan. While there can obviously be some overlap with issues that are reviewed
by the Hearings and the Regional Council, the Hearings Board process is set up to consider a
much broader range of provisions from the entire body of requirements in the Growth
Management Act.
ARE LOCAL PLANS CERTIFIED WITH COUNTYWIDE PLANNING
POLICIES AS WELL?
While local comprehensive plans are required to be consistent with both countywide
planning policies and multicounty planning policies, state law only provides for a certification
function by regional transportation planning organizations, which in the four-county region is
the Puget Sound Regional Council. Each county and its cities have their own mechanisms for
developing and maintaining their respective countywide planning policies.
Puget Sound Regional Council ix
HOW DOES THE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS RELATE TO THE
PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS?
The review of transportation projects and applications in the Regional Council‘s
Transportation Improvement Program is closely coordinated with its Plan Review Process.
For example, only those transportation projects or programs located in jurisdictions whose
comprehensive plan provisions have been certified are eligible to apply for and receive PSRC-
managed funds. Moreover, each transportation project proposal (or amendment) for inclusion
in Transportation 2040 must demonstrate consistency both with the local comprehensive
plan, as well as with the multicounty planning policies and regional transportation plan.
x Policy and Plan Review Manual
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Puget Sound Regional Council Page 1-1
Part 1: Background
This section addresses the duties and responsibilities for reviewing plans and policies. The
Growth Management Act requirements for reviewing countywide policies and local
comprehensive plans are outlined, as well as the Puget Sound Regional Council‘s institutional
framework for reviewing policy and planning documents. Then the different types of plan
review conducted by the Regional Council are described.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The following information provides a brief summary of the legal and institutional framework
of the Regional Council‘s plan review program.
What Does Washington State Law Say?
The Growth Management Act emphasizes coordination and consistency of planning.
Comprehensive plans are expected to be internally consistent, consistent with the plans of
other jurisdictions, and consistent with regional planning. Development regulations,
including zoning provisions, are also expected to be consistent with the comprehensive plan.
To ensure consistency between regional and local planning, the Act requires regional
transportation planning organizations to:
certify … that the transportation elements of comprehensive plans adopted by
counties, cities, and towns within the region reflect [regionally adopted guidelines and
principles], are consistent with the adopted regional transportation plan, and, where
appropriate, conform with the [mandatory elements section of the Growth
Management Act]. Where appropriate, certify that county-wide planning policies …
and the adopted regional transportation plan are consistent. (Chapter 47.80.023, Revised
Code of Washington - RCW)
The Act defines mandatory elements for local plans (RCW 36.70A.070), and provides guidance for
the development of the regional guidelines and principles (RCW 47.80.026) and the regional
transportation plan (RCW 47.80.030). These guidelines and principles are to be used to develop
regional and local transportation plans, and for the certification of transportation-related
provisions in local comprehensive plans.2 In the central Puget Sound region, the Act also
requires the adoption of multicounty planning policies. VISION 2040 establishes that the
multicounty planning policies serve as the central Puget Sound area‘s regional guidelines and
principles. (See Part IV: Implementation.) The Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
provides additional guidance and stipulates that ―regions shall cooperatively define and establish
2 At a minimum, the factors to be addressed include concentrations of economic activity, residential
density, development corridors and urban design that, where appropriate, supports high capacity
transit, freight transportation and port access, development patterns that promote pedestrian and
nonmotorized transportation, circulation systems, access to regional systems, effective and efficient
highway systems, the ability of transportation facilities and programs to retain existing and attract
new jobs and private investment and to accommodate growth in demand, transportation demand
management, joint and mixed use developments, present and future railroad right-of-way corridor
utilization, and intermodal connections. (RCW 47.80.026)
Page 1-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
measures and processes to determine regional consistency with the adopted regional
transportation plan‖ (WAC 468-86-150).
What Does the Hearings Board Say?
The Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board has addressed regional
coordination and consistency in several cases.3 The Board has asserted that local jurisdictions
are obliged to balance local interests with regional interests. It has also identified local
comprehensive plans as being the appropriate mechanism for translating regional policies into
results. Finally, the Board has stated that amendments to a comprehensive plan may not cause
the comprehensive plan to become inconsistent with countywide and multicounty policies.
What Does the Regional Council Say?
The Puget Sound Regional Council‘s Interlocal Agreement for Regional Planning of the Central
Puget Sound Area and Framework Plan provide additional direction for coordinating planning
on interjurisdictional issues. The Interlocal Agreement calls for the Regional Council to develop
a process for the review of countywide planning policies (VII-C). The Framework Plan directs
the Regional Council to work with local and state agencies to ensure that provisions of the
regional growth strategy are reflected in local planning efforts (Section 5, 1-c-3).
To meet these directives, the Regional Council‘s Executive Board adopted the Policy and Plan
Review Process, which was last updated in 2003 (see Appendix A). The process describes the
authority for reviewing plans and certifying transportation-related provisions. It then discusses
each of the four types of review carried out by the Regional Council, including the review of
(1) countywide planning policies, (2) local plans, (3) transit agency plans, and (4) center plans.
Certification responsibilities are also described along with procedures for resolving disputes.
What Does VISION 2040 Say?
The Policy and Plan Review Process is addressed in the Implementation section of VISION
2040. That section calls for each distinct planning effort to incorporate a brief report or
statement in their plans that addresses VISION 2040 and the multicounty planning policies (See
Appendix B.). A discussion of the VISION 2040 statement is included in Part 3 of this manual.
TYPES OF REVIEW
The Regional Council‘s Plan Review process is divided into four types: (1) countywide
planning policies, (2) local comprehensive plans, (3) transit agency plans, and (4) center plans.
Each is briefly described below.
1. Countywide Planning Policies
Whereas multicounty planning policies provide a common framework for planning at the
regional level, countywide policies provide such a framework for collaborative planning
within individual counties. In central Puget Sound, each set of countywide planning policies
3 For balancing local, regional, and state interests, see Rural Residents, 3310, FDO, at 14. Regarding the
local plans as the mechanism for implementing regional policies, see Aagaard, 4311c, FDO, at 7.
Consistency of local comprehensive plans with countywide planning policies and multicounty
planning policies is addressed in LMI/Chevron, 8312, FDO, at 44.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 1-3
is reviewed for consistency with the multicounty planning policies and with Transportation
2040, the regional transportation plan. A finding of consistency results in certification of the
countywide policies. According to Policy MPP-G-2, countywide planning policies are to be
updated to reflect revised multicounty planning policies by December 31, 2010.
2. Local Comprehensive Plans
Local comprehensive plans are the primary focus of planning under the Growth Management
Act. The primary guidance and requirements of the Act are directed at local jurisdictions,
including provisions to ensure consistency between the local comprehensive plan and the
codes and regulations that implement the plan.
One of the advantages of VISION 2040 is that it provides a long-term view that extends
beyond the planning period of local comprehensive plans. This long-range outlook provides
context for the 20-year planning period for local plans, and helps identify long-range issues
that local jurisdictions can begin to address early on.
The Growth Management Act includes a schedule4 that requires comprehensive plans to be
reviewed and updated as needed every seven years. Based on that provision, local plans will
likely be updated at least five times between now and 2040 – in 2011, 2018, 2025, 2032, and
2039. Local plans are reviewed to (1) ensure consistency with VISION 2040 and to (2) certify
that their transportation-related provisions meet state planning requirements.
Consistency with VISION 2040. Issues relating to consistency with VISION 2040 include:
sustainability, implementation of the Regional Growth Strategy, multicounty planning
policies, and those implementation actions geared to local jurisdictions.
Certification of Transportation-Related Provisions. Certification of the transportation-
related provisions is based on (1) consistency with established regional guidelines and principles – that is, the multicounty planning policies, (2) consistency with the regional transportation plan (Transportation 2040), and (3) conformity with the specific Growth
Management Act requirements for transportation planning.
A single plan review report is prepared for each local comprehensive plan update. A
recommendation for certification is included based on the three areas described above.
Comments on consistency with VISION 2040 are intended to assist local governments in ways
their plan can implement regional goals and policies, as well as local objectives and concerns.
3. Transit Agency Plans
Each transit agency in the central Puget Sound region has a plan that guides its service program.
However, they currently vary in terms of their planning horizons and level of detail. Under
PSRC‘s Interlocal Agreement, the Regional Council reviews and comments on transit agency
plans. In addition, state law requires the Puget Sound Regional Council to certify long-range
plans developed by Sound Transit (RCW 81.104). The provisions in the regional transportation
plan and the multicounty planning policies, which provide the policy framework for the
region‘s transportation plan, serve as a basis for developing a certification recommendation for
Sound Transit‘s plan.
4 RCW 36.70A.130
Page 1-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
4. Center Plans
Local jurisdictions that have regionally designated centers – either regional growth centers or
regional manufacturing/industrial centers – are to prepare a subarea plan for each center (DP-
Action-17). According to VISION 2040, the subarea plan is to be adopted within four years of
the center‘s designation. Center plans are viewed for consistency with (1) VISION 2040,
(2) Growth Management Act requirements for subarea planning, and (3) regionally established
criteria for center planning.
Aligning growth targets with VISION 2040’s Regional Growth Strategy
The Regional Council has offered guidance to counties and their cities as they work to align
their local growth targets with the Regional Growth Strategy. This guidance recognizes that
the path from now to 2040 is more than three decades long, and that the path to 2040 may not
be linear. Where recent growth has been at significant odds with the policy direction set by
the Regional Growth Strategy, jurisdictions are asked to try their best to set any new targets as
close to VISION 2040 as reasonably possible. Jurisdictions are asked to explain what steps
they are taking to ―bend the trend‖ of recent growth to align with the concepts in VISION
2040.
The Regional Council will remain flexible by recognizing good faith efforts in its review of
targets. The Regional Council will also provide guidance and technical assistance to counties
and their cities as they work to prepare their targets and plan updates. The review and
certification of plans will be based on the actions and measures already taken or proposed to
be put in place to bend the trend, not just on an assessment of the targets alone.
GUIDANCE FOR OTHER PLANNING ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION
In addition to those planning efforts that are formally reviewed by the Puget Sound Regional
Council, other planning activities – including those of state agencies, other regional agencies,
and special service districts – are also expected to be consistent with and work towards
implementation of VISION 2040 and the Regional Growth Strategy.
The Growth Management Act requires state agencies to comply with local comprehensive plans
and development regulations (RCW 36.70A.103). This applies to both planning and
programming by state agencies.
VISION 2040 reinforces the provision in the Growth Management Act that cities are the
preferred provider of urban services. As such, VISION 2040 states that urban services should be
provided by cities or appropriate regional service providers. Special districts serving
municipalities or potential annexation areas are encouraged to consolidate or dissolve as a result
(MPP-PS-6). Counties are asked to review special service districts‘ plans to identify any
inconsistencies with local or regional planning goals. Cities and counties are asked to
collaborate with special service districts to review district location and design criteria for public
facilities to ensure that regional and local growth management objectives are met.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 2-1
Part 2: Model VISION 2040
Statement
…to be included in policy document, local comprehensive plan, or agency plan
VISION 2040 calls for countywide planning policies, local comprehensive plans, and transit
agency plans to include a brief report or statement of how the plan addresses VISION 2040‘s
multicounty planning policies and conformity to relevant planning requirements in the
Growth Management Act (see VISION 2040 / Part IV: Implementation).
Such a statement could be as brief as a few paragraphs or could be longer and more in-depth.
At a minimum the statement should address:
(1) A sustainable approach to planning
(2) Aligning with the Regional Growth Strategy
(3) Consistency with the overall policy direction and goals in the Multicounty Planning
Policies.
(4) Implementation actions in countywide planning efforts and/or local comprehensive
plans geared to advance the actions and tasks included in VISION 2040.
Note: The inclusion of a VISION 2040 statement in your policy document or plan is intended
to inform users of the plan of its relationship to VISION 2040 and coordinated regional
planning efforts. However, the statement itself does not establish that the provisions in the
policies or plan have been certified. The policy document or plan still must be reviewed and
formally certified by the Puget Sound Regional Council after it has been adopted.
EXAMPLE OF A MODEL STATEMENT
A model of how such a statement might appear is shown on the following page.
Page 2-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
EXAMPLE:
Our city’s comprehensive plan advances a sustainable approach to growth
and future development. We have incorporated a systems approach to
planning and decision-making that addresses protection of the natural
environment. The plan commits to maintaining and restoring ecosystems,
through steps to conserve key habitats, clean up polluted waterways, and
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan includes provisions that ensure
that a healthy environment remains available for future generations in our city.
Our city’s comprehensive plan has been updated based on residential and
employment targets that align with VISION 2040. Through the targeting
process we have identified the number of housing units in the city for the year
2031. We have also established an affordable housing goal for this planning
period. Residential and employment targets have also been identified for our
designated regional growth center.
The comprehensive plan addresses each of the policy areas in VISION 2040.
We have policies that address habitat protection, water conservation, air
quality, and climate change. We advance environmentally friendly
development techniques, such as low-impact landscaping. Our plan calls for
more compact urban development and includes design guidelines for mixed-
use and transit-oriented development. There are directives to prioritize
funding and investments to our regional growth center. The housing element
commits to expanding housing production at all income levels to meet the
diverse needs of both current and future residents. We have an economic
development element in the plan that supports creating jobs, investing in all
people, creating great communities, and maintaining a high quality of life. Our
transportation element advances cleaner and more sustainable mobility, with
provisions for complete streets, green streets, and context-sensitive design.
We have programs and strategies that advance alternatives to driving alone.
We coordinate our transportation planning with neighboring jurisdictions,
including our level-of-service standards and concurrency provisions. We
commit to conservation methods in the provision of public services.
The comprehensive plan also addresses local implementation actions in
VISION 2040, including identification of underused lands, mode-split goals for
our designed center, and housing targets.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3-1
part 3: reporting tools
A set of reporting tools have been developed to assist countywide planning groups, local
jurisdictions, and transit agencies as they work on updates and amendments to their policies
and plans. These resources should be used in concert with the VISION 2040 document itself,
which provides the broader context, as well as goals and explanations for the specifics and
issues outlined here.
The reporting tools are also designed as an agency-to-agency communication piece as part of
the Regional Council review of countywide planning policies, local plans, and transit agency
plans. They provide the primary information used in assessing the consistency of policies and
plan with VISION 2040 and relevant planning provisions in the Growth Management Act.
Reporting tools for jurisdictions and agencies submitting policies or plans for review can
be downloaded from the Regional Council‘s website at:
http://www.psrc.org/growth/planreview/reporting-tools/
Each of the reporting tools has two parts: a checklist
and a set of related questions.
Checklist portion. The checklist part of each reporting
tool is designed to serve as an aid to highlight key
provisions that should be addressed as policy and plan
updates and amendments are being prepared. Plans
can demonstrate consistency without necessarily
checking off each and every item listed on the
checklists. In other words, other approaches and
provisions may be appropriate and acceptable. (Note:
Appendix E is designed to provide more detailed and
in-depth information on issues and topics to be
addressed in policies and plans.)
Set of Related Questions. The second part of the
reporting tool includes a set of related questions. The
questions are structured to focus broadly on the key
themes in VISION 2040 and, where appropriate,
planning requirements in the Growth Management
Act. Countywide planning groups, local jurisdictions,
and transit agencies are asked either to provide brief
responses to each of the questions or to follow the
outline of the questions and develop their own
narrative to explain how their policies or plans address the major elements of VISION 2040.
When submitting a reporting tool, short responses are requested that summarize how the
policies or plans address specific issues. In addition, citations or references to the policies or
plans are useful. Any issue on the checklist that is not addressed should be explained.
Submitting a Completed Reporting
Tool
The reporting tool includes two parts: a
checklist and a set of related questions.
The checklist part has been designed to
assist staff in developing plan
amendments and updates. The checklist
is just that – a list of issues that simply
could be ―checked-off.‖ The set of
related questions should be used to
explain why an item is not checked-off
or maybe only partially addressed.
The plan document or amendment must
also be submitted to the Regional
Council as part of the review process.
Reporting tools and plan documents can
be submitted to PSRC for review at:
http://psrc.org/growth/planreview/report
ing-tools/
Page 3-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
What About Amendments? If a set of policies or plan is only being amended in part, then it is
appropriate for only that portion of the reporting tool that relates specifically to the topics
addressed in the amendment to be completed.
When Should the Reporting Tool Be Submitted? You are encouraged to begin working with
the reporting tool at the very beginning of your update or amendment process. In particular,
the checklist portion of the tool can be of value as you scope issues and topics to address.
An initial draft of a completed reporting tool can be submitted at any time while policies and
plan provisions are being drafted – particularly to solicit review and comment from Regional
Council staff. If not submitted earlier in the process, the reporting tool in draft form should
be provided to the Regional Council no later than during the final 60-day review period
before the update or amended is scheduled for adoption. If there are changes to any policies
or plan provisions at the time of adoption, then associated revisions to the reporting tool
should be provided to the Regional Council – along with the final version of the adopted
policies or plans.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3A-1
REPORTING TOOL FOR COUNTYWIDE PLANNING POLICIES
Countywide planning policies, like multicounty planning policies, provide a framework for
guiding local planning in each of the four counties in central Puget Sound. By design, the
multicounty planning policies tend to be more general in their treatment of planning issues;
countywide policies can offer more detail and guidance.
Overview of the Reporting Tool for Countywide Planning Policies
The reporting tool has two parts: a checklist and a set of related questions. The checklist portion is designed to serve as an aid to highlight key provisions that should be addressed as
updates and amendments to countywide planning policies are being prepared. The second
part of the reporting tool includes a set of related questions. The questions are structured to
focus broadly on the key themes in VISION 2040.
The reporting tool for countywide planning policies parallels the topic areas for the
multicounty planning policies in VISION 2040. Countywide policies should address each of
the main policy topic areas and subtopics, as well as the implementation actions for
countywide planning identified in VISION 2040. Note: More in-depth guidance on specific
issues is available in Appendix E-1.
Reporting on VISION 2040 Implementation Actions. The review process also provides the
opportunity to report on work taking place related to implementation of VISION 2040
actions. The reporting tool includes a question designed to gather information on
implementation actions directed to countywide planning efforts.
Regarding Amendments
For submitting amendments to countywide planning policies, please use only the portions of
the reporting tool that specifically deal with the topics or issues addressed in the amendments.
It is not necessary to complete the entire reporting tool.
Page 3A-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool A: countywide planning policies
part one: checklist
General Multicounty Planning Policies
Address joint planning and coordination among jurisdictions and agencies,
including tribes. (MPP-G-1)
The Environment
Stewardship
Provide guidance for addressing the natural environment in planning both at the
countywide and local level, basing decision-making on the environmental best-
information available; address environmental issues comprehensively, that is, by
considering the entire natural system5 and how it functions (MPP-En-1 through 7)
Earth & Habitat
Provide direction for coordinating jurisdictions‘ work to designate and protect
critical areas, developing common methodologies for assessing habitat needs, and
planning for open space and greenbelts that cross jurisdictional boundaries. (MPP-
En-8 through 12; EN-Action-8 and 9)
Water Quality
Provide direction for developing standards and targets to monitor waterways. (MPP-
En-13 through 16; En-Action-10)
Air Quality
Provide guidance for local air quality planning efforts appropriate to each county. (MPP-En-17 through 19)
Climate Change
Provide direction for programs and strategies to address reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, adapting to the effects from climate change, and addressing
interjurisdictional issues relating to greenhouse gas emissions. (MPP-En-20 through 25)
5 A ―Systems Approach‖ to Environmental Planning considers planning issues in all their complexities
and seeks to address interrelationships between various natural functions and systems. For more
information see VISION 2040 section on Environmental Stewardship.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3A-3
Development Patterns
Urban
Address the regional framework for designating and adjusting the urban growth
area. (MPP-DP-1 and 2)
Provide direction for setting local jurisdiction residential and employment targets in
a manner that supports the adopted Regional Growth Strategy. (MPP-DP-3 and 4)
Develop programs and strategies for polluted or contaminated site clean-up, as well
as redevelopable sites. (DP-Action-14)
Centers
Address the common framework for establishing subregional centers to ensure
regionwide compatibility. (MPP-DP-5 through 13; DP-Action-5)
Ensure that infrastructure and economic development funding efforts prioritize
projects and services in centers. (MPP-DP-7, 10, 13;MPP-Ec-18; MPP-T-12; MPP-H-6)
Unincorporated Urban Areas
Provide direction for joint planning in unincorporated urban growth areas,
including coordinating the provision of services, establishing development
standards for urban unincorporated areas that are consistent with those of adjacent
cities, and affiliating unincorporated urban areas with cities with a view toward
annexation. (DP-Action-15)
Rural
Minimize negative environmental impacts to rural lands, address appropriate
character and location of development in rural areas, and develop tools and
strategies to permanently protect rural and resource lands. (MPP-DP-21 through 28)
Address that facilities that primarily support urban residents should not be located
in the rural area, including urban-sized schools and other facilities. (MPP-T-28;
MPP-PS-21 through 24)
Resource Lands
Include provisions to ensure the long-term integrity and productivity of resource
lands – including farms, forests, and mineral lands. (MPP-DP-29 through 32)
Development Patterns – Orderly Development
Regional Design
Provide guidance for preserving significant historic, visual, and cultural resources,
advancing the use of environmentally friendly (i.e., green) design guidelines, and
using natural features for determining corridors and siting facilities. (MPP-DP-33
through 42)
Page 3A-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool A: countywide planning policies
part one: checklist
Health and Active Living
Incorporate health considerations into countywide decision-making. (MPP-DP- 44)
Provide guidance for planning that addresses the three major themes of (1) healthy
environment, (2) physical activity and well-being, and (3) safety. (MPP-DP-43
through 47)
Promote local food production within the region. (MPP-DP-47)
Housing
Provide direction for increasing housing production opportunities, including
diverse types and styles, for all segments of the population, including affordable
housing and housing in centers. (MPP-H-1 through 9)
Provide direction for addressing jobs-housing balance to provide a range of housing
choices in a manner that promotes accessibility to employment.(MPP-H-4; MPP-Ec-20)
Economic Development
Advance programs for promoting investments in communities. (Ec-Action-5)
Address planning for industry clusters. (MPP-Ec-3)
Promote environmental and socially responsible business practices (MPP-Ec-7, 15)
Ensure jobs/housing balances consistent with the VISION 2040 Regional Growth
Strategy (MPP-Ec-16)
Focus employment growth into regional and local centers; ensure that employment
in and adjacent to resource lands is at a compatible size and in compatible
occupations with natural resource functions and character (MPP-Ec-21, 22)
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3A-5
reporting tool A: countywide planning policies
part one: checklist
Public Services
Advance conservation principles for the provision of services, such as waste
management, energy, and water supply (reuse, recycle, renew). (MPP-PS-3, 7, 8, 11,
12, 13, 19)
Address the need to locate facilities serving urban populations within the urban
growth area; urban services should not be located in rural areas – facilities in rural
area are rural in character. (MPP-PS-4 and 5, 21 through 24)
Provide guidance for the review of special district plans for consistency with local
comprehensive plans and VISION 2040, and for the review of special district
criteria for location and design of schools and other public facilities. (PS-Action-5,
PS-Action 6, PS-Action-7)
Develop strategies to reduce the number of special districts. (MPP-PS-6)
Include strategies to promote renewable energy and alternative energy sources. (MPP-PS-12, 13; MPP-En-21 through 23; MPP-T-6)
Include strategies to address long-term water supply needs. (MPP-PS-17 through 20;
MPP-En-25)
Transportation 2040 and Transportation
Maintenance, Management and Safety – including Demand Management
Address the development of a clean transportation system, including changes in
fuels, technologies, and how we travel. (MPP-T-5 through 7)
Provide direction for identifying reliable and predictable revenues for system
maintenance and preservation. (MPP-G-4, 5; MPP-T-2, 3, 33)
Provide direction for improved operations, system management, and demand
management. (MPP-T-1 through 3; 23 through 25)
Identify cooperative transportation strategies related to security and emergency
responses. (MPP-T-8)
Page 3A-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool A: countywide planning policies
part one: checklist
Supporting the Growth Strategy
Prioritize investments that serve centers. (MPP-DP-7, 10, 13;MPP-Ec-18; MPP-T-12;
MPP-H-6)
Promote development of full standards for streets and urban roadways (i.e.,
―complete streets‖) and transportation facility design that fits in the local
community (i.e., context-sensitive facility design).(MPP-T-14 through 16; 20 through 22)
Promote joint and mixed use development, and urban design that is pedestrian-
friendly and transit-oriented. (MPP-T-10, 11, 14, 15, 20, 21 – see also Transportation 2040
Physical Design Guidelines)
Greater Options and Mobility – including Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning
Provide direction for alternatives to driving alone and reduction of vehicle miles
traveled. (MPP-T-23 through 25)
Coordinate planning for rail, including commuter rail and high capacity transit.
(MPP-T-27, 29, 30, 32)
Address transportation financing methods that sustain maintenance, preservation,
and operations of facilities. (MPP-T-33)
Investments and Finance
Provide guidance for prioritizing transportation investments at the countywide and
local level on centers (MPP-T-12, MPP-DP-7, 10, 13 – see also Transportation 2040)
Provide guidance for maintenance and optimizing the use of the existing
transportation system. (MPP-T-2, 3, 26; MPP-G-4, 5 – see also Transportation 2040)
Provide guidance for analyzing funding capabilities, crafting multiyear financing
plans, and addressing possible funding shortfalls. RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(iv)
Linking Land Use and Transportation
Provide additional detail for addressing the ten Transportation 2040 physical design
guidelines in centers and compact urban communities (Transportation 2040 Physical
Design Guidelines)
Provide additional guidance for using land use practices and tools that help reduce
driving alone – including walking, biking, and using transit. (Transportation 2040 –
Chapter 1)
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3A-7
reporting tool A: countywide planning policies
part one: checklist
Service & Facility Needs – including Level-of-Service Standards & Concurrency
Provide jurisdictions and agencies with guidance for more compatible approaches in
crafting needs assessments and for infrastructure decision-making processes. RCW
36.70A.070(6)(a)(iii)
Provide jurisdictions and agencies with guidance for establishing level-of service
standards that are more compatible, especially standards for facilities that cross
jurisdictional borders; provide guidance for addressing transit service standards, and
standards for other modes of travel. (see also MPP-DP-54 through 56)
Intergovernmental Coordination
Provide guidance for addressing coordination and joint planning for transportation
facilities and services. RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(v) – see also MPP-T-9, 10; MPP-G-1
In the spaces provided below, please describe provisions in the countywide planning policies
with brief summaries. (You may supplement your summary descriptions with citations or
references to specific policies.) If there are certain VISION 2040 issues that are not addressed
in the countywide planning policies, please explain why.
reporting tool A: countywide planning policies
part two: questions
The Environment
(MPP-EN-1 through 25; MPP-DP-29 through 32, 43 through 47; MPP-PS-1, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, 19, 20, 24)
Explain how the policies address the environment and promotes sustainability. At a
minimum please discuss the following:
Using a systems approach to planning for and restoring the environment
Air quality and climate (including clean transportation and reduced greenhouse gas
emissions)
Water quality
Efficient use of services and resources (including conserving water and energy,
reducing waste, protecting resource lands)
Human health and well-being
EXPLAIN HERE:
Page 3A-8 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool A: countywide planning policies
part two: questions
Development Patterns & Housing
(MPP-G-4, 5; MPP-DP-1 through 28, 33 through 42, 48 through 56; MPP-H-1 through 9; MPP-PS-2, 4,
5, 21 through 24)
Explain how the policies take steps to guide residential and job growth. At a minimum, please
discuss the following: Targets
Planning targets that align with VISION 2040 Development Patterns
Promoting centers and compact urban development (including density,
redevelopment and infill, design)
Planning for unincorporated urban growth areas (and annexation
Rural development and rural character Housing
Guidance to stimulate housing production (to meet the needs of all income levels and
demographic groups) Services
Adequate infrastructure and financing to serve existing communities and future
development (including amenities)
EXPLAIN HERE:
Transportation
(MPP-G-4, 5; MPP-EN-7, 19, 23; MPP-DP-7, 10, 13, 17, 27, 40, 42, 43, 54 through 56, MPP-H-6; MPP-
EC-6; MPP-T-1 through 33)
Explain how the policies address the following provisions from VISION 2040 and
Transportation 2040 – the region‘s long-range transportation plan:
Clean transportation
Maintenance and safety
Demand management
Serving centers and compact communities
Design of transportation facilities to fit the communities in which they are located
(―Context-sensitive design‖)
Greater options and mobility, including bicycle and pedestrian planning
Transportation financing
EXPLAIN HERE:
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3A-9
reporting tool A: countywide planning policies
part two: questions
VISION 2040 Actions
Describe work underway or proposed to address the following VISION 2040 implementation
actions:
Critical areas coordination (En-Action-8)
Habitat assessment (En-Action-9)
Water quality standards and targets (En-Action-10)
Brownfield clean-up (DP-Action-14)
Coordinated planning in unincorporated areas (DP-Action-15)
EXPLAIN HERE:
Other Topics
Explain any other provisions in the countywide planning policies of regional interest or
significance, as well as any unique topics or issues.
