2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update

The Comprehensive Plan is the 20-year framework for local policy, planning, and capital facility investment through the year 2044. This plan is used as a guide for the City by establishing vision statements, goals, objectives, policies, and implementing actions. This framework is intended to guide the day-to-day decisions of elected officials and City staff.

Washington State’s Growth Management Act (GMA) requires that Cities update their Comprehensive Plan every 10 years. The Comprehensive Plan is also revised on an annual basis.

Every community needs a vision. Historically, growth in Washington State has led to issues of urban sprawl, loss of farmland, natural resource degradation, and uncoordinated capital facilities. In 1990, the Growth Management Act was passed, which required us to plan for the future. The Plan will guide where housing and business growth should occur, how that growth is served by transportation and other infrastructure, and how we can enhance the natural environment and community character.

With guidance from the Growth Management Act (GMA), Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council (KRCC), and the Department of Commerce, the Plan is required to meet a variety of different requirements. City Staff will engage the community to develop a vision based on community goals and state and regional requirements. A draft plan will be developed, and public meetings will be held to collect public comments. The Planning Commission will review and recommend to staff, who will forward a recommendation to City Council, who approves the final plan.

A Comprehensive Plan is broken up into different elements. Each element has its own goals and policies. The entire Comprehensive Plan will be reviewed and updated with review to include the following elements or chapters:

• Land Use
• Housing
• Parks
• Natural Systems
• Climate
• Economic Development
• Utilities
• Transportation
• Capital Facilities

In addition, Port Orchard will have various Subarea Plans within the Comprehensive Plan, which focus in more detail on areas across the City.

The Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan assigns land use and zoning designations for every parcel within the City. Land Use designations provide guidance on the use of land, whether for residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, or institutional purposes.

The City must maintain a certain amount of residential and commercial growth capacity in certain areas of the City. The County-Wide Planning Policies (CPP’s) provide growth targets for different areas of the County. The Comprehensive Plan must be consistent with these goals.

No. The Comprehensive Plan is a framework for what land uses are allowed where. A zoning code regulates development, such as rules about height and setbacks. Per State Law, a zoning code must be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The zoning code and other development regulations will be updated as a part of the process in order to implement the Comprehensive Plan. Other development codes will be updated for consistency such as the Critical Areas Regulations (POMC 20.162), and the Shoreline Master Program (POMC 20.164).