HomeMy WebLinkAbout1325RESOLUTION NO. /3d S
A RESOLUTION of the City
Council of the City of Kent,
Washington, regarding adoption of
City of Kent Planning Goals.
WHEREAS, the Washington State Growth Management Act
outlines thirteen planning goals, as outlined in RCW 36.70A.020,
which are to guide the development and adoption of local
comprehensive plans; and
WHEREAS, the Growth Management Act also requires the
adoption and ratification of County-Wide Planning Policies, which
are to provide a County-Wide framework from which local
comprehensive plans are to be developed (RCW 36. 70A. 210) , and which
were adopted by the King County Council on July 6, 1992; and
WHEREAS, in
Department coordinated
February and March, 19 9 2 , the
the Kent Community Forum on
Planning
Growth
Management and Visioning, a public participation effort in which
over 400 people participated, and the findings of which are
outlined in a report dated June, 1992; and
WHEREAS, the City of Kent Administration's Growth
Management Work Program outlines the preparation and adoption of
local planning goals as a Planning Department work task; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Department prepared a draft set of
planning goals which were based on the goals outlined in the Growth
Management Act, the County-Wide planning policies adopted by the
King County Council, and the results of the Community Forum on
Growth Management and Visioning; and
WHEREAS, these draft goals were reviewed by Community
Forum participants, and the Planning Department conducted public
workshops on August 11 and August 20, 1992, to solicit input on the
proposed goals; and
WHEREAS, the proposed goals were reviewed by the Kent
Human Services Commission on July 23, 1992, and the Commission
recommended a set of Human Services Planning Goals to the City
Council; and
WHEREAS, the Kent Planning Commission conducted a
workshop on the Planning Goals on August 10, 1992, and a public
hearing on the goals on August 24, 1992, and voted to recommend
Planning Goals to the City Council, including the designation of
Kent as an Urban Center and a Manufacturing/Industrial Center; and
WHEREAS, the City Council approved the Planning
Commission's recommendation and adopted the Planning Goals on
September 1, 1992; and
WHEREAS, these Planning Goals have been reviewed pursuant
to the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (RCW 43.21), and
a Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS) was issued by the City of
Kent Responsible Official on September 10, 1992; NOW THEREFORE,
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THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT, WASHINGTON DOES
HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City of Kent Planning Goals, attached
hereto marked as Exhibit A, and incorporated herein by this
reference, are hereby approved and adopted by the City of Kent City
Council.
Section 2. These Planning Goals shall be used by all
City Departments as the policy framework for preparation of the
City's Comprehensive Plan as required by the Washington State
Growth Management Act.
Section 3. The City of Kent shall designate an Urban
Center and a Manufacturing/Industrial Center within its planning
area, for review by the King County Growth Management Planning
Council pursuant to the County-Wide Planning Policies.
Section 4. These Planning Goals shall be interpreted in
light of the vision for Kent which was developed through the Kent
Community Forum on Growth Management and Visioning.
Section 5. The Planning Goals attached hereto shall be
filed with the City Clerk and the office of the Planning Department
and made available for public inspection.
Passed at a regular meeting of the City Council of the
City of Kent, Washington this ~ of ~ , 1992.
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) _9;Ulcurred in by the
day of .&ffo411lfi-i1rl 1992 0
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Mayor of the City of Kent, this
\ \~~'\-.~~-~
DAN KELLEHER, MAYOR
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
Resolution No o 13 ~ 5' , passed by the city Council of the City of
Kent, Washington, the I:;·· day of 4~ , 1992 o
pgoals.res
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EXHIBIT A
INTRODUCTION
Section 2 of ESHB 2929, the Growth Management Act (GMA) of 1990, outlines
planning goals to guide the development and adoption of comprehensive plans and
development regulations for the counties and cities required or choosing to plan under
the provisions of the Act. The planning goals discuss such issues as urban growth,
environmental protection, transportation, capital facilities, and housing. lncaddition,
the 1991 amendment to the Growth Management Act (HB 1 025) required that all
counties planning under the provisions of the Act prepare countywide planning
policies. These policies must address several issues, including designation of urban
growth areas, promotion of "contiguous and orderly development and provision of
urban services to such development", affordable housing, and policies for joint county
and city planning within urban growth areas. Countywide planning policies were
adopted by the King County Council on July 6, 1992, and are now being considered
by cities within the County for ratification.
