Planner's Pocket Reference - Links to a wealth of information about planning provided by the Municipal Research & Services Center of Washington (MRSC).

Growth Management - A link to the Growth Management Services program of the Washington State Department of Commerce.

• Growth Management: How does it work for you? WA-APA brochure

Growth Management Act (GMA) - A link to Chapter 36.70A of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).

Planning Enabling Act - Prior to GMA, RCW 36.70 is the statute that authorized and described procedures for land use planning in Washington state counties.

Short Course on Local Planning - Manual and course developed by the Planning Association of Washington and CTED.

Want to know more about planning?  Take a Quick Tour of the Planning Universe...or review the Planning ABCs...(courtesy of The Planner's Web)



Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan

Link to the text and maps of the Comprehensive Plan adopted in 1998 and amended thereafter.  The Comprehensive Plan page includes information about the multi-year development of the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan.

Subarea Plans - Focus on specific planning areas or regions of the county.  Considered chapters of the Comprehensive Plan.  Click here to access the web page dedicated to the Brinnon subarea planning process.  The Brinnon Subarea Plan, formally adopted on December 13, 2002, became Jefferson County's first subarea plan.

Comprehensive Plan Amendments - Under the Growth Management Act (GMA), a jurisdiction's comprehensive plan can be amended but once a calendar year, with specific exceptions.  The main reason is so that proposed amendments are considered at one time in order to effectively analyze cumulative impacts.

Visit the Comprehensive Plan & UDC Amendments page for general information on the annual amendment cycle and how citizens can apply for suggested and site-specific amendments and participate in the decision-making process.

There are also specific pages dedicated to the Comprehensive Plan Amendment Cycles for the following calendar years: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.  These pages contain timelines, hearing dates, decision notices, summaries and other documents and background information.

The main Comprehensive Plan page contains a list of adopted ordinances that have amended the Comprehensive Plan since adoption in 1998 and corresponding replacement pages for those who have printed copies of the Comprehensive Plan.

Unified Development Code (UDC)

Link to the UDC text, including the 1989 Shoreline Master Program (SMP) currently in effect.  The UDC, as adopted in December 2000 and amended thereafter, is the set of development regulations that implement the Comprehensive Plan.

UDC Amendments - The UDC is amended in a manner similar to that by which the Comprehensive Plan is amended, except that amendments to the UDC can be done outside of the Comprehensive Plan annual amendment cycle.  UDC amendments involve review by the Planning Commission and a legislative decision by the Board of County Commissioners.

Visit the UDC page for a list of adopted ordinances that have amended the UDC since adoption in December 2000 and corresponding replacement pages for those who have printed copies of the UDC.

Read about long-range planning projects below for news regarding current and upcoming proposals to amend the UDC.  Track UDC amendment proposals by frequently visiting the Long-Range Planning web page and/or contact Long-Range Planning for more information.  Note that each amendment proposal will have a Master Land- Use Application (MLA) case number for reference.



Long-Range Planning Projects

View an alphabetical list of projects on the Issues Links page.

MORE INFORMATION:  For more information about any long-range planning projects or issues, visit the Issue Links webpage or contact Long-Range Planning.

Return to the Department of Community Development page.