 Happy Holidays from Growth Management Services!
Commerce would like to extend a season?s greetings and a Happy New Year to everyone in the world of planning. After a very successful year, with many milestones, here are a few highlights:
"May your planning bring joy and happiness to your community in the upcoming year. May your season be free of stress and beautiful to behold. And, may all of your goals reach fruition (or at least a bit of fruitcake) at the end of 2022. Happy Holidays!"
- Dave Andersen, managing director of Growth Management Services
 HB 1220: RDI webinar recording available, land capacity guidance forthcoming
Commerce held a training webinar on the soon-to-be-published Racially Disparate Impacts Guidance on December 6. This guidance will provide recommendations for how local governments can address the new housing element requirements for assessing racially disparate impacts, exclusion, displacement and displacement risk in housing planning and drafting policies that begin to undo these impacts.
The webinar recording and the presentation slides are now available on the project webpage. Commerce is finalizing the guidance for local governments to implement in their upcoming periodic updates and is expecting publication in January 2023. Until then, the Draft Racially Disparate Impacts Guidance is available.
Commerce has also developed guidance for how local governments should plan for sufficient land capacity for their future housing needs. In tandem with this guidance, Commerce was required to develop projected housing need numbers by income level (linked to Excel file tool with draft numbers).? These are developed at a countywide level with recommendations for local allocation based on regional coordination.
This Land Capacity Guidance will be available for a 30-day comment period beginning December 21. To be notified of when this document is available for review, sign up for the HB 1220 project updates by entering your email address on the project webpage under ?Subscribe? on the right side of the page.
Comments and questions about the Land Capacity Guidance can be submitted to Laura Hodgson at [email protected] through Jan. 20, 2023.
GMS updating 1994 ADU guidance
In accordance with guidance set in 1994, the Growth Management Act (GMA) requires that many counties, and any city with a population over 20,000, allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs). That language is still in statute?RCW 43.63A.215.
In 2021, HB 1220 amended the housing element statute requiring all local government planning under the GMA make adequate provisions for existing and projected housing needs for all economic segments of the community. Jurisdictions must?consider the role of accessory dwelling units in meeting these new housing requirements.
In response to this new language and to address the critical need for housing and affordability, Commerce is updating the 1994 ADU guidance with recommendations for cities and counties.?Sign up to get notice of ADU guidance updates. Draft guidance will be previewed at the?Southwest Planners' Forum on January 19 (via Zoom).
Final guidance will be released in April, along with PowerPoint resources and two webinars. Get more information on the project at the?ADU Guidance EZview webpage.
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Ecology update on flood control
As fall and winter wet weather return, we know communities across the state are bracing for potential floods. In Washington, the costs associated with flooding exceed all other natural hazards. In any given year, there is more than an 80% chance that 10 or more flood events will occur, and the frequency of floods will increase as the climate changes.
The Washington State Legislature established the Flood Control Assistance Account Program (FCAAP) in 1984 to help local and tribal governments plan for and reduce their flood risks.?
The FCAAP is expected have up to $2.3 million in available funding for the 2023-25 state biennium (the exact amount will be determined by the legislative process). The application period for these planning grants will be open in Ecology's Administration of Grants and Loans (EAGL) online system on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, and run through Thursday, March 30, 2023.?
Applications to the FCAAP will be scored and ranked in spring 2023, and final funding decisions will be announced in July 2023.
The FCAAP is a funding source for the creation of Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plans (CFHMPs). The CFHMPs are intended to help communities identify, inform, prepare and mitigate flood hazards that affect their citizens, businesses and infrastructure. They also position communities for success in various federal, state, local and tribal grants programs. More information on the intent of the program and guidance on how to create a CFHMP is available at Ecology's FCAAP webpage.?
Following the 2021-23 funding cycle, we will once again emphasize grants for comprehensive flood hazard planning. Priority funding will be awarded for planning efforts that support creating a new or updating an existing CFHMP that benefits underserved communities. Priority funds will also be awarded for stakeholder outreach or technical studies that support the development of a CFHMP.
We are hosting two virtual FCAAP application workshops for interested applicants. The workshop information is below.
- Jan. 11, 2023, 10 to 11:30 a.m.,?Register
- Jan. 19, 2023, 1 to 2:30 p.m.,?Register
We haven't had funding to support flood risk reduction planning activities for over 12 years. In 2021, we were able to again provide FCAAP grants to support this statewide planning need.?
To help us understand the status of need across the state and how we can best serve communities,?please complete our CFHMP interest survey.?This will only take three to five minutes of your time.?
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Volunteer and job opportunities
CivicSpark
The CivicSpark team is excited to announce that we will be hosting a 7.5-month fellowship starting in January 2023. We are looking for local governments and organizations across your state who might be interested in hosting AmeriCorps Fellows to support local community resilience efforts.
We're now accepting Partner applications for January. Please see the program flyer for additional information.?
Upcoming Planners? Forum
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NW Planners? Forum?- Thursday, Dec. 15, 9 to 11 a.m., Register
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SW Planners? Forum?-?Thursday, Jan. 19, 9 a.m. to noon, Register
Remember, folks needing American Planning Association (AICP) credits will receive credits for attending based on topics covered. Learn more about Commerce?s regional forums at the Growth Management Planners' Forum webpage.
Remember, you can receive American Planning Association (AICP) credits for attending based on the topics covered.
Short course on local planning
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.
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Month?
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Date
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Time
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Registration?
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January
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Wed., 1/25
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6 - 9 p.m.
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Register
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February
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Tues., 2/28
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1 - 4 p.m.
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Register
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March
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Thurs., 3/23
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6 - 9 p.m.
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Register
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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 to request a presentation.
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