This report will outline proposed planning goals for the City of Kent. These proposed
local planning goals are based on the state goals in the Growth Management Act, the
regional goals outlined in the Countywide Planning Policies, and local priorities as
reflected in the City's Growth Management Public Participation Program and existing
plans. These local planning goals, once adopted by the City Council, will provide an
overall framework for the goals, policies, and objectives which will be developed as
part of the City's Comprehensive Plan, as well as the development regulations which
will subsequently be adopted to implement the Plan.
BACKGROUND
A. Growth Management Act
The Growth Management Act lists thirteen planning goals to guide the development
of local comprehensive plans and development regulations. The goals address the
following issues:
-urban growth
-reduction of urban sprawl
-transportation
-housing
-economic development
-private property rights
-permits
-natural resource industries
-open space and recreation
-environmental protection
-citizen participation and coordination
-public facilities and services
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
-historic preservation
.
The goals in their entirety are outlined in Appendix A. These goals have been used
as the overall framework for development of the proposed local planning goals
contained in this report. Although the goals are fairly general, they do provide policy
direction and summarize the intent of the Act. The State Legislature, however,
recognized the need for each county to develop planning policies specific to its own
needs and priorities. Therefore, during its 1991 session, the Legislature amended the
GMA to require that counties prepare countywide planning policies. The intent of
these policies, according to the Act, is to establish a framework from which county
and· city comprehensive plans are development, and to ensure that county and city
plans are consistent with one another.
B. Countywide Planning Policies
Pursuant to the requirements in the 1991 amendments to the Growth Management
Act regarding countywide planning policies, the King County Growth Management
Planning Council (GMPC) was formed in October, 1991. The GMPC is a group of
fifteen elected officials:from Seattle, King County, and suburban cities which was
established to develop countywide planning policies to recommend to the King
County Council. The GMPC was also given authority to devise a formula for
ratification of the countywide planning policies, and a procedure for amending the
policies.
In June, the GMPC forwarded its recommended policies to the King County Council.
The countywide policies, like the planning goals contained in the Growth Management
Act, cover a broad spectrum of issues. These include:
-critical areas
-the countywide land use pattern
-transportation
-community character and open space
-affordable housing
-contiguous and orderly development
-siting public capital facilities of a countywide or statewide nature
-economic development and fiscal impact
The County Council adopted the countywide policies on July 6. The Kent City
Council is currently considering ratification of the countywide planning policies, as are
every other city in King County. If the policies are ratified pursuant to the interlocal
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
agreement between King County and its cities, they will become the mandated
framework to be used by all cities in the cau·nty in developing their_ comprehensive
plans. Therefore, these policies have an extremely important influence on the
development of Kent's local planning goals. The framework policies developed by the
GMPC and adopted by the County Council are outlined in Appendix B. Copies of the
Countywide Planning Policies in their entirety are available at the Kent Planning
Department.
C. Kent Community Forum and Visual Preference Survey
The Growth Management Act requires local communities to involve citizens in the
planning process. The Kent City Council decided that the City should undertake an
effective type of public participation process for growth management, in an effort to
involve as many people as possible. This emphasis led to the adoption by the Council
of the Growth Management Community Participation Program which involved two
components: the Community Forum and the Visual Preference Survey.
The Community Forum consisted of dozens of small group discussions throughout the
greater Kent area, led by a facilitator, or "convener", on the subject of growth
management. The participants watched a video, held a group discussion, and filled
out a questionnaire prepared by the Planning Department. Over 400 people
participated in these forums, which were conducted in February, 1992.
The second component of the Community Participation Program was the Visual
Preference Survey (VPS). VPS participants rate a series of slide images of selected
development types, streets, and open spaces on a scale from + 1 0 to -1 0. Over 75
people participated in Kent's VPS, which was conducted in March 1992 by A.
