Periodic Updates planning grants and workshop series; STEP guidance coming soon; Staff update; Upcoming events and more



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june 18, 2024
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Periodic Update Grants – Helping fund your local planning process

With a new fiscal year starting July 1, 2024, Commerce is reviewing grant applications this month in a sizzling summer dash to meet our state deadlines. We want to remind you that funding is currently available to local governments as they work on their periodic updates, including: comprehensive plan, development regulations, critical areas and natural resource lands updates.

Commerce continues to provide formula grants two years ahead of each city and county due date, and funds have already been allocated for 2024, 2025 and now 2026 jurisdictions with just one biennial budget to go for 2027 jurisdictions. We keep our GMS grants webpage [ [link removed] ] updated with all of the critical documents you need to receive your allocated funding from the state as soon as it’s available.

Focusing on our 2026 and 2027 jurisdictions, we want to remind partially planning areas that several updates are needed for critical areas and jurisdictions can also use the funding on their natural resource land designations. With so many changes to the Growth Management Act in recent years, it’s an excellent moment to use state funding to reevaluate your community’s needs for housing, environmental protections, agriculture and more.

Formula grants are available to counties and cities based on population and their fully planning or partially planning status under the GMA:

*Fully Planning*


* Counties with 100,000 population and over: $700,000
* Counties under 100,000 population: $350,000
* Cities with 100,000 population and over: $325,000
* Cities with 50,000 to 99,999 population: $175,000
* Cities with 3,000 to 49,999 population: $125,000
* Cities under 3,000 population: $100,000

*Partially Planning*


* Counties with 10,000 population and over: $150,000
* Counties under 10,000 population: $100,000
* Cities (No population limits): $20,000

If you need help or support with the funding process, don’t hesitate to contact our Operations Support Manager at [email protected]. 

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Important deadline for Fiscal Year 2024 Grantees

*Are you contracted with Commerce for a 2024 periodic update planning grant?*

Even though the deadline for your periodic update is December 31, jurisdictions contracted with us for 2024 periodic update grants *must submit all remaining invoices to us no later than July 8, 2024 *for reimbursement.

Similarly, all contracts with Growth Management Services require that you submit final invoices no later than July 8, 2024 for fiscal year 2024 reimbursements. *All contract deliverables were due by June 15, 2024.*  These contracts will be considered closed at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2024.

Please contact Ashley Murphy <[email protected]> with contract questions.

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STEP update and reminders

The comment period for our Draft Model Ordinance, User Guide and Best Practices Report [ [link removed] ] ended June 14, and we have begun finalizing our guidance to support local governments as they plan for their emergency shelter (S), transitional housing (T), emergency housing (E), and permanent supportive housing (P) needs.

We expect to have multiple tools and our final STEP guidance document available on our Housing Guidance webpage [ [link removed] ] in July.

*Guidance preview*

Providing a bit of a preview to the final guidance, we expect the final STEP materials to include the following critical updates for local governments:


* The final STEP Materials and Housing Element Book 2 will be updated to clarify that a land capacity analysis is required for emergency housing, regardless of whether a jurisdiction has restrictions on emergency housing and emergency shelter land uses, consistent with RCW 36.70A.070(2)(c) [ [link removed] ].
* Updates to development regulations found in the Supportive Housing Types Review Checklist [ [link removed] ], including those for STEP, and a lack of land capacity for any housing capacity shortfall, must be completed within the periodic update per RCW 36.70A.130(5) [ [link removed] ] and RCW 36.70A.115 [ [link removed] ], respectively.

*Office hours planned twice monthly*

To support local governments as they implement this work, Commerce will hold STEP office hours twice per month starting on June 27, 2024.

These open office hours will continue on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 1-2 p.m. throughout the rest of 2024.


* Register [ [link removed] ] (Zoom) for the *second Thursday* of the month meeting.
* Register [ [link removed] ] (Zoom) for the *fourth Thursday* of the month meeting.

If technical assistance is needed outside of these work sessions, please contact Laura Hodgson <[email protected]>. We are happy to support you and answer questions.

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Planning for Climate Update

Summer funding awards and grant cycles

Commerce is expecting to announce Climate grant awards over the next several weeks related to planning under the GMA and the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). We anticipate additional funding rounds later this summer or in early fall.

CCA logo

The Community Based Organization grant is currently in a pilot program status, but we’re hoping for a second round later this year based on everything we learned during the pilot. The Local Planning for Salmon Recovery grant may also see an additional funding cycle. We continue to strengthen our partnership with the Puget Sound National Estuary program as we look for additional ways to integrate salmon recovery and stormwater management into local planning efforts in the Puget Sound and across the state. Stay tuned in the next few months for more information.



