The city’s Comprehensive Plan review process is about halfway complete, and citizen comments indicate affordable housing tops the list of people’s concerns.

Port Townsend uses a “Comp Plan” to shape the city’s growth over the next 20 years. The state mandates, via the Growth Management Act (GMA), that the city’s Comprehensive Plan undergoes “periodic review” every 10 years. The last Comp Plan update was in 2016. The plan sets big goals and policies, such as land use zones.

“Some of the issues the community has voiced include housing affordability, ecosystem stewardship, local character — places and people, diversity-economic, age, and social, jobs — especially small-scale local businesses, arts and creative culture, recreation, fiscal and infrastructure sustainability,” said Emma Bolin, the city’s director of planning and community development.

Public comment gathered at an October workshop echoed the same, with calls for “creating mechanisms to ensure housing is affordable to those at different income levels and remains affordable in the future.”

The next chance for public involvement is a work session scheduled for Dec. 9.

The purpose of holding an informational meeting is to exam items “flagged for potential amendment” in the updated comprehensive plan.  In addition, Bolin said, the session should provide an opportunity for a joint discussion with the city Planning Commission and City Council on the prioritization and urgency of optional amendments for this update cycle before formal hearings in early 2025.

What gets into the comp plan has a big impact, because it provides a vision for the future of the community along with the steps that are needed to make it reality. It also puts in place the basis for land use regulations, creating a nexus between the community’s future vision and the regulation of private property.

Port Townsend was awarded over $725,000 in state grants for long range planning. According to city staff, these funds will be used for the Comp Plan, as well as the Active Transportation Plan, Climate Action Plan, Shoreline Master Program, and the city’s first Urban Forestry Plan.

State law requires that the city complete its 2025 Comp Plan update prior to Dec. 31, 2025, Bolin said.

However, grant funding must be utilized prior to June 30, 2025. “Comprehensive Plan completion ahead of the December deadline will depend on project pacing, schedule and resource availability.”

City has been in the process of establishing baseline conditions, developing options, and direction for Comprehensive Plan changes since early this year, Bolin said.

“In 2025, work will be done to determine direction for what amendments need to be prioritized and the content of any changes based on community values and statutory requirements.”

Rolled into the comp plan are development regulations such as building height limits, and active plans, such as the Urban Forestry Plan, which are used to implement the goals and policies in the Comp Plan.

Port Townsend’s Comp Plan includes a community direction statement, and addresses utilities and capital facilities, land use, housing and transportation, and economic development sub-area plans for Rainier Street and Upper Sims Way.

To date, city staff has hosted a series of workshops, a pop-up event, school outreach events, a farmers market booth a self-guided walking tour.

The Dec. 9 event includes an informational session between city council and the planning commission. Public comment, Bolin said, will be taken but in workshop format.

In January and February 2025, the city plans to host public hearings with the planning commission and city council. Future public workshops are tentatively scheduled for Spring 2025.