EXPLAIN HERE:
Page 3A-10 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Page left blank intentionally.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3B-1
REPORTING TOOL FOR LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
Local comprehensive plans are at the heart of planning under Washington‘s Growth
Management Act. And they are the primary vehicle for implementing VISION 2040. At a
minimum, local comprehensive plans should address the specific VISION 2040
implementation actions identified for counties and cities. They should also address each of
the main policy topic areas and subtopics in VISION 2040 – since the multicounty planning
policies serve as the established regional guidelines and principles required in state law to
guide both regional and local planning.
For certification purposes, along with addressing the multicounty planning policies, the
transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive plans need to demonstrate that they
are consistent with Transportation 2040, the region‘s transportation plan, which also serves as
the functional transportation element of VISION 2040. Finally, the local transportation
provisions must also show that they have addressed the transportation planning requirements
in the Growth Management Act.
Note: In addressing VISION 2040 and its related implementation actions, local jurisdictions
determine what level of detail is appropriate in the comprehensive plan versus other planning
documents or tools, such as development regulations, design standards, and other programs.
Overview of the Reporting Tool for Local Comprehensive Plans
The reporting tool has two parts: a checklist and set of related questions. The checklist
portion is designed to provide local jurisdiction staff and other interested persons with an
overview of the primary topics and issues to be addressed in
local plans. The second part of the reporting tool includes a
set of related questions. When answering the questions,
please explain any provisions you are not able to check-off on
the checklist.
The reporting tool is arranged according to the topic areas for
the multicounty planning policies, with an expanded set of
criteria for transportation – based on Transportation 2040 and
Growth Management Act requirements for transportation
planning. It also addresses other issues related to VISION
2040, such as the Regional Growth Strategy, implementation
actions, and monitoring. More in-depth guidance on specific
issues is available in Appendix E-2.
Reporting on VISION 2040 Implementation Actions. The review process also provides the
opportunity to report on work taking place related to implementation of VISION 2040
actions. The reporting tool includes a question designed to gather information on
implementation actions directed to local jurisdictions.
Regarding Amendments
For submitting amendments to comprehensive plans, please only use the portions of the
reporting tool that specifically deal with the topics or issues addressed in the amendments. It
is not necessary to complete the entire reporting tool.
Certification Requirements
To be certified, consistency
must be demonstrated with:
(1) the entire set of
multicounty planning policies
in VISION 2040, which serve
as regional guidelines and
principles, (2) Transportation
2040, the regional
transportation plan, and (3) the
transportation planning
provisions in the Growth
Management Act.
Page 3B-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part one: checklist
General Multicounty Planning Policies
Describe planning coordination with other jurisdictions and agencies (including,
where appropriate tribes) (MPP-G-1)
Describe efforts to identify existing and new funding for infrastructure and services (MPP-G-3)
The Environment
Stewardship
Address the natural environment in all aspects of local planning, basing decision-
making on the environmental best-information available; incorporate regionwide
planning initiatives, such as the Department of Ecology‘s water resource inventory
areas (WRIA) process – or actions based on guidance from the International Council
for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) (MPP-En-1 through 7; En-Action-11)
Earth & Habitat
Identify open space areas and develop programs for protecting and/or acquiring
these areas (MPP-En-8 and 9)
Coordinate planning for critical areas and habitat with adjacent jurisdictions (MPP-
En-9 through 11)
Include provisions for protecting and restoring native vegetation (MPP-En-12)
Water Quality
Take actions to maintain hydrological functions within ecosystems and watersheds,
including restoration of shorelines and estuaries, as well as reducing pollution in
water (MPP-En-13 through 16)
Air Quality
Include policies and implementation actions to address federal and state clean air
laws and the reduction of pollutants including greenhouse gases (MPP-En-17 through 19)
Incorporate the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency‘s adopted growth management
policies into the comprehensive plan (see Appendix-E-1) (MPP-En-17 through 19)
Climate Change
Include specific provisions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; include provisions
addressing adaptation to the effects of climate change (MPP-En-16, 20 through 25.
MPP-DP-45, MPP-T-5 through 7; MPP-PS-1, 12, 13; RCW 80.80.020 )
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3B-3
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part one: checklist
Development Patterns
Urban
Document growth targets6 for population (expressed in housing units) and for
employment (MPP-DP-3)
Include provisions to develop compact urban communities and central places with
densities that support transit and walking. (MPP-DP-14)
Identify underused land and have provisions for redevelopment in a manner that
supports the Regional Growth Strategy(MPP-DP-15)
Centers
Identify one or more central places as locations for more compact, mixed-use
development (MPP-DP-11)
Demonstrate how funding has been prioritized to advance development in centers
and central places (MPP-DP-7, 10, 13; MPP-T-12; MPP-H-6)
Unincorporated Urban Areas
for counties:
Establish urban development standards for urban unincorporated areas that are
compatible with adjacent municipalities (MPP-DP-19)
for cities:
Include policies and programs to address annexation and the orderly transition of
unincorporated areas to city governance (MPP-DP-18)
Rural for counties
Include policies and programs to ensure that development in rural areas is rural in
character, and employs environmentally sensitive and sustainable land use
practices. (MPP-DP-21 through 28)
Develop actions and measures to address vested development that conflicts with
regional and local growth management objectives (MPP-DP-25)
Include provisions to encourage development to occur in existing activity areas. (MPP-DP-36)
Include provisions to avoid new and expanded roadways in rural areas, as well as
facilities that would primarily serve urban populations. (MPP-DP-27; MPP-T-28)
Resource Lands
Identify steps to limit development in resource areas. (MPP-DP-29 through 32)
6 Regional Growth Strategy and Planning Targets - The Regional Growth Strategy in VISION 2040 provides
guidance for local growth targets. Jurisdictions are asked to explain steps being taken to align with the
regional guidance. It is recognized that the allocations in the Regional Growth Strategy are for 2040 and that
the planning process between now and then may not be linear.
Page 3B-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Development Patterns – Orderly Development
Regional Design
Incorporate design provisions in local plans and regulations that apply the
Transportation 2040 Physical Design Guidelines (Transportation 2040 Physical Design
Guidelines)
Include guidelines for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient building (MPP-DP-33 through 42)
Preserve historic, visual, and cultural resources (MPP-DP-34)
Ensure that the design of public buildings contributes to a sense of community (MPP-DP-38)
Health and Active Living
Include health provisions that address (a) healthy environment, (b) physical activity
and well-being, and (c) safety (MPP-DP-43 through 47; MPP-En-3, 19. MPP-T-4, 7, 11, 15, 16)
Housing
Include provisions to increase housing7 production opportunities, including diverse
types and styles for all income levels and demographic groups (MPP-H-1 through 9)
Include provisions to address affordable housing needs (MPP-H-1 through 9)
State how regional housing objectives in VISION 2040 are being addressed –
including housing diversity and affordability, jobs-housing balance, housing in
centers, and flexible standards and innovative techniques (H-Action-1 and 2)
Economic Development
Include an economic development element that addresses: business, people, and
places (Ec-Action-6; see MPP-Ec-1 through 22)
Include provisions that address industry clusters (MPP-Ec-3)
Focus retention and recruitment efforts on business that provide family wage jobs,
industry clusters that export goods and services, and small/start up companies that
are locally owned (MPP-Ec-1, 3, 4, 5)
Include provisions and programs for distressed areas or areas with disadvantaged
populations (MPP-Ec-11, 12)
Ensure adequate housing growth in centers working collaboratively with the private
sector – through the provision of infrastructure MPP-Ec-6, 18, 20)
7 Housing - Jurisdictions should describe provisions and actions for meeting regional and local housing
goals and targets – including affordable housing. Information should also address implementation
strategies and actions, as well as monitoring programs for addressing housing goals and targets.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3B-5
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part one: checklist
Public Services
Include provisions to promote more efficient use of existing services, such as waste
management, energy, and water supply, through conservation – including demand
management programs and strategies (MPP-PS-3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 19)
Include provisions to promote renewable energy and alternative energy sources (MPP-PS-12, 13; MPP-En-21 through 23; MPP-T-6)
Include provisions to meet long-term water needs, including conservation,
reclamation and reuse (MPP-PS-17 through 20; MPP-En-25)
Transportation – VISION 2040 and Transportation 2040
Maintenance, Management and Safety
Develop clean transportation programs and facilities, including actions to reduce
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from transportation (MPP-T-5 through 7))
Incorporate environmental factors into transportation decision-making, including
attention to human health and safety (MPP-DP-44; MPP-T-7)
Identify stable and predicable funding sources for maintaining and preserving
existing transportation facilities and services (MPP-G-4, 5: MPP-T-33)
Include transportation system management and demand management programs and
strategies (MPP-T-2, 3, 11, 23, 24)
Identify transportation programs and strategies for security and emergency
responses (MPP-T-8)
Supporting the Growth Strategy
Focus system improvements to support existing and planned development as
allocated by the Regional Growth Strategy (MPP-T-9 through 22)
Prioritize investments in centers (MPP-T-12; MPP-DP-7, 10, 13; MPP-H-6)
Invest in and promote joint- and mixed-use development (MPP-T-10)
Include complete street provisions and improve local street patterns for walking and
biking (MPP-T-14 through 16)
Design transportation facilities to fit the community in which they are located
(―context-sensitive design‖); use urban design principles when developing and
operating transportation facilities in cities and urban areas (MPP-T-20, 21)
Greater Options and Mobility
Invest in alternatives to driving alone (MPP-T-23, 24)
Ensure mobility of people with special needs (MPP-T-25)
Avoid new or expanded facilities in rural areas (MPP-T-28; MPP-DP-27)
Include transportation financing methods that sustain maintenance, preservation,
and operations of facilities. (MPP-T-33)
Page 3B-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part one: checklist
Linking Land Use and Transportation
Integrate the ten Transportation 2040 physical design guidelines in planning for
centers and high-capacity transit station areas (MPP-T-21; Transportation 2040
Physical Design Guidelines)
Use land use development tools and practices that support alternatives to driving
alone – including walking, biking and transit use (MPP-T-33; Transportation 2040
Chapter 1)
Investments
See Financing below
Transportation – Growth Management Act Requirements
Land Use Assumptions and Forecast of Travel Demand
Demonstrate that travel demand forecasts and transportation need assessments are
always based on land use assumptions8 that correspond with the most recently
adopted growth targets; ensure that population and employment assumptions are
consistent throughout the comprehensive plan (i.e., land use element,
transportation element, and housing element) RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(i)
Service & Facility Needs – including Level-of-Service Standards & Concurrency
Include inventories for each transportation system, including roadways, transit,
cycling, walking, freight, airports, and ferries RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(iii)(A)
Establish level-of-service standards that promote optimal movement of people
across multiple transportation modes RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(iii)(B); MPP-DP-54
Include state facilities and reflect related level-of-service standards
RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(iii)(C)
Address multiple transportation modes in concurrency programs (RCW 36.70A.070(b)
and 36.70A.108; MPP-DP-54 through 56)
Tailor concurrency programs, especially for centers, to encourage development that
can be supported by transit (MPP-DP-56)
Financing and Investments – including Reassessment Strategy
Include a multiyear financing plan, as well as an analysis of funding capability RCW
36.70A.070(6)(a)(iv)(A) and (B)
Include a reassessment strategy to address the event of a funding shortfall RCW
36.70A.070(6)(a)(iv)(C)
Intergovernmental Coordination
Coordinate with neighboring cities, the county, regional agencies, and the state RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(v); MPP-G-1; MPP-T-9
8 The Transportation Element Must Be Based on the Land Use Assumptions in the Comprehensive Plan - A
problem sometimes encountered in the certification of transportation-related provisions in local
comprehensive plans is the use of different planning assumptions in the transportation element from the land
use element. Comprehensive plans are to be internally consistent, which means that the same land use
assumptions must be used for planning for housing, transportation, and other provisions in the plan.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3B-7
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part one: checklist
Demand Management
see also Maintenance, Management, and Safety above
Identify demand management strategies and actions, including but not limited to
programs to implement the Commute Trip Reduction Act. RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(vi);
MPP-T-3; MPP-T-23; MPP-T-24
Pedestrian and Bicycle Component
see also Supporting the Growth Strategy and Greater Options & Mobility above
Include strategies, programs, and projects that address nonmotorized travel as a safe
and efficient transportation option – including pedestrian and bicycle planning,
project funding and capital investments, education and safety.
RCW 36.70A.070(6)(a)(vii); MPP-T-14 through 16
Land Uses Adjacent to Airports
Identify and address any airports within or adjacent to the jurisdiction
RCW 36.70.547 and 36.70A.070(6)(a)(iii)(A); MPP-T-31
Describe existing and planned uses near the airport, as well as policies and
regulations that discourage incompatible uses RCW 36.70.547
In the spaces provided below, please describe provisions in the comprehensive plan with brief
summaries – you may supplement your summary descriptions with citations or references to
specific policies. If there are certain VISION 2040 issues that are not addressed in the plan,
please explain why.
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part two: questions
The Environment
(MPP-En-1 through 25; MPP-DP-29 through 32, 43 through 47; MPP-PS-1, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, 19, 20, 24)
Explain how the plan addresses the environment and sustainable development. At a
minimum please discuss the following:
Using system approaches to planning for and restoring the environment
Air quality and climate change (including clean transportation and reduced
greenhouse gas emissions)
Water quality
Wise use of services and resources (including conserving water and energy, reducing
waste, protecting resource lands)
Human health and well-being
Page 3B-8 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part two: questions
EXPLAIN HERE:
Population and Employment Growth
(MPP-G-4, 5; MPP-DP-1 through 28, 33 through 42, 48 through 56; MPP-H-1 through 9, MPP-Ec-1
through 22; MPP-PS-2, 4, 5, 21 through 24)
Explain how the plan guides residential and job growth. At a minimum, please discuss the
following:
Planning targets (housing and employment) that align with VISION 2040
Planning for and achieving housing production (to meet the needs of all income
levels and demographic groups)
Adequate infrastructure and financing to serve existing communities and future
development (including amenities)
Promoting centers and compact urban development (including density,
redevelopment and infill, design)
Planning for unincorporated urban growth areas (joint planning) and annexation
for counties: Rural development and rural character
Economic development
EXPLAIN HERE:
Transportation Provisions
(MPP-G-4, 5; MPP-EN-7, 19, 23; MPP-DP-7, 10, 13, 17, 27, 40, 42, 43, 54 through 56; MPP-H-6, MPP-
Ec-6; MPP-T-1 through 33; RCW 36.70A.070(6))
Explain how the plan addresses the following provisions from VISION 2040 and
Transportation 2040 – the region‘s long-range transportation plan:
Clean transportation
Maintenance and safety
Demand management
Serving centers and compact communities
Transportation facilities that fit the community in which they are located (―Context-
sensitive design‖)
Greater options and mobility
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3B-9
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part two: questions
Explain how the plan complies with the following Growth Management Act requirements,
including:
Demonstrate that transportation provisions are based on the same assumptions for
land use, as well as housing
Facility and service needs – including level-of-service standards (and concurrency)
Financing – including a reassessment strategy in case of funding shortfalls
Interjurisdictional coordination
Demand management
Pedestrian and bicycle component
EXPLAIN HERE:
Consistency Assessment of Capital Facilities Programming Processes
(PS-Action-8)
Describe how capital improvement programs and other service and facility plans are
consistent with and implement VISION 2040 and the growth management objectives in the
comprehensive plan (PS-Action-8).
EXPLAIN HERE:
VISION 2040 Actions
Describe work underway or proposed to address the following VISION 2040 implementation
actions:
Expanded efforts to conduct environmental planning (En-Action-11)
Identification of underutilized lands (En-Action-16)
Collaboration with special districts on facilities siting and design (PS-Action-6)
Collaboration with special districts on facilities location (PS-Action-7 and 8)
for counties – review of special district plans (PS-Action-5)
Page 3B-10 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool B: local comprehensive plans
part two: questions
EXPLAIN HERE:
Monitoring
(MPP-G-3)
Describe monitoring programs for
1) plan implementation and performance
2) tracking where residential and employment growth is occurring
3) achieving housing production
4) assessing the health and function of natural environmental systems – including
protection and restoration
5) reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
EXPLAIN HERE:
Other Topics
Explain any other provisions in the comprehensive plan of regional interest or significance, as
well as any unique topics or issues.
EXPLAIN HERE:
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3B-11
EXAMPLES OF A COMPLETED REPORTING TOOL
Two examples of how the questions in a reporting tool for a local plan might be completed are
provided below. The first example demonstrates the use of short answers that relate to
responses on the checklist. The second example relies on more of a narrative format.
EXAMPLE # 1: REPORTING TOOL USING SHORT ANSWERS
The Environment
Environmental Systems. The city has adopted a systems approach to planning to
ensure ecosystem restoration and protection. Policies—and supportive development
regulations—have been adopted to conserve natural resources, protect critical areas,
protect habitat, and preserve the city’s cultural resources (see policy references). The
plan calls for using the best available information possible for decision-making and
coordinating these efforts with adjacent jurisidictions (see policy reference).
Health and Well-being. The plan recognizes factors that affect human health and
addresses the increasing health concerns associated with the built environment. For
instance, the city’s strategy of focusing development, public infrastructure, and amenities
around the Downtown regional growth center and other neighborhood centers to
increase opportunities for walking and bicycling.
Water Quality and Services. Provisions in the capital facilities element call for
collaborating with the city’s water supplier to develop a reclaimed water system and
exploring emerging strategies prior to taking on capacity expansion projects (see page
reference). Transportation policies reinforce the focus on water quality with provisions
that call for effective stormwater management on our transportation facilities and limiting
the area required for surface parking (see policy reference).
Air Quality and Climate Change. The city working is with guidance from the International
Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). Examples include encouraging
changes in fuels, technologies, and travel patterns; promoting the use of renewable
energy and the development of alternative energy sources; revising the building codes
and facilities standards to ensure energy efficiency and reduce energy demands. The
city’s mode-split goals call for single-occupancy vehicle trips to fall to 60% of all trips by
2031. Finally, the plan calls for incorporating an evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions
as part of environmental analysis documents prepared under the State Environmental
Policy Act.
Population and Employment Growth
Planning Targets. The city’s 2031 residential and employment growth targets developed
through the countywide targeting process are consistent with the Regional Growth
Strategy. We have collaborated with the other cities in our regional geography category
and have agreed to accommodate 5,000 more residents and 2,000 more jobs by 2031.
Housing Production. The plan identifies the additional housing units necessary to meet
its residential target for the year 2031 (see page reference). Based on this need, the city
commits to ―expanding the production of a diverse housing stock all income levels to
meet both the changing needs of current and future residents.‖ (see page reference)
Promoting Centers. The city has also developed a subarea plan for its Regional Growth
Center. Residential and employment growth targets for the center have been adopted
into that plan. The Regional Growth Center is identified as a priority location for mix of
housing types, including affordable housing.
Page 3B-12 Policy and Plan Review Manual
The plan includes provisions that call for prioritizing funding and investments to the
Regional Growth Center. The city has adopted a multimodal concurrency program and
revised its level-of-service standards for the Regional Growth Center to reinforce the
mode-split goals for the center.
Redevelopment Opportunities. In our plan update several underdeveloped areas have
been identified as having the infrastructure capacity to support higher density. The plan
identifies new neighborhood centers in these areas to serve as focal points for mixed-use
and transit-orientated development. (See policy reference).
Potential Annexation Areas. The plan identifies unincorporated urban growth areas
affiliated with the city that are expected to annex during the planning horizon. It
describes the city’s phasing strategy and discusses its vision for these areas including
uses, densities, and character (see page reference). The city has coordinated its
planning for these areas with the county through an interlocal agreement.
Transportation Provisions
Land Use Assumptions. The city applied the land use assumptions documented in the
land use element to guide its travel demand forecast. These same assumptions also
apply to the housing element. The transportation element includes both current
operating levels for state-owned facilities and estimated operating levels for the 2031
planning horizon.
Multimodal Transportation. The city is committed to a coordinated and efficient
multimodal transportation system. The plan includes a detailed inventory of all motorized
and nonmotorized transportation facilities, as well as state-owned facilities and facilities
in its potential annexation areas (see page reference).
Level of Service Standards. It has adopted level-of-service standards for roads, bicycle
and pedestrian facilities, and cites the performance standards for transit established by
our transit providers. The adopted levels-of-service standards for state facilities are
consistent with the standards set by PSRC and WSDOT for highways of regional and
statewide significance (see page reference).
Reassessment Strategy for Funding Shortfalls. The city has adopted a reassessment
strategy in the event of a funding shortfall. It includes: (1) seeking additional methods of
funding, (2) exploring alternative, lower-cost methods to meet level-of-service standards
(e.g., transportation demand management, public transit or another project) and 3)
reevaluating the established level-of-service standards to determine how they might be
adjusted. In addition, transportation planning is coordinated with neighboring
jurisdictions, including our level-of-service standards and concurrency provisions.
Concurrency. Our concurrency program has been tailored, so that we address
expectations in our Regional Growth Center differently from elsewhere in our city. (see
page reference and Concurrency Ordinance number)
Demand Management. The city recognizes that the future transportation system must
address transportation alternatives to driving alone. The transportation element includes
demand management programs and strategies that have been coordinated with
investments to improve our roads and streets to make it easier to walk, bike, or ride the
bus. The plan also encourages ridesharing and the use of improved transportation
technologies, such as light synchronization, to help maintain or enhance the function of
the local transportation system (see page reference).
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3B-13
Pedestrian and Bicycle Component. The transportation element addresses
nonmotorized transportation in a comprehensive manner. It identifies the city’s
designated nonmotorized transportation facilities, prioritizes improvement based on the
connectivity and access each will provide, and calls for collaboration between
neighboring jurisdictions to complete connections crossing boundaries. In addition, the
plan calls for complete streets and green streets be incorporated in new development
and redevelopment decisions to encourage physical activity through walking and
bicycling (see page reference).
Consistency Assessment of Capital Facilities Programming
The city reviews, updates and modifies—when necessary—all capital projects to ensure
the provision of adequate public facilities and services are consistent with the goals and
policies of the comprehensive plan and VISION 2040. Consequently, investments are
consistent with our vision for the community and with the Regional Growth Strategy. The
financing program prioritizes the use of capital funds for multimodal transportation
facilities and services and community facilities to and within the city’s Regional Growth
Center and our neighborhood centers.
VISION 2040 Actions
Identification of Underutilized Lands. Our city has committed to including information on
underutilized lands in our work with the county related to buildable lands (see page
reference).
Collaboration with Special Districts. We have developed a memorandum of
understanding with the local school district to consult and collaborate in the siting and
design of new facilities.
Page 3B-14 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Monitoring
Development Trends. The city prepares a permit summary report outlining annual
development levels and trends in the community. This report highlights the total number
of new units produced, including the number of housing units affordable at (a) 50% of the
average median income, (b) 50 to 80%, and (c) 80 to 120% of the average. The report
also has information on, the average density of new development in each zoning
classification, square feet of new non-residential by type (commercial, industrial, public,
etc), and location of development. This information is used in the Buildable Lands
Report that is completed every five years.
Critical Areas. The city conducts an ongoing review and update of its designated critical
areas and their state. This includes evaluation of our development regulations to ensure
that our wetlands, floodplains, and aquifer recharge areas, and wildlife corridors are
protected – and that there is no net loss of critical area as a result of development. The
county and the city have also developed common methodologies for assessing the
habitat needs of critical and sensitive practices.
Water Resources. We participate in the Watershed Resource Inventory Areas process
with the Washington State Department of Ecology to assess the status of the water
resources and use within its watershed. The quality of stormwater discharge and ground
water is monitored to ensure that it is not only meeting state standards but that it is
working towards the city’s adopted water quality target.
Climate Change. As part of the work on the plan update, the city conducted a citywide
greenhouse gas emissions inventory. The inventory measured its emissions from city
and utilities operations (fuel use by city vehicles, purchases of energy, gasoline used by
maintenance crews, etc), known major greenhouse gas contributors within the city limits
(as identified by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency), and transportation related activities.
Health. City-related health statistics—such as asthma rates— are collected from the
local health department to aid in monitoring whether the city is making progress towards
its goals for health and well-being.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3B-15
EXAMPLE # 2: REPORTING TOOL USING A NARRATIVE FORMAT
The Environment. Our City’s comprehensive plan is built on the recognition that the health
and well-being of our current and future generations, our economy, and the natural
environment are interconnected and impacted by the way we plan our community. The plan
commits the city to environmental stewardship to maintain and restore the natural
environment, and takes an integrated approach to address habitat, water quality, air quality
and climate change.
The city has adopted a systems approach to planning to ensure ecosystem restoration and
protection. Policies—and supportive development regulations—have been adopted to
conserve natural resources, protect critical areas, protect habitat, and preserve the city’s
cultural resources (see policy references). Provisions in the capital facilities element call for
collaborating with the city’s water supplier to develop a reclaimed water system and exploring
emerging strategies prior to taking on capacity expansion projects (see page reference).
The plan recognizes factors that affect human well-being and addresses the increasing
health concerns associated with the built environment (see policy references). Additional
provisions include encouraging low impact and green development practices, and requiring
complete streets, green streets, and context-sensitive design be incorporated in new
development and redevelopment decisions. The city commits to having a clean and
sustainable transportation system by the year 2031.
The city has taken significant steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the
impacts of climate change. Examples include encouraging changes in fuels, technologies,
and travel patterns; promoting the use of renewable energy and the development of
alternative energy sources; revising the building codes and facilities standards to ensure
energy efficiency and reduce energy demands. The city’s mode-split goals call for single-
occupancy vehicle trips to fall to 60% of all trips by 2031. Finally, the plan calls for
incorporating an evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions as part of environmental analysis
documents prepared under the State Environmental Policy Act.
Population and Employment Growth. The city’s 2031 residential and employment growth
targets commit to accommodating 5,000 more residents and 2,000 more jobs by 2031. The
plan identifies the additional housing units necessary to meet its residential targets by year
2031 (see page reference).
In our plan update several underdeveloped areas have been identified as having the
infrastructure capacity to support higher density. The plan identifies new neighborhood
centers in these areas to serve as focal points for mixed-use and transit-orientated
development. (See policy reference).
The city is committed to balancing its anticipated growth with the efficient provision of
adequate public facilities and services and pubic amenities. The plan includes provisions
that call for prioritizing funding and investments to the Regional Growth Center. The city has
adopted a multimodal concurrency program and has revised its level-of-service standards for
the Regional Growth Center to reinforce the city’s mode-split goals for the center.
The plan identifies unincorporated urban growth areas affiliated with the city that are
expected to annex during the planning horizon. It describes the city’s phasing strategy and
discusses its vision for these areas including uses, densities, and character (see page
reference). The city has coordinated its planning for these areas with the county through an
interlocal agreement.
Transportation Provisions. The city applied the land use assumptions documented in the
land use element to guide its travel demand forecast. These same assumptions also apply
to the housing element. The transportation element includes both current operating levels for
Page 3B-16 Policy and Plan Review Manual
state-owned facilities and estimated operating levels for the 2031 planning horizon.
The plan includes a detailed inventory of all motorized and nonmotorized transportation
facilities, as well as state-owned facilities and facilities in its potential annexation areas (see
pages referenced). It has adopted level-of-service standards for roads, bicycle and
pedestrian facilities, and cites the performance standards for transit established by our transit
providers. The adopted levels-of-service standards for state facilities are consistent with the
standards set by PSRC and WSDOT for highways of regional and statewide significance.
The city has adopted a reassessment strategy in the event of a funding shortfall. It includes:
(1) seeking additional methods of funding, (2) exploring alternative, lower-cost methods to
meet level-of-service standards (e.g., transportation demand management, public transit or
another project) and 3) reevaluating the established level-of-service standards to determine
how they might be adjusted. In addition, transportation planning is coordinated with
neighboring jurisdictions, including our level-of-service standards and concurrency
provisions. Our concurrency program has been tailored, so that we address expectations in
our Regional Growth Center differently from elsewhere in our city.
The transportation element includes demand management programs and strategies that
have been coordinated with investments to improve our roads and streets to make it easier
to walk, bike, or ride the bus. The plan also encourages ridesharing and the use of improved
transportation technologies, such as light synchronization, to help maintain or enhance the
function of the local transportation system.
