Title
Public Safety Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update - Deliberations
Recommended Action
Move to recommend approval of the Public Safety Chapter of the Olympia Comprehensive Plan.
Report
Issue:
Whether to recommend approval of the update of the Public Safey Chapter of the Olympia Comprehensive Plan.
Staff Contact:
Casey Schaufler, Associate Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8254
Presenter(s):
Casey Schaufler, Associate Planner, Community Planning and Development
Background and Analysis:
For the last Periodic Update, the City’s Comprehensive Plan underwent a major rewrite through a planning process that took place from 2009 through 2014. The Plan was adopted in December of 2014. At least once every 10 years, cities and counties that are fully planning under the Growth Management Act (GMA), must update its plan through a process known as the Periodic Update. The Periodic Update requires that jurisdictions update the planning horizon to a minimum of 20 years, update the population projection it is planning for, and address all new planning requirements that have been adopted since the previous update.
The Public Safety chapter is the renamed Public Services chapter. The new title reflects certain elements such as housing and land use policies and goals that are moved from the Public Safety chapter to other more relevant chapters. The Public Safety chapter is now exclusively focused on code enforcement, policing, and fire and medical emergency services. The overarching goal of the Public Safety chapter is to ensure that all Olympians feel safe and receive reliable, compassionate care. Success in this chapter is achieved when:
• All community members have access to quality, responsive emergency services.
• People in crisis are moved toward wellness through compassionate, coordinated care.
• Community members trust that the public safety system is equitable and unbiased.
• Low incidence of crime contributes to residents feeling safe and secure.
The Public Safety chapter will include policies and goals to address findings from City of Olympia initiatives that included significant public participation and input, including the following:
• Resident Satisfaction Survey
• One Community Plan
• Reimagining Public Safety Plan
The draft Public Safety Chapter was presented to the Olympia Planning Commission in a brief on August 19, 2024. It was subsequently presented to the Social Justice and Equity Commission on August 26, 2024. A public hearing was held on September 16, 2024, with no providing comment. The draft chapter attached to this report reflects clarifications and suggestions recommended from both Commissions. This includes a revision requested at the public hearing from a Planning Commissioner to provide additional language to address marginalized communities in disaster readiness.
This draft of the Public Safety Chapter, along with any further comments or recommendations from the Planning Commission, will be presented to the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee on October 23, 204.
Climate Analysis:
Olympia 2045 will include a new Climate Action and Resilience chapter. This new chapter will address both climate mitigation (the reduction of greenhouse gases) and resilience (the ability to prepare for, recover from, and adapt to climate change impacts).
Equity Analysis:
The Public Safety chapter will be a guiding document in implementation of the Reimagining Public Safety’s identified five goals:
1. Build trust and legitimacy in the City’s public safety system
2. Reduce overall crime by addressing root causes
3. Acknowledge and correct the disproportionate impacts the public safety system has on marginalized community members
4. Reduce the number of individuals who connect initially and repeatedly with law enforcement and the criminal justice system
5. Ensure the public safety system is accessible and responsive
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Reimagining Public Safety and the One Community Plans garnered wide and varied interest from across the City of Olympia and the region at large. No public comments were received specifically for the Public Safety Chapter in writing or during the public hearing.
Options:
1. Move to recommend approval the Public Safety Chapter for the Comprehensive Plan, as proposed.
2. Move to recommend approval the Public Safety Chapter for the Comprehensive Plan, with modifications.
3. Complete deliberations and develop a recommendation at a future meeting.
Financial Impact:
The Washington State Department of Commerce is providing a grant for up to $175,000 to help cover the costs of the City of Olympia’s Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update.
Attachments:
Draft Public Safety Chapter
Reimagining Public Safety Summary Document