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:

Tanner Fuller, Town Planner

Email Tanner Fuller

(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 Monday of each month. A schedule of meetings and topics will be posted on this website as the review progresses. 

Survey

Thank you to all who provided comments through the first Comprehensive Plan public survey. A report on the results of the first public survey is available here. Additional opportunities to participate are outlined below.

A Parks, Recreation, and Open Space survey is now available. Please use the following URL to take the survey: https://forms.office.com/r/juyK9ibtvQ. The survey will be available until October 31, 2023.  

Invite your friends and neighbors to take the survey! 

• PROS Survey Invitation Page

A paper version of the survey is available here. You may print the survey out on your own printer if you wish to fill it out on paper. Paper copies are also available at the Public Works Building (1030 Roe St, Steilacoom, WA 98388). Please return any filled out paper surveys to the Public Works Building in person or by mail with ATTN: Community Development Department written on the envelope. 

Project Documents and Links 

• Current version of the Comprehensive Plan 2022 Comprehensive Plan 
• Periodic Update Public Survey Results Report: Survey Results Report, September 2023

Open Houses

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