Nelesson Associates, a New Jersey urban design firm which developed this technique.
In many cases, the results of this process corroborated the results of the Community
Forum.
The information provided through this effort has been used to help formulate the
proposed local planning goals contained in this report, and will be utilized in the
development of the comprehensive plan. Some of the results of the Community
Forum process which were used to develop the proposed planning goals are listed in
Appendix C. A report outlining the complete results of the Community Forum and
VPS is available for review from the Kent Planning Department.
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
D. Human Services Report
The proposed Human Services Planning Goals were developed in part from goals
outlined in the "Report of the Human Services Study Committee on Human Services
Policies", dated August, 1986
E. Public Process
The Planning Department prepared an evaluation form for the proposed Planning Goals
and mailed the draft goals and the evaluation form to all Community Forum and Visual
Preference Survey participants. The Planning Department also held two public forums
to solicit further input on the draft goals, and to present some visual concepts of what
implementation of these goals might mean for Kent's future growth and development
pattern. These forums were held on August 11 and August 20. The input received
from the evaluation forms and the forums was taken into consideration when
preparing this report.
RECOMMENDED GOALS
The following goals are outlined by subject matter. The sections for the most part
follow the goals outlined in the Growth Management Act. There are some issues,
such as human services and urban design, for which the GMA does not outline
specific planning goals; however, since these are important issues in Kent, goals
relating to these issues have been prepared and included in the report.
The following planning goals shall be interpreted in light of the vision for Kent which
was developed through the Kent Community Forum on Growth Management and
Visioning, as outlined in the report dated June, 1992.
URBAN GROWTH
UG-1 A future growth and development pattern shall be encouraged which
minimizes urban sprawl. In particular, the conversion of undeveloped
land not presently in the City into low-density urban development shall
be discouraged.
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
UG-2
UG-3
UG-4
UG-5
UG-6
UG-7
UG-8
The City's Urban Growth Area boundary shall be coordin~ted with King
County and surrounding jurisdictions, and will reflect the regional growth
vision as expressed in Vision 2020 and the Countywide Planning
Policies. The Urban Growth Area shall provide enough land to
accommodate at least twenty years of residential, commercial, and
industrial growth, and will represent the City's future annexation area.
Growth shall occur first in areas already served by public infrastructure,
particularly roads, water, and sewer systems.
Areas shall be designated within the city's planning area for medium to
high-density development, in order to preserve existing neighborhoods
and open space areas and enhance transit opportunities.
Mixed use development shall be encouraged in designated areas within
the planning area.
Kent shall designate an Urban Center area, within which employment,
housing,. infrastructure, and transit improvements shall be
concentrated. 1
Kent shall designate a Manufacturing/Industrial Center, within which
manufacturing land uses and employment will be concentrated, and
which shall be served by transit.
The City shall work with citizens to define neighborhoods to foster a
strong sense of community. The City and each neighborhood shall
cooperatively develop neighborhood plans addressing land use, mobility,
parks, and public facilities and services.
1Proposed planning goals UG-6 and UG-7 have been included
pursuant to Countywide Planning Policies FW-11 and FW-12, which
outline the designation of Urban and Manufacturing/Industrial
Centers in King county. These designations would be made by the
GMPC. Under the countywide policies, local jurisdictions must
propose whether or not they wish to contain an urban or
manufacturing/industrial center by October 1, 1992.
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
TRANSPORTATION
TR-1 The City shall develop a transportation network which promotes a
variety of mobility options, including private automobile, public transit,
bicycling, and walking.
TR-2 The City shall support development of public transit, including commuter
rail. Transit service shall be focussed in designated medium and high-
density centers within the City.
TR-3 The City shall promote and encourage programs which reduce the
number of single occupant vehicles (SOV).
TR-4 The City's transportation system shall be coordinated with the State of
Washington, METRO, King County, and all surrounding jurisdictions. The
City's transportation planning will reflect regional priorities as established
in Vision 2020 and the Countywide Planning Policies.
HOUSING
H-1 Preserve, maintain and improve the City's existing single-family and
multi-family residential neighborhoods.
