Planning Our Community

Comprehensive Plan for Pierce County

Comprehensive Plan

Pierce County is required to adopt a Comprehensive Plan that is consistent with the State Growth Management Act (GMA).

The Pierce County Comprehensive Plan, originally adopted in November 1994, is a policy document which guides growth and future land use decisions in Pierce County. The most recent update to the Plan was adopted June 30, 2015 and became effective June 30, 2016.
Community Plans Map

Community Plans


Community Plans are Plans for the following communities have been completed and the resulting regulations are a part of the County Code.

* Land Use Advisory Commissions (LUACs) have been created for these areas. Current LUAC Agendas
Community Plans Update Areas

Community Plan Updates in Progress!


Four Community Plans are being updated:
For more information visit the Community Plan Updates webpage.
Countywide Planning Policies

Countywide Planning Policies


Countywide Planning Policies are written policy statements which are to be used solely for establishing a countywide framework from which the county and municipal comprehensive plans are developed and adopted. The framework is intended to ensure that the county and municipal comprehensive plans are consistent, as required by the Washington statutes.

During the period within which county and municipal comprehensive plans are developed, adopted and implemented, the county and each municipality in the county uses the Countywide Planning Policies to serve as a guide for county or municipal land use and related decisions to best assure that the principles embodied in the Countywide Planning Policies are followed and promoted.

Learn more about the Pierce County Regional Council the group that coordinates Countywide Planning Polices.
Multi-County Planning Policies

Multi-County Planning Policies


Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Puget Sound region, including Pierce, King, Kitsap, and Snohomish Counties and establishes the Multi-County Planning Policies.

VISION 2040, which contains the Multi-County Planning Policies, is a regional strategy for accommodating the 5 million people expected to live in the region by 2040. VISION 2040 is an integrated, long-range vision for maintaining a healthy region – promoting the well-being of people and communities, economic vitality, and a healthy environment. It contains an environmental framework, a numeric regional growth strategy, six policy sections guided by overarching goals as well as implementation actions and measures to monitor progress.
2014 Pierce County Buildable Lands Program

Pierce County Buildable Lands Program


Since 1997, Pierce County and its 23 cities and towns have worked collaboratively in a program to collect annual development permitting data, inventory developable land and enhance information relating to critical areas. Commonly referred to as the Buildable Lands Program, this collaborative program is aimed at improving accuracy in the information used to determine the residential and employment capacity of the County's UGAs.
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How to Get Involved


Public participation is a hallmark of the Growth Management Act (GMA) and is an integral part of Pierce County’s planning process. The GMA calls for “early and continuous public participation in the development and amendment of comprehensive land use plans and development regulations implementing such plans.” (RCW 36.70A.140)

The goal of the Public Participation Program is to inform residents, property and business owners, and other stakeholders on how to learn about or initiate proposed land use changes, and how to provide comment on proposals.
Other Planning Efforts