Title
Comprehensive Plan Draft Transportation Chapter - Study Session
Recommended Action
Information only. No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Discussion regarding the draft Transportation Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan.
Staff Contact:
Michelle Swanson, AICP, Senior Planner, Public Works Transportation, 360.753.8575
Presenter(s):
Casey Schaufler, Associate Planner, Community Planning and Development
Background and Analysis:
The Comprehensive Plan and this update
The Comprehensive Plan is the City’s overarching policy document that guides how Olympia will prepare for expected population and employment growth over the next 20 years. It was last updated in 2014. We are required by state law to update it every ten years.
This update is called a “periodic update,” meaning it is not a wholesale rewrite of the Plan. It is an opportunity to check in with the community and make minor changes to ensure we are still on track toward achieving the Plan’s vision.
The Plan has several chapters which are being updated on their own timelines. Our goal is to finish the update to the transportation chapter by the end of 2024 to meet legal deadlines.
Key policies to update
Transportation’s focus is to update the Comprehensive Plan to reflect the Transportation Master Plan. When the Comprehensive Plan was last adopted in 2014, the City did not have a Transportation Master Plan.
Additionally, the state recently started requiring that Comprehensive Plans include chapters on climate change and equity. While the Plan will have full chapters on those topics, we are also weaving them into the other chapter updates as appropriate.
Public involvement to date
In June City staff shared the first draft of the transportation chapter and got feedback from:
• Members of the public
• The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
• The Planning Commission
• The Social Justice and Equity Commission
We have redrafted the chapter to reflect this feedback. Attached is a summary of what we heard.
Additional resources
Attached are two fact sheets that transportation staff have prepared to offer more context for this update. The fact sheets are also posted to the City’s Engage Olympia page, to which we have also included a link.
One fact sheet explains why making street connections is so important for achieving the City’s goals to reduce both vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions. The other provides more information about vehicle traffic patterns in recent decades.
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).
In Thurston County, the transportation sector is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Making it easier for people to get their daily needs met by walking or rolling, biking, or taking transit is a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Comprehensive Plan is where many of the policies that guide the work to build infrastructure that supports walking, biking, and transit use get set.
Equity Analysis:
Vehicle ownership can be onerous for people who struggle to afford one, and many people are not able to drive. Making it easier for people of all abilities to walk or roll, bike, or take transit will make Olympia more equitable. The Comprehensive Plan is where many policies that impact this are set.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
From May through June the City asked for feedback on the first draft of the update to the Transportation Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. There were 749 people that responded to a request to review the first draft of the chapter by visiting the Engage Olympia website. A summary of those results is attached.
Options:
None - information and discussion only.
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:
Significant changes
Transportation Chapter draft - no track changes
Transportation Chapter draft - track changes
Street connections fact sheet
Traffic volumes fact sheet
Summary of public outreach
Summary and response to Planning Commission’s written comments
Link to Engage Olympia page