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King County Comprehensive Plan
The central Puget Sound region is growing. Every day in 2019, the region gained 166 people. The Puget Sound Regional Council projects that the region will continue to grow and add another 1.8 million people and 1.2 million jobs by 2050.
The Comprehensive Plan is a key policy document that guides how growth and development will occur 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;
- investments in transit, sewers, and parks;
- protection of working farms and forests; and
- access to clean water, clean air, and a healthy environment.
Read a short FAQ about the Comprehensive Plan here.
The 2024 Update
King County has started a once-a-decade update to its Comprehensive Plan, which guides where people live, work, and play in unincorporated King County. While this is known as the "2024 Update" the process for developing the plan takes place over two years. Please see the planned timeline below.
To ensure that King County will be a welcoming community where every person can thrive, the 2024 update focuses on policies related to racial equity, affordable housing, and climate change. More details about the scope of the update can be found here. There will be many opportunities during the planning process for all county residents and the general public to provide input on the update, until it is adopted by Council in December of 2024.
Executive Recommended 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan
Throughout 2022-2023, the Executive asked for input and shared drafts of the 2024 Comprehensive Plan, a 20-year plan that guides where people live, work, and play in unincorporated communities (places outside of city limits). In December 2023, the Executive Recommended Plan was submitted to the King County Council. Read the proposals below to learn more about the specific actions King County is considering to address social equity, affordable housing, and climate change in our region.
To provide input to the Council on the proposals, send an email to CouncilCompPlan@kingcounty.gov. Additional opportunities for public input will occur throughout 2024 with the Council. Learn more here.
Executive Recommended 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan
Proposed Ordinance (King County Code amendments) (2.3 MB)
2024 King County Comprehensive Plan (Attachment A) (20.7 MB)
Appendix A – Capital Facilities and Utilities (Attachment B) (27.2 MB)
Appendix B – Housing Needs Assessment (Attachment C) (17.6 MB)
Appendix C – Transportation (Attachment D) (3.7 MB)
Appendix C1 – Transportation Needs Report (Attachment E) (29.2 MB)
Appendix C2 – Regional Trail Needs Report (Attachment F) (3.3 MB)
Appendix D1 – Growth Targets and the Urban Growth Area (Attachment G) (405 KB)
Vashon-Maury Island Community Service Area Subarea Plan Amendments (Attachment H) (156 KB)
Land Use and Zoning Map Amendments (Attachment I) (68.6 MB)
Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County Community Service Area Subarea Plan
Supporting documents
Transmittal Letter (123 KB)
Fiscal Note (103 KB)
Public Notice of Intent to Amend (126 KB)
Summary of Comprehensive Plan policy amendments (I-207 Analysis) (5.5 MB)
Summary of Proposed Ordinance (King County Code amendments) (647 KB)
Equity Analysis (11.2 MB)
Public Participation Summary (733 KB)
Area Zoning and Land Use Studies:
Black Diamond Fire Station (1.7 MB)
Carnation Urban Growth Area Exchange (4.1 MB)
Kent Pet Cemetery (1.5 MB)
Maple Valley Industrial (1.9 MB)
Snoqualmie Interchange (1.5 MB)
Sustainable Communities and Housing Projects Demonstration Project (215 KB)
Reports:
Middle Housing Code Study (283 MB)
Vashon-Maury Island P-Suffix Conditions Report (6 MB)
Vashon Rural Town Affordable Housing Special District Overlay Final Evaluation (543 KB)
Update on Best Available Science and Critical Areas Ordinance Review (168 KB)
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (25.5 MB) – Open for public comment through January 31
Draft Environmental Impact Statement Review
King County has issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the 2024 Update. Read the draft here. Interested parties are invited to comment on the contents of the DEIS as follows:
- Email comments to: CompPlan.SEPA@kingcounty.gov
- Mail comments to:
King County Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget
Attn: Ivan Miller
401 Fifth Ave, Suite 810
Seattle, WA 98104
Comment Deadline:
Comments must be received no later than 11:59 PM on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
Public Hearing:
A public hearing on the DEIS is scheduled for January 18, 2024, at the Metropolitan King County Council’s Local Services and Land Use Committee. The meeting will be held at 6:30 PM on zoom and in person at the County Council Chambers in the King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Ave, Room 1001, Seattle, WA. Information on the public hearing and how to submit public comment can be found here.
Comments? Suggestions?
Please feel free to contact us with any comments, questions or requests. Regional Planning staff are looking forward to hearing from you.
For input on or inquiries about the 2024 Update, send an email to: CouncilCompPlan@kingcounty.gov
For inquiries about the current Comprehensive Plan, send an email to: CompPlan@kingcounty.gov
Sign up for the Comprehensive Planning Newsletter.
Project Milestones
- Jan-Jun 2022: King County Executive staff begin the Comprehensive Plan update process.
- Jul 2022-Mid 2023: King County Executive develops and releases draft Comprehensive Plan.
- Mid 2023-Dec 2023: King County Executive staff edit the draft plan based on community input and transmit an Executive Recommended plan with a draft State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to the King County Council for review and approval.
- Jan-Dec 2024: The King County Council reviews, amends, and adopts the final Comprehensive Plan. Final EIS is issued.
What we’ve heard so far
King County is incorporating the results of public feedback to guide the refinement of policy proposals for the final Executive-Recommended Plan, along with a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The final Executive-Recommended Plan was submitted to County Council in December 2023. There will be additional opportunities throughout 2024 to share your thoughts with County Councilmembers as they begin their review of the policies.
FAQs
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.
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 Parcel Viewer and see what’s listed as the jurisdiction.
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. At this time, the county also conducts a study of how much of the predicted growth has happened and evaluates policies to see if they are effective at accommodating it. The next possible five-year update would be 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 changes that address changes in the community's growth and long-term needs, while advancing the County's policy goals.
- To submit specific policy recommendations or changes to land use and zoning, please use the docket application process.
- If you have general comments or suggestions for a current plan update (such as the 2024 update), please submit feedback to CompPlan@kingcounty.gov.
- King County planning staff are available to meet with community groups and other interested parties. Please submit requests to CompPlan@kingcounty.gov.
- Sign up for news about plan updates and Comprehensive Plan topics by joining our mailing list.
Resources
Proposing Changes (including Docket, Four-to-One Proposals, and site-specific zoning changes)
King County Code (including Title 20 Planning and Title 21A Zoning)
PSRC's VISION 2050