2022-2026 ACTION AGENDA EXPLORER
Smart Growth
Development of natural areas throughout Puget Sound has disrupted natural hydrologic processes and habitat functions. If we continue along our path towards adding 1.7 million additional residents, or the equivalent of an additional two and a half Seattles, expected in the Puget Sound area by 2050, we must balance affordable infill development and infrastructure improvements with protection of the important functions provided by forested and riparian areas as well as agricultural lands.
This strategy focuses on protecting ecologically important lands by channeling population growth into affordable and vibrant urban growth areas and reducing conversion of forests, farms, and natural areas into developed uses. To foster smart development and protect habitats, the recovery community will need to work alongside transportation authorities; affordable housing agencies, nongovernmental and community-based organizations; state and local decision-makers, natural resource and land use planners, investors and developers, and vulnerable populations and underserved communities and representatives to improve implementation of regulations and incentives that channel development into preferred growth areas. To prevent conversion of ecologically important lands, we must improve implementation of, and make modifications to, the Growth Management Act (GMA) to foster the protection of these natural areas and working lands. These protections should be incorporated into regional infrastructure planning and supported by creating incentives for new market demands for growth in city centers.
Implementing the Land Development and Cover and other Implementation Strategies supports the success of this strategy.
Ecologically important lands Shorelines
Actions
Build Puget Sound-wide support to prevent conversion of forests, farms, and natural areas and increase funding for conservation incentives. (ID #1)
Key opportunities for 2022-2026 include:
- Improve the education and incentives for public and decision-makers on opportunities to direct growth away from ecologically important areas;
- Significantly improve the implementation of the GMA within local jurisdictions land use planning and decisions, and across jurisdictions, to include the protection of natural areas and working lands;
- Incorporate protections into regional infrastructure planning;
- Support permanent protection of high value nearshore habitat;
- Support protections through incentivizing new market demands for growth in city centers with emphasis on public transportation to accommodate growth.
Reduce barriers to infill and redevelopment in high-growth areas. (ID #2)
Key opportunities for 2022-2026 include:
- Improve planning and zoning within UGAs that includes protection of existing habitat;
- Improve the wellbeing of people living in high-growth areas by clearly defining needs for and increasing access to amenities, services, green space, and affordable housing;
- Ensure transparent, effective, clear, and consistent implementation of regulations to provide consistency and improved conditions for developers and investors within preferred high-growth areas.
Improve the Growth Management Act and local land use planning to effectively channel growth and prevent conversion of ecologically important lands. (ID #178)
Key opportunities for 2022-2026 include:
- Integrate climate change mitigation and resilience and salmon restoration goals and strategies into the GMA and local land use plans;
- Incorporate a measurable net ecological gain standard into the GMA and local land use plans and establish methods and tools to ensure accountability for achieving this standard;
- Improve incentives and reduce barriers for channeling growth and development into preferred high-growth areas;
- Ensure tribal sovereignty is recognized in local land use planning and decisions and that tribal nations are adequately consulted and engaged;
- Consider opportunities where multiple-benefit aspects of recovery projects may increase affordable housing options for communities including supporting efforts that move low-income housing stock outside climate- vulnerable areas or reducing the cost of developing green infrastructure that serves vulnerable populations and underserved communities.
Implementation Considerations
Key opportunities for 2022-2026 to integrate human wellbeing considerations and climate change responses into efforts include:
Human Wellbeing
- Consider the public health, recreation, and local food benefits of maintaining and increasing trees, green space, and habitats in and around urban areas.
- Engage communities, specifically vulnerable populations and underserved communities, community-based organizations, and youth in urban areas, in equitable and smart growth planning process design, decision-making, and implementation. Co- develop anti-displacement principles in collaboration with these communities to support equitable and environmentally protective development.
- Incorporate consideration of culturally significant spaces (for example, community gardens) into the design of new development.
- Increase understanding of effects and cost-benefits of development, particularly on the wellbeing of human populations including vulnerable populations and underserved communities.
- Implement practices that demonstrate effective ways to maximize benefits and minimize adverse impacts of growth and development when undertaking new projects that intentionally support natural resource industries.
Climate Change
- Develop and right-size stormwater infrastructure using projections for future precipitation regimes.
- Consider sea level rise and flooding projections to emphasize the need for smart development, discourage new building in or near existing floodplains or existing shorelines, and consider sea level rise retreat.
- Transit-oriented development should reduce vehicle miles traveled by single-occupancy vehicles, as well as the need for large parking lot and other impervious surfaces in urban areas, which contribute to urban heat island effect, and stormwater runoff and pollution.
- New development should prioritize renewable energy and low-carbon design elements during construction and building use (materials, LEED-type design), including equitable distribution of broadband to incentivize working at home.
Ongoing Programs
Ongoing programs provide regulatory oversight, technical support, implementation resources, funding, or guidance and serve as the critical foundation for Puget Sound recovery. The following is a list of example state and federal ongoing programs that help to implement this strategy. Many more local, tribal nations, and nongovernmental programs exist that support this strategy.
What We're Measuring
We are achieving our recovery goals of increasing functioning habitat through restoration and improving water quality in the Puget Sound region by protecting ecologically important lands, including beaches, estuaries, forests and wetlands, streams, and floodplains, from conversion. Preferred high growth areas are becoming increasingly dense, while urban tree canopy is increased as development is channeled away from ecologically important lands. Residents of UGAs are thriving with equitable access to natural spaces. Working lands are intact and thriving, and water infiltration and holding capacity of upland areas are maintained. Indicators of success include:
Extent of forest cover in the upper, middle, and lower areas of watersheds
This indicator measures the extent of forest cover (vegetation approximately 8 feet or taller) within the upper, middle, and lower watershed areas.
No reported data available
This indicator measures the percentage of total new housing production that is multi-unit (e.g., apartment buildings, condominiums, townhomes, etc.). Multi-unit housing types require less land area for each new unit than single-unit options, thus helping to conserve forest lands, open spaces, agricultural lands, and other natural ecosystems in Puget Sound. This indicator, measured at the city, town, and county level, can help local planners evaluate how their policies support a variety of housing options.
This indicator measures acres of new impervious surface area in residential zones per net new housing units built. Increasing housing units in areas with existing impervious surface, such as through new apartment buildings and other multi-unit housing, is an effective way to support population growth while protecting sensitive habitats. A lower value in this indicator suggests that more new housing was located in areas with existing impervious surfaces which can support the protection of sensitive habitats.
Acres of impervious surface gain per new housing unit, by county in Puget Sound between 2011 and 2017.
This indicator tracks the percentage of total new housing growth located within urban growth areas. Prioritizing development in urban growth areas can help protect natural lands outside urban areas. This indicator is one way to assess progress channeling growth into urban growth areas.
Percentage of net new housing growth in Urban Growth Areas in Puget Sound counties from 2011 to 2023.
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