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Mar
29

King County Comprehensive Plan

Learn more about what the Comprehensive Plan covers and get details on the 2024 update and other ongoing work.

About the plan

The central Puget Sound region is growing. Since 2020, the region has grown by 130 people a day. By 2050, the region is expected to have nearly 6 million people and 3 million jobs.

The Comprehensive Plan is a key policy document that guides how to plan for and how to accommodate the growth and development in unincorporated King County over the next 20 years. It guides County decisions and services such as:

  • where homes, offices, or stores can be built;
  • how roads, buildings and trees contribute to the look and feel of neighborhoods;
  • protection of working farms and forests;
  • access to clean water, clean air, and a healthy environment; and
  • investments in regional services, such as transit, sewers, and parks.

In 2024, the County completed a once-every-ten-years update to the Comprehensive Plan.

Read a short FAQ about the update here and view the adopted plan here .

2025 Critical Areas Ordinance Update

As required by the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA), King County is reviewing and updating the policies and regulations used to protect public health and safety by limiting development in hazard areas, including steep slopes and flood zones, and to protect environmentally critical areas, including wetlands and streams. Regulations in King County Code that protect critical areas are often referred to as the Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) and are required by the GMA to include the latest best available science (BAS).

The County began this review in 2022 and developed draft updates in consultation with Indian tribes, state and federal agencies, and community partners. Key project milestones include:

  • Public notice of the potential areas of change was provided in May 2022, June 2022, January 2023, and June 2023 as part of the 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan update (2024 update).
  • A progress report that identified considered changes was published in December 2023.
  • The draft environmental impact statement for the 2024 update , which included evaluation of potential changes to critical areas regulations, was published in December 2023.
  • An initial BAS report and proposed policy and code updates were published in March 2024.
  • The final environmental impact statement for the 2024 update, which will include evaluation of potential changes to critical areas regulations, was published in November 2024.
  • Public comment opportunities throughout the 2024 update process.

The Executive completed additional review and refinement of the CAO update and BAS report in 2024, and the County intends to adopt updates to critical areas regulations in 2025. Under the reasonable progress exception in RCW 36.70.130(7)(b), the County Council must adopt the CAO update no later than December 2025. These proposed changes are currently under consideration by the Council and might be changed further. Input on the proposals can be submitted to CouncilCompPlan@kingcounty.gov.

December 2024 Proposed Critical Areas Update

Critical Areas King County Code Updates (1.1 MB)

Critical Areas Comprehensive Plan Updates (153 KB)

Supporting documents

Transmittal Letter (126 KB)

Best Available Science Review and Updates to Critical Areas Protection, October 2024 (4.3 MB)

Summary of Proposed Critical Areas Update (145 KB) 

Frequently Asked Questions (167 KB) 

Plain Language Summary of Proposed Code Updates (297 KB)

Plain Language Summary of Proposed Policy Updates (90 KB)

 

Comprehensive Plan FAQs

Why does King County have a Comprehensive Plan?

In 1990, the Washington state legislature enacted the Growth Management Act (GMA) in response to rapid and uncoordinated growth at the time. In addition to aligning state, multi-county, countywide, and local planning, the GMA requires local governments in fast-growing and densely populated areas to develop and adopt comprehensive plans. King County’s planning role is complex in that it is responsible for regional services and is also the local government to unincorporated areas. Thus, King County’s Comprehensive Plan offers a vision for how unincorporated areas will grow and how regional services – such as transit, parks and solid waste – will be provided.

The policies throughout the plan support good planning principles such as directing new homes and jobs to areas near current and planned transit centers. Another is that rural and resource lands are protected through an urban growth boundary, which allows our region to keep working farms and forests.

What is an unincorporated area?

Unincorporated areas are areas outside of city limits. If you live or do business in neighborhoods such as Skyway, White Center, Vashon-Maury Island, or Redmond Ridge, King County is your main provider of local government services.

Here are two ways to find out if you are located in an unincorporated area:

  • Find or enter your address on this map. The green layer shows unincorporated King County.
  • Enter your address in King County’s Districts Report and see what’s listed as the jurisdiction.

What does the comprehensive plan say about the future of my community?

The land use map in the Comprehensive Plan shows the general types of planned, long-term uses allowed on each parcel of land. This informs the zoning category applied to each parcel, which sets more specific, current allowed uses and associated development regulations. You can search for a parcel's land use designation and zoning classification here. The plan also includes policies about specific topics, such as housing or parks, which are grouped in the plan by chapter.

Who is responsible for developing and approving the Comprehensive Plan?

In The King County Executive is responsible for developing the Comprehensive Plan and sending it to the King County Council for final review and approval. When developing the Comprehensive Plan, the Executive works in coordination with regional and local jurisdictional partners and the public. Public input is welcome throughout the process and there are many opportunities to submit comments and make requests. The Executive considers all comments in developing the Executive Recommended Plan. The King County Council reviews the plan, proposes amendments, and votes on whether to adopt the final version.

How often is the plan updated?

There are three types of updates: technical adjustments, limited updates, and major updates.

  • Every year, there is an opportunity to make technical adjustments to the plan and minor changes to land use designations and zoning classifications.
  • Once every five years, a limited range of substantive changes can be considered. The next possible five-year update would be completed in 2029.
  • Finally, at least once every ten years, King County is required to review and update the plan to ensure compliance with the goals and requirements of the GMA. These updates are also an opportunity to make in-depth and broad ranging policy updates that address changes in the community's growth and long-term needs, while advancing the County's policy goals. The next ten-year update will be adopted in 2034.

How do I submit changes, make recommendations or stay involved?

 

 

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