H-2 Guide new residential development into areas where the needed services
and facilities are available, and in a manner which is compatible with
existing neighborhoods.
H-3 Encourage an adequate and balanced supply of housing units offering a
diversity of size, densities, age, style and cost. Assure that
opportunities for a diversity of housing is available to all income levels.
H-4 Ensure environmental quality in residential areas.
H-5 Ensure housing opportunities for persons with special needs, such as
senior citizens, the homeless, mentally and developmentally disabled,
and low and moderate income persons and families.
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
H-6 Encourage residential development in designated medium and high-
density commercial and mixed use areas.
H-7 Ensure opportunities for affordable housing in close proximity to
employment, public transportation, and human services.
HUMAN SERVICES
HS-1 The City shall maintain and enhance the quality of life for all citizens
through the provision and support of effective and accessible human
services.
HS-2
HS-3
HS-4
HS-5
HS-6
HS-7
HS-8
HS-9
HS-10
The City shall incorporate consideration of the social and human
development needs of its citizens in all areas of physical planning.
The City shall continue its commitment to human services by allocating
funding, staff, and other resources to address the needs of its residents.
The City shall ensure the fairest distribution and most effective use of its
human services resources, consistent with adopted priorities and criteria.
The City shall maintain information on current community human service
needs and available resources.
The City shall support the long term stability and viability of the
community based human services system.
The City shall take an active role in regional and sub-regional human
services issues and form partnerships to effectively address human
service needs.
The City shall educate the community and promote awareness of human
service needs.
The City shall provide for the full spectrum of human services needs
through the support of programs that address emergency needs,
preventative services, and life enhancement services.
The City shall promote and support humans services which are culturally
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
relevant and physically accessible to all populations.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ED-1 An adequate supply of land shall be designated for commercial and
industrial development to accommodate at least the next 20 years of
growth.
ED-2 Additional office and retail development shall be encouraged, particularly
in designated centers which can be served by transit.
ED-3 Public infrastructure, transportation, and transit service enhancements
shall be utilized to focus economic development in designated medium
and high-density areas.
PROPERTY RIGHTS
PR-1 Private property shall not be taken for public use without just
compensation.
PR-2 The property rights of landowners shall be protected from arbitrary and
discriminatory actions.
PR-3 In developing policies, plans and regulations, the City shall mm1m1ze
impacts on private property rights, when feasible and consistent with the
public's interest.
PERMITS
P-1 The City shall process permit applications in a fair and timely manner,
while ensuring that the public's health, safety and welfare are not
compromised.
P-2 The City shall allocate adequate resources to the permit review process./
P-3 The City shall establish and utilize policies and procedures for permit
review that will ensure that the review process is consistent and
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
predictable.
NATURAL RESOURCE INDUSTRIES
NR-1 The City shall ensure the conservation and enhancement of productive
agricultural land through regulation, acquisition or other methods.
NR-2 Lands designated for long-term commercial agricultural use shall not be
considered for urban development.
NR-3 The City shall discourage incompatible land uses adjacent to agricultural
lands.
NR-4 The City shall condition development in order to minimize impacts on
viable agricultural lands.
OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION
OS-1
OS-2
OS-3
OS-4
OS-5
The City shall preserve and enhance significant open space, including
environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, fish and wildlife
habitat, areas prone to flooding or geological hazards, and stream
corridors. The City shall also preserve and maintain its active and
passive recreational areas, cultural resource areas, scenic vistas, and
areas which serve as physical or visual buffers.
The City shall inventory its significant open spaces and develop a
comprehensive management plan for those spaces.
The City shall seek to acquire the most significant open spaces.
The City shall identify and designate open space corridors that will
connect environmentally sensitive areas, viewsheds, or other areas
where a contiguous system would provide greater benefit than a series
of isolated areas.
The City shall regularly update its Comprehensive Park Plan for use as a
tool in inventorying and planning current and future active and passive
recreational open spaces.
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
ENVIRONMENT
E-1 The City shall protect and enhance the environment, including air and
water quality and the availability of water.
