TO: Committee of the Whole - Planning and Public Works
FROM: Mayor Angela Birney
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR CONTACT(S):
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Planning and Community Development |
Carol Helland |
425-556-2107 |
DEPARTMENT STAFF:
|
Planning and Community Development |
Seraphie Allen |
Deputy Director |
|
Planning and Community Development |
Jeff Churchill |
Long Range Planning Manager |
TITLE:
title
2025 Amendments to the King County Countywide Planning Policies
OVERVIEW STATEMENT:
recommendation
This read-only item updates the Planning and Public Works Committee of the Whole on the 2025 amendments to the King County Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) at the Committee’s September 2, 2025, meeting. Staff recommends allowing the amendments to be ratified by taking no action.
The CPP’s were comprehensively updated in 2021 and ratified by King County and cities within King County in 2022. In 2024, the cities of Carnation and Snoqualmie requested that their housing growth targets and housing need allocations be reduced due to circumstances that were not understood when growth targets were adopted in 2021. Following input from the Puget Sound Regional Council and recommendation from the Growth Management Planning Council (GMPC), the King County Council adopted Ordinance 19946 to reduce the growth targets and housing need allocation for those two cities. The result is a reduction in the countywide growth target of 1,230 dwelling units (0.4%), to 307,447 dwelling units. The countywide housing need allocation is reduced by a similar amount.
Detailed analysis by King County staff is attached.
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☒ Additional Background Information/Description of Proposal Attached
REQUESTED ACTION:
☒ Receive Information ☐ Provide Direction ☐ Approve
REQUEST RATIONALE:
Redmond Comprehensive Plan Policy A-1 directs the City to work cooperatively with, among others, King County, to address planning issues at a countywide scale.
RCW 36.70A.210 governs countywide planning policies.
N/A
The Growth Management Act (GMA) requires counties and cities to collaboratively and periodically review and update the CPPs. The primary purpose of the CPPs is to ensure consistency and coordination among comprehensive plans for cities and towns within King County.
The GMPC is a body of elected officials from jurisdictions throughout the county charged with overseeing the preparation of the CPPs and recommending amendments to them. Now that King County has adopted the 2025 amendments to the CPPs, cities have 90 days to act, or not act, on them. The deadline for the City Council act on the 2025 amendments is October 22, 2025. Under CPP policy FW-1, taking no action is deemed the same as approval.
OUTCOMES:
If the amendments are ratified, the housing targets and housing need allocations for Carnation and Snoqualmie will be reduced. Ratification occurs when 30 percent of city and county governments representing at least 70 percent of the population of King County ratify – or take no action on – the amendments.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT:
- Timeline (previous or planned):
Community engagement was conducted in 2024-2025 by the Growth Management Planning Council.
- Outreach Methods and Results:
The GMPC held public meetings during which these amendments were discussed.
The GMPC recommendation was unanimous. The GMPC also recommends work in 2026 to analyze "comprehensive plan growth assumptions and reported capacity after the periodic update of comprehensive plans is complete to inform required monitoring of the Countywide Planning Policies, the next version of the Urban Growth Capacity Report, and growth targets and housing need that support the 2034 periodic update." It also calls for support for jurisdictions that want to increase housing growth targets and housing need to incorporate the amount removed by this amendment.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Total Cost:
$5,350,743 is the total value of the Community and Economic Development offer, which includes the staff time devoted to this work.
Approved in current biennial budget: ☒ Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A
Budget Offer Number:
0000304
Budget Priority:
Vibrant and Connected
Other budget impacts or additional costs: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☒ N/A
If yes, explain:
N/A
Funding source(s):
General Fund
Budget/Funding Constraints:
N/A.
☐ Additional budget details attached
COUNCIL REVIEW:
Previous Contact(s)
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Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
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N/A |
Item has not been presented to Council |
N/A |
Proposed Upcoming Contact(s)
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Date |
Meeting |
Requested Action |
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N/A |
None proposed at this time |
N/A |
Time Constraints:
Council action on the 2025 amendments to the CPPs must occur by October 22, 2025. No action is the deemed the same as approval.
ANTICIPATED RESULT IF NOT APPROVED:
If the Council specifically disapproves the 2025 amendments to the CPPs then Redmond will not be counted toward the 30% of city and county governments representing at least 70% of the county’s population needed to ratify the amended CPPs.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Transmittal Letter to King County Council
Attachment B: King County Staff Report
Attachment C: King County Ordinance 19946