WHEREAS, the state Growth Management Act requires the City to have a comprehensive plan and to review that plan on a regular schedule;

WHEREAS, the City adopted its Comprehensive Plan: Toward a Sustainable Seattle in 1994;

WHEREAS, the City most recently completed a major review of the Comprehensive Plan in 2004;

WHEREAS, in 2008 the Puget Sound Regional Council adopted Vision 2040, which provides guidance for growth planning in the four county region that encompasses Seattle;

WHEREAS, in the eight years since the most recent review the city has experienced net growth of over 25,000 housing units, more than 50% of the 47,000 housing units expected over the Comprehensive Plan's 20-year projected horizon, while national economic conditions have made it difficult for the City to achieve the 84,000 new jobs expected in the current Comprehensive Plan;

WHEREAS, the King County Growth Management Planning Council in 2010 adopted new growth assumptions showing Seattle is expected to receive approximately 70,000 housing units and 115,000 jobs over the coming 20 years;

WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature has extended until 2015 the requirement for the City to review and update its Comprehensive Plan;

WHEREAS, the nation and local area continue to suffer from a prolonged economic downturn that has hindered job growth and diminished government's ability to deliver increasingly needed services;

WHEREAS, since the last major review of the Comprehensive Plan in 2004, the first phase of regional light rail service has opened service in Seattle, and voters have approved expansion of that service to include additional stations in the city, suggesting the need for the City to define development expectations and focus infrastructure investment in these areas;

WHEREAS, there is growing awareness of the effects of climate change, and the City Council has established a goal of achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050;

WHEREAS, the fundamental principle underlying the Comprehensive Plan is the desire for the Seattle to grow in ways that are sustainable for Seattle and the region;

WHEREAS, the City's Comprehensive Plan is an appropriate document in which to articulate how the City will address both causes and effects of climate change;

WHEREAS, in order for Seattle to continue being competitive for the knowledge-based industries that are expected to fuel future economic growth, the City must find ways to retain family-wage jobs and encourage innovative jobproducing businesses;

WHEREAS, to maintain economic resilience, the City must continue to promote its economic diversity, including the healthy import/export and industrial sectors that provide employment for large numbers of area residents;

WHEREAS, the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) published a Public Participation Program for the major review of the Comprehensive Plan in October 2011 that included a schedule through 2013 and summarized the additional outreach DPD will take to solicit feedback and comments on potential changes to the Comprehensive Plan;

WHEREAS, in light of the State's extended deadline for the City to comply with its major review, DPD recommends a modified "phased" approach to its major review of the Comprehensive Plan and development regulations that would allow the City to review and, if needed, update portions of the Comprehensive Plan and its development regulations concurrently with the annual update process in 2013, in 2014 and in 2015;

WHEREAS, DPD conducted significant public outreach in 2011 as part of its Public Participation Program to learn the opinions of city residents and business owners regarding issues that the City should consider as part of the major review of the Comprehensive Plan;

WHEREAS, DPD will publish a revised version of the Public Participation Program that will correspond with the schedule for the phased major review of the Comprehensive Plan and that may augment the public participation used in the annual amendment process as set forth in Resolution No. 31117;

WHEREAS, DPD will consider and incorporate the public comments that have been received in

2011 as part of the Comprehensive Plan major review, as amendments are developed

each year between 2012 and 2015;

NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:

Section 1. The Growth Management Act (GMA) requires municipalities to adopt a Public Participation Program (Program) that provides for early and continuous public involvement when reviewing and amending their Comprehensive Plan. The GMA also allows the Program to be modified to meet changing schedules and deadlines. The State extended the City's deadline to complete its Comprehensive Plan review until 2015. The City, correspondingly, will modify its Program to reflect the schedule change and will conduct additional public outreach in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to solicit feedback and public comment on any proposed modifications to the Comprehensive Plan and development regulations.