E-2 The City shall ensure that its land use and transportation policies protect
the City's air and water quality.
E-3 The City shall develop and implement a comprehensive water quality
plan that will protect and restore stream habitat and water quality.
E-4 The City shall participate in regional plans and programs to protect and
restore regional air and water quality.
E-5 The City shall develop a comprehensive water resources plan that will
ensure adequate supplies of water within the next twenty years.
PUBLIC FACILITIES
PF-1 The provision of public facilities shall be closely coordinated with the
City's land use plan. Emphasis for extension and improvement of public
facilities will be placed in those areas of the city designated for medium
and high-density development.
PF-2 Development shall not occur in areas unless there are public facilities and
services in place or planned which are adequate to accommodate that
development. Level of service standards should be established for public
facilities which ensure the adequacy of services while at the same time
facilitating the city's land use goals.
PF-3 Provision of public facilities shall be phased in 6-10 year increments.
The initial phase shall focus on providing and enhancing service to areas
which are already urbanized.
PF-4 Public facilities planning shall be coordinated with adjacent jurisdictions
and special districts. Within the City's designated annexation area, as
time and conditions warrant, the City may assume urban services which
are presently provided by special districts.
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
URBAN DESIGN
UD-1 The City shall develop an urban design strategy which reflects the
desired community vision, its environmental and historical setting, and
which maintains and enhances the livability, vitality and identity of the
community.
UD-2 Through development of an urban design strategy, the City shall ensure
that the comprehensive plan and regulations and policies implementing
the plan reflect the desired visions of the citizens of Kent.
UD-3 The urban design strategy shall communicate the desired visions on a
citywide as well as a neighborhood scale.
UD-4 The City shall utilize visual images to better communicate City goals to
the development community and the public.
UD-5 The City shall promote citizen awareness of urban design issues.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
HP-1 Kent's cultural, physical, and environmental heritage shall be preserved
and protected.
HP-2 Buildings having historic significance shall be preserved. Enhancement
and renovation of historic buildings shall be encouraged.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Cl-1 The City shall provide for public participation in the development and
amendment of the comprehensive plan and regulations and policies
implementing such plans.
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City of Kent
Planning Goals
CONCLUSION
Although these proposed goals encompass a wide range of issues, they are designed
to be consistent with each other, and together represent a cohesive and
comprehensive set of planning goals for the city. City Council adoption of these
goals, after a public review process, will provide an overall policy framework for the
city's comprehensive plan, will help ensure that elements within the comprehensive
plan are consistent with one another, and assure that the city's planning goals are
consistent with state and regional priorities.
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APPENDIX A
GROWfH MANAGEMENT ACT
PLANNING GOALS
PART I
GOALS AND PLANNING
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. PLANNING GOALS. The following goals are adopted to guide
the development and adoption of comprehensive plans and development regulations of those counties
and cities that are required to choose to plan under section 4 of this act. The following goals are not
listed in order of priority and shall be used exclusively for the purpose of guiding the development of
comprehensive plans and development regulations:
(1) Urban growth. Encourage development in urban areas where adequate public
facilities and services exist or can be provided in an efficient manner.
(2) Reduce sprawl. Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into
sprawling, low-density development.
(3) Transportation. Encourage efficient multimodal transportation systems that are
based on regional priorities and coordinated with county and city comprehensive plans.
(4) Housing. Encourage the availability of affordable housing to all economic segments
of the population of this state, promote a variety of residential densities and housing types, and
encourage preservation of existing housing stock.
(5) Economic development. Encourage economic development throughout the state
that is consistent with adopted comprehensive plans, promote economic opportunity for all citizens of
this state, especially for unemployed and for disadvantaged persons, and encourage growth in areas
experiencing insufficient economic growth, all within the capacities of the state's natural resources,
public services and public facilities.
(6) Property rights. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just
compensation having been made. The property rights of landowners shall be' protected from arbitrary
and discriminatory actions.
(7) Permits. Application for both state and local government permits should be
processed in a timely and fair manner to ensure predictability.