The transportation element identifies the city’s designated nonmotorized transportation
facilities, prioritizes improvement based on the connectivity and access each will provide,
and calls for collaboration between jurisdictions to complete connections crossing
boundaries.
VISION 2040 Actions - Consistency Assessment of Capital Facilities Programming.
The city reviews, updates and modifies—when necessary—all capital projects to ensure the
provision of adequate public facilities and services are consistent with the goals and policies
of the comprehensive plan and VISION 2040. The financing program prioritizes the use of
capital funds for multimodal transportation facilities and services and community facilities to
and within the city’s Regional Growth Center and our neighborhood centers.
Underutilized Lands. Our city has committed to including information on underutilized lands
in our work with the county related to buildable lands.
Special Districts. We have developed a memorandum of understanding with the local
school district to consult and collaborate in the siting and design of new facilities.
Monitoring. The city prepares a permit summary report outlining annual development
levels and trends in the community. The city conducts an ongoing review and update of its
designated critical areas and their state. As part of the work on the plan update, the city
conducted a citywide greenhouse gas emissions inventory. The inventory measured its
emissions from city and utilities operations (fuel use by city vehicles, purchases of energy,
gasoline used by maintenance crews, etc), known major greenhouse gas contributors within
the city limits (as identified by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency), and transportation related
activities.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3C-1
REPORTING TOOL FOR CENTER PLANS9
This section contains reporting tools for both growth centers and manufacturing industrial
centers. While the reporting tool for center plans is geared to designated regional centers, it
also has applications for planning for central places and more compact activity areas of
different types.
Center plans should ideally be a chapter or element in the comprehensive plan. When they
are developed as a separate subarea plan, they must fully address all the planning requirements
for planning under the Growth Management Act and demonstrate that they are fully
consistent with the jurisdiction-wide plan comprehensive plan.
Overview of the Reporting Tool for Center Plans
The reporting tool has two parts: a checklist and a set of related questions. The checklist
portion is designed to provide an overview of the key expectations for center plans in regional
centers (beyond those general requirements for comprehensive plans). This overview is based
on the criteria established by the Regional Council‘s Executive Board for designating centers
(June 2003, updated September 2011). The second part of the reporting tool includes a set of
related questions. The reporting tool for growth centers begins on page 3C-2 and on page 3C-
6 for manufacturing industrial centers.
More in-depth guidance on specific issues is available in the Appendices, especially Appendix
E-4: Center Plans (Note: appendix revised June 2014 to reflect updated Center Plan Checklist).
When the center plan is contained within the jurisdiction‘s comprehensive plan (as a stand
alone plan element, for example), if issues or topics addressed in this checklist are located in
other portions of the comprehensive plan, those sections should be referenced.
Regarding Amendments
For submitting amendments to a center plan, please use only the portions of the reporting tool
that specifically deal with the topics or issues addressed in the amendments. It is not
necessary to complete the entire reporting tool.
9 Revised June 2014 to reflect updated Center Plan Checklist
Page 3C-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool C: center plans
part one: growth center checklist
Center Plan Concept (or "Vision")
Include a vision for the center that describes the role (economic, residential,
cultural, etc.) of the center within the city, the county and the region. This should
include a commitment to compact, pedestrian and transit-oriented development.
Clearly identify the area designated as a regional growth center. Describe the
relationship of the center plan to the city‘s comprehensive plan, as well as VISION
2040 and countywide planning policies.
Include a market analysis of the center‘s development potential.10
Environment
If applicable, identify critical/environmentally sensitive areas in the center and
reference relevant policies and programs to protect those areas.
Describe parks and open space, including public spaces and civic places and include
provisions to encourage accessible open space.
Include or reference policies and programs for innovative stormwater management.
Include or reference policies and programs to reduce air pollution and greenhouse
gas emissions.
Land Use
Demonstrate defined boundaries and shape for the center (boundaries should be
compact and easily walkable. This suggests a roughly uniform shape of about 1
square mile. Boundaries should not be elongated or gerrymandered. Planning area
boundaries should fully encompass the designated regional growth center.)
Establish residential and employment growth targets that accommodate a
significant share of the jurisdiction‘s growth, as well as residential densities and
building intensities with capacity to accommodate these levels of growth (Note:
growth targets are the amount of growth a jurisdiction has agreed, through the
countywide process, to plan for throughout its comprehensive plan elements over
the 20-year horizon of the comprehensive plan. The targets include both the
baseline density (current) plus the 20-year growth. Distinct from growth targets,
zoned development capacity is not time-bound and, therefore, can allow higher
levels of development.)
Describe and map the mix, distribution and location of existing and future land uses
(such as residential, commercial, civic, public). Encourage a mix of complementary
uses.
Establish design standards for pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented development
and other transit-supportive planning that orients land uses around transit.
10 Recommended for all jurisdictions with centers; required for designation of new centers.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3C-3
reporting tool C: center plans
part one: growth center checklist
Housing
Document total existing and targeted housing units.
Include tailored provisions for a variety of housing types that addresses density
standards, affordable housing for all major household income categories11, and
special housing needs.
Describe implementation strategies for addressing housing targets and goals.
Economy
Describe key sectors and industry clusters in the center.
Include policies and programs addressing economic development in the center.
Public Services
Describe or reference local capital plans for infrastructure, as well as their financing
(such as sewer, water, gas, electric, telecommunications). Explain strategies to
ensure facilities are provided consistent with targeted growth.
Transportation (including Transportation 2040 Physical Design
Guidelines)
Develop an integrated multimodal transportation network, including pedestrian and
bicycle facilities, as well as linkages to adjacent neighborhoods and districts.
Describe relationships to regional high-capacity transit (including bus rapid transit,
commuter rail, light rail, and express bus) and local transit and coordination with
transit agencies.
Include or reference provisions for full standards for streets that serve all users,
including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, vehicles, and – where appropriate – freight
(see ―complete streets‖ description in VISION 2040).
Include provisions for context-sensitive design of transportation facilities.
Include or reference provisions for environmentally friendly street (―green street‖)
treatments or other comparable programs.
Include or reference level-of-service standards and concurrency provisions tailored
for the center to encourage transit.
Include a parking management strategy that addresses supply of parking, on-street
parking and mitigating effects of parking.
Include mode-split goals.
11 VISION 2040 uses the following household income categories and definitions to track regional housing
affordability: Middle (80%-120% of area median income); Moderate (50%-80% of area median income);
Low (Below 50% of area median income); and Very Low (Below 30% area median income).
Page 3C-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
In the spaces provided below, please describe provisions in the growth center plan with brief
summaries – you may supplement your summary descriptions with citations or references to
specific policies or provisions. If there are certain issues or topics that are not addressed in the
center plan, please explain why.
reporting tool C: center plans
part two: growth center questions
Sustainability
(MPP-En-1 through 25; MPP-DP-43 through 47; MPP-PS-1, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13, 19, 20, 24)
Explain the vision for the center and how the plan promotes sustainability. Explain the following:
Using system approaches to planning for the environment
Describe parks and open space, including public spaces and civic places
Wise use of services and resources (including conserving water and energy, reducing
waste, treating stormwater)
Human health and well-being
EXPLAIN HERE:
Growth and Development
(MPP-DP-1 through 13, 33-42; MPP-H-1 through 9; MPP-Ec-16-20)
Explain how the center plan takes steps to guide residential and job growth. Explain the following:
Identify residential and employment planning targets, as well as residential densities and
building intensities
Planning for and achieving housing production (including affordable housing)
Design standards for pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented development
Economic and residential role of the center in the city and region
EXPLAIN HERE:
Transportation Provisions
(MPP-DP-40, 43, 54 through 56; MPP-H-6; MPP-Ec-6; MPP-T-1 through 33; DP-Action-18)
Explain how the plan address these transportation issues:
Mode-split goals for the center
Multimodal transportation network, including pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and
linkages to adjacent neighborhoods and districts
Address regional high-capacity transit
Provisions for context-sensitive design of transportation facilities, as well as full standards
for urban facilities to serve all user groups (―complete streets‖) and environmentally
friendly street design (―green streets‖)
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3C-5
reporting tool C: center plans
part two: growth center questions
Tailor level-of-service standards and concurrency provisions for the center to encourage
transit
Parking management strategy
EXPLAIN HERE:
Other Topics
Explain any other provisions in the center plan of regional interest or significance, as well as
any unique topics or issues.
EXPLAIN HERE:
Page 3C-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool C: center plans
part one: manufacturing industrial center checklist
Center Plan Concept (or "Vision")
Include a vision for the center. This should include a commitment to preservation
of an urban industrial land base. Describe the economic role of the center within
the city, county and the region.
Include an overview of the relationship of the center plan to the city‘s
comprehensive plan, as well as VISION 2040 and countywide planning policies.
Include a market analysis of the center‘s development potential.12
Environment
If applicable, identify critical/environmentally sensitive areas in the
manufacturing/industrial center and reference relevant policies and programs to
protect those areas.
Include or reference policies and programs for innovative stormwater management
(related to Public Services).
Include or reference policies and programs to reduce air pollution and greenhouse
gas emissions.
Land Use
Demonstrate and explain the defined boundaries and shape for the center.
Planning area boundaries should fully encompass the designated regional
manufacturing/industrial center.)
Establish employment growth targets that accommodate a significant share of the
jurisdiction‘s manufacturing/industrial employment growth, and demonstrate
capacity to accommodate these levels of growth (Note: growth targets are the
amount of growth a jurisdiction has agreed, through the countywide process, to
plan for throughout its comprehensive plan elements over the 20-year horizon of
the comprehensive plan. The targets include both the baseline density (current)
plus the 20-year growth. Distinct from growth targets, zoned development capacity
is not time-bound and, therefore, can allow higher levels of development.)
Describe the percentage of planned land use and zoning in the center for industrial
and manufacturing uses.
Describe strategies to avoid land uses that are incompatible with manufacturing,
industrial uses, such as large retail uses, high concentrations of housing, or non-
related office uses (other than as an accessory use).
Establish design standards that help mitigate aesthetic and other impacts of
manufacturing and industrial activities both within the center and on adjacent
areas.
12 Recommended for all jurisdictions with centers; required for designation of new centers.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3C-7
reporting tool C: center plans
part one: manufacturing industrial center checklist
Economy
Describe strategies to support or maintain manufacturing industrial industries (i.e.,
workforce, apprenticeships, land value policies, parcel aggregation, etc.).
Describe key sectors and industry clusters in the center.
Public Services
Describe or reference local capital plans for infrastructure, as well as their financing
(such as sewer, water, gas, electric, telecommunications). Explain strategies to
ensure facilities are provided consistent with targeted growth.
Transportation
Describe the transportation networks to and within the manufacturing/industrial
center, and plans to identify and address deficiencies.
Describe strategies that address freight movement (such as rail, trucking facilities, or
waterway, as appropriate), including local and regional distribution.
Describe strategies that address employee commuting (such as by encouraging
modes such as fixed-route and high-capacity transit).
Describe relationships to regional high-capacity transit (including bus rapid transit,
commuter rail, light rail, and express bus) and local transit, and coordination with
transit agencies.
Include mode split goals.
In the spaces provided below, please describe provisions in the manufacturing industrial
center plan with brief summaries – you may supplement your summary descriptions with
citations or references to specific policies or provisions. If there are certain issues or topics
that are not addressed in the center plan, please explain why.
Page 3C-8 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool C: center plans
part two: manufacturing industrial center questions
Development and Preservation of Industrial Lands
(MPP-DP-8-10, 53; MPP-Ec-3, 4, 19)
Explain how the center plan helps preserve the manufacturing industrial land base. Explain the
following:
Adopted growth targets for the center
Plans and strategies to protect these lands from encroachment by incompatible uses and
development, both in the center and on adjacent lands
The percentage of planned land use and zoning in the center for industrial and
manufacturing uses
Design standards that help mitigate aesthetic and other impacts of manufacturing and
industrial activities both within the center and on adjacent areas
Economic role: Programs to support export-oriented basic goods and services, industry
clusters, and ports
EXPLAIN HERE:
Sustainability
(MPP-Ec-7, 15; MPP-En-1 through 25; MPP-PS-1, 3, 7, 8, 12, 13)
Explain the vision for the center and how the plan promotes sustainability. Explain the following:
Environmentally- and socially-responsible economic development practices
Use of system approaches to planning for the environment
Wise use of services and resources (including conserving water and energy, reducing
waste, treating stormwater)
Addresses human health and well-being
EXPLAIN HERE:
Transportation
(MPP Ec-6, 18; MPP-T-1-8, 12, 13, 14, 17-19; 20-22, 27, 30)
Explain how the plan addresses the distinctive needs of manufacturing industrial employment,
including:
Design, construct, and operate facilities to serve all users, including employees, while
accommodating the efficient movement of freight, goods, and services within and
between centers
Maintain and improve the existing multimodal freight transportation system to increase
reliability and efficiency and to prevent degradation of freight mobility
Mode-split goals for the center
Address regional high-capacity transit service
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3C-9
reporting tool C: center plans
part two: manufacturing industrial center questions
EXPLAIN HERE:
Other Topics
Explain any other provisions in the center plan of regional interest or significance, as well as
any unique topics or issues.
EXPLAIN HERE:
Page 3C-10 Policy and Plan Review Manual
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Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3D-1
REPORTING TOOL FOR TRANSIT PLANS
In the central Puget Sound region, there are six agencies that provide transit service:
Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit, Metro Transit, Pierce Transit, and Sound
Transit. As transportation operators, they are members of the Puget Sound Regional Council
and fully participate in its growth management, environmental, economic, and transportation
planning. State law requires the Regional Council to formally certify the plans developed by
Sound Transit. The other transit providers make their plans available to the Regional Council
for review and comment. In this review, the plans are evaluated for consistency with VISION
2040 and Transportation 2040.
Overview of Reporting Tool for Transit Plans
The reporting tool has two parts: a checklist and a set of related questions. The checklist
portion focuses primarily on issues related to integrating transit planning with regional and
local growth management planning goals, including key transportation policy objectives. The
questions are structured to address key issues in both VISION 2040 and Transportation 2040
related to transit planning.
More in-depth guidance on specific issues is available in Appendix E-4.
Regarding Amendments
For submitting amendments to a transit plan, please use only the portions of the reporting tool
that specifically deal with the topics or issues addressed in the amendments. It is not
necessary to complete the entire reporting tool.
Page 3D-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
reporting tool D: transit plans
part one: checklist
Sustainability and the Environment
Describe environmental and sustainable development practices in the planning, design of
facilities, and operation of transit – including protection of critical areas and habitat, state-of-
the art water treatment, and limiting exposure to air pollution. (MPP-En-1 through 25)
Housing and Economy
Demonstrate how investments and service are targeted to advance regional and local housing
objectives (MPP-H-6)
Address the safe and reliable movement of people, goods, services, and information in a
manner that supports economic development. (MPP-T-13; MPP-Ec-6)
Development Patterns and Land use Assumptions
State how the transit plan advances both regional and local growth management planning
goals and objectives, including VISION 2040(MPP-G-1)
Cite how residential and employment allocations in VISION 2040‘s Regional Growth
Strategy, and local growth targets are used in the development of the transit plan (VISION
2040 Regional Growth Strategy)
Demonstrate how investments support the development of regionally designated centers (MPP-DP-7, 10, 13; MPP-H-6; MPP-T-12)
Demonstrate how transit service in rural areas is at rural service levels and focuses on
connecting cities and towns in the rural area. (MPP-DP-17)
Identify the guidelines and practices used to ensure that facilities and services are designed to
fit in the context of the communities in which they are located (MPP-T-20, 21)
Transportation 2040 and Transportation
Maintenance, Management and Safety – including Demand Management
Address planning efforts to develop a cleaner and more sustainable transportation system,
including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (MPP-T -5 through 7; MPP-En-21, 23)
Incorporate environmental factors into transportation decision-making, including attention to
human health and safety (MPP-En-2, 6; MPP-DP-44)
Identify reliable and predictable revenues for maintaining and preserving the system (MPP-G-
4, 5)
Identify strategies and programs to protect transportation facilities against disasters, as well as
emergency response programs (MPP-T-8)
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3D-3
reporting tool D: transit plans
part one: checklist
Supporting the Growth Strategy
Prioritize investments in regional centers, including investments that help to support housing
in centers (MPP-DP-7, 10, 13; MPP-H-6; MPP-T-12)
Ensure that concentrations of joint and mixed use developments are served by regular transit (MPP-T-10, 11)
Work with jurisdictions to develop full standards for transportation facilities to serve all users
(i.e., ―complete streets‖); improve local street design to improve environment for walking,
biking, and using transit (MPP-T-14, 15)
Greater Options and Mobility – including Nonmotorized Planning
Work with jurisdictions to increase the proportion of trips made by alternatives to driving alone (MPP-T-23, 24)
Improve multimodal connections for access to centers from adjacent neighborhoods and districts (MPP-T-9; MPP-DP-14)
Ensure mobility for people with special needs (MPP-T-25)
Coordinate planning for rail and high-capacity transit (MPP-T-29)
Investments and Finance
Develop a multiyear financing plan that describes revenue sources and describes a method for
prioritizing investments (see GMA, Transportation 2040)
Linking Land Use and Transportation
Address the physical design guidelines in Transportation 2040 in planning and decision-
making, especially as they pertain to transit (Transportation 2040 Physical Design Guidelines)
Service and Facility Needs – including Level-of-Service Standards and Concurrency
Develop inventories and needs assessments that are coordinated with local jurisdictions (see
GMA)
Work with regional and local growth management planning objectives to establish level-of-
service standards or performance measures RCW 30.70A.070(6)(a)(iii)(B)
Provide guidance to all jurisdictions in the agency‘s service area regarding reference transit
service standards in local comprehensive plans RCW 30.70A.070(6)(a)(iii)(B)
Work with jurisdictions to develop multimodal approaches to concurrency (MPP-DP-54
through 56)
Intergovernmental Coordination
Demonstrate that the agency‘s planning has been coordinated with local jurisdictions, other
transit agencies, regional planning, and state agencies (MPP-G-1; MPP-T-9)
At locations in the region where service is provided by two or more transit agencies, make
every effort to ensure that facility design, equipment, and service provision is fully compatible (MPP-T-32)
Page 3D-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
In the spaces provide below, please describe provisions in the transit plan with brief
summaries – you may supplement your summary descriptions with citations or references to
specific provisions in the plan. If there are certain issues that are not addressed, please explain
why.
reporting tool D: transit plans
part two: questions
Sustainability and the Environment
(MPP-En-1 through 25; MPP-DP-29 through 32, 43 through 47; MPP-PS-1, 3, 23. 24)
Explain how the plan maintains or improves the environment and promotes sustainability, including:
Facilities design and operations
Air quality and climate (including clean transportation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions)
Water quality
Human health and well-being
EXPLAIN HERE:
Development and Growth
(MPP-DP-1 through 13, 33-42; MPP-H-6;; MPP-T-9)
Explain how the plan takes steps to accommodate residential and job growth, including:
Regional and local growth management planning objectives and targets
Promoting centers and compact urban development (including density, redevelopment and infill,
design)
EXPLAIN HERE:
Puget Sound Regional Council Page 3D-5
Transportation
MPP-DP-7, 10, 13, 40, 43, 54 through 56; MPP-H-6, MPP-Ec-6; MPP-T-1 through 33)
Explain how the plan addresses regional transportation policies and objectives, including::
Clean transportation
System maintenance and preservation
Prioritize investments in centers
Development complete streets and improve street design for walking, biking, and transit
Increase the proportion of trips made by alternatives to driving alone
Develop a multiyear financing plan
Develop inventory and needs assessments coordinated with local jurisdictions
Use regional and local growth management planning objectives to establish level-of-service
standards or performance standards – and provide guidance to jurisdictions regarding transit
service standards in local plans
Demonstrate coordination with local jurisdictions, other transit providers, and regional and state
agencies
EXPLAIN HERE:
Other Topics
Explain any other provisions in the transit plan of regional interest or significance, as well as any
unique topics or issues.
EXPLAIN HERE:
Appendices Policy and Plan Review Manual
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Puget Sound Regional Council Appendices
appendices
Appendix A: Puget Sound Regional Council Adopted Policy and Plan Review
Process. Revised by the Executive Board in September 2003. Addresses the review of
countywide planning policies, local comprehensive plans, transit agency plans, and center
plans.
Appendix B: Policy and Plan Review/excerpt from VISION 2040 – Part IV:
Implementation. Describes the expectations for countywide planning policies, local
comprehensive plans, transit plans, and center plans. Summarizes the Regional Council‘s
Policy and Plan Review Process (see Appendix A above).
Appendix C: Multicounty Planning Policies. Includes all 174 multicounty planning
policies which were adopted as part of VISION 2040 in April 2008. Note: The entire set of
multicounty policies serve as the regional guidelines and principles that are required for the
certification review of the transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive plans.
Appendix D. Growth Management Act Requirements for Transportation Planning.
The requirements for local transportation planning from the Growth Management Act are
provided in full. Note: These requirements must be fully addressed as part of the certification
review process.
Appendix E: Topic-by-Topic Guidance
A set of four additional appendices has been developed to further assist in the development of
policy amendments and plan updates. The first three of these appendices, E-1, E-2, and E-3,
are similar in format and design. Each includes a series of planning topics, with requirements
and recommendations for how the topics could be addressed in policy and planning
documents.
Under each topic, information is first presented on how the issue might be addressed in
countywide planning policies, then local comprehensive plans, including in cities with
designated regional centers, and then finally for transit agencies – as well as for other agency
planning, such as planning carried out by special service districts. The final appendix, E-4, is
different in that it is designed specifically to address additional considerations for planning in
centers. (Note: revised June 2014 to reflect updated Center Plan Checklist)
Appendices Policy and Plan Review Manual
Note: By design, these appendices have been crafted to be fairly comprehensive. Plans can
demonstrate consistency without necessarily using all of the criteria identified here. Other
planning approaches and provisions may be very appropriate.
Appendix E-1: VISION 2040 Consistency. This appendix focuses on planning topics
that relate most directly to the Regional Growth Strategy and the multicounty
planning policies. The appendix is arranged to follow the sequence of policy topics as
they are presented in VISION 2040. Note that the multicounty planning policies
serve as the regional guidelines and principles that are to be used to certify the
transportation-related provisions in plans.
Appendix E-2: Consistency with Transportation 2040. The appendix provides
guidance for how to approach consistency with the adopted regional transportation
plan. The physical design guidelines in Transportation 2040 have also been
established as regional guidelines and principles for planning in centers.
Appendix E-3: Additional Requirements for Transportation-Related Provisions. This
appendix is primarily geared to local comprehensive plans and addresses the
transportation planning requirements outlined in the Growth Management Act.
These requirements are considered in the certification review of transportation-
related provisions in plans. While the appendix focuses on local planning
requirements, it also includes some recommendations for how countywide planning
policies and other agency planning may want to address these issues.
Appendix E-4: Center Plans. This appendix has been designed as an additional
resource to provide further guidance for developing plans for centers, specifically
regionally designated centers. The content is based on the criteria that have been
established by the Regional Council for designating regional centers – both regional
growth centers and regional manufacturing/industrial centers. (Note: revised June
2014 to reflect updated Center Plan Checklist)
Puget Sound Regional Council Page A-1
APPENDIX A: PUGET SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL ADOPTED
POLICY AND PLAN REVIEW PROCESS
Revised September 2003
A hallmark of planning in Washington State is its emphasis on coordinating issues that are
interjurisdictional in nature. The Growth Management Act requires coordination and
consistency among planning efforts where there are ―common borders or related regional
issues‖ (RCW 36.70A.100). The Act also requires countywide and multicounty planning
policies to serve as frameworks for ensuring consistency among local comprehensive plans
(RCW 36.70A.210). In addition, the Regional Transportation Planning Organization
legislation, which was adopted with the Growth Management Act, mandates that regional
agencies certify that the transportation elements in local comprehensive plans are consistent
with regional transportation plans (RCW 47.80.023). To that end, the legislation requires
regional organizations to ―establish guidelines and principles‖ for the purpose of evaluating
transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive plans (RCW 47.80.026).
The Puget Sound Regional Council‘s Interlocal Agreement for Regional Planning of the Central Puget Sound Area and Framework Plan also provide direction for coordinating
planning on interjurisdictional issues. The Interlocal Agreement calls for the Regional Council
to develop a process for the review of countywide planning policies (VII-C). The Framework Plan directs the Regional Council to work with local and state agencies to ensure that
provisions of the Regional Growth Strategy are reflected in local planning efforts (Section 5,
1-c-3).13
The process for reviewing planning policies and local and regional plans includes three types:
(1) review of local comprehensive plans, including the certification of their
transportation elements
(2) review of countywide planning policies and multicounty policies, including
certification of countywide policies for consistency with the regional transportation
plan
(3) consistency review of transit agency plans.
13 VISION 2040, last updated in 2008, serves as the region‘s overall growth and transportation strategy.
Incorporated into VISION 2040 are the multicounty planning policies required under the Growth
Management Act. These policies provide a framework for local and regional planning in the four-
county region. The regional transportation plan, Transportation 2040, is a functional plan of VISION
2040. Adopted in 2010, this long-range transportation plan includes the multicounty framework
policies and transportation policies.
The Regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Policy Framework requires that only
jurisdictions with certified transportation elements can submit applications for projects and programs
to be considered for inclusion in the Regional TIP.
Page A-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Type 1: Review of Local Comprehensive Plans, Including Certification of
Transportation Elements
A questionnaire to be completed by agency staff is the chief tool used in the review of local
comprehensive plans. The questionnaire focuses on the multicounty planning policies
contained in the adopted regional growth and transportation strategy.
Jurisdictions are encouraged to provide copies of their draft comprehensive plans to the
Regional Council prior to or during their formal plan review period. This enables the
Regional Council to address any potential issues prior to the adoption of the plan. Regional
Council staff will be available to local jurisdictions and transportation agency staff to discuss
any issues or problems.
The certification of transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive plans is based on
(1) conformity with requirements in the Growth Management Act for comprehensive plan
elements, (2) consistency with the regional transportation plan, including consistency with
established regional guidelines and principles, and (3) compliance with federal and state clean
air legislation.
1 Conformity with the Growth Management Act. Conformity with the Growth
Management Act focuses on five requirements for transportation elements listed in
the Act: (1) consistency with the land use element, (2) identification of facilities and
service needs, (3) discussion of financing for transportation facilities and services, (4)
description of intergovernmental coordination efforts, and (5) development of
transportation demand management strategies (RCW 36.70A.070).
2 Consistency with the Regional Transportation Plan. Consistency with the regional
transportation plan is determined through a comparison of the transportation-related
provisions in local plans with the policies and provisions in the adopted regional
transportation plan.
Consistency with Established Regional Guidelines and Principles. Regional
guidelines and principles are formally incorporated into the regional
transportation plan and identified in the questionnaire used in the review of local
comprehensive plans. As required by law (RCW 47.80.026), these guidelines
address the following factors: a) freight transportation and port access, b)
circulation systems, access to regional systems, and effective and efficient
highway systems, c) transportation demand management, d) present and future
railroad right-of-way corridors, e) intermodal connections, f) concentration of
economic activity, g) residential density, h) development corridors and urban
design that support high-capacity transit, i) ability of transportation facilities and
programs to retain existing and attract new jobs and private investment to
accommodate growth in demand, j) joint and mixed use developments, and k)
development patterns that promote pedestrian and nonmotorized
transportation.14
14 See Transportation 2040, page 4.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page A-3
Physical Design Guidelines. In addition, ten physical design guidelines have been
established in the regional transportation plan.15 These include: (1) encourage
mix of complementary land uses, (2) encourage compact growth by addressing
density, (3) link neighborhoods, connect streets, sidewalks and trails, (4)
integrate activity areas with surrounding neighborhoods, (5) locate public and
semipublic uses near stations, (6) design for pedestrians and bicyclists, (7) provide
usable open spaces, (8) manage the supply of parking, (9) promote the benefits of
on-street parking, and 10) reduce and mitigate the effects of parking.
3. Air Quality Conformity. For jurisdictions in the central Puget Sound region that are
within the designated maintenance areas for carbon monoxide, ozone, and/or
particulate matter, air quality conformity is determined based on the consistency of
local plans with the regional transportation plan. For the purpose of determining
conformity with the state‘s Clean Air Conformity Act and consistency with the
regional plan, the transportation element should include, at a minimum, policy
language and provisions that commits the jurisdiction to developing programs and
measures that address federal and state air quality regulations and laws (WAC 173-
420-080).
