Council gives boost to housing, transportation, environmental protections with approval of comprehensive plan update

December 10, 2024

The King County Council on Tuesday gave final approval to the 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan, making updates that will help increase housing stock, support transportation, and improve environmental protections while also planning for resiliency against inevitable climate changes.

Approval comes after more than a year of committee work, public outreach, development of a final version and, finally, line amendments by committee members. King County Councilmember Sarah Perry led the effort as Chair of the Local Services and Land Use Committee.

“This has been a huge undertaking, starting in January and culminating in our final vote today. We have been hearing from residents all year, and I am so grateful for everyone who leaned in to the important conversations that helped us shape this immense and vital policy,” Perry said. “I’m particularly excited about how we have focused on the rural areas, where uses and density can vary so widely and it’s important to protect local integrity while also admitting a need for updates and looking toward the future. I want to thank my colleagues on the Local Services Committee as well as everyone who has played a role in this incredible process. It is a reminder of the important work our government can do; work that has the power to improve individual lives through community effort.”

The update is the first full review of the comprehensive plan since 2016, a significant undertaking that stands as a 20-year plan for guiding King County’s growth.

Key highlights include:

1. Housing
• Middle Housing & ADUs – updating zoning code to allow for duplexes, triplexes and Accessory Dwelling Units more widely across the County.
• Inclusionary Housing – updating our incentive program to encourage the building of affordable housing units at 50-80% AMI in exchange for density and other zoning bonuses.
• Farmworker Housing – updating our code to allow for temporary farmworker housing to be built off-site.
2. Environment & Climate Change
• Green Energy & S-CAP – enabling green energy production through updated land use policy.
• Climate Action & Environmental Justice – maintaining access to clean water, clean air, and a healthy environment through policy updates proposed by the Tulalip Tribes.
• Infrastructure Resiliency – updating policy to ensure we are adequately preparing County infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, including flood and wildfire risks.
3. Transportation
• Active Transportation – updating policy to reflect new WA State guidelines around preparing our road and trail networks for all users, whether walking, biking, rolling or driving.
4. Human Services
• Behavioral Health Facilities – updating zoning to encourage the siting of behavioral health facilities.
• Childcare – incentivizing the building of daycare businesses in exchange for density bonuses.
5. Regional Coordination & Planning
• Countywide Planning Policies & Growth Management Planning Council – reconciling Comp Plan policies with regional planning bodies and Growth Management Act processes.

The state Growth Management Act mandates that comprehensive plans are reviewed at least every 10 years, and the plan is vital to shaping how the County grows over the next 20 years. The document guides land use and development across unincorporated King County, including where homes, offices and stores can be built, how roads, buildings and trees contribute to the look and feel of neighborhoods, protection of farms and forests, access to clean water, air, and a healthy environment, and more.

You can find more information about King County’s Comprehensive Plan Update process and documents here.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES:

Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, Local Services and Land Use Committee Vice Chair: “As the housing crisis intensifies, we must deploy every available tool to create more affordable homes and thriving communities. This updated Comprehensive Plan is a significant step forward—it reduces barriers to housing development, encourages density in urban areas, protects our rural and agricultural lands, and makes King County a better and more affordable place for families to live, work, and grow.

“I’m especially proud of the expansion of middle housing in this plan, which builds on the foundation of my Missing Middle Housing Legislation. This effort will directly benefit working families across our region by providing more housing options and opportunities.

“I’m deeply grateful to Local Services Chair Sarah Perry and my other committee colleagues, our King County Council staff, our housing development partners, community members, advocates, and the Executive Branch for collaborating to craft a plan that meets the needs of our communities while protecting what makes King County great.”

Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, Local Services and Land Use Committee Member: “This plan bolsters affordable housing, childcare and health services, supports small businesses and working families, and enhances community resilience and environmental protections. This is the result of a year-long deep engagement in the policy weeds in committee, and out in community with diverse constituents to ensure the Comprehensive Plan update is driven by community priorities. This is a once-in-a-decade plan that will have a generational impact in building more equitable, resilient, and sustainable communities, and I’m especially thrilled that this plan reflects the values and vision of our unincorporated District 8 communities of White Center and North Highline, Vashon-Maury Island, and the South Park ‘Sliver.’”