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Growth Management staff update

Melissa Alofaituli photo
Melissa Alofaituli

Please welcome a new eastern region senior planner, Melissa Alofaituli (she/her). Melissa provides technical assistance to three counties (Spokane, Adams and Whitman) and serves as the unit’s technical expert on Equity and Environmental Justice. Born and raised in Spokane, Melissa has a master’s degree in planning from the University of Southern California. She brings over a decade of professional planning experience to the role, including serving as the Director of Planning Policy and Development for the Mayor of Los Angeles, and working in long range policy, current planning, and historic preservation in the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. Melissa also served in the Peace Corps as an economic development specialist in the Dominican Republic, where she worked with women’s groups and an organic coffee co-op. Melissa lives in Spokane with her family where she enjoys outdoor activities, creating things with her kids and traveling.



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Outside Commerce

New Washington Geological Survey Groundwater Fact Sheet

Department of Natural Resources Logo

Washington Geological Survey (WGS) has a new fact sheet about groundwater in Washington state. We all rely on water, it’s an essential resource. In Washington, west of the Cascade Mountain Range, water is more plentiful than on the eastern side of the State.

Water sources are commonly categorized into surface water and groundwater. Groundwater uses include household uses, agriculture uses, industrial uses, and natural resources (for example, a water source for wetlands and lakes). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA,) 60% of Washington’s drinking water is supplied by groundwater. Read more about groundwater on the WGS groundwater page [ [link removed] ].

*Download Fact Sheet [ [link removed] ]*

Reach out to Ellen Svadlenak, L.G. Groundwater Geologist, WGS, at [email protected] if you have questions.



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Upcoming events

2026 Periodic Updates Workshop Series

Commerce is partnering with the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) and the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments to bring you information and resources that support jurisdictions with periodic updates due in 2026, as required under the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A.130).

Each workshop in the series will feature a different periodic update topic in-depth. Stay tuned to the periodic update webpage [ [link removed] ] for more information, previous session materials and registration.

*NEXT UP: **Climate Workshop
July 18, 2024 from 10 a.m. – noon
**Register* [ [link removed] ] (Zoom)

The climate workshop will cover:


* Overview of HB 1181 (2023)
* Climate planning guidance and resources
* Greenhouse gas reduction requirements and applicability
* Climate element case studies: Yakima Valley
* Q&A

*Questions? *

Contact Suzanne Austin at [email protected]

 

Regional Planners’ Forums

The Planners’ Forums are quarterly events held regionally across Washington state and in partnership with both the Washington APA [ [link removed] ] and the Planners Association of Washington [ [link removed] ]. Each one features guest speakers discussing planning related topics in association with the guidelines set down by the American Planning Association [ [link removed] ]. While regionally focused, the forums are typically on Zoom and available for statewide attendance.

*SW Planners’ Summer Forum: Land Use Climate Planning and Sustainability*

On behalf of the Department of Commerce, the Planning Association of Washington and the Southwest APA WA section we are pleased to announce the upcoming Southwest Planners' Summer Forum. The summer forum includes three educational and inspiring presentations from planning professionals and land use practitioners focused on:


* Public Engagement with Community Based Organizations (CBOs)
* Racial Equity – Housing Policies and Real-time Implementation
* Developing a Tree Canopy Coverage Assessment and Plan

*SW Planners' Summer Forum
Thursday, July 18, 2024*

* 9 - 11:45 a.m.*

*Register [ [link removed] ]* (Zoom)

Visit the Commerce Planners’ Forums [ [link removed] ] website for updates and materials as they develop.
Contact Catherine McCoy <[email protected]> with questions or comments.

Individuals needing American Planning Association (AICP [ [link removed] ]) credits will receive credits for attending based on topics covered. Learn more about Commerce’s regional forums at the Growth Management Planners' Forum webpage [ [link removed] ].

 

Short Course on Local Planning

On June 25, we will host our *last Short Course before we go into summer program development*. In the next couple months, expect us to post a fall Short Course Schedule on our Short Course webpage [ [link removed] ] before we start up again in September.

The Short Course on local planning offers an overview of land use planning laws in Washington, an introduction to comprehensive planning and plan implementation under the Growth Management Act (GMA), and a review of roles in planning and mandatory training on the Open Public Meetings Act for local government officials. All courses are online, free and open to the public.

*FINAL FOR SUMMER 2024!
Online virtual short course*

*June 25, 2024 from 1 – 4 p.m.*
*Register* [ [link removed] ] (Zoom)

 

*Ask about local presentations*

Commerce also offers e-visits to local planning commissions or other meetings. Topics include, but are not limited to, comprehensive plan basics and roles in the planning process. Contact your regional planner [ [link removed] ] to request a presentation.






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Commerce works with local governments, businesses, community-based organizations and tribes to strengthen communities. The department’s diverse portfolio of more than 100 programs and effective public and private partnerships promote sustainable community and economic development to help all Washingtonians thrive. For more information, visit [link removed]. For information on locating or expanding a business in Washington, visit choosewashingtonstate.com [ [link removed] ].

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