Provisions That Are Not Transportation-Related. In order to coordinate planning on issues
other than the transportation-related provisions addressed in local and transit agency plans,
the Puget Sound Regional Council will provide comments to localities and agencies during
their formal review period. Both formal and informal consultation on these plans provides an
opportunity to identify how local governments and transportation agencies are using the
Regional Growth Strategy in their planning efforts. (This area of coordination is voluntary.)
Procedures for Certification. The certification of transportation-related provisions in local
plans includes a two-step review. In the first step, the Regional Council performs a
preliminary review as soon as the draft comprehensive plan is available, typically during the
time that the draft plan is being reviewed by state agencies; that is, at least 60 days prior to
plan adoption. Review of the transportation-related provisions in draft form provides the
opportunity for the jurisdiction to address inconsistencies or potential problems prior to plan
adoption. The certification review includes completion of the plan review questionnaire by
agency staff, which is returned to the Regional Council for review.
Once the final plan is adopted, the transportation-related provisions are reviewed a second
time, focusing on any changes made to the plan after the preliminary review. The Regional
Council then prepares a report on certification and sends it to the jurisdiction. After the
jurisdiction has had an opportunity to review the report and comment, a recommendation on
certification is presented to one or both of the Regional Council's policy boards and then to
the Executive Board for consideration and action.16 Transportation elements of local
comprehensive plans remain certified until amended.
15 See Transportation 2040, pages 21.
16 Amendments addressing transportation-related provisions are reviewed by the Transportation Policy
Board; amendments that address centers planning or other growth management issues are reviewed by
the Growth Policy Board.
Page A-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
An appeals process is identified in the Interlocal Agreement for jurisdictions wishing to take
issue with the Board's action. Upon receipt of an appeal, the Executive Board will direct that a
five-member board of hearing examiners be constituted from the membership of the Board to
resolve the conflict in a manner that would allow the transportation element to be certified.17
Certification of Subarea Plans for Designated Regional Centers. Jurisdictions which have
formally designated regional centers are requested to prepare a subarea plan for each center.
The subarea plan should be adopted within four years of the designation of the center. The
plan should address the criteria identified in the Regional Council‘s center plan checklist. The
Regional Council performs a preliminary review on the draft center plan, during the time that
draft is under review by state agencies. Once the final center plan is adopted, the Regional
Council prepares a certification report and sends it to the jurisdiction for review and
comment. A recommendation is then presented to one or both of the policy boards and
Executive Board for consideration and action. The appeals process described in the previous
paragraph applies.
Type 2: Review of Countywide Planning Policies and Multicounty
Policies, including Certification of Countywide Policies for Consistency
with the Regional Transportation Plan
The review of countywide planning policies and multicounty policies is based upon a
comparative analysis of countywide and multicounty policies. The comparison focuses on the
policy areas for regional planning identified in the Growth Management Act (RCW
36.70A.210). These policy areas include (1) designation of urban growth areas, (2) contiguous
and orderly development and the provision of services, (3) transportation facilities and
strategies, (4) siting regional capital facilities, (5) interjurisdictional planning, (6) economic
development, and (7) affordable housing. In addition, multicounty policies also include
policies on open space, resource protection and critical areas.
The review of countywide planning policies and multicounty policies is a collaborative review
which is intended to provide information to allow enhanced coordination of regional
planning. The comparison focuses on the consistency of each county's countywide policies
with adopted multicounty policies. Regional Council staff, together with local government
staff, prepares a draft consistency report and circulates it for review and comment by the
counties and any countywide growth management planning bodies. Any identified problems
shall first be addressed through staff to staff discussions. Unresolved issues are referred to the
Executive Board, counties, and countywide growth management planning bodies for
consideration. If inconsistencies remain, the Regional Council, any county, or any countywide
growth management planning body may request the Washington State Department of
Community, Trade, and Economic Development to provide mediation services pursuant to the
Growth Management Act.
Certification of Countywide Planning Policies and the Adopted Regional Transportation Plan
for Consistency. The consistency certification of countywide planning policies and the
regional transportation plan is based on a comparative analysis of the adopted countywide
transportation-related planning policies and the regional transportation plan (RCW
47.80.023).
17 Interlocal Agreement for Regional Planning of the Central Puget Sound Area (VII.A.4 and VII.A.5).
Puget Sound Regional Council Page A-5
Regional Council staff reviews the countywide policies and the regional transportation plan
and prepares a certification report noting any possible inconsistencies. (Note: This report may
be a section of the consistency report comparing countywide and multicounty policies, if the
transportation-related provisions are provided as part of a whole set of policies.) The report
shall identify any recommended amendments to the countywide policies or the regional plan,
or both, to make them consistent with each other. The report shall be submitted to one or
both of the policy boards and Executive Board for action and then to the counties and the
respective countywide growth management planning bodies for consideration. Any
inconsistencies shall be addressed by consideration of amendments either to the policies or the
plan, or both, according to the procedures established by law for amendment.
If a county or a countywide growth management planning body disagrees with a
recommended amendment to its policies, it may appeal the recommendation. Appeals shall be
made to the Executive Board, which shall either make recommendations to the General
Assembly to amend the regional transportation plan to allow certification or deny
certification.
Proposed amendments or updates to countywide planning policies shall be submitted by each
county to the Regional Council for preliminary review at least 60 days in advance of action by
the countywide growth management planning body. Preliminary review shall identify and
recommend amendments to allow certification. After adoption of the policies they shall be
reviewed for any changes made after the preliminary review, which would affect certification.
A certification report and recommendation shall then be prepared as described above.
Countywide planning policies remain certified until amended.
Type 3: Consistency Review of Transit Agency Plans
To coordinate planning among the Regional Council, local governments and transit agencies,
the Regional Council provides comments to transit agencies during the development of their
transit development plans (six-year) and longer-term strategic plans. Coordination and
consultation regarding these plans and the adopted regional growth and transportation
strategy provides an opportunity to identify how transit agencies are using the regional
strategy and reflecting growth management provisions in their planning efforts. Agencies are
encouraged to provide copies of their draft plans to the Regional Council prior to or during
their formal review period. This enables the Council to address any potential issues prior to
the adoption of the plan. Regional Council staff is available to transit agency staff to discuss
any issues or problems.
For major plan updates, Regional Council staff, together with transit agency staff, prepares a
draft consistency report and circulates it for review and comment by the transit agency. The
report is revised accordingly and transmitted to one or both of the policy boards and
Executive Board for consideration. Any identified problems shall first be addressed through
staff to staff discussions. Unresolved issues are referred to the Executive Board and transit
agency officials for consideration.
Page A-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Certification of Plans Prepared by the Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit).
Washington state law requires the Regional Council to formally certify that the regional
transit system plan prepared by the Regional Transit Authority – known as Sound Transit – is
consistent with the regional transportation plan (RCW 81.104). The agency is encouraged to
provide the Regional Council with drafts of its plan prior to or during the formal plan review
period. This enables the Regional Council to address potential issues prior to final adoption.
Regional Council staff, together with Sound Transit staff, prepare a draft consistency report
for review and comment by the authority. A recommendation is then forwarded to one or
both of the policy boards and Executive Board for consideration and action. If the authority
disagrees with the recommendation, it may appeal to the Executive Board.
Land Uses Adjacent to General Aviation Airports
Washington state law requires local jurisdictions to establish plans, zoning ordinances and
development regulations which discourage the siting of incompatible land uses adjacent to
public use general aviation airports (RCW 36.70.547). As part of its review of local
comprehensive plans, the Regional Council assesses whether localities are addressing this
requirement.
The Review of Amendments and Updates to Local Comprehensive Plans, Countywide
Planning Policies and Transit Agency Plans
All amendments to countywide planning policies, local comprehensive plans, and Sound
Transit‘s plan shall be submitted to the Regional Council for review. However, action by the
Regional Council‘s boards concerning certification of local comprehensive plans and
countywide planning policies is limited to the certification-related issues addressed in the
amendment(s).18 Transit agencies are requested to submit any updates and amendments to
their plans to Regional Council for review and comment.
Frequency of Plan Review and Certification
Local jurisdictions' transportation elements are certified until amended or updated. Any
changes to the transportation-related provisions will require certification. Countywide
planning policies are also certified until amended or updated. Any changes will be reviewed
against the multicounty policies and the regional transportation plan, as appropriate.
The policy and plan review process needs to be flexible in order to incorporate changes made
over time. The regional transportation plan will itself be amended and updated regularly in
accordance with federal requirements to reflect changes in local comprehensive plans and
other related transportation plans. Amendments and updates to local plans and countywide
policies are expected to demonstrate consistency with the version of the regional
transportation plan in place at the time countywide or local adoption action is taken.
18 For example, if a jurisdiction amends only its policies addressing transportation demand management,
then only that set of policies would be reviewed and acted upon for certification.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page B-1
APPENDIX B: POLICY AND PLAN REVIEW (EXCERPT FROM
VISION 2040 – PART IV: IMPLEMENTATION)
adopted April 2008
The Regional Council has established a process for the review of local, countywide, and transit
agency plans guided by: (1) the consistency provisions in the Growth Management Act,
(2) state requirements for establishing common regional guidelines and principles for
evaluating transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive plans, and (3) directives
for coordination in the Regional Council‘s Interlocal Agreement and Framework Plan. (For
additional information, see Appendix 1.)
Review of Local Comprehensive Plans, Certification of Transportation-
Related Provisions
Local jurisdictions are asked to incorporate a brief report in future updates to their
comprehensive plans that addresses: (1) conformity with requirements in the Growth
Management Act for comprehensive plan elements, (2) consistency with the Metropolitan
Transportation Plan (including consistency with established regional guidelines and
principles, physical design guidelines for centers, and compliance with federal and state clean
air legislation), and (3) consistency with the multicounty planning policies. Information
provided in this report will be a primary tool for developing the Regional Council‘s
certification recommendation regarding the transportation-related provisions for the Council‘s
boards to consider.
Regional Guidelines and Principles. State law requires regional guidelines and principles to be
established for regional and local transportation planning purposes (RCW 47.80.026). Among
the factors these guidelines and principles are to address are: concentration of economic
activity, residential density, development and urban design that supports high capacity transit,
joint and mixed use development, freight movement and port access, development patterns
that promote walking and biking, transportation demand management, effective and efficient
transportation, access to regional systems, and intermodal connections. Within VISION
2040, the multicounty planning policies are adopted to serve as the region's guidelines and
principles. Many of the sidebars throughout the policy sections of VISION 2040 provide
examples to serve as guidance for local planning efforts, especially related to transportation.
Review of Subarea Plans for Designated Regional Growth Centers and
Regional Manufacturing/Industrial Centers
Jurisdictions that have regionally designated centers – either regional growth centers or regional
manufacturing/industrial centers – are asked to prepare a subarea plan for each center. The subarea
plan should be adopted within four years of the designation of the center. The plan should include
a brief report (similar to the one prepared for the jurisdiction-wide comprehensive plan) that
outlines how the plan satisfies Growth Management Act requirements for subarea plans, as well as
regionally established criteria for center planning. This report will be a primary tool for
developing the Regional Council‘s certification recommendation for the Council‘s boards to
consider.
Page B-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Review of Countywide Planning Policies and Multicounty Planning
Policies, including Certification of Countywide Policies for Consistency
with the Regional Transportation Plan
Countywide planning bodies are asked to include a report in updates to the countywide planning
policies that addresses: (1) consistency of countywide planning policies and multicounty planning
policies, and (2) consistency with the Metropolitan Transportation Plan. This report will be a
primary tool for the Regional Council to develop a certification recommendation for consideration
by the Council's boards. According to Policy MPP-G-2, countywide planning policies are to be
updated to reflect revised multicounty planning policies by December 31, 2010.
Consistency Review of Transit Agency Plans
To coordinate transit planning with local and regional growth management planning efforts,
transit agencies are requested to incorporate a report in their long-term strategic plans that
addresses: (1) conformity of the strategic plan with state planning requirements for transit
planning, (2) consistency with the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, (3) compatibility of the
strategic plan with multicounty planning policies, (4) compatibility of the strategic plan with the
countywide planning policies for the county or counties in which the agency provides service, and
(5) coordination with local governments within the agency's service area. The report should be
considered and approved by the governing authority of the transit agency, and then transmitted to
the Regional Council's boards for review and comment.
Certification of Plans Prepared by the Regional Transit Authority (Sound
Transit)
Washington state law requires the Regional Council to formally certify that the regional transit
system plan prepared by the Regional Transit Authority – known as Sound Transit – is consistent
with the regional transportation plan (RCW 81.104). Regional Council staff, together with Sound
Transit staff, prepares a draft consistency report for review and comment. This report will be
forwarded to the Regional Council‘s policy boards, which will transmit a recommendation to the
Executive Board for action.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-1
APPENDIX C: MULTICOUNTY PLANNING POLICIES
adopted April 2008
Note: The entire set of Multicounty Planning Policies serves as the ―regional
guidelines and principles‖ used for certification of policies and plans – including the
transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive plans.
GENERAL POLICIES
MPP-G-1 Coordinate planning efforts among jurisdictions, agencies, and federally recognized
Indian tribes where there are common borders or related regional issues, to facilitate a
common vision.
MPP-G-2 Update countywide planning policies, where necessary, prior to December 31,
2010, to address the multicounty planning policies in VISION 2040.
MPP-G-3 Monitor implementation of VISION 2040 to evaluate progress in achieving the
regional growth strategy, as well as the environment, development patterns, housing,
economy, transportation, and public services provisions.
Fiscal
MPP-G-4 Explore new and existing sources of funding for services and infrastructure,
recognizing that such funding is vital if local governments are to achieve the regional vision.
MPP-G-5 Identify and develop changes to regulatory, pricing, taxing, and expenditure
practices, and other fiscal tools within the region to implement the vision.
ENVIRONMENT
Overarching Goal: The region will care for the natural environment by protecting and
restoring natural systems, conserving habitat, improving water quality, reducing greenhouse
gas emissions and air pollutants, and addressing potential climate change impacts. The region
acknowledges that the health of all residents is connected to the health of the environment.
Planning at all levels should consider the impacts of land use, development patterns, and
transportation on the ecosystem.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will safeguard the natural environment by meeting the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Page C-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
MPP-En-1 Develop regionwide environmental strategies, coordinating among local
jurisdictions and countywide planning groups.
MPP-En-2 Use integrated and interdisciplinary approaches for environmental planning and
assessment at regional, countywide and local levels.
MPP-En-3 Maintain and, where possible, improve air and water quality, soils, and natural
systems to ensure the health and well-being of people, animals, and plants. Reduce the
impacts of transportation on air and water quality, and climate change.
MPP-En-4 Ensure that all residents of the region, regardless of social or economic status, live
in a healthy environment, with minimal exposure to pollution.
MPP-En-5 Locate development in a manner that minimizes impacts to natural features.
Promote the use of innovative environmentally sensitive development practices, including
design, materials, construction, and on-going maintenance.
MPP-En-6 Use the best information available at all levels of planning, especially scientific
information, when establishing and implementing environmental standards established by
any level of government.
MPP-En-7 Mitigate noise caused by traffic, industries, and other sources.
EARTH AND HABITAT GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will preserve the beauty and natural ecological processes of the Puget Sound
basin through the conservation and enhancement of natural resources and the environment.
MPP-En-8 Identify, preserve, and enhance significant regional open space networks and
linkages across jurisdictional boundaries.
MPP-En-9 Designate, protect, and enhance significant open spaces, natural resources, and
critical areas through mechanisms, such as the review and comment of countywide planning
policies and local plans and provisions.
MPP-En-10 Preserve and enhance habitat to prevent species from inclusion on the
Endangered Species List and to accelerate their removal from the list.
MPP-En-11 Identify and protect wildlife corridors both inside and outside the urban growth
area.
MPP-En-12 Preserve and restore native vegetation to protect habitat, especially where it
contributes to the overall ecological function and where invasive species are a significant
threat to native ecosystems.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-3
WATER QUALITY GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will meet or do better than standards established for water quality. The
quality of the water flowing out of the region – including Puget Sound – should be as good as
or better than the quality of water entering the region.
MPP-En-13 Maintain natural hydrological functions within the region's ecosystems and
watersheds and, where feasible, restore them to a more natural state.
MPP-En-14 Restore – where appropriate and possible – the region‘s freshwater and marine
shorelines, watersheds, and estuaries to a natural condition for ecological function and value.
MPP-En-15 Reduce the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers to the extent feasible and
identify alternatives that minimize risks to human health and the environment.
MPP-En-16 Identify and address the impacts of climate change on the region‘s hydrological
systems.
AIR QUALITY GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The overall quality of the region's air will be better than it is today.
MPP-En-17 Maintain or do better than existing standards for carbon monoxide, ozone, and
particulates.
MPP-En-18 Reduce levels for air toxics, fine particulates, and greenhouse gases.
MPP-En-19 Continue efforts to reduce pollutants from transportation activities, including
through the use of cleaner fuels and vehicles and increasing alternatives to driving alone, as
well as design and land use.
CLIMATE CHANGE GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will reduce its overall production of harmful elements that contribute to
climate change.
MPP-En-20 Address the central Puget Sound region's contribution to climate change by, at a
minimum, committing to comply with state initiatives and directives regarding climate
change and the reduction of greenhouse gases. Jurisdictions and agencies should work to
include an analysis of climate change impacts when conducting an environmental review
process under the State Environmental Policy Act.
MPP-En-21 Reduce the rate of energy use per capita, both in building use and in
transportation activities.
MPP-En-22 Pursue the development of energy management technology as part of meeting
the region‘s energy needs.
Page C-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
MPP-En-23 Reduce greenhouse gases by expanding the use of conservation and alternative
energy sources and by reducing vehicle miles traveled by increasing alternatives to driving
alone.
MPP-En-24 Take positive actions to reduce carbons, such as increasing the number of trees in
urban portions of the region.
MPP-En-25 Anticipate and address the impacts of climate change on regional water sources.
DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS
Overarching Goal: The region will focus growth within already urbanized areas to create
walkable, compact, and transit-oriented communities that maintain unique local character.
Centers will continue to be a focus of development. Rural and natural resource lands will
continue to be permanent and vital parts of the region.
URBAN LANDS GOALS AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will promote the efficient use of land, prevent urbanization of rural and
resource lands, and provide for the efficient delivery of services within the designated urban
growth area.
MPP-DP-1 Provide a regional framework for the designation and adjustment of the urban
growth area to ensure long-term stability and sustainability of the urban growth area
consistent with the regional vision.
MPP-DP-2 Encourage efficient use of urban land by maximizing the development potential
of existing urban lands, such as advancing development that achieves zoned density.
Goal: The region, countywide planning bodies, and local jurisdictions will work together to
set population and employment growth targets consistent with the regional vision.
MPP-DP-3 Use consistent countywide targeting processes for allocating population and
employment growth consistent with the regional vision, including establishing: (a) local
employment targets, (b) local housing targets based on population projections, and (c) local
housing and employment targets for each designated regional growth center.
MPP-DP-4 Accommodate the region's growth first and foremost in the urban growth area.
Ensure that development in rural areas is consistent with the regional vision.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-5
REGIONAL GROWTH CENTERS GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will direct growth and development to a limited number of designated
regional growth centers.
MPP-DP-5 Focus a significant share of population and employment growth in designated
regional growth centers.
MPP-DP-6 Provide a regional framework for designating and evaluating regional growth
centers.
MPP-DP-7 Give funding priority – both for transportation infrastructure and for economic
development – to support designated regional growth centers consistent with the regional
vision. Regional funds are prioritized to regional growth centers. County-level and local
funding are also appropriate to prioritize to regional growth centers.
REGIONAL MANUFACTURING/INDUSTRIAL CENTERS GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will continue to maintain and support viable regional
manufacturing/industrial centers to accommodate manufacturing, industrial, or advanced
technology uses.
MPP-DP-8 Focus a significant share of employment growth in designated regional
manufacturing/industrial centers.
MPP-DP-9 Provide a regional framework for designating and evaluating regional
manufacturing/industrial centers.
MPP-DP-10 Give funding priority – both for transportation infrastructure and for economic
development – to support designated regional manufacturing/industrial centers consistent
with the regional vision. Regional funds are prioritized to regional manufacturing/industrial
centers. County-level and local funding are also appropriate to prioritize to these regional
centers.
OTHER CENTERS GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: Subregional centers, such as those designated through countywide processes or
identified locally, will also play important roles in accommodating planned growth according
to the regional vision. These centers will promote pedestrian connections and support transit-
oriented uses.
MPP-DP-11 Support the development of centers within all jurisdictions, including town
centers and activity nodes.
MPP-DP-12 Establish a common framework among the countywide processes for designating
subregional centers to ensure compatibility within the region.
Page C-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
MPP-DP-13 Direct subregional funding, especially county-level and local funds, to centers
designated through countywide processes, as well as to town centers, and other activity nodes.
COMPACT URBAN COMMUNTIES POLICIES
MPP-DP-14 Preserve and enhance existing neighborhoods and create vibrant, sustainable
compact urban communities that provide diverse choices in housing types, a high degree of
connectivity in the street network to accommodate walking, bicycling and transit use, and
sufficient public spaces.
MPP-DP-15 Support the transformation of key underutilized lands, such as brownfields and
greyfields, to higher density, mixed-use areas to complement the development of centers and
the enhancement of existing neighborhoods.
CITIES IN RURAL AREAS POLICIES
MPP-DP-16 Direct commercial, retail, and community services that serve rural residents into
neighboring cities and existing activity areas to prevent the conversion of rural land into
commercial uses.
MPP-DP-17 Promote transit service to and from existing cities in rural areas.
UNINCORPORATED URBAN GROWTH AREAS GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: All unincorporated lands within the urban growth area will either annex into existing
cities or incorporate as new cities.
MPP-DP-18 Affiliate all urban unincorporated lands appropriate for annexation with an
adjacent city or identify those that may be feasible for incorporation. To fulfill the regional
growth strategy, annexation is preferred over incorporation.
MPP-DP-19 Support joint planning between cities and counties to work cooperatively in
planning for urban unincorporated areas to ensure an orderly transition to city governance,
including efforts such as: (a) establishing urban development standards, (b) addressing service
and infrastructure financing, and (c) transferring permitting authority.
MPP-DP-20 Support the provision and coordination of urban services to unincorporated
urban areas by the adjacent city or, where appropriate, by the county as an interim approach.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-7
RURAL LANDS GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will permanently sustain the ecological functions, resource value, lifestyle,
and character of rural lands for future generations by limiting the types and intensities of
development in rural areas.
MPP-DP-21 Contribute to improved ecological functions and more appropriate use of rural
lands by minimizing impacts through innovative and environmentally sensitive land use
management and development practices.
MPP-DP-22 Do not allow urban net densities in rural and resource areas.
MPP-DP-23 Avoid new fully contained communities outside of the designated urban growth
area because of their potential to create sprawl and undermine state and regional growth
management goals.
MPP-DP-24 In the event that a proposal is made for creating a new fully contained
community, the county shall make the proposal available to other counties and to the
Regional Council for advance review and comment on regional impacts.
MPP-DP-25 Use existing and new tools and strategies to address vested development to
ensure that future growth meets existing permitting and development standards and prevents
further fragmentation of rural lands.
MPP-DP-26 Ensure that development occurring in rural areas is rural in character and is
focused into communities and activity areas.
MPP-DP-27 Maintain the long-term viability of permanent rural land by avoiding the
construction of new highways and major roads in rural areas.
MPP-DP-28 Support long-term solutions for the environmental and economic sustainability
of agriculture and forestry within rural areas.
RESOURCE LANDS GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will conserve its natural resource land permanently by designating,
maintaining, and enhancing farm, forest, and mineral lands.
MPP-DP-29 Protect and enhance significant open spaces, natural resources, and critical areas.
MPP-DP-30 Establish best management practices that protect the long-term integrity of the
natural environment, adjacent land uses, and the long-term productivity of resource lands.
MPP-DP-31 Support the sustainability of designated resource lands. Do not convert these
lands to other uses.
Page C-8 Policy and Plan Review Manual
MPP-DP-32 Ensure that resource lands and their related economic activities are not adversely
impacted by development on adjacent non-resource lands.
REGIONAL DESIGN GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will use design to shape the physical environment in order to create more
livable communities, better integrate land use and transportation systems, and improve efforts
to restore the environment.
MPP-DP-33 Identify, protect and enhance those elements and characteristics that give the
central Puget Sound region its identity, especially the natural visual resources and positive
urban form elements.
MPP-DP-34 Preserve significant regional historic, visual and cultural resources including
public views, landmarks, archaeological sites, historic and cultural landscapes, and areas of
special character.
MPP-DP-35 Develop high quality, compact urban communities throughout the region's
urban growth area that impart a sense of place, preserve local character, provide for mixed
uses and choices in housing types, and encourage walking, bicycling, and transit use.
MPP-DP-36 Provide a wide range of building and community types to serve the needs of a
diverse population.
MPP-DP-37 Support urban design, historic preservation, and arts to enhance quality of life,
improve the natural and human-made environments, promote health and well-being,
contribute to a prosperous economy, and increase the region‘s resiliency in adapting to
changes or adverse events.
MPP-DP-38 Design public buildings and spaces that contribute to a sense of community and
a sense of place.
MPP-DP-39 Identify and create opportunities to develop parks, civic places and public spaces,
especially in or adjacent to centers.
MPP-DP-40 Design transportation projects and other infrastructure to achieve community
development objectives and improve communities.
MPP-DP-41 Allow natural boundaries to help determine the routes and placement of
infrastructure connections and improvements.
MPP-DP-42 Recognize and work with linear systems that cross jurisdictional boundaries – including
natural systems, continuous land use patterns, and transportation and infrastructure systems – in
community planning, development, and design.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-9
BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region's communities will be planned and designed to promote physical, social, and
mental well-being so that all people can live healthier and more active lives.
MPP-DP-43 Design communities to provide an improved environment for walking and
bicycling.
MPP-DP-44 Incorporate provisions addressing health and well-being into appropriate
regional, countywide, and local planning and decision-making processes.
MPP-DP-45 Promote cooperation and coordination among transportation providers, local
government, and developers to ensure that joint- and mixed-use developments are designed to
promote and improve physical, mental, and social health and reduce the impacts of climate
change on the natural and built environments.
MPP-DP-46 Develop and implement design guidelines to encourage construction of healthy
buildings and facilities to promote healthy people.
MPP-DP-47 Support agricultural, farmland, and aquatic uses that enhance the food system in
the central Puget Sound region and its capacity to produce fresh and minimally processed
foods.
INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES POLICIES
MPP-DP-48 Encourage the use of innovative techniques, including the transfer of
development rights, the purchase of development rights, and conservation incentives. Use
these techniques to focus growth within the urban growth area (especially cities) to lessen
pressures to convert rural and resource areas to more intense urban-type development, while
protecting the future economic viability of sending areas and sustaining rural and resource-
based uses.
MPP-DP-49 Support and provide incentives to increase the percentage of new development
and redevelopment – both public and private – to be built at higher performing energy and
environmental standards.
MPP-DP-50 Streamline development standards and regulations for residential and
commercial development, especially in centers, to provide flexibility and to accommodate a
broader range of project types consistent with the regional vision.
INCOMPATIBLE LAND USES POLICIES
MPP-DP-51 Protect the continued operation of general aviation airports from encroachment
by incompatible uses and development on adjacent land.
Page C-10 Policy and Plan Review Manual
MPP-DP-52 Protect military lands from encroachment by incompatible uses and
development on adjacent land.
MPP-DP-53 Protect industrial lands from encroachment by incompatible uses and
development on adjacent land.
CONCURRENCY POLICIES
MPP-DP-54 Develop concurrency programs and methods that fully consider growth targets,
service needs, and level-of-service standards. Focus level-of-service standards for
transportation on the movement of people and goods instead of only on the movement of
vehicles.
MPP-DP-55 Address nonmotorized, pedestrian, and other multimodal types of transportation
options in concurrency programs – both in assessment and mitigation.
MPP-DP-56 Tailor concurrency programs for centers and other subareas to encourage
development that can be supported by transit.
HOUSING
Overarching Goal: The region will preserve, improve, and expand its housing stock to provide
a range of affordable, healthy, and safe housing choices to every resident. The region will
continue to promote fair and equal access to housing for all people.
POLICIES
Housing diversity and affordability
MPP-H-1 Provide a range of housing types and choices to meet the housing needs of all
income levels and demographic groups within the region.
MPP-H-2 Achieve and sustain – through preservation, rehabilitation, and new development
– a sufficient supply of housing to meet the needs of low-income, moderate-income, middle-
income, and special needs individuals and households that is equitably and rationally
distributed throughout the region.
MPP-H-3 Promote homeownership opportunities for low-income, moderate-income, and
middle-income families and individuals.
