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SUMMARY
King County Executive Dow Constantine transmitted the proposed 2024 Comprehensive Plan to the King County Council today. The proposal is a once-a-decade update, which guides where people live, work, and play in unincorporated King County.
STORY
King County Executive Dow Constantine today transmitted the proposed updates for the 2024 Comprehensive Plan, which will guide the County’s policies for the next 20 years on local services, land use, and development regulations in unincorporated King County and for regional services such as transit, sewers, parks, trails, and open space.
The updated plan represents the culmination of a two-year-long planning process, which involved an improved and more equitable public engagement strategy. An Equity Work Group was convened in September 2022 to center community input in the development of the 2024 update, with larger public outreach occurring throughout the process resulting in 1.5 million points of engagement and more than 10,000 comments received.
"This updated Comprehensive Plan is critical to how King County guides growth and makes room for people to live, work, and play in our unincorporated areas while protecting farms, forests, and natural environment, and I am pleased to see how many of our residents lent their voices to the planning process,” said Executive Constantine. “By focusing the updates on equity, housing, and climate change, we ensure that King County will be a welcoming community where every person can thrive, now and into the future.”
"The Executive and County agencies worked tirelessly on this proposal that shapes the County’s future for decades. I look forward to leading this work with my Council colleagues in 2024", said Councilmember Perry. "As 1,700 of our 2,300 square miles are unincorporated, focusing on water, salmon, open space, farms, and forest preservation is critical – as is housing, health, and transportation with 1.8 million more residents by 2050. Excited to get to work!"
The key elements of the plan around the three focus areas include:
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Equity: A new report documenting the local history of racially exclusive and discriminatory land use and housing practices in King County is a foundational element of the plan’s equity focus. The report analyzes how past land use regulations, development decisions, and neighborhood investments have impacted Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) households and proposes actions to repair these harms.
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Housing: The 2024 Update includes changes to increase housing supply and address the affordable housing crisis by encouraging and streamlining the development of middle housing, such as duplexes, triplexes, and accessory dwelling units. In addition, the 2024 Update creates an Inclusionary Housing incentive program that would increase the supply of affordable housing by offering developers cost-saving measures if they voluntarily include affordable units in development projects.
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Climate Change: The 2024 Update supports reductions in fossil fuel use in buildings, utilities, and transportation, and promotes the use of renewable resources. It streamlines permit requirements for firewise clearing and promotes collaboration and planning with community partners to improve forest health and reduce the impacts of wildfires. The 2024 Update also supports the protection and longevity of mature and old-growth forests, a strategy with multiple benefits designed for long-term climate stability. Additionally, it requires climate solutions that distribute benefits equitably, with a focus on frontline communities most impacted by climate-related harm.
The 2024 Update also includes the proposed Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County Community Service Area Subarea plan, as well as related amendments to land use and zoning, development regulations in the King County Code, and the Vashon-Maury Island Community Service Area Subarea Plan.
The King County Council will now review the plan throughout 2024, with the final adoption planned for December. There will be opportunities for public input throughout the review process. Most immediately is the draft Environmental Impact Statement, which is accepting public comment now through January 31, 2024.
More information can be found at www.kingcounty.gov/CompPlan.
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