(8) Natural resource industries. Maintain and enhance natural resource-based industries,
including productive timber, agricultural, and fisheries industries. Encourage the conservation of
productive forest lands and productive agricultural lands, and discourage incompatible uses.
(9) Open space and recreation. Encourage the retention of open space an development
of recreational opportunities, conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural resource
lands and water, and develop parks.
(1 0) Environment. Protect the environment and enhance the state's high quality of life,
including air and water quality, and the availability of water.
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APPENDIX A
GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT
PLANNING GOALS
(11) Citizen participation and coordination. Encourage the involvement of citizens in
the planning process and ensure coordinatipn between communities and jurisdictions to reconcile
conflicts.
(12) Public facilities and services. · Ensure that those public facilities and services
. necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the
development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally
established minimum standards.
(13) Historic preservation. Identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites and
structures that have historical or archaeological significance.
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Environmental Protection
APPENDIX B
COUNTYWIDE PLANNING POLICIES
FRAMEWORK POLICIES
All jurisdictions shall protect and enhance the natural ecosystems through compr~h~nsive plans and
policies, and develop regulations that reflect natural constraints and protect sensitive features. Land
use and development shall be regulated in a manner which respects fish and· wildlife habitat in
conjunction with natural features and functions, including air and water quality. Natural resources and
the built environment shall be managed to protect, improve, and sustain environmental quality while
minimizing public and private costs. (FW-3)
Puget Sound, floodplains, rivers, streams and other water resources shall be managed for multiple
beneficial uses including flood and erosion hazard reduction, fish and wildlife habitat, agriculture, open
space, water supply, and hydropower. Use of water resources for one purpose shall, to the fullest
extent possible, preserve and promote opportunities for other uses. (FW-4)
Land Use Pattern
The land use pattern for the County shall protect the natural environment by reducing the consumption
of land and concentrating development. Urban Growth Areas, Rural Areas, and Resource Lands shall
be designated and the necessary implementing regulations adopted. This includes Countywide
establishment of a boundary for the Urban Growth Area. Local jurisdictions shall make land use
decisions based on the Countywide Planning Policies. (FW-5)
Urban Growth Areas, Rural Areas, and Resource Lands shall be designated and the necessary
implementing regulations adopted. This includes Countywide establishment of an Urban Growth Area.
Local jurisdictions shall establish these land use designations, based on the Countywide Planning
Policies. (FW-6)
All jurisdictions acknowledge that rural areas provide an overall benefit for all residents of King County.
Strategies to fund infrastructure and services in rural areas may be needed to support a defined rural
level of service. Towns and cities in the rural areas play an important role as local trade and
community centers. (FW-7)
The land use pattern for King County shall protect the natural environment by reducing the
consumption of land and concentrating development. An Urban Growth Area, Rural Areas, and
Resource Lands shall be designated and the necessary implementing regulations adopted. This includes
Countywide establishment of a boundary for the Urban Growth Area. Local jurisdictions shall make
land use decisions based on the Countywide Planning Policies. (FW-8)
The Urban Growth Area shall provide enough land to accommodate future development. Policies to
phase the provision of urban services and to ensure efficient use of the growth capacity within the
Urban Growth Area shall be instituted. (FW-9)
Cities are the appropriate provider .of local urban services to urban areas. Counties are the appropriate
providers of most countywide services. Urban services shall not be extended through the use special
districts without approval of the appropriate jurisdiction. Within the urban area, as time and conditions
warrant, cities should assume urban services provided by special purpose districts. (FW-1 0)
Within the Urban Growth Area, a limited number of Urban Centers which meet specific criteria
established in the Countywide Planning Policies shall be locally designated. (FW-11)
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APPENDIX 8
COUNTYWIDE PLANNING POLICIES
FRAMEWORK POLICIES
Within the Urban Growth Area, the Countywide Planning Policies shall assure a number of locally-
designated Manufacturing/Industrial Centers which me~t specific criteria established il} the Countywide
Planning Policies [will be locally designated): (FW-12)
Urban and Manufacturing/Industrial Centers shall be complemented by the land use pattern outside the
centers but within the urban area. This area shall include: urban residential neighborhoods, activity
areas, business/office parks, and an urban open space network. Within these areas, future
development shall be limited in scale and intensity to support the countywide land use and regional
transportation plan. (FW-13)
Transportation
The use land pattern shall be supported by a balanced transportation system which provides for a
variety of mobility options. This system shall be cooperatively planned, financed, and constructed.