Jobs-housing balance
MPP-H-4 Develop and provide a range of housing choices for workers at all income levels
throughout the region in a manner that promotes accessibility to jobs and provides
opportunities to live in proximity to work.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-11
Centers housing
MPP-H-5 Expand the supply and range of housing, including affordable units, in centers
throughout the region.
MPP-H-6 Recognize and give regional funding priority to transportation facilities,
infrastructure, and services that explicitly advance the development of housing in designated
regional growth centers. Give additional priority to projects and services that advance
affordable housing.
Best housing practices
MPP-H-7 Encourage jurisdictions to review and streamline development standards and
regulations to advance their public benefit, provide flexibility, and minimize additional costs
to housing.
MPP-H-8 Encourage the use of innovative techniques to provide a broader range of housing
types for all income levels and housing needs.
MPP-H-9 Encourage interjurisdictional cooperative efforts and public-private partnerships to
advance the provision of affordable and special needs housing.
ECONOMY
Overarching Goal: The region will have a prospering and sustainable regional economy by
supporting businesses and job creation, investing in all people, sustaining environmental
quality, and creating great central places, diverse communities, and high quality of life.
BUSINESS GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region's economy prospers by supporting businesses and job creation.
MPP-Ec-1 Support economic development activities that help to retain, expand, or diversify
the region's businesses. Target recruitment activities towards businesses that provide family-
wage jobs.
MPP-Ec-2 Foster a positive business climate by encouraging regionwide and statewide collaboration
among business, government, education, labor, military, workforce development, and other nonprofit
organizations.
MPP-Ec-3 Support established and emerging industry clusters that export goods and services,
import capital, and have growth potential.
MPP-Ec-4 Leverage the region's position as an international gateway by supporting
businesses, ports, and agencies involved in trade-related activities.
MPP-Ec-5 Foster a supportive environment for business startups, small businesses, and locally
owned businesses to help them continue to prosper.
Page C-12 Policy and Plan Review Manual
MPP-Ec-6 Ensure the efficient flow of people, goods, services, and information in and
through the region with infrastructure investments, particularly in and connecting designated
centers, to meet the distinctive needs of the regional economy.
MPP-Ec-7 Encourage the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to incorporate environmental
and social responsibility into their practices.
PEOPLE GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region's economy prospers by investing in all of its people.
MPP-Ec-8 Promote economic activity and employment growth that creates widely shared
prosperity and sustains a diversity of family-wage jobs for the region‘s residents.
MPP-Ec-9 Ensure that the region has a high quality education system that is accessible to all
of the region's residents.
MPP-Ec-10 Ensure that the region has high quality and accessible training programs that give
people opportunities to learn, maintain, and upgrade skills necessary to meet the current and
forecast needs of the regional and global economy.
MPP-Ec-11 Address unique obstacles and special needs – as well as recognize the special
assets – of disadvantaged populations in improving the region's shared economic future.
MPP-Ec-12 Foster appropriate and targeted economic growth in distressed areas to create
economic opportunity for residents of these areas.
MPP-Ec-13 Support the contributions of the region's culturally and ethnically diverse
communities in helping the region continue to expand its international economy.
MPP-Ec-14 Sustain and enhance arts and cultural institutions to foster an active and vibrant
community life in every part of the region.
PLACES GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region's economy prospers through the creation of great central places, diverse
communities, and high quality of life that integrates transportation, the economy, and the
environment.
MPP-Ec-15 Ensure that economic development sustains and respects the region's
environmental quality.
MPP-Ec-16 Utilize urban design strategies and approaches to ensure that changes to the built
environment preserve and enhance the region's unique attributes and each community's
distinctive identity in recognition of the economic value of sense of place.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-13
MPP-Ec-17 Use incentives and investments to create a closer balance between jobs and
housing, consistent with the regional growth strategy.
MPP-Ec-18 Concentrate a significant amount of economic growth in designated centers and
connect them to each other in order to strengthen the region's economy and communities and
to promote economic opportunity.
MPP-Ec-19 Maximize the use of existing designated manufacturing and industrial centers by
focusing appropriate types and amounts of employment growth in these areas and by
protecting them from incompatible adjacent uses.
MPP-Ec-20 Provide an adequate supply of housing with good access to employment centers
to support job creation and economic growth.
MPP-Ec-21 Recognize the need for employment in cities in the rural areas and promote
compatible occupations (such as, but not limited to, tourism, cottage and home-based
businesses, and local services) that do not conflict with rural character and resource-based
land uses.
MPP-Ec-22 Support economic activity in rural and natural resource areas at a size and scale
that is compatible with the long-term integrity and productivity of these lands.
TRANSPORTATION
Overarching Goal: The region will have a safe, cleaner, integrated, sustainable, and highly
efficient multimodal transportation system that supports the regional growth strategy and
promotes economic and environmental vitality, and better public health.
MAINTENACE, MANAGEMENT, AND SAFETY GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: As a high priority, the region will maintain, preserve, and operate its existing
transportation system in a safe and usable state.
MPP-T-1 Maintain and operate transportation systems to provide safe, efficient, and reliable
movement of people, goods, and services.
MPP-T-2 Protect the investment in the existing system and lower overall life-cycle costs
through effective maintenance and preservation programs.
MPP-T-3 Reduce the need for new capital improvements through investments in operations,
pricing programs, demand management strategies, and system management activities that
improve the efficiency of the current system.
MPP-T-4 Improve safety of the transportation system and, in the long term, achieve the
state‘s goal of zero deaths and disabling injuries.
Page C-14 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Sustainable Transportation
MPP-T-5 Foster a less polluting system that reduces the negative effects of transportation
infrastructure and operation on the climate and natural environment.
MPP-T-6 Seek the development and implementation of transportation modes and
technologies that are energy-efficient and improve system performance.
MPP-T-7 Develop a transportation system that minimizes negative impacts to human health.
MPP-T-8 Protect the transportation system against disaster, develop prevention and recovery
strategies, and plan for coordinated responses.
SUPPORTING THE GROWTH STRATEGY GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The future transportation system will support the regional growth strategy by focusing
on connecting centers with a highly efficient multimodal transportation network.
Coordination
MPP-T-9 Coordinate state, regional, and local planning efforts for transportation through the
Puget Sound Regional Council to develop and operate a highly efficient, multimodal system
that supports the regional growth strategy.
MPP-T-10 Promote coordination among transportation providers and local governments to
ensure that joint- and mixed-use developments are designed in a way that improves overall
mobility and accessibility to and within such development.
Centers and Compact Communities
MPP-T-11 Prioritize investments in transportation facilities and services in the urban growth
area that support compact, pedestrian- and transit-oriented densities and development.
MPP-T-12 Give regional funding priority to transportation improvements that serve regional
growth centers and regional manufacturing and industrial centers.
MPP-T-13 Make transportation investments that improve economic and living conditions so
that industries and skilled workers continue to be retained and attracted to the region.
MPP-T-14 Design, construct, and operate transportation facilities to serve all users safely and
conveniently, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users, while
accommodating the movement of freight and goods, as suitable to each facility‘s function and
context as determined by the appropriate jurisdictions.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-15
MPP-T-15 Improve local street patterns – including their design and how they are used – for
walking, bicycling, and transit use to enhance communities, connectivity, and physical
activity.
MPP-T-16 Promote and incorporate bicycle and pedestrian travel as important modes of
transportation by providing facilities and reliable connections.
Freight
MPP-T-17 Ensure the freight system meets the needs of: (1) global gateways, (2) producer
needs within the state and region, and (3) regional and local distribution.
MPP-T-18 Maintain and improve the existing multimodal freight transportation system in
the region to increase reliability and efficiency and to prevent degradation of freight mobility.
MPP-T-19 Coordinate regional planning with railroad capacity expansion plans and support
capacity expansion that is compatible with state, regional, and local plans.
Context and Design
MPP-T-20 Design transportation facilities to fit within the context of the built or natural
environments in which they are located.
MPP-T-21 Apply urban design principles in transportation programs and projects for regional
growth centers and high-capacity transit station areas.
MPP-T-22 Implement transportation programs and projects in ways that prevent or minimize
negative impacts to low-income, minority, and special needs populations.
GREATER OPTIONS AND MOBILTY GOAL AND POLICIES
Goal: The region will invest in transportation systems that offer greater options, mobility, and
access in support of the regional growth strategy.
MPP-T-23 Emphasize transportation investments that provide and encourage alternatives to
single-occupancy vehicle travel and increase travel options, especially to and within centers
and along corridors connecting centers.
MPP-T-24 Increase the proportion of trips made by transportation modes that are alternatives
to driving alone.
MPP-T-25 Ensure mobility choices for people with special transportation needs, including
persons with disabilities, the elderly, the young, and low-income populations.
MPP-T-26 Strategically expand capacity and increase efficiency of the transportation system
to move goods, services, and people to and within the urban growth area. Focus on
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investments that produce the greatest net benefits to people and minimize the environmental
impacts of transportation.
MPP-T-27 Improve key facilities connecting the region to national and world markets to
support the economic vitality of the region.
MPP-T-28 Avoid construction of major roads and capacity expansion on existing roads in
rural and resource areas. Where increased roadway capacity is warranted to support safe and
efficient travel through rural areas, appropriate rural development regulations and strong
commitments to access management should be in place prior to authorizing such capacity
expansion in order to prevent unplanned growth in rural areas.
MPP-T-29 Promote the preservation of existing rights-of-way for future high-capacity
transit.
MPP-T-30 Encourage public and private sector partnerships to identify and implement
improvements to personal mobility and freight movement.
MPP-T-31 Support effective management of existing air transportation capacity and ensure
that future capacity needs are addressed in cooperation with responsible agencies, affected
communities, and users.
MPP-T-32 Integrate transportation systems to make it easy for people and freight to move
from one mode or technology to another.
MPP-T-33 Promote transportation financing methods, such as user fees, tolls, and pricing,
that sustain maintenance, preservation, and operation of facilities and reflect the costs
imposed by users.
PUBLIC SERVICES
Overarching Goal: The region will support development with adequate public facilities and
services in a coordinated, efficient, and cost-effective manner that supports local and regional
growth planning objectives.
SERVICES IN GENERAL POLICIES
MPP-PS-1 Protect and enhance the environment and public health and safety when
providing services and facilities.
MPP-PS-2 Time and phase services and facilities to guide growth and development in a
manner that supports the regional vision.
MPP-PS-3 Promote demand management and the conservation of services and facilities prior
to developing new facilities.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page C-17
MPP-PS-4 Do not provide urban services in rural areas. Design services for limited access
when they are needed to solve isolated health and sanitation problems, so as not to increase
the development potential of the surrounding rural area.
MPP-PS-5 Encourage the design of public facilities and utilities in rural areas to be at a size
and scale appropriate to rural locations, so as not to increase development pressure.
MPP-PS-6 Obtain urban services from cities or appropriate regional service providers, and
encourage special service districts, including sewer, water, and fire districts, to consolidate or
dissolve as a result.
SERVICES BY TYPE GOAL AND POLICIES
MPP-PS-7 Develop conservation measures to reduce solid waste and increase recycling.
MPP-PS-8 Promote improved conservation and more efficient use of water, as well as the
increased use of reclaimed water, to reduce wastewater generation and ensure water
availability.
MPP-PS-9 Serve new development within the urban growth area with sanitary sewer systems
or fit it with dry sewers in anticipation of connection to the sewer system. Alternative
technology to sewers should only be considered when it can be shown to produce treatment at
standards that are equal to or better than the sewer system and where a long-term maintenance
plan is in place.
MPP-PS-10 Replace failing septic systems within the urban growth area with sanitary sewers
or alternative technology that is comparable or better.
MPP-PS-11 Use innovative and state-of-the-art design and techniques when replacing septic
tanks to restore and improve environmental quality.
MPP-PS-12 Promote the use of renewable energy resources to meet the region‘s energy
needs.
MPP-PS-13 Reduce the rate of energy consumption through conservation and alternative
energy forms to extend the life of existing facilities and infrastructure.
MPP-PS-14 Plan for the provision of telecommunication infrastructure to serve growth and
development in a manner that is consistent with the regional vision and friendly to the
environment.
MPP-PS-15 Coordinate, design, and plan for public safety services and programs.
MPP-PS-16 Encourage health and human services facilities to locate near centers and transit
for efficient accessibility to service delivery.
Page C-18 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Goal: Residents of the region will have access to high quality drinking water that meets or is
better than federal and state requirements.
MPP-PS-17 Identify and develop additional water supply sources to meet the region's long-
term water needs, recognizing the potential impacts on water supply from climate change and
fisheries protection.
MPP-PS-18 Promote coordination among local and tribal governments and water providers
and suppliers to meet long-term water needs in the region in a manner that supports the
region's growth strategy.
MPP-PS-19 Reduce the per capita rate of water consumption through conservation, efficiency,
reclamation, and reuse.
MPP-PS-20 Protect the source of the water supply to meet the needs for both human
consumption and for environmental balance.
SITING FACILITIES POLICIES
MPP-PS-21 Site schools, institutions, and other community facilities that primarily serve
urban populations within the urban growth area in locations where they will promote the
local desired growth plans.
MPP-PS-22 Locate schools, institutions, and other community facilities serving rural
residents in neighboring cities and towns and design these facilities in keeping with the size
and scale of the local community.
MPP-PS-23 Site or expand regional capital facilities in a manner that (1) reduces adverse
social, environmental, and economic impacts on the host community, (2) equitably balances
the location of new facilities, and (3) addresses regional planning objectives.
MPP-PS-24 Do not locate regional capital facilities outside the urban growth area unless it is
demonstrated that a non-urban site is the most appropriate location for such a facility.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page D-1
APPENDIX D: GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT REQUIREMENTS FOR
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
Chapter 36.70A.070(6), Revised Code of Washington
(a) The transportation element shall include the following subelements:
(i) Land use assumptions used in estimating travel;
(ii) Estimated traffic impacts to state-owned transportation facilities resulting from land use
assumptions to assist the department of transportation in monitoring the performance of state
facilities, to plan improvements for the facilities, and to assess the impact of land-use decisions
on state-owned transportation facilities;
(iii) Facilities and services needs, including:
(A) An inventory of air, water, and ground transportation facilities and services, including
transit alignments and general aviation airport facilities, to define existing capital facilities and
travel levels as a basis for future planning. This inventory must include state-owned
transportation facilities within the city or county's jurisdictional boundaries;
(B) Level of service standards for all locally owned arterials and transit routes to serve as a
gauge to judge performance of the system. These standards should be regionally coordinated;
(C) For state-owned transportation facilities, level of service standards for highways, as
prescribed in chapters 47.06 and 47.80 RCW, to gauge the performance of the system. The
purposes of reflecting level of service standards for state highways in the local comprehensive
plan are to monitor the performance of the system, to evaluate improvement strategies, and to
facilitate coordination between the county's or city's six-year street, road, or transit program
and the department of transportation's six-year investment program. The concurrency
requirements of (b) of this subsection do not apply to transportation facilities and services of
statewide significance except for counties consisting of islands whose only connection to the
mainland are state highways or ferry routes. In these island counties, state highways and ferry
route capacity must be a factor in meeting the concurrency requirements in (b) of this
subsection;
(D) Specific actions and requirements for bringing into compliance locally owned
transportation facilities or services that are below an established level of service standard;
(E) Forecasts of traffic for at least ten years based on the adopted land use plan to provide
information on the location, timing, and capacity needs of future growth;
(F) Identification of state and local system needs to meet current and future demands.
Identified needs on state-owned transportation facilities must be consistent with the statewide
multimodal transportation plan required under chapter 47.06 RCW;
Page D-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
(iv) Finance, including:
(A) An analysis of funding capability to judge needs against probable funding resources;
(B) A multiyear financing plan based on the needs identified in the comprehensive plan,
the appropriate parts of which shall serve as the basis for the six-year street, road, or transit
program required by RCW 35.77.010 for cities, RCW 36.81.121 for counties, and RCW
35.58.2795 for public transportation systems. The multiyear financing plan should be
coordinated with the six-year improvement program developed by the department of
transportation as required by **RCW 47.05.030;
(C) If probable funding falls short of meeting identified needs, a discussion of how
additional funding will be raised, or how land use assumptions will be reassessed to ensure
that level of service standards will be met;
(v) Intergovernmental coordination efforts, including an assessment of the impacts of the
transportation plan and land use assumptions on the transportation systems of adjacent
jurisdictions;
(vi) Demand-management strategies;
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle component to include collaborative efforts to identify and
designate planned improvements for pedestrian and bicycle facilities and corridors that
address and encourage enhanced community access and promote healthy lifestyles.
(b) After adoption of the comprehensive plan by jurisdictions required to plan or who
choose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, local jurisdictions must adopt and enforce ordinances
which prohibit development approval if the development causes the level of service on a
locally owned transportation facility to decline below the standards adopted in the
transportation element of the comprehensive plan, unless transportation improvements or
strategies to accommodate the impacts of development are made concurrent with the
development. These strategies may include increased public transportation service, ride
sharing programs, demand management, and other transportation systems management
strategies. For the purposes of this subsection (6) "concurrent with the development" shall
mean that improvements or strategies are in place at the time of development, or that a
financial commitment is in place to complete the improvements or strategies within six years.
(c) The transportation element described in this subsection (6), and the six-year plans
required by RCW 35.77.010 for cities, RCW 36.81.121 for counties, RCW 35.58.2795 for
public transportation systems, and **RCW 47.05.030 for the state, must be consistent.
Puget Sound Regional Council
APPENDIX E: TOPIC BY TOPIC GUIDANCE
A set of four appendices have been developed to provide topic-by-topic guidance to policy
development for various types of plans. These appendices provide a greater level of detail
than the checklists or reporting tools in Part 3. Recommendations are included for how
specific issues or topics should be addressed in countywide planning policies, local
comprehensive plans, plans for cities with designated centers, and transit agency and other
agency planning.
Appendix E-1 describes issues and approaches for achieving consistency with VISION 2040.
This section follows the outline of the multicounty planning policies, which also serve as the
regional guidelines and principles required for certifying the transportation-related provisions
in local comprehensive plans and countywide planning policies.
Appendix E-2 addresses issues related to consistency with Transportation 2040, the adopted
regional transportation plan.
Appendix E-3 describes provisions in the Growth Management Act for local transportation
planning, which also are factors for the certification of transportation-related provisions in
local comprehensive plans.
Appendix E-4 addresses planning in centers. While this information is geared primarily to
designated regional centers, it also has applications for planning for central places and more
compact activity areas of different types. (Note: revised June 2014 to reflect updated Center
Plan Checklist)
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Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-1
APPENDIX E-1: VISION 2040 CONSISTENCY
…including regional guidelines for certification of transportation provisions
VISION 2040 represents regional agreement on issues of regional impact and significance.
VISION 2040 features a four-county Regional Growth Strategy, an overarching theme on
sustainability, a set of goals and multicounty planning policies, and implementation actions.
This section addresses the provisions of VISION 2040 that countywide planning bodies, local
jurisdictions, transit agencies, and other planning efforts should incorporate into their plans.
Regional Growth Strategy
VISION 2040 features a numeric Regional Growth Strategy, which provides guidance for
where population and employment growth should be located to achieve the goals of VISION
2040. The Regional Growth Strategy is based on regionwide growth forecasts and covers a
planning period of 2000-2040. It is organized around ―regional geographies,‖ which are
groups of cities that share similar characteristics, along with categories for Unincorporated
Urban Areas and Rural Areas. There are four types of regional geographies for cities:
Metropolitan Cities, Core Cities, Larger Cities, and Small Cities.
Compared to the growth targets19 established in the four-county region prior to the adoption
of VISION 2040, the Regional Growth Strategy plans for an increased role for Metropolitan
Cities and Core Cities, as well as Larger Cities. At the same time, the Regional Growth
Strategy plans for a decreased role for Rural Areas. Targets are to be set for both population
and employment; the population targets should be expressed in terms of housing units.
Counties are to collaborate to ensure compatibility among their respective target-setting
processes. The Regional Council is a forum for counties to work on collaboration.
for Countywide Planning Policies
The growth targeting processes undertaken at the countywide planning level are particularly
important for implementing the Regional Growth Strategy. These processes allocate official
county-level planning forecasts and assign growth to individual cities and unincorporated
planning areas. Beginning with the next round of growth targeting work conducted in each
county, adopted growth targets are to apply the regional guidance contained in the Regional
Growth Strategy. The December 2010 update of countywide planning policies provides a
practical opportunity to align growth targets with VISION 2040‘s Regional Growth Strategy.
Subsequent amendments to countywide planning policies should reflect any updates to
VISION 2040 and provide further direction to local plans for aligning with the Regional
Growth Strategy.
19 The Growth Management Act and some of the countywide planning policies use both the term
―targets‖ and ―allocations‖ to refer to the countywide process for the numeric distribution of growth
among local jurisdictions for planning purposes. Following VISION 2040, this manual uses the term
―allocation‖ to refer to the Regional Growth Strategy and ―growth target‖ to refer to the countywide
processes. However, countywide and local planning efforts should use whatever terminology is
appropriate in their own processes when employing the guidance in the manual.
Page E1-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Countywide Planning Policies should:
Address how local growth targets are to align with the Regional Growth Strategy –
both at the county-level and regional geography-level
Address setting growth targets for population (expressed as housing units), as well as
for employment growth targets consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy.
for Local Comprehensive Planning
Local comprehensive plans are to be consistent with the growth targets that are adopted
through each respective countywide process. Local planning processes need to be able to
accommodate future housing and employment needs as identified by the growth target. Such
processes must also address having sufficient zoning and infrastructure capacity.
Cities should participate in their countywide growth target process and then incorporate these
adopted targets into their comprehensive plans. Incorporating targets into the local
comprehensive plan means:
Documenting the growth targets – for residential (expressed in housing units) and
employment – in the land use element.
Preparing land use assumptions (to accommodate housing units and commercial space
anticipated over the planning period) that are consistent with the targets.
Planning and budgeting for the public facilities and services needed to serve the
anticipated growth.
In the event that growth targets have not been established at the countywide level in time to
be used for the local comprehensive plan updates in 2011, cities should address steps they are
taking to align with the Regional Growth Strategy. Subsequent regular updates to local plans
should demonstrate actions and steps to further align with VISION 2040.
for Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Cities with designated regional growth centers and/or regional manufacturing/industrial
centers should prepare subarea plans for each center within their jurisdiction. These subarea
plans, like the city‘s comprehensive plans, should be explicit about how much residential and
employment growth is being planned for. (In the case of manufacturing/industrial centers,
the focus would be only on employment growth.) The city should use its adopted citywide
growth target as a basis for developing a target for each designated center.20
Cities with formally designated regional centers should include in their plans housing
and employment targets for each regional growth center and employment targets for
each manufacturing/industrial center.
These targets should be developed from the city‘s overall housing and employment
targets, and should reflect the centers‘ status as priority locations for housing,
affordable housing, and employment growth.
20 The Designation Criteria for Regional Growth and Manufacturing Centers, adopted by the PSRC
Executive Board in June 2003, requires a minimum target of 45 activity units (jobs + population) per
gross acre in the center. Manufacturing/industrial centers should have an employment target of at
least 20,000 jobs total.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-3
for Transit Agency and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Other agencies, such as transit agencies, utilities, and special service districts, need to work to
implement the Regional Growth Strategy. Agencies should coordinate their planning efforts
with local comprehensive plans and should plan for sufficient public facilities and services to
support the population and employment growth called for in the Regional Growth Strategy
and local growth targets.
Consistency with Multicounty Planning Policies
VISION 2040 contains a set of multicounty planning policies for the central Puget Sound
region as required by RCW 36.70A.210(7). The multicounty planning policies complement
and implement the Regional Growth Strategy and sustainability framework, and provide an
integrated framework for addressing land use, economic development, transportation, other
infrastructure, and environmental planning. The multicounty planning policies provide a
common framework for planning at various levels within the region and provide the policy
structure for the Regional Council‘s functional plans (Transportation 2040 and the Regional
Economic Strategy).
State law requires that regional guidelines and principles be established for regional and local
transportation planning purposes (RCW 47.80.026). The multicounty planning policies in
VISION 2040 have been adopted to serve as the region's guidelines and principles.
The multicounty planning policies are grouped in six overall categories: (1) environment,
(2) development patterns, (3) housing, (4) economy, (5) transportation, and (6) public services.
A small set of general policies is also included.
GENERAL MULTICOUNTY PLANNING POLICIES
A small set of general multicounty planning policies address planning coordination,
monitoring, and fiscal challenges and opportunities. MPP-G-1 echoes the Growth
Management Act‘s call for coordinated comprehensive planning. MPP-G-2 calls for the
update of countywide planning policies by December 2010 to ensure that these policies are in
place to guide amendments and updates to local comprehensive plans. The Growth
Management Act provides a schedule for review and updates to local plans.
Two general multicounty policies (MPP-G-4 and MPP-G-5) recognize the importance of
infrastructure and public service funding to the successful implementation of VISION 2040.
Cities, counties, and other planning agencies should explore existing and new sources of
funding for public facilities and services and should identify and develop changes to
regulatory, pricing, taxing, and expenditure practices.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Address coordination among jurisdictions, agencies and tribes to address existing
and new requirements in state law, provisions in VISION 2040, and other issues
where there is countywide agreement.
Page E1-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
for Local Comprehensive Planning, including Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Address coordination with adjacent
jurisdictions, transit agencies, and special
districts to ensure that common regional and
local planning goals and objectives are being
met.
Identify existing and new sources of
financing for public facilities and services,
including changes to fiscal tools currently
used.
for Transit Agencies and other Agency Planning – including Special Service
Districts
Update plans to make them consistent with VISION 2040, countywide planning
policies, and local comprehensive plans.
Identify existing and new sources of funding for public facilities and services.
THE ENVIRONMENT
VISION 2040 calls for the region to recognize that its health, its economy, and ultimately its
sustainability is impacted by how the region‘s communities are planned. Planning for
complex ecological systems in the region (and beyond) requires a system-level,
interdisciplinary approach. The Environment section includes specific provisions addressing
environmental stewardship, habitat, water quality, air quality, and climate change.
Stewardship addresses managing resources in a manner that is fiscally responsible and protects
key ecological functions. VISION 2040 calls for coordinating environmental planning in the
region and using the best information possible at all levels of planning.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Consider adding a policy section on the environment and sustainability
Provide guidance for addressing the environment within countywide and local
planning processes – including the use of system approaches to planning for whole
ecosystems (such as waterways and their entire watersheds), adaptive management
principles, and landscape-scale analysis that considers the relationship between
aquatic and land use processes.
Provide guidance for addressing regionwide environmental planning initiatives, such
as the Department of Ecology‘s watershed resource inventory areas (WRIA) process.
Include direction for locating development in environmentally sensitive ways.
Address procedures for decision-making based on the best information available.
Funding for Infrastructure
Resources for information on
infrastructure funding are available
at:
www.psrc.org/growth/vision2040/imple
mentation/infrastructure/
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-5
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Consider adding an environmental element in the comprehensive plan
Apply a systems approach to planning for the environment – including adaptive
management principles and landscape-scale analysis.
Address regionwide environmental planning initiatives, such as the Department of
Ecology‘s water resource inventory areas (WRIA) process.
Include provisions to locate development in
environmentally sensitive ways.
Address procedures for planning decision-
making based on the best information
available.
Include measures to mitigate noise impacts
from traffic, industries, and other sources.
for Transit Agencies and other Agency Planning –
including Special Service Districts
Address the environment and sustainable
practices in planning, infrastructure design,
and the provision of services – in a manner
consistent with regional and local growth
management objectives.
Address regionwide environmental planning
initiatives, such as the Department of
Ecology‘s water resource inventory areas
(WRIA) process.
Base planning decisions on the best
information available.
Include measures to mitigate noise impacts
from traffic, industries, and other sources.
Earth and Habitat
VISION 2040 calls for the protection of open space, critical environmental areas, habitat areas
and corridors, and native vegetation.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide direction for coordinating jurisdictions‘ work to designate and protect critical
areas to make identifying and regulating these areas more consistent.
Provide direction for developing common methodologies for assessing habitat needs
of critical and sensitive species.
Address planning for open space and greenbelts that cross jurisdictional boundaries.
Puget Sound Partnership
The Partnership‘s four-part Action
Agenda calls for (1) protection, (2)
restoration of viable ecological functions,
stopping pollution at its source, and
(4) fixing the regulatory process.
Protection includes establishing
easements for habitat and planning at an
ecosystem scale. Restoration includes
salmon recovery plans and estuary and
near-shore projects. Stopping pollution
includes retrofitting storm systems and
incorporating low-impact development
practices. Process issues include
shoreline protection, funding for critical
area planning, and addressing failing
septic systems.
