Title
Olympia 2045 - Public Participation and Partners Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update
Recommended Action
Receive a briefing and discuss the proposed amendments to the Public Participation and Partners chapter of the Comprehensive Plan.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a briefing and discuss the proposed amendments to the Public Participation and Partners chapter of the Comprehensive Plan.
Staff Contact:
David Ginther, Senior Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8335
Presenter(s):
David Ginther, Senior Planner
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 Participation and Partners chapter provides guidance for outreach and engagement of the community in a meaningful, inclusive, and equitable way. The voices of residents, local business owners and organizations provide the perspective and information that are absolutely essential to effective planning and decision-making regarding issues that will shape our community for generations to come.
In the summer of 2023, a survey was made available to gather community input and comments on the chapter. Of the 95 survey respondents, the majority indicated that they supported the overall intent and goals of the chapter. However, some felt that some of the goals were not being adequately achieved and that the City needed to work harder to accomplish the goals of the chapter. The public input received so far has indicated that a substantial rewrite of the chapter is not supported at this time. Staff has amended the chapter to include some refinements and updates including a section about the accord between the City of Olympia and the Squaxin Island Tribe and another section that mentions equity, inclusiveness, and outreach methods.
The Olympia Planning Commission was briefed on the proposed changes to the chapter on August 23, 2024, and held a public hearing on December 2, 2024. They voted to recommend approval of the amended chapter to City Council. The Social Justice and Equity Commission was briefed on the chapter update on September 23, 2024. The City Council will hold a study session on the proposed amendments in the spring of 2025.
Climate Analysis:
The Public Participation and Partners chapter of the Comprehensive Plan provides the background and explains the importance of working with all members of the community including regional and local partners. For example, the City has a representative on the Thurston Regional Planning Council which helps to facilitate creating plans and coordinating with other jurisdictions & agencies, the community, and other interested parties. Through coordination and partnering with other interested parties, several plans related to climate were created and adopted, including the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan. This is an example of how establishing partnerships and providing opportunities for public participation allows the city to facilitate the establishment of community supported goals related to climate. It also provides for the initiation of a process that results in implementation of actions to accomplish those goals.
Equity Analysis:
The Public Participation and Partners chapter of the Comprehensive Plan provides a basis for outreach, participation opportunities, and partnerships for the community. It also establishes the importance of working with all members of the community. Updating the chapter allows the City to continue to improve its methods of outreach, expand the variety of public participation opportunities that it utilizes, and provide guidance for establishing new partnerships. It also allows the City to apply an equity lens to the existing methods of outreach and public participation in order to provide opportunities for engagement, input, and feedback from community members that may not have been included in the past.
Neighborhood/Community Interests:
95 people provided input through the survey for the Public Participation and Partners chapter. The draft chapter was made available to the public on July 15, 2024, and was announced using Enews and the Parties of Record email list for the Comprehensive Plan update. Additional public comments were received during the review process leading up to the public hearing.
Financial Impact:
The Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update is being funded, in part, by a $175,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce.
Options:
1. Receive the briefing and provide feedback.
2. Do not receive the briefing.
3. Receive the briefing at another time.
Attachments:
Draft Public Participation & Partners Chapter
Webpage