October Update

Consultant for housing market study sought; Planning Commission study sessions continue
Pierce County is seeking a consultant to conduct a housing market study that provides a realistic estimate of additional housing growth related to a proposal to focus growth on several major corridors in central Pierce County.

The Pierce County Planning Commission will not be making a recommendation on the Frederickson, Mid-County, Parkland-Spanaway-Midland and South Hill community plans until the study is completed and the Final Environmental Impact Statement is released.

About the study
The community plan updates include a proposal to focus growth along Pacific Avenue/State Route 7, Meridian/State Route 161, 176th Street East, 112th Street East and Canyon Road East.

These areas would be zoned as a Center or Corridor. Centers would be central gathering places for the community where people can live, work and access services, while Corridors would be areas for residential, commercial and employment uses designed to connect people to Centers.

The county decided to conduct the study following feedback from the public and stakeholders about potential impacts of the proposal.

A timeline for this study will be established once a consultant is selected. Once the study is complete, the findings will be included in the Final Environmental Impact Statement and presented to the Planning Commission.

Planning Commission to consider options to phase in proposed rezoning
At the Planning Commission’s request, Pierce County staff will develop conceptual options to phase in over time the rezones related to the Centers and Corridors proposal. These options will be presented to the commission for consideration. Future meetings will be scheduled for this topic.

Upcoming study sessions
The Planning Commission will continue to hold study sessions this fall on the community plan updates. The meetings will be held at the Pierce County Annex, 2401 S 35th St. in Tacoma.

• 9:30 a.m. Oct. 22*: South Hill Community Plan
• 1–3 p.m. Nov. 6: Mid-County Community Plan
• 1–3 p.m. Nov. 7: Frederickson Community Plan
• 1–3 p.m. Nov. 19: Parkland-Spanaway-Midland Communities Plan

*The Oct. 22 date is a regular meeting of the commission. Normal business may be conducted at the start of the meeting before the study session begins.

These study sessions are open to the public, although public testimony will not be accepted. Written comment can be submitted via email to [email protected] until a week before the commission’s final recommendation meeting. This meeting date will be announced once it is scheduled.

The commission’s final recommendations will be submitted to the Pierce County Council. The council will then consider the proposed changes for each plan and determine whether to adopt them.

Visit www.piercecountywa.gov/cpupdate to view a meeting calendar and sign up for meeting updates.

Contact us

• Visit www.piercecountywa.gov/cpupdate
• Call the Community Plans Hotline at (253) 798-2799
• Email [email protected]
• Sign up for email updates at www.piercecountywa.gov/cplistserv
• Send a letter to:

  Pierce County Planning and Public Works
  Attn: Long Range Planning
  2401 S 35th St., Suite 2
  Tacoma, WA 98409