Res-2016-144 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

state. It is in the public interest that citizens, communities, local governments, and the private sector cooperate and coordinate with one another on comprehensive land use planning." (RCW 36.70A.OIO). This finding, which summarizes the intent ofGMA, emphasizes the central role of this Land Use Element. The Act requires the Land Use Element to designate the general distribution, location, and extent of land for various uses, including resource lands, housing, commerce, industry, parks and open space and public facilities. This element considers all these land uses, with the exception of public facilities and parks and open space, which will be considered in detail in separate comprehensive plan elements. The Land Use Element shall consider critical areas, population densities, building densities, and estimates of future population growth. It shall also provide for the protection of the quality and quantities of groundwater used for public water supplies, and consider and mitigate the impacts of stonn water runoff. Most importantly, however, the GMA requires that other elements of the Comprehensive Plan relate back to the Land Use Element. For example the Act specifically requires both the Capital Facilities and Transportation Elements to be coordinated and consistent with the Land Use Element. It also states that the entire Comprehensive Plan shall be internally consistent, and that aU elements shall be consistent with the Land Use Map. Additionally, the GMA requires that planning efforts for regional growth centers, such as Urban Centers, be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Therefore, GMA places the Land Use Element in the central role of defining the direction of the Comprehensive Plan, and thereby defining the vision of the community. The focus of the Land Use Element are the Goals and Policies and the Land Use Map. Background and Analysis The City of Cte Blum and the Upper Kittitas County Region have experienced unprecedented growth over the past several years. This section analyzes the extent of existing land uses in the City, and outlines the growth, which is expected to occur within the City within the next ten (10) to twenty (20) years. This analysis sets the stage for the level of growth and development, which this plan will accommodate. Urban Growth Area Boundary The GMA mandates that each county designate an Urban Growth Area (UGA) within which mban growth is to be encouraged, and outside of which urban growth annexations may not occur. The UGA must contain enough land to accommodate twenty (20) years of projected residential growth, as determined for each county by the State Office of Financial Management. The entire city limits of each city must be included in the UGA~ and unincorporated areas also may be included. However, the GMA states that an urban growth area may include land outside of a city only if this land is" ... already characterized by urban growth or is adjacent to territory already characterized by urban growth ... " (RCW 36. 70A.l1 0). The Countywide Planning Policies (CWPP's) adopted by City of Cte Elum -Land Use Plan 3