 As the end of the year approaches, it’s natural to reflect on what we’ve accomplished and the work that lies ahead. This season is a time to appreciate the dedication of all those involved in shaping our communities – whether you’re submitting comprehensive plans, balancing budgets or preparing to welcome new faces to public service.
While those of us in state government often think in terms of fiscal years, the end of the calendar year is a significant milestone, especially for the local governments we serve. As cities and counties adopt budgets and greet newly elected and appointed officials, we extend a warm welcome to those stepping into public service in 2025. For those concluding their roles, we thank you for your time.
Here at Commerce our senior planners are hard at work reviewing the first Comprehensive Plan submissions for the Puget Sound region, due in just two weeks. Our focus remains on helping cities and counties submit their comprehensive plan updates on time.
Reflecting on 2024, this year brought substantial progress on key initiatives:
Looking ahead to 2025, we anticipate a busy start, including:
- A dynamic legislative session. We look forward to supporting the Legislature to address challenges and opportunities.
- An update to guidance on Rural Lands planning and Urban Growth Areas, the first in more than 10 years.
- An update to the Washington Administrative Code on housing. We filed the CR-102 for rulemaking last month and will have a public hearing Jan. 6.
As the year closes, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on all you’ve achieved in 2024. The collective progress of our communities is truly inspiring, and we’re excited to embark on another year of collaboration and growth. Happy Holidays, Dave Andersen, Managing Director of Growth Management Services
 Share your experience with Comprehensive Plan implementation
Keeping the comprehensive plan centered in local decision-making is essential to plan implementation. Commerce is beginning to work on the implementation progress report codified in RCW 36.70A.130(9). We want to hear from you to ensure this progress report provides a meaningful opportunity to share challenges and successes.
Please consider sharing details or links to help shape the implementation progress report by completing this form. We will begin public outreach in early 2025 and would love to hear from you during this important process.
Remember to sign Periodic Update Grant contracts
Award notifications and instructions for the Periodic Update Grant (PUG) have been sent to counties and cities with updates due in 2026. Jurisdictions awarded grants for 2026 updates must sign their Year 1 contracts by Jan. 24, 2025. Once signed, these jurisdictions can request reimbursement for all eligible work outlined in the PUG grant agreements.
For questions or assistance, please contact Contracts Coordinator Ashley Murphy.
Mediation available to resolve planning disputes
As directed by RCW 36.70A.190, Commerce offers mediation services to resolve disputes that arise during certain planning processes.
Mediation is available in three main categories, including government-to-government disputes, tribal disputes with local governments, and disputes regarding the siting of supportive and emergency housing facilities. Learn more, including how to request mediation, at Commerce’s recently published Mediation Services webpage.
Housing Updates
Commerce seeks public input on middle housing planning guidance
Commerce is seeking public comment on draft housing planning guidance documents intended to assist local communities in developing their own middle housing ordinances.
Read more and review the draft documents on our Middle Housing webpage. Please submit comments by Monday, Dec. 23.
Suggestions for preserving manufactured homes
Manufactured home communities (MHC) represent an important source of affordable housing, and face displacement pressures. Urban growth and rising land values in high-demand areas create incentives for MHC owners to sell their properties for redevelopment, displacing residents.
Commerce has prepared a new fact sheet for jurisdictions seeking to preserve manufactured home communities.
Help shape a new study about alternative AMI methods for Washington
Commerce’s Housing Division is conducting a study to evaluate the potential impacts of alternative methods for calculating Area Median Income. Income limits based on AMI are used to determine eligibility for many housing assistance programs as well as rent limits for some income-restricted affordable housing. The method or the geographic area used for calculating AMI can impact who qualifies for affordable housing and how much rent can be charged. We're collecting information from stakeholders about:
- Benefits and drawbacks of the current AMI calculation method.
- The potential impacts of changes to AMI calculation methods on efforts to meet affordable housing needs.
Please complete our stakeholder survey. We want to hear from anyone whose life or work is impacted by AMI and associated income limits, such as local planners, housing assistance program managers, service providers, developers and managers of affordable housing, advocates, and persons with lived experience of housing insecurity.
Outside of Commerce
Washington Geological Survey releases new Spokane County resource publication
The Washington Geological Survey is pleased to announce a new publication: Aggregate Resource Inventory of Spokane County, Washington. This shows areas with potential sand, gravel and bedrock resources in Spokane County. It is part of WGS’s continued effort to map aggregate resources in Washington.
This publication includes a pamphlet and map sheet and can be downloaded here. An interactive web-based version of the multi-county Aggregate Resources Database is also available on the WGS Geologic Information Portal. The multi-county geospatial data are available as a zip-file download package with accompanying metadata on our Geology GIS Data and Databases website.
In addition to our new Spokane County publication, there are six existing county-scale maps and six 1:100,000-scale maps made by WGS from 2000-2024. Next, WGS will be mapping aggregate resources in Grant County. To learn more about these projects, check out our interactive aggregate resources project status web map.
We plan to map aggregate resources in all 39 counties in Washington. If you are interested in WGS mapping aggregate resources in your county, we would like to hear from you! Our points of contact for this work are:
Amy Rudko, Aggregate Mapper, amy.rudko@dnr.wa.gov, 360-764-6340
Tricia Sears, Geologic Planning Liaison, tricia.sears@dnr.wa.gov, 360-628-2867
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STAFF UPDATE
Welcome Ananda Gordon-Peabody!
Ananda Gordon-Peabody (she/her) is a senior planner at the Washington State Department of Commerce. Working on the Climate and Ecosystem team within Growth Management Services, Ananda helps Washington communities plan to address the effects of climate change.
Ananda comes to Commerce with experience in environmental consulting, emergency management and housing planning.
Ananda holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Portland State University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington.
Outside of work, Ananda enjoys crocheting, foraging and figure skating. Originally from the Renton area, Ananda now lives in Vancouver, Washington.
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Upcoming Events
Housing WAC public hearing Jan. 6
Commerce has filed draft rules (CR-102) to update Washington Administrative Codes, seeking to incorporate 24 housing-related bills passed into law between 2019 and 2024.
These bills relate to housing, urban growth areas and rural planning, and the draft rules will support how local governments plan for affordable housing and increase residential density. This includes accessory dwelling units, tiny houses, design review, local project review, urban growth area swaps and infill development in limited areas of more intensive rural development.
Together, the proposed rules will assist counties and cities in further implementing the Growth Management Act requirements through local comprehensive plans and development regulations. Effective land use planning is critical to sustainable economic development, conservation of natural resource lands and industries, supporting a healthy natural environment, fiscally responsible infrastructure investments, and providing predictability to communities and developers.
How to participate
Questions? For questions, concerns or disability accommodation, please contact Deborah.Jacobs@commerce.wa.gov.
The Short Course on Local Planning
The Short Course on local planning offers an overview of land use planning laws in Washington, an introduction to comprehensive planning and plan implementation under the Growth Management Act, and a review of roles in planning and mandatory training on the Open Public Meetings Act for local government officials. All courses are online, free and public.
Online (Zoom) courses:
Ask about local presentations
Commerce also offers e-visits to local planning commissions or other meetings. Topics include, but are not limited to, comprehensive plan basics and roles in the planning process.
Contact your regional planner to request a presentation.
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