2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update

The City of Port Orchard is commencing its required 2024 periodic update to the City's Comprehensive Plan. The City is envisioning a light refresh to its existing plan addressing new Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements, Vision 2050, and updated Countywide Planning Policies. Much of the work to update the Comprehensive Plan will focus on new planning requirements including but not limited to climate, equity, and housing affordability.

The City of Port Orchard proposes to prepare its 2024 periodic update to the Comprehensive Plan, a housing action plan, a subarea plan, an update to the critical areas code for best available science, and updates to development regulations to implement these plans.

Every ten years, as required by the GMA, cities are required to update their Comprehensive Plan. Port Orchard’s last major update was conducted in 2016. The process of this update is expected to take about two years to complete.

All work on the Comprehensive Plan periodic update will be done ensuring thorough and continuous public participation and outreach. The Public Participation Plan identifies mechanisms to capture the community’s input and outlines the anticipated timeline for Comprehensive Plan development. A timeline has been included in the documents liked below for reference. Updates will be posted periodically on this webpage and on the City’s Facebook.

WHAT IS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN?

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.

WHY DO WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN?

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.

WHO DECIDES WHAT THE PLAN SAYS?

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.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN A COMPREHENSIVE 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.

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT LAND USE?

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.

IS THIS THE SAME AS A ZONING CODE?

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).