For detailed information on the Action Agenda,
low-impact development practices, and other
resources, see: www.psp.wa.gov/.
Page E1-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
for Local Comprehensive Planning, including Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Identify open space areas in comprehensive plans and develop programs for
protecting or acquiring them.
Coordinate efforts with adjacent jurisdictions to protect critical areas and habitat.
Include provisions to address the protection and restoration of native vegetation.
for Transit Agencies and other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Ensure that service provision protects critical areas and habitat.
Water Quality
VISION 2040 calls for maintaining natural hydrological functions and, where possible,
improving and restoring this natural hydrology. It addresses restoring freshwater and marine
shorelines, watersheds, and estuaries, reducing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers,
and mitigating the impacts of climate change on the region‘s hydrology.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide direction for developing standards and targets to monitor waterways.
for Local Comprehensive Planning, including Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Maintain hydrological functions with ecosystems and watersheds, and where feasible,
restore them to a more natural state. Update stormwater treatment facilities,
maintain flows in waterways, use green
building techniques, and create buffers.
Take steps to restore shorelines, watersheds,
and estuaries.
Include provisions to limit pollution in water;
advance the reduction of the use of pesticides
and chemical fertilizers.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Provide services in a manner that does not
affect water quality. Treat runoff with state-
of-the-art methods.
Convert septic systems in urban areas to
sewers.
Air Quality Conformity
The Washington State Clean Air Conformity Act
establishes guidelines and directives for
implementing the federal Clean Air Act
requirements. For the purpose of determining
conformity, as well as consistency with the
regional plan, the transportation-related
provisions in local plans should include, at a
minimum, policy language and provisions that
commit the jurisdiction to developing programs
and measures that address federal and state air
quality regulations and laws. For specific
guidance – see Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
policy guidance on the following page.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-7
Air Quality
Most of the region‘s urban area (see map) is
currently designated under the federal Clean Air
Act as an attainment maintenance area for carbon
monoxide. Parts of the region are designated as a
maintenance area for particulate matter (PM10).
Plans and projects within the region are subject to
requirements of the federal Clean Air Act, the
Washington State Clean Air Act, and the adopted
State Implementation Plan.
The Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
requires local comprehensive plans to include
policies and provisions that promote the reduction
of criteria pollutants (WAC 173-420-080). Local
comprehensive plans must also identify those
aspects of the existing transportation system whose
modification offers the best opportunity for
improving air quality.
VISION 2040 calls for improving air quality
beyond adopted standards for criteria pollutants. It
also calls for reducing levels for air toxics, fine
particulates, and greenhouse gases.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for local air quality
planning efforts appropriate to each
county.
for Local Comprehensive Planning, including
Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Include both policies and implementation
actions to address federal and state clean
air legislation, and to ensure that air
quality meets or is better than established
standards, including the reduction of
pollutants that contribute to greenhouse
gas emissions.
Incorporate the Puget Sound Clean Air
Agency‘s policies in the comprehensive
plan (see sidebar)
Policy Guidance for addressing
Air Quality and Growth
Management
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
has adopted the following policies
for local jurisdictions to use in their
growth management planning
efforts.
Implement air-friendly and climate
friendly design, construction and
operation practices
Promote cleaner travel choices
Reduce exposure to air
pollution
Install clean fireplaces and
stoves
Support environmental justice
Use the State Environmental
Policy Act as a tool and safety
net
Alternatives to driving alone – including
carpooling, biking, telecommuting &
using transit – are principal ways to
improve air quality.
More information is available at:
www.pscleanair.org/actions/landuse/gro
wth2007.aspx
Criteria Pollutant Standards
Under the federal Clean Air Act, EPA
established National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six
principal, or criteria, pollutants
considered harmful to public health and
the environment. Primary standards set
limits to protect public health; secondary
standards set limits to protect the
environment, including protection
against decreased visibility and damage
to wildlife, plants, and buildings. The six
criteria pollutants are carbon monoxide
(CO), lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate
matter (PM10 and PM2.5), ozone
(nitrogen oxide(NOx) and volatile
organic compounds (VOCs)), and sulfur
oxides.
More information on standards is available
at:
epa.gov/air/criteria.html.
.
Page E1-8 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Transportation 2040
A variety of strategies and tools will be required to
effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
transportation. Transportation 2040 discusses a four-
part strategy. See Appendix E2 for more information.
Take significant measurable steps to reduce criteria pollutants beyond adopted
standards, as well as air toxics.
Include provisions to limit exposure to air pollution.
Identify aspects of the transportation system where modification offers the best
opportunities for improving air quality.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency
Planning – including Special Service Districts
Address the programs and services that
reduce criteria pollutants beyond adopted
standards, as well as the reduction of air
toxics.
Address limiting exposure to air pollution.
Climate Change
Although climate change is a global problem, local
action is an important part of the solution. In the
central Puget Sound region, transportation is the
single largest contributor to greenhouse gases,
accounting for nearly half of the related emissions.
Other contributors include electricity generation and industrial. VISION 2040 calls for the
central Puget Sound region to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases to achieve compliance
with state goals (RCW 80.80.020).
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide direction for programs and strategies to address reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and adapting to climate change.
Provide guidance for addressing interjurisdictional issues relating to greenhouse gas
emissions, such as pass-through traffic.
Provide guidance for addressing climate change in environmental review processes
under the State Environmental Policy Act.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Incorporate provisions to actively reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
Include an evaluation of greenhouse gas
emissions as part of environmental
analysis documents prepared under the
State Environmental Policy Act.
Develop provisions to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Legislation on Climate Change
The Washington Legislature has established specific
greenhouse gas emission targets to address climate
change. By January 1, 2020, the annual statewide
greenhouse gas emission levels must be no greater
than the emission levels that occurred in 1990. By
January 1, 2035, the annual statewide greenhouse gas
emission levels must be 25 percent below the levels
in 1990. By 2050 the levels must be 50 percent
below 1990 level (RCW 80.80.020 – see also RCW
70.235).
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-9
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Develop plans and programs to help the region avoid, mitigate and adapt to climate
change.
Related Issue: SEPA Environmental Review
Note: This issue is not explicitly incorporated into VISION 2040, but is offered here as a
useful recommendation for countywide, local, and agency planning efforts.
The VISION 2040 environmental impact statement was prepared with the recognition that
countywide planning groups, local jurisdictions, and other agencies developing plan
amendments and updates could reference the regional environmental analysis. Plans and plan
amendments demonstrating consistency with VISION 2040 could use the VISION 2040 Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address anticipated impacts within the range
analyzed by the EIS.
DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS
Urban. VISION 2040 calls for accommodating population and employment growth in a
more sustainable way. This includes directing development to the region‘s existing urban
lands, especially in centers. Growth is to be limited in the rural areas. Compact urban
development creates vibrant, livable, and healthy urban communities that offer economic
opportunities for all, provide housing and transportation choices, and use resources wisely.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Ensure that the region‘s growth is accommodated first and foremost in the urban
growth area.
Address the regional framework for designating and adjusting the urban growth area.
Provide direction for a countywide target setting process to (a) establish county level
residential and employment targets, (b)
translate population targets into housing
units, and (c) to set local jurisdiction
residential and employment growth
targets in a manner that supports the
adopted Regional Growth Strategy –using
consistent data and technical assumptions
among the counties.
Address programs and strategies for
brownfield and contaminated site clean-
up, as well as redevelopable sites.
Provide direction for establishing
development standards that are consistent
between cities and adjacent
unincorporated urban areas.
International Council for Local Environment Initiatives
ICLEI provides technical consulting, training, and
information services to build capacity, share
knowledge, and support local government in the
implementation of sustainable development at the
local level. Our basic premise is that locally designed
initiatives can provide an effective and cost-efficient
way to achieve local, national, and global
sustainability objectives.
More information and planning resources are
available at: www.iclei.org/
Page E1-10 Policy and Plan Review Manual
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Include provisions to advance the development of compact urban communities and
central places with densities that support transit and walking.
Identify and redevelop underused land.
for Cities with Designated Regional Centers
(See more detailed discussion below and in Appendix E-4.)
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Invest strategically in facilities and services in cities and centers in a manner that
makes the best use of the region‘s land and implements the Regional Growth
Strategy.
Centers. Developing centers is an efficient way to take advantage of existing infrastructure
and provides environmental benefits as well – both by encouraging development in a manner
that curbs urban sprawl and by relying less on forms of transportation that contribute to
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. VISION 2040 identifies regional growth centers as
places that play an important role as locations of the region‘s most significant business,
governmental, and cultural facilities.
Regional manufacturing/industrial centers are recognized as locations for more intensive
industrial activity and employment opportunities. VISION 2040 identifies regional growth
centers and regional manufacturing/industrial centers as focal points for economic development
funding and transportation infrastructure investments.
Subregional centers, including downtowns in suburban cities and other neighborhood
centers, also play an important role in VISION 2040‘s Regional Growth Strategy. These, too,
are strategic locations for concentrating jobs, housing, shopping, and recreational
opportunities. VISION 2040 calls for each of the region‘s cities to develop one or more central
places as a more compact mixed-use hub for concentrating residences, jobs, shops, and
community facilities.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Address the common framework (to be developed) for designating and evaluating
regional growth centers and regional manufacturing/industrial centers.
Address the common framework (to be developed) for identifying subregional
centers to ensure regionwide compatibility.
Ensure that infrastructure and economic development funding efforts prioritize
projects and services in centers, including countywide and local funds.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Identify one or more central places as a community focal point and location for more
compact, mixed-use development.
Prioritize funding to advance the development of centers and central places.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-11
Consider developing a subarea plan to guide development in each center or central
place.
for Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Prioritize funding to assist the development of regional centers, including regional,
countywide and local funding.
Develop subarea plans for each regional growth center and regional
manufacturing/industrial center.
Establish transportation mode-split goals for each regional center.
(See more detailed discussion of expectations for Center Plans in Appendix E-4.)
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Transit providers, special service districts, and other planning agencies should do their part to
plan for and support the development of centers, especially prioritizing services within and
between centers.
Unincorporated Urban Areas. Within the designated urban growth area there are
unincorporated areas that are urban in form and character, but remain under county
jurisdiction. Oftentimes development in these areas has not occurred to the same standard as
in nearby cities. VISION 2040 calls for joint city-county planning in these areas, including
establishing common standards for development review and permitting, as well as for services
and infrastructure, to ensure that development is both efficient and compatible with adjacent
communities.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide direction for joint planning in unincorporated urban growth areas, including
coordination of the provision of services.
Provide direction for affiliating unincorporated
urban areas with cities with a view toward
annexation.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Include provisions to ensure the orderly transition
of unincorporated areas to city governance,
including the provision of services and
infrastructure financing.
Counties should establish urban development
standards that are compatible with those of
adjacent municipalities and coordinate the review
of permits. These should be crafted through a
joint planning agreement.
Planning for Centers
The Regional Council has developed the
following resources to assist with planning for
centers.
Puget Sound Milestones: Central Puget
Sound Regional Growth Centers
Designation Criteria for Regional Growth
and Manufacturing Industrial Centers
Center Plan Checklist
Parking Management Plan Checklist
Development Toolkit: Success Stories from
the Centers
These and related resources can be accessed on
the Growth Management webpage at:
http://psrc.org/growth/centers
Page E1-12 Policy and Plan Review Manual
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Recognize that cities are the preferred provider of urban services, coordinate service
delivery with adjacent cities.
Ensure that the provision of services within urban areas is at urban standards.
Rural. VISION 2040 emphasizes the preservation of rural lands and the protection of their
important ecological, social, and economic functions. It calls for continued use of rural lands for
farming, forestry, open space, and low-density development supported by rural services.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Address minimizing environmental impacts to rural lands, while providing long-term
solutions for the environmental and economic sustainability of rural-based industries.
Address the appropriate character, scale, and location of development in rural areas, and
identify tools and strategies to achieve permanent protection of rural and resource lands.
Further address that facilities that primarily support urban residents should not be located
in the rural area, including urban-sized schools and other facilities.
Include provisions to avoid new highways and major roads in rural areas to limit
development pressure and the conversion of rural lands.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Ensure that development in rural areas is rural in character.
Demonstrate environmentally sensitive and sustainable land use practices in rural areas.
Encourage any rural development that does occur to focus in areas that are already
developed.
Avoid creating new fully contained communities; if such communities are proposed,
make the proposal available to the PSRC and the other counties in the region for review.
Develop actions and provisions to address vested development.
Support those economic activities which are at an appropriate scale for rural areas.
Provide direction to avoid new and expanded roadway facilities in rural areas.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Avoid new and expanded roadway facilities in rural areas.
Do not site services and facilities that primarily serve urban residents in rural areas.
Ensure that facilities in rural areas are rural in character and are designed to provide a
rural service standard.
Resource Lands. VISION 2040 recognizes that the region‘s resource lands—forest,
agricultural, and mineral lands—are crucial to the region‘s sustainability. It also recognizes
that, in addition, to supporting the regional economy, these lands provide an environment for
wildlife habitat, open space, and groundwater recharge. Curbing the conversion and
encroachment of the region‘s economically and ecologically vital resource lands is a challenge
that requires mutually supportive and coordinated efforts among counties and cities.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-13
for Countywide Planning Policies
Countywide planning policies should include provisions to ensure the long-term
sustainability of resource lands.
for Local Comprehensive Plans, including Cities with Designated Regional Centers
County comprehensive plans should limit the amount of growth in resource areas,
take steps to preserve designated resource lands, and ensure that the character of
whatever development does occur is appropriate for these areas.
Cities should participate in transfer of
development rights programs and
similar projects to reduce
development pressures on resource
lands.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency
Planning – including Special Service
Districts
Ensure that planning and
programming is carried out in a
manner that limits impacts on resource
areas.
REGIONAL DESIGN
The Growth Management Act advances
―orderly development‖ to ensure that growth
is contiguous and can be served efficiently. In
particular, good design is an important factor
to ensure that the region grows strategically,
gracefully, and sustainably. Design advances a
systems approach to address land use,
transportation, environmental, urban form,
and social concerns holistically. VISION 2040
calls for designing facilities throughout the
region that create public amenities, contribute to the character of communities, and provide
opportunities for recreation and physical activity.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for preservation of significant historic, visual, and cultural
resources.
Advance the use of design guidelines to encourage construction of healthy (and
green) buildings and facilities.
Discuss the use of natural features and boundaries to help determine the routes and
placement of public facilities and services.
Regional Design Strategy
As part of the work to develop VISION
2040, PSRC worked with design
professionals and interested persons to
create the Regional Design Strategy. The
Strategy supports the goals of VISION
2040 by providing design concepts,
strategies, and tools to implement VISION
2040‘s policies at the local level. It is a
useful source of information for addressing
design-related issues that are important for
successful implementation of VISION
2040 and the Regional Growth Strategy.
A particularly useful feature of the
Regional Design Strategy is its
compendium of best practices. The
Strategy is available on-line at
http://psrc.org/growth/vision2040/backgroun
d
See also the Physical Design Guidelines in
Transportation 2040, which are discussed
in Appendix E-3.
Page E1-14 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Encourage coordinated planning that works with linear systems which cross
jurisdictional boundaries – including natural systems, continuous land use patterns,
and transportation and infrastructure systems.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Incorporate design provisions in local comprehensive plans, standards and
development regulations – cities may want to consider including an urban design
element in their comprehensive plans.
Address preservation of significant historic, visual, and cultural resources.
Establish design guidelines to encourage construction of healthy (and green)
buildings and facilities.
Address the design of public buildings so that they contribute to a sense of
community and a sense of place.
Use natural features and boundaries to help determine the routes and placement of
public facilities and services.
Apply the Transportation 2040 Physical Design Guidelines (see Appendix E-2) in
planning for high capacity transit station areas. These guidelines may have
application to other types of compact urban communities as well.
for Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Demonstrate that the Transportation 2040 Physical Design Guidelines (see Appendix
E-2) are applied in planning for development and services in each regional growth
center. (While these guidelines to not apply to manufacturing/industrial centers,
those centers should address urban design mitigate aesthetic and other impacts of
manufacturing and industrial activities both within the center and on adjacent
areas)
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Ensure that planning and programming takes steps to preserve significant historic,
visual, and cultural resources.
Design facilities to fit the context of the communities in which they are located and
to contribute to a sense of community and a sense of place.
Consider natural features and boundaries to help determine the routes and placement
of public facilities and services.
HEALTH AND ACTIVE LIVING
VISION 2040 recognizes the important relationship between a healthy environment – both
the natural and built environment – and healthy people. As a result, health issues, including
environmental health, pollution exposure, and transportation‘s impact on health, are
addressed throughout VISION 2040. Attention to health in planning and infrastructure
decisions can pay dividends in terms of improved quality of life, reduced health care costs, and
reduced costs from lost productivity. VISION 2040 provides guidance for addressing the
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-15
Growth Management Act requirement for local plan land use elements to address ―planning
approaches that promote physical activity‖ (RCW 36.70A.070(1)).
for Countywide Planning Policies
Incorporate health considerations into countywide decision-making, including the
location and operation of public facilities and services.
Provide guidance for planning that addresses the three major health-related themes
of (1) healthy environment, (2) physical activity and well-being, and (3) safety.
Address creating an improved environment for walking and bicycling, including
pedestrian and bicycle facilities that cross jurisdictional boundaries.
Support local food production within the region – including protecting productive
agricultural lands.
for Local Comprehensive Plans, including Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Incorporate health into local decision-making, including the location and operation
of public facilities and services.
Include health provisions in local comprehensive plans that address (1) healthy
environment, (2) physical activity and well-being, and (3) safety.
Consider developing a health element in the comprehensive plan.
Develop design guidelines to facilitate the construction of healthy buildings and
facilities.
Improve the built environment for walking and bicycling.
Develop opportunities to promote local food production.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Incorporate health considerations into planning and decision-making, including
planning for a healthy environment, physical activity and well-being, and safety.
Protect and enhance the environment and public health when providing public
facilities and services.
Design for and support improvements that provide walking and bicycling access to
transit routes and stations.
HOUSING
VISION 2040 encourages sufficient housing production to meet existing and future needs. It
places a major emphasis on the location of housing, increased housing diversity and
affordability, and promotes fair and equal access to housing. VISION 2040 calls for preserving
and expanding affordable housing options for households at all income levels, incorporating
quality and environmentally friendly design in homebuilding, and offering healthy and safe
housing choices for all the region‘s residents.
Page E1-16 Policy and Plan Review Manual
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide direction for increasing housing production, including diverse types and
styles, for all demographic segments of the population.
Provide direction for addressing affordable housing, including housing for all
economic segments of the population and parameters for its distribution.
Consider addressing affordable housing needs through a countywide fair share
housing strategy.
Provide direction for addressing jobs-housing balance at the countywide level,
consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy, and for promoting affordable
workforce housing options throughout the county for workers at all wage levels with
good access to employment centers.
Promote housing production, including
affordable housing, in centers.
Advance strategies for providing homeownership
opportunities for low- and middle-income
households.
Promote strategies and best housing practices to
encourage regulatory streamlining, innovative
techniques, and interjurisdictional cooperative
efforts and public-private partnerships to
advance the provision of affordable and special
needs housing.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Express the local growth target in terms of housing units.
Refine housing element, as needed, to
advance regional housing objectives
described in VISION 2040.
Address changing demographics and the
need for housing to serve all segments of
the population
Consider establishing affordable housing
production goals for households at: (a)
less than 50 percent of the area median
income, (b) between 50 and 80 percent
of the area median income, and (c) 80 to
120 percent of area median income to
guide development of local housing
provisions.
Identify ―show-your-work‖ provisions
in the housing element and related sections of the local comprehensive plan – such
provisions outline existing measures in place as well as new commitments and
anticipated actions to increase housing diversity and the supply of affordable housing
to meet the needs of households at all income levels. Documentation should include
HealthScape
A King County effort to promote health by
improving how communities are build and how we
travel. Land use patterns and transportation
investments can play key roles in making
communities healthier. Well-planned
neighborhoods have features like connected street
networks, nearby shopping, walking paths, and
transit service. These reduce dependency on cars,
increase opportunities to be physically active, and
improve air quality.
Resources and related materials are available at:
www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/healthscape.aspx
Housing
Jurisdictions should address housing diversity,
housing affordability, special needs housing,
housing in centers, and innovative approaches
to stimulate housing production. Planning for
and ensuring the production of housing should
be coordinated regionally and with other
jurisdictions and agencies.
For further assistance, see
www.prosperitypartnership.org/foundation/hou
sing/
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-17
“Show-Your-Work” on Housing
In reporting on the housing provisions, local
jurisdictions are asked to describe not only
their planning policies, but also actions and
programs to increase the supply of housing –
including affordable housing.
Documentation should include
implementation actions, timelines, and
monitoring programs,
PSRC will compile this information
regionally and provide an assessment report
on progress and challenges in meeting
regional housing needs. Where there are
gaps, PSRC will work with member
jurisdictions to determine how to close those
gaps.
implementation actions, timelines, monitoring programs for addressing housing
targets and goals.
Include strategies and programs to provide homeownership opportunities for low-
and middle-income households.
Include strategies and programs to advance workforce housing, including transit-
oriented development, with good access to employment centers.
Revise codes and regulations to promote efficient and streamlined development
processes, environmentally friendly housing design, and safe and healthy housing.
Advance innovative approaches to encourage production of diverse and affordable
housing.
for Cities with Designated Regional Growth Centers
Increase housing production within each center, including diverse
types and affordable options, for all segments of the population.
Consider establishing affordable housing targets for each center for
households at: (a) less than 50 percent of the area median income,
(b) between 50 and 80 percent of the area median income, and (c) 80
to 120 percent of the area median income.
Document strategies and programs to promote additional supply of
housing in each center and to address affordable workforce housing
objectives.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service
Districts
Target investments and services to advance regional and local housing
objectives in a manner that implements the Regional Growth Strategy
Prioritize investments and services to centers to support the
development of housing
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
VISION 2040‘s overarching economic goal is to achieve a thriving and
sustainable economy, embodied by a favorable business atmosphere with new
jobs, as well as a focus on environmental stewardship, centers, cultural
diversity, and high quality of life. Its economic provisions are organized
around the topics of business, people, and places. The multicounty planning
policies emphasize enriching the region‘s businesses and employment market
through job retention, growth, and diversification. The region‘s designated
growth centers and manufacturing/industrial centers are primary locations of
commerce of employment and are therefore prioritized for economic
development and transportation funding.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Address economic development strategies for economically
Regional Economic
Strategy
Regional Economic Strategy
for the Central Puget Sound
Region is a set of detailed
action initiatives focused on
strengthening our region‘s
leading industry clusters and
rebuilding the foundations of
our economy. Information
and related resources are
available at:
www.prosperitypartnership.
org/strategy/
Page E1-18 Policy and Plan Review Manual
distressed areas.
Advance programs for promoting investments in communities.
Address planning for industry clusters.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Include an economic development element in the comprehensive plan (Ec-Action-6), that
addresses:
Business, people and places
Small and locally owned businesses
Industry clusters
Economically distressed areas
for Cities with Designated Regional Growth Centers
Craft approaches for promoting development to support increased housing and jobs
within each center.
Include strategies to promote affordable housing within each center.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Develop plans and programs that support the safe and reliable movement of people,
goods and services, and information through the region in a manner that supports the
Regional Growth Strategy and the Regional Economic Strategy.
PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES As the region plans for growth, both improved efficiencies in providing services and
conservation are essential for meeting many of the region‘s present and future service needs.
VISION 2040 stresses the benefits of conservation, including the financial and energy savings
from maximizing the use of existing facilities, reducing pollution, and curbing waste. The
Regional Growth Strategy highlights the need for strategic investments in services and
facilities, especially to support growth and development in centers and compact urban
communities.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Address the consistency of capital improvement programming with local
comprehensive plans, countywide planning policies, and VISION 2040.
Advance conservation principles for the provision of services (reuse, recycle, renew).
Provide guidance for counties (and, where appropriate, cities) to review special
district plans for consistency with local comprehensive plans and VISION 2040; also,
provide guidance for the review of special district criteria for location and design of
schools and other public facilities.
Develop strategies to reduce the number of special districts.
Provide guidance for locating facilities serving urban population within the urban
growth area, precluding urban services in rural areas, and ensuring that facilities in
rural area are rural in character.
Identify strategies to promote renewable energy, alternative energy sources.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-19
Promote strategies to use water more efficiently, as well as strategies to ensure
adequate water supply, including adapting to climate change.
for Local Comprehensive Plans, including Cities with Designated Centers
Demonstrate conservation principles for the provision of services (reuse, recycle,
renew), including demand management before capacity expansion
Include a financial plan for providing services to support the local land use element
and Regional Growth Strategy.
Include a consistency assessment of the jurisdiction‘s capital improvement program
with the local comprehensive plan and VISION 2040 (PS-Action-8).
Work with special districts to ensure consistency with local plans and VISION 2040,
including the review of special district criteria for location and design of schools and
other public facilities (note: schools should be avoided in manufacturing industrial
centers).
Identify opportunities for co-location of facilities, such as schools and parks (note:
schools and parks should be avoided in manufacturing industrial centers).
Develop actions to transfer public facility and service responsibilities to cities, where
appropriate.
Locate facilities serving urban population within the urban growth area (note:
population should be avoided in manufacturing industrial centers).
Address failing septic systems.
Promote renewable energy and alternative energy sources.
Include strategies to use water more efficiently, as well as strategies to ensure adequate
water supply, including adapting to climate change.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
Use conservation principles for the provision of services (reuse, recycle, renew),
including demand management before capacity expansion.
Include a financial plan for providing services to support the Regional Growth Strategy
and local jurisdictions‘ comprehensive plans.
Transit agencies and special service districts should make their plans available to
counties (and where appropriate to cities) for review.
Ensure that criteria for location and design of schools and other public facilities are
consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy and local growth management planning
objectives
Identify opportunities for co-location of facilities.
Develop processes, where appropriate, to transfer the provision of urban services to
cities.
Ensure that facilities serving urban populations are located within the urban growth
area; do not extend urban services into rural areas, and ensure that facilities in the rural
area are rural in character.
Page E1-20 Policy and Plan Review Manual
TRANSPORTATION
The transportation provisions in VISION 2040 are organized around three broad areas:
(1) maintenance, management and safety, (2) supporting the Regional Growth Strategy, and
(3) greater options and mobility. VISION 2040 addresses federal and state laws and directives
designed to ensure mobility for people, goods, and services by focusing on maintenance,
management, and safety. Protecting and enhancing the environment, promoting energy
conservation, and improving the quality of life must be considered as part of meeting our
current and future mobility needs.
VISION 2040 calls for better-integrated land use and transportation planning and provides
guidance for the development of a transportation system that will support the Regional Growth
Strategy. VISION 2040‘s emphasis on developing centers includes prioritizing transportation
investments in regional growth centers and manufacturing/industrial centers. VISION 2040 is
committed to increasing transportation choices while improving the region‘s natural
environment. There is an emphasis on transportation investments that offer greater mobility
options, more alternatives to driving alone (and therefore reduced vehicle miles traveled), and
lower transportation-related energy consumption, which in turn lowers particulate pollution
and greenhouse gas emissions.
for Countywide Planning Policies
MAINTENANCE, MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY
Address the development of a clean regional transportation system, including changes
in fuels, technologies (including renewable resources for energy), and how we travel.
Provide direction for decision-making that promotes environmentally sensitive
transportation activities that reduce water and air pollution – with attention to
human health, low-impact design, and environmentally friendly (i.e., green) streets.
Provide direction for ensuring that strategies, programs and investment decision-
making identify reliable and predictable revenues for maintaining and preserving the
existing system.
Provide direction for reducing the need for new projects and facilities through
improved operations, system management and demand management strategies.
Identify cooperative strategies and programs to protect the transportation system
against disasters, develop prevention and
recovery strategies, and plan for coordinated
responses for transportation in an
emergency.
SUPPORTING THE GROWTH STRATEGY
Prioritize transportation investments that
serve centers, including key projects and
programs in centers, as well as connecting
centers with a highly efficient multimodal
network. Give additional priority to
projects that advance housing development,
Green Streets
A street that uses vegetated facilities to manage
stormwater runoff at its source is often referred to as
a ―green street.‖ VISION 2040 advances sustainable
stormwater strategies for street and roadways, as well
as other features to improve the environment of
urban streets – including landscaping and pedestrian-
friendly treatments.
Resources are available through the Environmental
Protection Agency at:
www.epa.gov/owow/podcasts/greenstreetsusa.html
See also the Low Impact Development Center at:
www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/greenstreets/
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-21
including affordable housing, in regional
growth centers.
Promote joint- and mixed-use development
projects as ways to improve mobility and
accessibility
Provide direction for the development of
―complete streets,‖ including transportation
corridors that pass through more than one
jurisdiction.