Mobility options shall include a High Capacity Transit system which links the urban centers and is
supported by an extensive High OccupancyVehicle system, local community bus system for circulation
within the centers and to the non-center urban areas, and non-motorized travel options. (FW-14)
All jurisdictions in the county, in cooperation with Metro, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, and
the State, shall develop a balanced transportation system and coordinated financing strategies which
implement regional mobility and reinforce the countywide vision. Vision 2020 Regional Growth
Strategies shall be recognized as the framework for creating a regional system of Centers linked by
High Capacity Transit and an interconnected system of freeway High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes,
and supported by a transit system. (FW-15)
In recognition of the fact that King County is the regional freight hub and a major international trade
gateway, and that freight transportation is one of the state's most important basic sector economic
activities, goods mobility by all modes shall be included as a component of comprehensive plans. (FW-
16)
Infrastructure planning and financing shall be coordinated among jurisdictions to direct and prioritize
countywide facility improvements to implement the countywide vision and land use plans. (FW-17)
Where appropriate, King County and its cities shall adopt a clear definition of level-of-service and
concurrency requirements and establish a consistent process for implementing coneurrency, including
accountability for impacts for adjacent jurisdictions. (FW-18)
Each jurisdictions shall identify the facilities needed to ensure that services are provided consistent with
the community's adopted service levels. Timelines for constructing needed services shall be identified.
(FW-19)
Community Character and Open Space
All jurisdictions shall support the county's existing diversity of places to live, work and recreate and
the ethnic div-ersity of our communities. The countywide development pattern shall include sufficient
supply of quality places for housing, employment, education, recreation, and open space and the
provision of community and social services. (FW-20)
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APPENDIX 8
COUNTYWIDE PLANNING POLICIES
FRAMEWORK POLICIES
Each urban area shall be characterized by superior urban design as locally defined. (f?W-21.1
Significant historic, archaeological, cultural, architectural and environmental feature-s shall be respected
and preserved. (FW-22)
All jurisdictions shall cooperatively identify, establish, protect and steward urban and rural open space
corridors of regional significance. (FW-23)
Housing
All jurisdictions shall cooperatively establish a process to ensure an equitable and rational distribution
of low-income and affordable housing throughout the county in accordance with land use policies,
transportation, and employment locations. All jurisdictions shall provide a diversity of housing types
to meet a variety of needs and incomes. (FW-24)
Provision of Urban Services
Planning for and financing of services shall be coordinated among jurisdictions to direct and prioritize
countywide facility improvements to implement the countywide policies. (FW-25)
Jurisdictions shall identify the services needed to achieve adopted service levels. Timelines for
constructing needed serviees shall be identified. (FW-261
Protection of public health and safety and the environment shall be given high priority in decision-
making about infrastructure improvement. County residents in both urban and rural areas shall have
reasonable access to a high-quality drinking source meeting all federal and state drinking water
requirements. Management and operation of existing on-site septic systems shall not result in adverse
impacts to public health of the environment. (FW-27)
Public capital facilities of a countywide or statewide nature shall be sited to support the countywide
land use pattern, support economic activities, mitigate environmental impacts, provide amenities or
incentives, and minimize public costs. Amenities or incentives shall be provided to
neighborhoods/jurisdictions in which facilities are sited. Facilities must be prioritized, coordinated,
planned, and sited through an interjurisdictional process established by the GMPC. (FW-28)
Economic Development and Finance
All jurisdictions shall contribute to the economic sustainability of the county in a manner which
supports the countywide land use pattern. This is to be accomplished by providing cost-efficient
quality infrastructure and public services at an adopted level of service specific to the local situation,
providing affordable housing, promoting excellence in education, and protecting the environment. (FW-
29)
All jurisdictions shall act to increase work training and job opportunities for all residents and
communities. (FW-30)
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APPENDIX B
COUNTYWIDE PLANNING POLICIES
FRAMEWORK POLICIES
All jurisdictions shall support the development of a regional economic development strate_gy consistent
with the countywide land use pattern. (FW-31) -
