Growth management

How is King County doing?

Planning for growth helps limit urban sprawl, enhance open space, protect rural areas, and more efficiently use transportation and utilities. Employment and residential density allows for more and better transportation choices, including mass transit, biking, and pedestrian trails. Providing alternatives to driving alone is critical to reducing vehicle miles traveled and improving air quality.

Washington State's Growth Management Act (GMA) requires King County to designate an Urban Growth Area (UGA), where future urban growth and development are to occur. Consistent with the GMA, the King County Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) call for development to occur within the UGA to promote efficient use of land. Housing and employment growth is to be directed first to urban centers, then to areas already urbanized, and lastly to areas requiring major infrastructure improvements. The Urban Center strategy, whose goal is to attract employment and housing to the county's urban centers, is an important element of the CPPs.

Between 1996 and 2005, King County's urban land was consumed at less than half the rate of population growth. While this trend meets the policy goal of using urban land more efficiently, even greater efficiencies will be needed in the future, as the available supply of vacant land in King County continues to diminish.

What else influences these indicators?

Population growth has a significant impact on growth management. The population of King County increased 15 percent during the 1990s. The growing population and economy has increased development pressure throughout the county. King County's 2007 Buildable Lands Report found that there is sufficient land supply to accommodate growth through 2022. More than half of this land (especially land zoned for single-family development) is located in South County. Developers are responding by offering a greater variety of housing types and community designs.

The Urban Centers were particularly affected by job losses due to the recession during the beginning of the 21st century. The Centers are slowly gaining larger shares of employment.

What role does King County government play?

The King County Comprehensive Plan is the guiding policy document for all land use and development regulations in unincorporated King County, and for regional services throughout the county including transit, sewers, parks, trails and open space. The Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) is responsible for developing regulations to meet Comprehensive Plan and GMA requirements and reviewing and permitting all development in unincorporated King County. DDES is also working to ensure the efficient use of land by imposing a minimum density through the subdivision process for new construction in urban residential zones.

In addition, the county fosters partnerships with municipalities and developers to limit growth outside the UGA and improve the quality of development and service in urban areas.