Advance the application of urban design
principles, especially in centers and transit
station areas
GREATER OPTIONS AND MOBILITY
Provide direction for travel options to driving
alone and overall reduction of vehicle miles
traveled.
Address the role of bicycling and walking as
important travel modes by providing guidance
for improving nonmotorized mobility and safe
access.
Provide direction to ensure the compatibility level-of-service standards between
jurisdictions and across jurisdictional boundaries.
Develop provisions to improve the compatibility of concurrency programs, as well as
to address multimodal solutions.
Coordinate planning for rail among jurisdictions, including
the preservation of right-of-way for high-capacity transit.
Address transportation financing methods that sustain
maintenance, preservation, and operations of facilities.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
MAINTENANCE, MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY
Develop clean transportation programs and facilities that use
alternative fuels and new technologies (including renewable
resources for energy), and provide alternatives for how we
travel.
Take demonstrable steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
related to transportation.
Develop practices for transportation activities that reduce water and air pollution,
including low-impact design and green streets.
Incorporate environmental factors into transportation decision-making, including
attention to human health and safety.
Complete Streets
A ―complete street‖ is a roadway that is designed
and operated with all users in mind – including
bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and
riders, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.
Such streets are designed to be safer, more
livable, and welcoming to everyone.
Resources and more information are available
through the National Complete Streets Coalition
at: www.completestreets.org/.
Context Sensitive Design
This approach to the design of transportation
facility takes into account the specific
community or physical setting in which a
street or roadway is located. The design
addresses scenic, aesthetic, historic and
environmental features, while maintaining
safety and mobility.
More information and resources are available
through the Federal Highway Administration
at: www.fhwa.dot.gov/context/index.cfm
See also the following:
Institute of Transportation Engineers at:
www.ite.org/css/
Context Sensitive Solutions at:
www.contextsensitivesolutions.org/
Washington State Department of
Transportation at:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Biz/csd/
Page E1-22 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Identify stable and predictable funding sources for maintaining and preserving
existing transportation facilities and services.
Reduce need for new projects through improved operations, system management and
demand management strategies – such as signalization, channelization, ramp meeting,
and bus bypasses.
Identify programs and strategies to protect the transportation system against disaster,
develop prevention and recover strategies, plan for coordinated responses to
emergencies.
SUPPORTING THE GROWTH STRATEGY
Invest in and promote joint- and mixed-use developments in order to improve overall
mobility and accessibility.
Develop full standards for transportation facilities to improve travel for all users –
including motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and the delivery of goods and services (i.e.,
―complete streets‖).
Improve local street patterns for walking, biking, and transit use.
Address multiple modes of transportation in concurrency programs that factor in the
movement of people, goods, and services, and not only the movement of vehicles.
Design transportation facilities to fit within their context.
Apply urban design principles for transportation facilities, especially in centers and
transit station areas.
GREATER OPTIONS AND MOBILITY
Prevent or minimize adverse impacts of transportation facilities on lower-income,
minority, and special needs populations.
Ensure mobility for people with special needs.
Emphasize alternatives to driving alone, increase proportion of trips made by
alternatives to driving alone; establish goals for reducing driving alone (consistent
with RCW 47.01.440 and RCW 70.235.020).
Establish level-of-service standards that address people-moving capacity over vehicle
movement
Avoid new or expanded facilities in rural areas.
Incorporate bicycling and walking as important travel modes by improving and
adding facilities and reliable connections.
Address freight transportation.
Preserve rights-of-way for high-capacity transit.
Encourage public/private sector partnerships for transportation projects.
Address transportation financing methods that sustain maintenance, preservation,
and operations of facilities.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E1-23
for Cities with Designated Regional Centers
Improve local street patterns within centers for walking, bicycling, and transit use,
including smaller blocks (note: this is not applicable to manufacturing industrial
centers)
Prioritize investments to regional growth centers and regional
manufacturing/industrial centers
Improve multimodal connections for access to centers from adjacent areas
Establish mode split goals for regionally designated centers (DP-Action-18)
Tailor concurrency programs for centers.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning – including Special Service Districts
MAINTENANCE, MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY
Advance programs and services that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including
changes in fuels, technologies, and travel patterns.
Develop practices for transportation activities that reduce water and air pollution.
Incorporate environmental factors into transportation decision-making, including
attention to human health and safety.
Develop programs and strategies to protect the transportation system against disaster,
develop prevention and recover strategies, plan for coordinated responses to
emergencies.
SUPPORTING THE GROWTH STRATEGY
Ensure that joint and mixed use developments are supported with regular transit
service; invest in transportation facilities and services that support housing in
regional growth centers.
Prioritize investments to regional growth centers and regional manufacturing centers.
Improve multimodal connections for access to centers from areas that are adjacent.
Work with jurisdictions to develop full standards for streets and urban roadways to
serve all users (i.e., ―complete streets‖); improve local street patterns for walking,
biking, and transit use; incorporate bicycle and pedestrian travel as important modes
by providing facilities and reliable connections.
Design transportation facilities to fit within their context; apply urban design
principles, especially in centers and transit station areas.
GREATER OPTIONS AND MOBILITY
Work with jurisdictions to increase the proportion of trips made by alternatives to
driving alone; develop plans and programs that help to reduce driving alone.
Improve connections among modes of travel.
Prevent or minimize adverse impacts to lower-income, minority, and special needs
populations.
Ensure mobility and access for people with special needs.
Page E1-24 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Work with jurisdictions to develop multimodal approaches to concurrency.
Avoid new or expanded facilities in rural areas; ensure that service within the rural
area focuses on connections to and between rural towns.
Coordinate planning for rail.
Promote right-of-way preservation for high-capacity transit.
Encourage public/private sector partnerships for transportation projects.
Address transportation financing methods that sustain maintenance, preservation,
and operations of facilities.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E2-1
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Puget Sound Regional Council Page E2-1
APPENDIX E-2: CONSISTENCY WITH TRANSPORTATION 2040
State planning law requires countywide planning policies and the transportation-related
provisions in local comprehensive plans to be consistent with the adopted regional
transportation plan. Together, VISION 2040 and its functional transportation plan,
Transportation 2040, adopted in May 2010, provide the policy and planning framework for
transportation planning in the central Puget Sound region.
VISION 2040 is the region‘s long-range integrated strategy for environmental, growth
management, economic development, and transportation planning. The multicounty planning
policies in VISION 2040 provide the full policy framework for both Transportation 2040 and the
Regional Economic Strategy (which is also a functional plan of VISION 2040). Because VISION
2040 provides this framework, consistency with the adopted regional transportation plan
incorporates many of the factors discussed in Appendix A-1.
Transportation 2040 is organized into seven chapters: (1) Toward a Sustainable
Transportation System, (2) A Strategic Approach to Regional Mobility, (3) A Sustainable
Environment, (4) A Sustainable Financial Framework, (5) Regional Programs and Projects, (6)
Monitoring Implementation and System Performance, and (7) Future Planning, Programming,
and Implementation. Each chapter is briefly summarized below, along with guidance on how
Transportation 2040 applies to countywide planning efforts, local comprehensive planning,
and other agency planning.
Toward a Sustainable Transportation System
This chapter establishes three integrated strategies for addressing (1) congestion and mobility,
(2) the environment, and (3) transportation funding. Investments are prioritized for centers
and compact urban communities. Transportation 2040 calls for a transportation system that is
safe, secure, and efficient. This includes moving people and goods in ways that support a
healthy environment and a strong economy. Sustainable transportation means relying on
cleaner and renewable sources of energy, as well as more environmentally friendly design and
construction to reduce impacts. Transportation sets the region on a course to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. It also takes steps toward sustainable financing.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for countywide and local transportation planning efforts, consistent
with the objectives of Transportation 2040, to address:
o Prioritization for developing centers.
o Safety, security, and efficiency.
o Transportation that supports a healthy environment and strong economy.
o Clean and renewable sources of energy.
o Environmentally friendly transportation design and construction practices.
o Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
o Sustainable transportation financing.
for Local Comprehensive Plans, including Cities with Designated Centers
Ensure that local transportation planning provisions advance regional planning
objectives, including:
Page E2-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
o Prioritization for developing centers.
o Safety, security, and efficiency.
o Transportation that supports a healthy environment and strong economy.
o Clean and renewable sources of energy.
o Environmentally friendly transportation design and construction practices.
o Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
o Sustainable transportation financing.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Districts
Ensure that agency transportation provisions advance regional planning objectives,
including:
o Prioritization for developing centers.
o Safety, security, and efficiency.
o Transportation that supports a healthy environment and strong economy.
o Clean and renewable sources of energy.
o Environmentally friendly transportation design and construction practices.
o Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
o Sustainable transportation financing.
Physical Design Guidelines
A set of 10 guidelines have been established to address design principles and site development
characteristics that advance the mutually supportive relationship between land use and
transportation. The physical design guidelines are specifically directed to designated regional
centers and high-capacity transit station areas. However, they have applicability to all types
of centers and compact urban development within the region. The physical design guidelines
include:
1. Encourage a mix of complementary land uses.
2. Encourage compact growth by addressing density.
3. Link neighborhoods, connect streets, sidewalks and trails.
4. Integrate activity areas with surrounding neighborhoods.
5. Locate public and semipublic uses near stations.
6. Design for pedestrians and bicyclists.
7. Provide usable open spaces.
8. Manage the supply of parking.
9. Promote the benefits of on-street parking.
10. Reduce and mitigate the effects of parking.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide additional detail and specificity for addressing the physical design guidelines
at the local level, especially for various types of centers and high capacity transit
station areas.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E2-3
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Apply the physical design guidelines to planning for high capacity transit station
areas. Also, work with the guidelines in other aspects of comprehensive planning,
including development review, to create compact urban communities that are
walkable and transit-oriented.
for Cities with Designated Centers
For each designated regional growth center
and high-capacity transit station area,
demonstrate that the ten physical design
guidelines in Transportation 2040 have been
addressed. For manufacturing/industrial
centers, develop design standards to mitigate
aesthetic and other impacts of manufacturing
and industrial activities both within the center and on adjacent areas.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Address the physical design guidelines in planning efforts and decision-making for
regional growth centers and high-capacity transit station areas.
A Strategic Approach to Regional Mobility
This chapter addresses mobility and congestion relief through (1) land use planning, (2)
managing system demand, (3) transportation system management and operations, and (4)
strategically adding capacity to the transportation system.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide additional detail and specificity to guide countywide and local planning for:
o Land use planning – including planning for centers and compact
communities, and ensuring that in rural areas new highways or major roads
expansions are avoided.
o Managing system demand.
o Transportation system management and operations.
o Strategically adding capacity to the transportation system.
o Developing ―complete streets‖ provisions for making roadways better serve
all users, including motorists, transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Incorporate provisions and strategies for improving accessibility and mobility
through:
o Land use planning, including prioritizing centers, developing more compact
urban communities that are walkable and more transit-friendly, and
avoiding new highways and road expansions in rural areas
o Advancing a full array of demand management strategies. Examples include
ridesharing, telecommuting, alternatives to driving alone, flexible work
schedules.
Physical Design Guidelines
For further guidance and information, see the
Design Guidelines Manual (2003) on-line at:
http://www.psrc.org/assets/254/designmanual.pdf
Page E2-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
o Advancing a complete array of system management strategies.
Examples include traffic signal coordination, transit prioritization
treatments, parking management.
o strategically adding capacity to the transportation system in a manner
consistent with adopted regional policy and local comprehensive planning
objectives.
o Developing a ―complete streets‖ programs for evolving roadways into
multimodal transportation facilities that better serve all users, including
motorists, transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Consider developing a typology
of different kinds of complete street approaches for different types of
roadways and streets.
for Cities with Designated Centers
Incorporate provisions and strategies for improving accessibility and mobility in
centers through:
o Land use planning, including developing plans and actions for transit-
oriented development in regional growth centers, as well as related
provisions and strategies to improve walking, bicycling, and access to transit
– including complete street design for centers.
o Managing system demand, including parking management planning.
o Transportation system management and operations.
o Strategically adding capacity to the transportation system in a manner
consistent with mode split goals established for each designated center.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Districts
Incorporate provisions and strategies for improving accessibility and mobility in
centers through:
o Land use planning, including transit system planning focused on centers,
route planning that serves compact urban communities, partnering with
local jurisdictions to develop plans and actions for transit-oriented
development, focusing rural service to connecting towns in the rural area.
o Managing system demand.
o Transportation system management and operations.
o Strategically adding capacity to the transportation system in a manner
consistent with adopted regional policy and local comprehensive planning
objectives.
Mobility for Those with Special Needs
Special needs transportation services provides a range of mobility options for those who
cannot or do not drive. Community and private operators provide mostly demand response
services. Student transportation services may be provided by public transportation agencies or
by school districts.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide additional detail and specificity to guide countywide and local planning to
serve the mobility and accessibility needs of those who cannot or do not drive.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E2-5
for Local Comprehensive Plans, including Cities with Designated Centers
Incorporate provisions and strategies for improving the mobility of those who do not
or cannot drive by addressing barrier-free accessibility in the built environment,
improved opportunities for walking, bicycling, and using transit, and siting schools
and facilities housing public services in locations more central to the populations
being served.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Districts
Identify opportunities to increase frequency of
all-day core transit service.
Regularly update paratransit plans to serve the
needs of a growing and changing population.
Regularly review and, as needed, revise
programs for demand response service.
A Sustainable Environment
Transportation 2040 addresses the relationship between transportation and the environment.
The plan was developed with a focus on reducing the potential environmental impacts of
transportation infrastructure and operations. Transportation 2040 speaks to (1) maintaining
and improving air quality, (2) reducing greenhouse gas emissions, (3) improving water quality,
and (4) improving and promoting health.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide additional detail and specificity to
guide countywide and local planning to reduce
transportation-related impacts on air quality
and climate, water quality and habitat, and on
public health, including exposure to pollutants
and noise, as well as improving opportunities
for walking and bicycling.
for Local Comprehensive Plans, including Cities
with Designated Centers
Incorporate provisions and strategies,
including construction practices and for
transportation operations, that measurably improve air quality, water quality, and
habitat.
Develop ―green street‖ programs and strategies that integrate innovative stormwater
management practices for roads and other transportation facilities, as well as provide
for enhanced landscaping and vegetation along thoroughfares and other streets.
Develop a jurisdictional-level greenhouse gas reduction strategy that addresses (1)
land use, including the development of compact, walkable communities, (2) user fees,
Coordinated Transit-Human Services
Transportation Plan
For further information, see Appendix K in
Transportation 2040 –or – go on-line to:
www.psrc.org/transportation/special-needs/
Four-Part Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy
A variety of strategies and tools will be required to
effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
transportation. Transportation 2040 discusses a
four-part strategy:
Land Use – continue to develop compact urban communities
User Fees – transition over time to a roadway pricing system to reduce vehicle miles traveled
Choices – continue to provide more options to driving alone
Technology – improvements in fuel efficiency and the transition to alternative forms of energy
Page E2-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
including parking fees, (3) improved choices for alternatives to driving alone, and (4)
technology, including the use of more fuel-efficient vehicles in the jurisdiction‘s fleet.
Address public health in planning for and operating transportation, including
creating improved opportunities for walking and bicycling, and reducing the public‘s
exposure to air, water, and noise pollution from transportation facilities.
Develop factors for addressing health impacts and emissions reductions in
transportation decision-making
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Districts
Incorporate provisions and strategies, including construction practices and for
transportation operations, that measurably improve air quality, water quality, and
habitat.
Develop programs and strategies that integrate innovative stormwater management
practices, as well as provide for enhanced landscaping and vegetation.
Work with regional agencies and local jurisdictions to continue to develop viable
alternatives to driving alone.
Develop factors for addressing health impacts and emissions reductions in transportation
decision-making.
A Sustainable Financial Framework
Transportation 2040 advances a financing strategy designed to address the challenges
associated with funding transportation investments. The strategy envisions local actions to
adjust levy rates, impact and development fees, and parking pricing. State efforts are needed
to identify additional local option taxes, secure transit funding, and distribute state
transportation revenues in a manner that supports best practices. Tolls and other user fees
would also become a more prominent part of funding transportation.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for transportation investments at the countywide and local level,
based on Transportation 2040 financing strategy and overall transportation objectives.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Demonstrate that local transportation improvement programs and related
investments commit to maintenance and preservation of local transportation facilities
and services.
Show that local investment strategies prioritize transportation improvements in
centers – including regional growth centers and locally identified centers.
Develop parking management plans that include strategies for parking pricing.
Maximize efforts to support investments through levies, impact and development
fees, and other local financing options.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E2-7
for Cities with Designated Centers
Prioritize investments in regional growth centers and manufacturing/industrial
centers.
Strategically leverage investments in regional growth centers to support the development
of housing.
Consider establishing improvement districts to pay for infrastructure and other
investments in centers.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Districts
Demonstrate that agency programs commit to maintenance and preservation of
transportation facilities and services.
Show that local investment strategies prioritize transportation improvements in
centers and high-capacity transit station areas.
Maximize efforts to stabilize funding for transit infrastructure and service.
Regional Programs and Projects
This chapter describes programs and projects that have been identified to implement the
region‘s transportation strategy. Two broad categories of investments are presented: (1)
constrained and (2) unprogrammed. Constrained investments in the plan‘s financial strategy
are funded through currently available and/or reasonably expected new revenue sources. The
unprogrammed portion needs additional funding or financial analysis.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance to ensure that programs and projects identified in countywide and local
transportation planning are consistent with adopted regional policy and included in
Transportation 2040.
for Local Comprehensive Plans, including Cities with Designated Centers
Demonstrate strategies and actions to maintain and preserve local streets, roads,
sidewalks, and pathways to serve mobility and the movement of goods.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Districts
Maximize efforts to reliably finance transit operations and capital replacements.
Monitoring Implementation and System Performance
Transportation 2040 includes a commitment to regularly report on how the region is doing to
take the steps necessary to implement VISION 2040 and Transportation 2040. While VISION
2040 includes an integrated approach to measuring both implementation of regional goals and
performance in achieving a broad range of desired policy outcomes, Transportation 2040
discuss the monitoring of mobility and accessibility, mode split for various travel options,
addressing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, preserving water quality, the
application of tolling and user fees, and expenditures for transportation.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Page E2-8 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Provide guidance for ensuring compatibility among regional, countywide, and local
monitoring and reporting efforts.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Provide data and information needed to support regional, countywide, and local
monitoring efforts.
Provide the outcomes of monitoring to local officials to help inform decision-making
processes.
for Cities with Designated Centers
Establish mode-split goals for designated regional centers, and regularly report on
travel by driving alone, ridesharing (including carpools and vanpools), transit, and
nonmotorized travel.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Districts
Regularly report on transit ridership and cooperative planning efforts for transit-
oriented development.
Future Planning, Programming, and Implementation
Transportation 2040 is designed to be a planning document that continues to evolve. It
includes implementation actions, information on amending the plan, a discussion of corridor
planning, and descriptions of the region‘s transportation improvement program (TIP) and plan
review process.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for implementation of Transportation 2040 at the countywide level
and locally.
for Local Comprehensive Plans, including Cities with Designated Centers
As regional transportation planning efforts evolve, local comprehensive plans should
be regularly reviewed and routinely updated to reflect changes and new provisions in
VISION 2040 and Transportation 2040.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Districts
As regional transportation planning efforts evolve, local comprehensive plans should
be regularly reviewed and routinely updated to reflect changes and new provisions in
VISION 2040 and Transportation 2040.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E2-9
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Puget Sound Regional Council Page E3-1
APPENDIX E-3: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR
CERTIFICATION OF TRANSPORTATION-RELATED PROVISIONS
A final part of the certification responsibilities of regional transportation planning
organizations is to ensure that the transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive
plans conform with comprehensive planning provisions for transportation in the Growth
Management Act. The transportation element in local comprehensive plans is required to
contain, at a minimum, the following seven sub-elements:
Land use assumptions used in estimating travel.
Estimated traffic impacts to state-owned transportation facilities resulting from land
use assumptions.
Identification of facilities and service needs.
Discussion of financing for transportation facilities and services.
Intergovernmental coordination efforts.
Transportation demand management strategies.
Pedestrian and bicycle component.
The Act outlines specific provisions to be addressed for each of the
subelements. The Regional Council‘s review of the
transportation-related provisions in local comprehensive plans
incorporates a review of each subelement for conformity with the
provisions of the Act.
Note: Since these requirements are specifically directed to local comprehensive plans, the
following discussion focuses in more detail on how they are to be addressed by local
jurisdictions. The discussion of countywide planning policies and other agency planning
efforts is therefore more generalized, offering recommendations of how they can add value to
local planning efforts.
Land Use Assumptions and Forecast of Travel Demand
The land use assumptions used in estimating travel demand help determine where future
transportation improvements and infrastructure are most needed and play a major role in
capital facilities planning. Under the Growth Management Act, the comprehensive plan must
include a forecast of travel demand for a period of at least 10 years. The forecast must
demonstrate the application of land use assumptions.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for coordinating the land use assumptions of adjacent jurisdictions
in the development of the transportation element in local comprehensive plans.
Washington Administrative Code
Besides the guidance provided in this
Appendix for transportation planning,
jurisdictions should also consult Section
365-195-325 of the Washington
Administrative Code.
Page E3-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Demonstrate that travel demand forecast and transportation needs assessments are
always based on land use assumptions, are consistent with adopted growth targets.
Ensure that population and employment assumptions, as well adopted land use maps,
are consistent throughout the plan (e.g. land use element, transportation element,
housing element).
Ensure that population and employment assumptions in the transportation element
are consistent with the most recently adopted growth targets.
Document that travel demand forecasts extend for a period of at least 10 years.
Include state-owned facilities included in the travel demand model. Estimate impacts
on state facilities.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Demonstrate that needs assessments and service decisions for transportation are
consistent with established growth targets and locally adopted comprehensive plans
Service and Facility Needs
The transportation-related provisions in local plans are required to address service and
facilities needs. The identification of needs should include an inventory of transportation
facilities, regionally coordinated level-of-service standards for all locally owned arterials and
transit routes, level-of-service standards for state-owned highways, a list of specific actions for
locally owned transportation facilities or services as they relate to addressing established
standards, and identification of state and local system needs to meet current and future
demands.
Facility Inventories
As a basis for future planning, local transportation facility inventories define existing capital
facilities and travel levels. Under the Act, comprehensive plans must include an inventory of
air, water, and ground transportation facilities within the borders of a jurisdiction. The
inventory in local comprehensive plans must include both local and state-owned facilities.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for needs assessment and infrastructure decision-making, such as
common formats for developing facility inventories.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Include inventories for each transportation system, including roadways, transit,
bicycles, pedestrians, freight, airports (where appropriate), and ferry facilities (where
appropriate).
Consider including maps and descriptions of conditions.
Include state-owned facilities in the inventory.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E3-3
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Consider including inventories for each transportation system. These inventories should
be coordinated with local jurisdictions.
Level-of-Service Standards
Local jurisdictions are required to adopt level-of-service standards for locally owned arterials and
transit routes to help ensure that transportation improvements and services are available to serve
existing communities and proposed development. The Growth Management Act stresses that
level-of-service standards be regionally coordinated, and requires that local jurisdictions include in
their transportation elements the adopted level-of-service standards for all highways of regional
and statewide significance.
VISION 2040 states that level-of-service standards
should focus on the movement of people and goods, not
just on the movement of vehicles (see Policy MPP-DP-
54). Jurisdictions therefore should develop level-of-
service standards that take into account various modes
of travel besides vehicles.
for Countywide Planning Policies
provide guidance for addressing service
standards and mobility issues that transcend
local jurisdiction boundaries, including
multimodal approaches to transportation
concurrency and issues related to pass-through
travel.
Provide guidance to transit agencies for
establishing level-of-service standards and/or
performance standards, and how those
standards are stated in local comprehensive
plans.
Consider providing guidance for establishing
level-of-service standards for other modes of
travel.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Include adopted level-of-service standards for
arterials.
Emphasize people-moving capacity rather than
vehicles in establishing level-of-service
standards.
Consider establishing service or performance
standards for other transportation modes, including for bicycling and pedestrian facilities.
Level-of-Service Standards
Transit Service. Regarding the directive in
the Growth Management Act to adopt level-
of-service standards for transit, service is
provided in central Puget Sound by transit
agencies that operate at the countywide level,
rather than by individual cities and towns
(with the exception of Everett Transit). As a
result, the Regional Council encourages
transit agencies to coordinate with local
jurisdictions in establishing service or
performance standards for transit. The
agencies should then provide information to
cities and counties regarding how to express
the established service standards in local
comprehensive plans.
Standards for Highways of Statewide
Significance. Fir information on level-of-
service standards for state facilities, see
WSDOT‘s Highway System Plan, Appendix
E. /www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/E2120591-
893A-4BB4-AFDC-
121A41210E5D/0/10Appendix.pdf
Standards for Regionally Significant State
Highways, PSRC has adopted level-of-service
standards for regionally significant state
highwsy. Information is on-line at:
www.psrc.org/transportation/destination2030/lo
s/
Page E3-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Reference and discuss the service standards for neighboring jurisdictions, including the
consistency of these standards.
Cite level-of-service or performance standards for transit.
State how adopted level-of-service standards for state and regional facilities are
reflected in the plan‘s transportation provisions.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Establish level-of-service standards or performance standards for transit – and other
services.
Develop these standards in cooperation with local jurisdictions to advance regional
and local growth management planning objectives.
Provide guidance to cities and counties for expressing established standards in their
local comprehensive plans.
Related Issue: Concurrency
The Growth Management Act emphasizes the provision of public facilities to adequately
support existing communities and new development as it occurs. As a result, the Act requires
that local jurisdictions to adopt a concurrency ordinance to ensure the provision of adequate
transportation facilities to serve development at the time it is to be occupied, or within six
years. In 2005, the Act was amended to encourage multimodal transportation considerations
in addressing concurrency – including walking, bicycling, and transit – in addressing
transportation impacts and solutions.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for developing compatible approaches
to concurrency among local jurisdictions.
Address consistency of concurrency programs along
jurisdictional boundaries and for facilities that serve more
than one jurisdiction.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Has the city or county established a concurrency
ordinance?
Are there specific policies or provisions in the
comprehensive plan that address concurrency?
Does the concurrency program account for multimodal
travel?
Is the concurrency program coordinated with and supportive of neighboring
jurisdictions‘ land use plans and transportation systems?
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Address multimodal aspects of concurrency and coordinate efforts with local
jurisdictions to identify multimodal solutions to transportation needs.
Concurrency
The Regional Council has developed a
series of repots on transportation
concurrency, including analysis of
practices in the region,
recommendations for local concurrency
programs, and options for making
concurrency more multimodal.
These reports and other resources are
available at:
www.psrc.org/growth/vision2040/impl
ementation/concurrency
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E3-5
Financing
The Growth Management Act requires that the transportation-related provisions of
comprehensive plans address the financing of the local transportation system. The local plan
must include a multiyear financing plan with: (1) an analysis of estimated costs related to
maintenance, construction, and operations, (2) an analysis of funding capability, including
revenues and probable funding sources, and (3) a reassessment of funding that identifies how
the jurisdiction will respond should probable funding not be available. (See discussion below.)
The multiyear financing plans serve as the basis for the six-year street, road, or transit
program for cities, counties, and public transportation systems and should be coordinated with
the state‘s six-year transportation improvement program.
Reassessment Strategy
Under the Act, each jurisdiction must craft a ―reassessment strategy‖ to be in place to guide
decision-making should a funding shortfall occur. The reassessment strategy must address one
or more of the following factors: (1) how additional funding would be raised, (2) how level-of-
service standards would be adjusted, or (3) how land use assumptions would be reassessed.
The Regional Council encourages jurisdictions to craft reassessment strategies that first
consider identifying additional funding or adjusting level-of-service standards, before
considering reassessment of land use assumptions.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for common approaches to (1) analyzing funding capabilities,
(2) developing provisions to include in a multiyear financing plan, and (3) addressing
possible funding shortfalls in a reassessment strategy.
Provide guidance for investment decision-making and accessing new transportation
revenues.
Describe county level and interjurisdictional sources of funding.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Fully account for both existing and new sources of revenue.
Fully describe investment decision methodologies.
Include a multiyear financing plan, based on the local transportation system needs.
Include an analysis of funding capability relative to probable funding resources.
Include a reassessment strategy in the event of a funding shortfall.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Fully account for both existing and new sources of revenue.
Fully describe investment decision methodologies.
Develop a multiyear financing plan, in cooperation with local jurisdictions.