To implement the Countywide Planning Policies, jurisdictions shall cooperatively identify regional
funding sources and establish regional financing strategies by July 1, 1993. Such strategies shall
consider the infrastructure and service needs of Urban Centers, Manufacturing/Industrial Centers,
Activity Areas, Business/Office Parks, other ~ctivity concentrations, and rural areas. (FW-32)
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Urban Growth
APPENDIX C
KENT COMMUNITY FORUM
SUMMARY RESULTS
o 58% of respondents stated that they would prefer a growth pattern which allowed medium
to high-density development is specific areas which currently have services and. restrict
development in undeveloped or rural areas ( 13-2)
o 55% of respondents felt that the City should annex only those unincorporated areas which are
either served by City water and sewer or are immediately adjacent to the city limits and are
already mostly developed ( 14-2)
o 74% of respondents felt that future non-residential growth in Kent should target office or retail
development (19-2)
o 59% of respondents felt that they would like their home to be either a safe walking distance
to their place of employment, or a safe walking distance to public transportation which would
take them to their place of employment (42-5)
Transportation
o 78% of respondents felt that the most important focus of our transportation resources should
be supporting development of proposed rail transit or developing programs and incentives to
promote carpools and public transit (26-3)
o 89% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that the City should actively pursue increasing
the availability of public transit (27-3)
o 52% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that the City should plan for high density areas
of residential and commercial development to enhance the feasibility of public transit (28-3)
o 58% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that the City should actively pursue programs
aimed at reducing the number of single-occupant automobiles (30-3)
Public Facilities
o 67% of respondents felt that the best way for the City to finance future capital facilities was
either to only pay for the capital facilities planned for in the capital improvements budget,
regardless of development pressures, or to impose impact fees (34-4)
Housing
o 68% of respondents stated that the type of residential development which would be most
acceptable in their neighborhood in the future would be single-family housing (17-2)
o 43% of respondents felt that the best way to. accommodate future residential growth was
primarily single-family housing. 27% of respondents felt the best method was encouraging
housing located in mixed use developments (22-2)
Natural Resource Industries
o See comments related to rural lands, under Open Space and Recreation, below
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APPENDIX C
KENT COMMUNITY FORUM
SUMMARY RESULTS
Open Space and Recreation
o 67% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that Kent offers a good selection of recreation,
cultural and community events (8)
o 44% of respondents stated that they would be willing to accept growth in their neighborhoods
in order to preserve open spaces, including wetlands, rural lands and wildlife habitat (16)
o 53% of respondents felt that Kent had adequate open space (20)
o 58% of respondents stated that development should be restricted in areas which were
currently undeveloped in order to preserve their natural or rural character (21)
o 53% of the respondents stated that Kent should ensure that outdoor recreation facilities
respond to growth by acquiring land for future park development and by developing small
neighborhood parks (40)
o 26% of the respondents felt that the most important challenge facing the city is the protection
of the environment and preserving open space (44)
Environment
o 35% of respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that "Kent does
a good job of protecting the environment." 28% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed
with that statement. (11)
o 30% of respondents felt that regional water treatment facilities were the best way to improve
water quality, while another 27% felt that requiring development to connect to sewer systems
would be best (36)
o 32% of respondents felt that water conservation should be encouraged primarily through
conservation devices in new construction (low flow toilets, shower heads, etc.), but another
27% thought that community education about water conservation was the most effective
method (37)
o 84% of respondents felt that recycling, either voluntary (with rates which reward waste
reduction) or mandatory, was the best way to reduce solid waste (38)
o 28% of respondents thought that air quality improvement was best achieved through the
control of auto emissions. Another 20% felt that the planting of street trees was the best
method, while yet another 20% voted for increased transit opportunities, even if this required
higher density development (39)
o See also comments related to Open Space and Recreation above
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