Comprehensive Plan Update

2024 Comprehensive Plan Review and Revision

The Town of Steilacoom is embarking on a review and revision of its Comprehensive Plan. 

The Growth Management Act (GMA) requires that the Town periodically review and revise the Comprehensive Plan to keep abreast of changing conditions and regulations. The Town must complete this review cycle by December 2024.

About Comprehensive Planning

The Comprehensive Plan is a statement of a community’s vision, values, and priorities. It guides decision-making, regulations, and investments towards meeting community goals over the coming 20 years. 

Comprehensive plans cover a wide range of topics. These topics are called “elements” and each element has a chapter in the plan. Each element has its own goals and policies, along with supporting background information. Under state law, the following elements are addressed at a minimum:

• Land Use
• Housing
• Transportation
• Utilities
• Capital Facilities

 Steilacoom has chosen to add the following optional elements: 

• Quality of Life
• Economic Development
• Parks, Recreation and Open Space 

This review and revision cycle will particularly focus on Housing, as the State Legislature has rewritten the requirements for that element. The Town must now plan for sufficient land capacity for housing for the projected needs of all economic segments of the community. 

Get Involved

Planning is successful when it is inclusive and reflects the values of the entire community. That’s why we need you!  Keep an eye out for notices of additional ways to get involved. They will be posted on the Town website and included in the Around Town. A dedicated email for comments is linked below, along with draft documents, public comments and other useful information. 

If you have questions about the project, please contact:

Doug Fortner, Town Planner

Email: Doug Fortner Email

(253) 581-1912

1030 Roe Street, Steilacoom WA 98388

You can provide comment on the Comprehensive Plan several ways. 

• By mail: 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update, 1030 Roe Street, Steilacoom WA 98388
• By email: Comprehensive Plan Email
• In person at any Planning Commission meeting. Planning Commission meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month. A schedule of meetings and topics will be posted on this website as the review progresses. 

Comments received will be posted on this website. 

The first survey has closed.

Our kick-off survey closed January 31, 2023, and the final responses are posted below. This is the first of many steps in a two-year process to update the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and there will be more opportunities for providing feedback and engaging with this process..  

Project Documents and Links 

• Current version of the Comprehensive Plan 2022 Comprehensive Plan 
• First Survey Final Results Final Results 
• Responses to Survey First 5 responses Responses 6 through 10 Responses 11-15 Responses 16- 17 Responses 18 - 32

Open Houses

The Steilacoom Planning Commission hosted an open house on November 14, 2022 and on December 12, 2022 at the Town Hall, 1717 Lafayette Street. Additional open houses may be scheduled in the future to inform the public on progress toward completion.    

The Comprehensive Plan is a statement of a community’s vision, values, and priorities. It guides decision-making, regulations, and investments towards meeting community goals over the coming 20 years. State regulations require a periodic review and revision of the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. 

The State has mandated a thorough review of the Town’s housing policies and regulations in this update cycle. Specifically, the Town will need to address: 

• Projected housing needs for all economic segments of the population (moderate, low, very low and extremely low income).
• Moderate density housing options within the Town, including but not limited to duplexes, triplexes and townhomes.
• Examining racially disparate impacts, displacement and exclusion in housing policies and regulations.

Schedule of Upcoming Events