Page E3-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Intergovernmental Coordination
The Growth Management Act places an emphasis on coordinating local, regional, and state
planning efforts. Under the Act, the comprehensive plan of each county or city is to be
coordinated and consistent with the comprehensive plans of other jurisdictions with which it
shares common borders or related regional issues. The plan must include an assessment of the
impacts of the transportation plan and land use assumptions on the transportation systems of
adjacent cities and counties. It should also explicitly address how its land use assumptions and
transportation network impact transportation in adjacent jurisdictions.21
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for addressing
coordination and joint planning for
transportation facilities and services, as
well as for mobility issues that have
interjurisdictional implications, such as
pass-through travel and related traffic
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Include provisions addressing
coordination with neighboring cities, the
county, regional agencies, special districts
providing transportation, and the state.
Address whether transportation facilities
and standards compatible at shared
jurisdictional borders.
Include provisions for joint planning for
transportation facilities in
unincorporated urban growth areas.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning,
including Special Service Districts
Coordinate agency planning with that of
local jurisdictions and other service providers.
Demand Management
By working to alter or reduce travel demand instead of increasing roadway supply, transportation
demand management strategies play a critical role in alleviating congestion and mitigating
transportation-related impacts on the natural environment. The Growth Management Act requires
transportation demand management strategies and programs to be included in local plans.
Examples include efforts to shift trips outside of peak travel time, efforts to shift trips to transit,
21 Examples include referencing outputs from a travel demand model when an impact is shown on
neighboring jurisdictions or including some discussion of the implications of a particular land use
strategy on neighboring jurisdictions.
Demand Management
Transportation demand management (TDM) strategies
and programs include:
Investing in the infrastructure to support
alternatives to driving alone, including transit
alignments and stations, high-occupancy
vehicle (HOV) lanes and business and transit
(BAT) lanes, bikeways and complete streets
Transit-supportive land uses and compact
urban form
Ridesharing, vansharing, and carpooling
Telecommuting and flexible work schedules
Parking management
On-line resources include:
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
www.wsdot.wa.gov/TDM
VICTORIA TRANSPORT INSTITUTE
www.vtpi.org/tdm/
NATIONAL TDM AND TELEWORK CLEARINGHOUSE
www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse/
MUNICIPAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES CENTER
www.mrsc.org/Subjects/Transpo/TDM.aspx
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E3-7
ridesharing, bicycling or walking, efforts to decrease trip lengths, and efforts to eliminate certain
vehicle trips all together.
A specific transportation demand strategy required in Washington is the Commute Trip
Reduction Program. The Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) law requires major employers to
develop and implement a commute trip reduction program that is designed to reduce the number
and length of drive-alone commute trips made to the worksite. Examples include vanpools,
telecommuting options, providing for flexible work schedules, and public transit subsidies.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for offering comprehensive programs for alternatives to driving alone,
including transit and ridesharing, flexible work schedules and telecommuting.
Address coordination of demand management programs that are multi-jurisdictional in
nature.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Include programs and strategies designed to manage travel demand – including transit
and ridesharing, telecommuting, parking management, bicycling and pedestrian travel.
Include commute trip reduction programs.
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Coordinate service provisions with local
and regional efforts to provide alternatives
to driving alone.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Component
Planning for bicycle and pedestrian facilities that are
well-designed and strategically sited helps to
improve accessibility and mobility – and offers
travel choices that are safe, clean, and efficient, and
increase physical activity. In 2005, the Growth
Management Act was amended to require
comprehensive plans to ―include a pedestrian and
bicycle component to include collaborative efforts to
identify and designate planned improvements for
pedestrian and bicycle facilities and corridors that
address and encourage enhanced community access
and promote healthy lifestyles‖ [RCW
36.70A.070(6)(a)(7)].
for Countywide Planning Policies
Address the development of bicycle and
pedestrian transportation networks that
cross local jurisdictional boundaries.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning
Excerpts from the Regional Bicycle &
Pedestrian Implementation Strategy (2002)
Provide for safe and convenient
bicycle and pedestrian use on streets
and roadway projects.
Maintain and improve existing bicycle
and pedestrian facilities; design
projects according to established
standards
Invest to achieve greater system
continuity by addressing missing
linking and removing barriers and
deterrents
Locate new pedestrian and bicycle
facilities in centers and other compact
communities
Provide for education on safe biking
and walking; enforce safety laws
Further guidance and information is on-line at:
www.psrc.org/transportation/bikeped/
Page E3-8 Policy and Plan Review Manual
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Include a bicycle and pedestrian component in the transportation element
Include strategies, programs, and projects that address bicycle and pedestrian travel as a
safe and efficient transportation options – including pedestrian and bicycle planning,
project funding and capital investments, education and encouragement, safety
improvements and enforcement, and ongoing monitoring.
Improve local street patterns to enhance walking and biking; design streets to safely
accommodate all users, including pedestrians and bicyclists.
Include provisions to promote physical health and active living (land use-based
approaches, transportation-based approaches).
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Design facilities and services to better accommodate walking and biking to transit stops
and stations.
Land Uses Adjacent to Airports
Washington State law includes provisions to protect public use general aviation airports from
land use encroachment (RCW 36.70.547). Any county or city that has a general aviation
airport within or adjacent to its jurisdictional
boundaries is required to discourage the siting of
incompatible uses next to the airport. The Regional
Council has developed review criteria for airport
planning and reviews airport compatible land use as
part of its comprehensive plan review and certification
process.
for Countywide Planning Policies
Provide guidance for coordinating land use
planning in areas adjacent to airports,
especially where more than one jurisdiction
abuts an airport.
for Local Comprehensive Plans
Identify and address airport(s) located within
or adjacent to the jurisdiction.
Provide an inventory of existing and planned
land use near the airport.
Include policies and/or reference development regulations that prevent land use
encroachment and discourage incompatible land uses adjacent to the airport.
Address height hazard areas, safety zones, and noise impact areas for the airport in
the plan and/or development regulations.
Identify the ground transportation access.
Review Criteria for Compatible Land Use
Adjacent to Airports
List airports in or adjacent to your jurisdiction.
If the airport is owned by the jurisdiction,
include it in the transportation and capital
facilities plan elements; the airport should also
be designated as an essential public facility.
Include a Land Use Inventory for airport
property and adjacent areas:
Identify existing and planned land uses in the
vicinity of the airport. Document residential
densities.
Document places of public assembly (indoors
and outdoors) in the vicinity of the airport
(include schools, civic centers, theaters, malls,
office buildings).
Document existing vacant land and
contiguous open space, for example,
critical areas, passive use parks.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E3-9
for Transit Agencies and Other Agency Planning, including Special Service Districts
Coordinate the provision of services in a manner that does not create incompatible
uses next to airports.
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Puget Sound Regional Council Page E4-1
APPENDIX E-4: CENTER PLANS22
VISION 2040 describes multiple types of centers, including regionally designated centers
(regional growth centers and regional manufacturing industrial centers), other centers
(centers in Larger Cities and centers in Small Cities/Town Centers), and other central
places (such as neighborhood centers, activity nodes, and station areas).
The creation and development of growth centers as mixed-use, walkable locations of more
intense residential and employment development is key to implementing VISION 2040.
Each city in the region should take steps to identify one or more centers (or central places)
as a compact area with a mix of housing, employment, shops, cultural facilities, and
entertainment. Similarly, the creation and development of manufacturing industrial
centers as concentrations of basic industries that provide family wage jobs is essential the
region‘s economic health. Centers that are the most regionally significant have been
designated as regional growth centers or manufacturing/industrial centers.
VISION 2040 directs local jurisdictions having one or more regionally designated centers
to prepare a subarea plan for each such center (see DP-Action-17 and VISION 2040 –Part
IV: Implementation) within four years of designation. Subarea plans must be consistent
with the jurisdiction-wide comprehensive plan and are required to fully address all
planning requirements in the Growth Management Act. (Subarea plans should be a
chapter or section in the comprehensive plan.)
The Regional Council established criteria for consideration when a center is proposed for
designation (Executive Board, June 2003). These criteria are incorporated in the Center
Plan Checklists and discussion below.
What follows is an outline of key concepts and provisions that jurisdictions should use in
planning for their designated centers. The criteria for both regional growth centers and
manufacturing/industrial centers are available on-line, along with other planning
resources, at: http://www.psrc.org/growth/centers.
GROWTH CENTERS
Center Plan Concept (or “Vision”)
The center plan should include a vision for the center, as well as an overview which
describes its commitment to human scale urban form. The plan should address its
relationship to the jurisdiction‘s overall comprehensive plan, as well as to VISION 2040
and relevant countywide planning policies. Additionally, an explanation of the center‘s
relationship to other adjacent and nearby places is useful. A market analysis of the
center‘s development potential, including total developed and undeveloped area, as well as
22 Revised June 2014 to reflect updated Center Plan Checklist
Page E4-2 Policy and Plan Review Manual
infill and redevelopment potential, could also be included. A market analysis is
recommended for all jurisdictions with centers, and expected for designation of new
centers.
Environment
Planning for centers needs to consider the natural environment as well as the built
environment. A center subarea plan should address critical areas, parks and open space,
habitat, water quality, air quality, and climate change.
Identify critical areas and develop provisions to protect environmentally sensitive
areas.
Address parks and open space, including public spaces and civic places and
include provisions to encourage accessible open space.
Include or reference policies and programs for innovative stormwater management.
Include or reference policies and programs to reduce air pollution and
greenhouse gas emissions.
Land Use
The center should have defined boundaries, and planning area boundaries should fully
encompass the designated regional growth center. Each center should be compact in size
and integrated into the larger fabric of the surrounding community. General guidance is
for regional growth centers to be approximately one square mile in size, or walkable from
a central point to the edge in approximately 15 to 20 minutes. This suggests a roughly
uniform shape. Unless there is a clear rationale and objective, centers should not be
elongated or gerrymandered.
The center should have an allocated portion that represents a significant share of the
jurisdiction‘s overall residential growth targets (expressed in housing units) and
employment growth targets. Both existing and planned urban form, including residential
densities and building intensities, should be described.
Each center should contain a mix of land uses appropriate to its size and function. The center
plan should include land use policies and maps that describe the distribution and location of
existing and future land uses, including housing, commercial, retail, public facilities, transit
and utility facilities, and open space. Also, design standards should be pedestrian-friendly and
stimulate transit ridership and transit-oriented development. Transition(s) to adjacent
neighborhoods and districts are also important so that the center is well-integrated with
surrounding areas.
Housing
Center plans should provide for a variety of housing types, including housing affordable to all
income groups. (Note: Housing is discouraged in manufacturing/industrial centers.) The plan
should enumerate total existing and targeted housing units for a 20-year planning period. The
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E4-3
center plan should delineate a diversity of housing types with policies and provisions
addressing the following:
Dwelling types
Density standards
Affordable housing (for households that are (a) below 50 percent of the average
median income, (b) between 50 and 80 percent, and (c) 80 to 120 percent of average)
Special needs housing
Jurisdictions should identify strategies and implementation plans to meet housing targets and
goals. Regular reporting on meeting targets and goals is to take place through both local and
regional monitoring efforts.
Economy
The center plan should address the economic and residential role the center plays within
the jurisdiction, along with description of key sectors and industry clusters and policies
and programs addressing economic development in the center. (See discussion of
employment growth targets under Land Use above.)
Public Facilities
The center plan should reference or describe existing and planned capital facilities,
including how each will be financed (such as sewer, water, gas, electric,
telecommunications). Both public and semi-public facilities and services should be
identified, such as civic buildings, libraries, fire and police stations, arts centers, and
related facilities. Efforts should be demonstrated to locate public facilities near transit
stations.
Transportation
One of the hallmarks of VISION 2040 and Transportation 2040 is their emphasis on
integrating land use and transportation planning as mutually reinforcing. Center plans must
develop their transportation provisions based on land use assumptions. Transportation
planning for centers should address or reference:
An integrated multimodal transportation network, including pedestrian and bicycle
facilities, as well as linkages to adjacent neighborhoods and districts.
Relationship to regional high-capacity transit (i.e., bus-rapid transit, commuter rail,
light rail, and ferry)
―Complete street‖ treatments to design roadways for all users, including transit,
pedestrians, cyclists, and freight.
Context-sensitive design for transportation facilities to fit the urban character of
the center
―Green street‖ treatments should emphasize protection of the environment,
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and aesthetic street-scaping.
Page E4-4 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Transportation system management and demand management programs and
services.
Level-of-service standards and concurrency provisions should be specifically tailored to
address the unique circumstances and character of each designated center. The standards
should be multimodal and stress the movement of people rather than only vehicles.
Center plans should have well-developed parking management strategies to:
Manage the supply of parking.
Promote benefits of on-street parking.
Reduce and mitigate the effects of parking.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIAL CENTERS
Center Plan Concept (or “Vision”)
The center plan should include a vision for the center as well as an overview which
clearly describes its commitment to the preservation of its urban industrial land base and
the economic role of the center within the city, county and the region. The plan should
describe its relationship to the jurisdiction‘s overall comprehensive plan, as well as to
VISION 2040 and relevant countywide planning policies. Additionally, an explanation of
the center‘s relationship to other adjacent and nearby places is useful. When considering
the development of a center plan, it will be useful to include a market analysis of the
center‘s development potential, including total developed and undeveloped area, as well as
infill and redevelopment potential. A market analysis is recommended for all jurisdictions
with centers, and expected for designation of new centers.
Environment
Planning for centers needs to consider the natural environment as well as the built
environment, even in these areas of intense employment activity. The center plan should
address critical areas, parks and open space (as appropriate to these areas), water quality, air
quality, and climate change.
If applicable, identify critical/environmentally sensitive areas in the
manufacturing/industrial center and reference relevant policies and programs to
protect those areas.
As appropriate, address open spaces and open space connections.
Include or reference policies and programs for innovative stormwater management
(related to Public Services).
Include or reference policies and programs to reduce air pollution and
greenhouse gas emissions.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E4-5
Land Use
The center should have defined boundaries, and the planning area boundaries should fully
encompass the designated regional manufacturing/industrial center. Manufacturing
industrial centers will assume a variety of sizes and shapes, based upon their location, the
type of manufacturing or industrial activity they contain, the extent of land parcels zoned
for manufacturing and industrial uses, and the presence of supporting infrastructure.
Although it is not critical that MICs be physically compact, jurisdictions should have a
clear rationale for why particular boundaries or configurations are in place.
The center should have an allocated portion of the jurisdiction‘s employment target and
should demonstrate the capacity to accommodate the planned levels of growth.
The center plan should ensure that a high percentage of the property within the
manufacturing industrial center boundaries have planned future land use and current zoning
designations for industrial and manufacturing uses. In addition, the center plan should
include complementary regulatory strategies to restrict land uses that are incompatible with
manufacturing, industrial uses, such as large retail uses, housing, or non-related office uses.
The sizes of office and retail uses should be limited primarily to accessory uses. This may
include regulations and plans to preserve and encourage the aggregation of vacant parcels and
parcels with non-industrial uses within the center to create lots of sufficient size for expanded
or new manufacturing and industrial uses. Large parcels and blocks are often desirable for
manufacturing and industrial activity.
The center plan should include design standards that are used to mitigate aesthetic and other
impacts of manufacturing and industrial activities both within the center and on adjacent
areas.
Economy
The center plan should describe strategies to support or maintain manufacturing industrial
industries (i.e., workforce, apprenticeships, land value policies, parcel aggregation, etc.) as well
as key sectors and industry clusters in the center. (See discussion of employment growth
targets under Land Use above.)
Public Facilities
The center plan should describe or reference local capital plans for infrastructure (such as
sewer, water, gas, electric, telecommunications), including how each will be financed.
The plan should explain strategies to ensure facilities are provided consistent with
targeted growth. Both public and semi-public facilities and services should be identified.
Transportation
All proposed centers should have a plan to identify and address deficiencies in street,
sidewalk, and trail/bicycle path networks. The center plan should assess the current adequacy
Page E4-6 Policy and Plan Review Manual
and availability of transportation facilities and services necessary to support industrial and
manufacturing uses, and describe how the jurisdiction plans to provide adequate capacity to
serve planned activity levels.
Transportation networks within manufacturing industrial centers should provide for the
needs of freight movement and employee commuting by ensuring a variety of transportation
modes, such as fixed-route and high-capacity transit, rail, trucking facilities, or waterway, as
appropriate.
Document the jurisdiction‘s plans and capital program for the provision of infrastructure,
services and amenities to support planned growth within the center. This may include
identification of physical gaps or barriers in the transportation system as well as projects that
improve safety, reduce modal conflicts, or improve access for one or more modes to major
employment sites.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page E4-7
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Page F-1 Policy and Plan Review Manual
APPENDIX F: EXAMPLE OF A PLAN REVIEW REPORT
Note: This example is for illustrative purposes only – the actual formatting of plan review
reports may be revised as needed.
CERTIFICATION & CONSISTENCY REPORT
for
THE CITY‘S 2011 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE
January 2, 2012
BACKGROUND and DISCUSSION
Within the central Puget Sound region, member agencies and the Puget Sound Regional Council
have worked together to develop an overall process for reviewing local, countywide, regional, and
transportation agency policies and plans for compatibility and consistency.23 This process also
provides an opportunity to coordinate and share information related to local and regional planning.
The City adopted its first comprehensive plan in 1994 and was certified in 1995. Minor
amendments were adopted in 1998 and 2002. The city‘s 2004 update focused on more detailed
strategies related to mixed use, neighborhood development, housing opportunities, and the
retention of natural vegetation.
The most recent update was adopted on December 1, 2011. The plan now includes an
environmental element that addresses water quality, climate change, and public health. A new
section has been added on compact urban develop and design. In addition, the transportation
element emphasizes clean transportation solutions for addressing existing and future mobility
needs, including new stormwater treatment regulations for streets and roadways, improved
pedestrian and bicycle connections to transit routes, and converting the city‘s motor vehicle fleet to
hybrid automobiles.
Based on review of the adopted plan, the following recommendation is proposed for action.
Recommendation for Certification
The Executive Board of the Puget Sound Regional Council should certify that the transportation-
related provisions in the City‘s 2011 Comprehensive Plan update conform to the Growth
Management Act and are consistent with Transportation 2040.
23 The certification requirement in the Growth Management Act is described Chapter 47.80, Revised
Code of Washington (RCW). The specific requirements for transportation planning in local
comprehensive plans are spelled out in Chapter 36.70A.070, RCW. The Regional Council‘s
Interlocal Agreement, Section VII, also provides direction for the review of local comprehensive
plans and countywide policies (Resolution A-91-01, amended March 1998). VISION 2040‘s
Implementation chapter (Part IV) provides further guidance for the review of policies and plans and
the certification of transportation-related provisions.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page F-2
Conformity with state requirements for transportation
Washington state law requires that transportation provisions in local comprehensive plans conform
with the following: (1) established regional guidelines and principles, (2) the adopted long-range
regional transportation plan, and (3) transportation planning requirements in the Growth
Management Act. Within the central Puget Sound region, the multicounty planning policies have
been established as the guidelines and principles to guide regional and local planning.
Multicounty Planning Policies
Environment. The City‘s comprehensive plan commits to environmental stewardship, to maintain
and restore the natural environment, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan includes
policies to encourage changes in fuels, technologies, and travel patterns. The City commits to
incorporate an evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions as part of the environmental analysis it
conducts under the State Environmental Policy Act.
Comment: The City‘s systems approach to environmental planning is noteworthy, especially the
steps described in the plan to protect critical areas and habitat. However, it is recommended that
when the City next updates its plan, that it further address the Action Plan developed by the Puget
Sound Partnership.
Development Patterns and Housing. The land use element in the plan further advances the City‘s
commitment to compact urban development by identifying a series of neighborhood centers as key
locations for mixed-use, transit-oriented development. A set of design guidelines have been
developed to ensure that higher density development creates vibrant streets and transitions well
with adjacent single family neighborhoods. The City has developed a detailed program for
ensuring that diverse and affordable housing is provided in its town center and districts identified
for redevelopment.
Comment: The City‘s housing element addresses regional housing goals and fully achieves its
contribution to meet affordable housing objectives in the region. The City may want to consider
tailoring its concurrency provisions for its town center and to establish mode-split goals for that
area, even though it is not a formally designated regional growth center.
Economic Development. The 2011 includes the City‘s first economic development element in its
comprehensive plan. The element includes three subsections that reflect the Economy section in
VISION 2040: business, people, and places. The City has applied its growth targets for housing and
employment in a manner that helps it to better achieve a jobs-housing balance.
Comment: The economic development element provides a detailed discussion of the city‘s role in
the clean technology sector described in the Regional Economic Strategy.
Public Services. The City commits to conservation principles in the provision of needed services
and infrastructure to accommodate its growth targets. The plan describes programs and strategies
to reduce and reuse water, as well as to work with its energy provider to identify alternative forms
of energy. The City has also worked with the school district to establish new development
standards that would allow for multistory school buildings in the town center.
The City‘s capital facilities plan also have been revised to prioritize improvements and investments
which best address multiple regional and local growth management objectives, including compact
urban development, the reduction in vehicle miles traveled, and public health and well-being.
Page F-3 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Comment: The City‘s policies and programs for providing services emphasize clean solutions.
Particularly noteworthy is the climate change assessment it conducts as part of its capital
improvement program process.
Transportation. The City has developed an agreement with the state department of transportation
to ensure that context-sensitive design is applied to transportation projects along key state
highways within the jurisdiction. The City commits to applying complete facility standards for
major arterials to ensure that streets accommodate all user groups, including pedestrians, bicyclists,
transit, vehicles, and freight. It has incorporated a bicycle network plan into the transportation
element, which includes both dedicated bike lanes and off-street bicycle trails connecting each of
the neighborhoods with the town center.
Comment: The City‘s approach to multimodal transportation solutions demonstrates a strong
commitment to providing its residents and employees with improved transportation choices. (For
additional comments on transportation-provisions see the Growth Management Act section
below.)
Consistency with Transportation 2040
Transportation 2040, the region‘s long-range transportation plans, calls for the development of a
regionwide, multimodal transportation system that links centers with high capacity transit. It
addresses sustainable transportation, maintenance and safety, supporting the Regional Growth
Strategy, and greater travel options to improve mobility.
Maintenance and Safety. The City‘s overall goal for its transportation system is to ―establish a safe
and efficient transportation system that responds to the needs of a growing and diverse resident
population, supports future commercial and industrial development, and provides convenient
access to areas within the city and to areas in the surrounding region.‖ The City has developed a
program for ensuring that locally-generated revenues are adequate for routine maintenance of
streets and trails.
Comment: Several policies in the City‘s plan reinforce its dedication to maintaining and preserving
its transportation system in a safe, usable state, which is consistent with Transportation 2040.
However, the plan should also address in more detail how the City‘s anticipates dealing with
transportation functions in the case of an emergency situation, such as a natural disaster.
Supporting the Growth Strategy. The City prioritizes transportation projects that help to develop
the street network and transportation network to create a pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented
town center. It has also invested in improved pedestrian connections between its civic center
complex in the town center and its Sound Transit high-capacity transit station.
Comment: The priority on transportation investments in the town center is consistent with
VISION 2040 and the multicounty planning policies.
Offering Greater Mobility Options. The City is planning to enhance connections between modes
of travel. For example, the City is also working with the state department of transportation to
create a more direct access for transit to high-occupancy vehicle lanes on the state highway. The
transportation element also discusses a rail alignment located adjacent to the city‘s boundaries and
plans to preserve the right-of-way.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page F-4
Comment: The City demonstrates a commitment to improving alternatives to driving alone.
However, when the plan is next updates, the City should include a more complete discussion of
freight access from its industrial district.
Growth Management Act Requirements for Transportation Planning
Land Use Assumptions. The transportation element includes a background section which
demonstrates how the revised 10-year traffic forecast is based on the growth targets and
development strategy described in the land use element.
Comment: The City satisfies this requirement in the Growth Management Act.
Facility and Service Needs. The transportation element includes an inventory of local streets,
nonmotorized facilities, and transit routes with a discussion of needs to meet the demands based on
the growth targets and development strategy. The City has developed a multimodal approach to its
level-of-service standards, which considers the movement of people instead of vehicle flow. Both
state and regional level-of-service standards are also identified. In addition, the transportation
element addresses how the transit agency‘s performance standards are used to evaluate transit
needs to serve future residential growth targets in the City.
Comment: The City satisfies this requirement in the Growth Management Act. The multimodal
approach to level-of-service is particularly noteworthy.
Financing. The capital facilities element describes current funding sources for transportation
investments, including the City ‗s impact fees program. The reassessment strategy in the case of a
funding shortfall commits the City to first seeking to identify new revenue sources, and then to
adjust its level-of-service standards, before considering any adjustments to its land use strategy.
Comment: The City satisfies this requirement in the Growth Management Act – however, the City
should provide a cross-reference in the transportation element to the discussion of financing in the
capital facilities element.
Intergovernmental Coordination. The transportation element describes a number of cooperative
projects with the local transit agency and state department of transportation. The background
section of the element describes coordination that took place with adjacent cities in establishing
level of service standards and concurrency provisions. The plan also discusses coordination among
jurisdictions to ensure that transportation and land use planning are mutually reinforced.
Comment: The City satisfies this requirement in the Growth Management Act. As Sound Transit
plans for expanded service in the jurisdiction, the City should also address coordination with that
transportation agency.
Transportation Demand Management. The City encourages flex schedules for city employees and
participates in regional rideshare programs. It is working with its local cable provider to improve
computer-access connections in homes, schools, businesses, and other employment sites to
encourage telework. The nonmotorized network includes route signage to bus stops and transit
stations.
Comment: When the plan is next updated, the city should consider developing a parking
management plan for its town center area and other employment districts.
Page F-5 Policy and Plan Review Manual
Pedestrian and Bicycle Component. The City‘s nonmotorized network calls for connecting each
neighborhood with nearby schools, the town center, parks and recreation areas, and the regional
transit center. The transportation element calls for improved signage at key locations with
information on bicycle and pedestrian safety. Street improvement projects are to reconstruct
existing arterials to established standards for all users, including pedestrians and bicyclists.
Comment: The City satisfies this requirement in the Growth Management Act.
Consistency with VISION 2040
The Growth Management Act requires coordination among jurisdictions and agencies where there
are common borders or related regional issues. VISION 2040 represents regional, agreement on
how the region will grow over coming decades. While the multicounty planning policies
contained within VISION 2040 satisfy certain Growth Management Act requirements, VISION
2040 also provides guidance for other areas of regional agreement – including the Regional Growth
Strategy, implementation actions, and monitoring.
VISION 2040 Statement
The City‘s VISION 2040 Statement describes a commitment to advance sustainable approaches to
accommodating residential and employment growth targets. The statement addresses goals to
maintain and restore critical areas and key habitats. Steps are identified to ensure that a health
environment remains available for future generations. The City commits to conservation methods
in the provision of public services. The statement advocates for cleaner transportation and
mobility.
The Regional Growth Strategy
The City worked through its countywide planning body to establish both housing and employment
growth targets for the year 2031. These targets were negotiated with other cities in the county
identified as Larger Cities, one of the regional geography categories in VISION 2040.
Approximately 50 percent of new development will be directed to the town center, and the
adjacent corridor slated for redevelopment. The City has also completed a joint planning
agreement with the county to ensure that its municipal development standards are being applied to
development projects in its potential annexation area.
Comment: The City‘s targets are in line with the guidance provided by the Regional Growth
Strategy. The joint planning agreement with the county serves as a model effort for
intergovernmental cooperation.
Implementation Actions
Identification of Underutilized Lands. The City completed an inventory of redevelopment and
infill sites as part of the plan update. Following the adoption of the citywide plan update, the City
has developed a work program to create a subarea plan for one of the districts with a large
concentration of potential infill sites.
Collaboration with Special Districts. The City and the school district have revised development
standards for school buildings located in the town center to enable midrise structures that are more
urban in character.
Puget Sound Regional Council Page F-6
Comment: The City has addressed key implementation actions in VISION 2040. It is encouraged to
work other special districts to ensure that their facilities are sited and designed in a manner that
support regional and local growth management objectives.
Monitoring
Among the implementation actions and strategies identified in the City‘s 2011 comprehensive plan
is a monitoring program. The City plans to report regularly on permitting and development
occurring in the jurisdiction. Additional monitoring efforts are related to joint work the City
conducts with the state department of ecology on water resources and with the county public
health department on chronic diseases. The City has also begun to work with the Puget Sound
Clean Air Agency to establish a citywide greenhouse gas emissions inventory.
Comment: The City has an excellent start on monitoring its performance and implementation
efforts related to many of its key comprehensive planning provisions. It is encouraged to also work
with the county to evaluate and monitor the conditions of critical areas and wildlife habitat.
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