Thurston County asks for public input ahead of major comprehensive plan update
What should Thurston County look like by 2045? As county officials plan for the future, they’re asking the public to start sharing their priorities.
The county has invited the public to respond to a quick online survey to help guide their next comprehensive plan update. This multi-year process officially launched on Tuesday and must be completed by a June 2025 deadline, according to a county news release.
Survey respondents are asked to determine what areas of improvement are most important to them. Topics such as climate change, economic opportunity, traffic, agriculture, affordable housing, industrial development and more are included in the survey.
People also can submit a brief comment if they want to include other topics that aren’t listed in the survey. The public has until Nov. 30 to complete the survey online.
County officials have branded this comprehensive plan update “Thurston 2045.” The effort started recently because the Washington State Growth Management Act requires periodic reviews to bring the plan up to date with state law and future projections.
The county first adopted a comprehensive plan in 1975 when it had a population of less than 100,000. In June, the state determined the county population surpassed 300,000. By 2040, the county’s population may near 400,000, according to a 2017 projection.
Through 2045, the county says the comprehensive plan update will guide land use, housing, economic development, population and employment growth, natural resource protection, county-funded construction projects and more.
Additionally, the plan affects specialized plans such as joint plans for urban growth areas, subarea plans and functional plans.
To start, Community Planning and Economic Development staff plan to outline how large the update will be by March 2023, according to county documentation.
Until then, staff will conduct outreach, refine the county’s options and provide direction to the Board of County Commissioners. However, the board must formally adopt the scope and scale of the update by a resolution.
By March 2024, community planning staff will prepare an initial draft of documents while ensuring they comply with state law and the tasks outlined in the previous phase.
But before that happens, specific pieces of the plan will be reviewed with early input from the public, community groups and interested parties.
The Thurston County Planning Commission will then review proposed revisions and make a recommendation to the board by September 2024. The commission will host a public hearing prior to issuing their recommendation, according to the county.
Finally, the board will review and adopt the final revisions by resolution and ordinance by June 2025. A public hearing will be held before the adoption. Additionally, the public will be able to comment during a state mandated environmental review period.