Section 2. The Executive should proceed with a major review of the City's Comprehensive Plan in order to address these themes which were informed by a broad and inclusive public outreach process:

a. Promote economic opportunity. Foster a business environment where employers are encouraged to stay in or to move to Seattle because of the available labor pool, the amenities and services provided, and the regulatory environment.

b. Leverage growth. Encourage shops and services to locate where existing or planned residential and employment densities are sufficient to make delivery of services efficient; and where the City and the private sector can collaborate on further enhancements to the urban environment.

c. Become a climate-friendly city. Guide the form and location of growth and transportation infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gases produced in the city, even as the city grows, and identify strategies for coping with the likely effects of a changing climate.

d. Build healthy, complete communities. Develop policies that further the Comprehensive Plan's current Urban Village strategy by improving the availability of services within convenient walking and bicycling distance of where people live.

e. Create housing choices. Continue to encourage a sufficient land base that is appropriately zoned and with regulations in place that allow a wide variety of attractive and affordable housing types in sufficient quantity to serve current and future Seattle residents and workers.

f. Balance transportation investments. Continue to maintain existing transportation facilities, while encouraging expansion of pedestrian and bicycle facilities and increasing transit service to densely developed neighborhoods.

g. Build on transit. Encourage appropriate levels of development near existing and planned high-capacity transit stations in order to make it possible for more people to easily take advantage of the access that transit service can provide to jobs, services and entertainment.

h. Invest strategically in neighborhoods. Direct public improvements in neighborhoods where growth is occurring, so that those neighborhoods can continue to serve current residents and attract additional ones.

i. Encourage great design and innovation. Identify ways that new development can respect the natural beauty and unique neighborhood identities that make Seattle an attractive city. At the same time, look for ways to attract new industries that can thrive in the city.

Section 3. In reviewing and revising the Comprehensive Plan, the Executive should look for ways to make the document more accessible and usable for citizens and policy makers, including by:

a. Explaining how the Comprehensive Plan is related to other plans, including Vision 2040, the King County Countywide Planning Policies, and various City plans such as the Transportation Strategic Plan, the Climate Action Plan and capital investment plans.

b. Revising current policies to increase clarity, remove redundancy and ensure relevance to the purpose of the Comprehensive Plan.

c. Producing an electronic version of the Comprehensive Plan and revising the format to make it easier for readers to find relevant information and to understand policies.

Section 4. The Executive should continue to work collaboratively with the Planning Commission to encourage broad public engagement about the following objectives and in order for the 2015 major review of the Comprehensive Plan to build on the values and creativity of city residents, businesses and other stakeholders:

a. Update the Comprehensive Plan to reflect the community's values and aspirations.

b. Provide objective information to assist the public in understanding issues and solutions.

c. Provide opportunities for the public to contribute ideas and provide feedback through all phases of the Comprehensive Plan major review.

d. Improve the involvement of traditionally underrepresented audiences.

e. Make the major review accessible and engaging to interested participants by using a variety of media, plain English and easy-to understand materials.

f. Make the major review racially and culturally inclusive.

Section 5. To facilitate review by the public and the Council, the Executive should generally adhere to the following schedule:

Fall 2012: Recommend for early 2013 City Council action, as part of the annual Comprehensive Plan amendment process, amendments adding more explicit urban design considerations; policies related to the City's Climate Action Plan; policies regarding appropriate development types and densities near existing and planned transit investments; and policies that encourage equitable access to healthy food.

2013: Develop background analysis, identify particular issues, work with City departments to identify citywide policy issues requiring further review; and request public comments on key issues. Reconfigure online Plan format to improve readability, cross-references and topical searching. Develop appropriate recommendations for further amendments resulting from the Executive's review and recommend those to City Council as part of the annual amendment cycle, as appropriate, for Council consideration in early 2014.

Spring 2014: Publish draft revised Comprehensive Plan, including new citywide growth expectations and appropriate policy revisions, for public review and comment; begin environmental review of proposed changes to the Plan not already adopted by Council as part of the 2013 and 2014 annual amendments.

Fall 2014: Submit Recommended Comprehensive Plan to Council.

2015: Council consideration of updated Plan in first half of year.

Section 6. The Executive and City Council should review amendments suggested as part of the annual Comprehensive Plan processes for 2013 and 2014 to determine whether those amendments fit with the schedule and guidance described in this resolution.

Adopted by the City Council the ____ day of ____________________, 2012, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this________ day

of ______________________, 2012.

_________________________________

President ___________of the City Council

THE MAYOR CONCURRING:

_________________________________

Michael McGinn, Mayor

Filed by me this ____ day of ________________________, 2012.

____________________________________

Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk

(Seal)

Tom Hauger DPD Comp Plan Major Review RES March 16, 2012 Version # 3