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Planning Our Community
The Pierce County Comprehensive Plan is a 20-year policy document that addresses growth in the unincorporated areas of Pierce County. The Comprehensive Plan’s periodic review must be completed by December 31, 2024. It is also the foundation for several community plans and capital facilities planning, which must be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan’s policy framework.
Pierce County is required by the Growth Management Act (GMA) to review the County’s Comprehensive Plan every 10 years and update where necessary. This is also known as a periodic review. Gaining insight from the people who live and work in Pierce County is an integral part of this update.
Other Planning Efforts
- Coordinated Water System Planning
- Fennel Creek Corridor Plan
- FRED 310
- Historic Preservation
- Housing Affordability
- Proposed Burley Lagoon Geoduck Farm
- Residential Use Code Updates
- Shoreline Master Program Update
- South Hill Governance Study
- Sunrise Master Planned Community
- Tehaleh Master Planned Community
County Projects
More Projects
Land Use Advisory Commissions (LUACs)
Plans for these communities have been adopted and the resulting regulations are a part of the County Code. Community Plans are a part of the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan. They are intended to be a supplement to and refinement of the Comprehensive Plan policies. Community Plans represent the unique characteristics of each community planning area.
*Land Use Advisory Commissions (LUACs) have been created for these areas. Current LUAC Agendas.
^Updates were made effective July 1, 2023.
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
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 2050, which contains the Multi-County Planning Policies, is a regional strategy for accommodating the 5.8 million people expected to live in the region by 2050. VISION 2050 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, regional growth strategy, policy sections guided by overarching goals, and implementation actions and measures to monitor progress.
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.
1. Sign up for "Planning Our Community" Updates
Sign up HERE or with the button at the top of the page.
More information on the Comprehensive Plan update process.