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KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />PAGE 10 | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN <br />2.3.1.1. Catalog existing initiatives and evaluate for demand and effectiveness. <br />2.3.1.2. Identify opportunities for the entrepreneurship program at CWU to work with local businesses. <br />2.3.1.3. Raise awareness of funding opportunities, such as crowdfunding (when eligible for securities <br />registration exemption) and Small Company Offering Registration, among others. <br />Goal 3. Balanced Growth <br />Direct and manage the County’s growth to build a dynamic community that <br />remains an attractive and affordable place to live. <br />There are opposing views on the merits of growth in Kittitas County, which have hindered the County’s ability to <br />take decisive economic action in any one direction. Individual opinions aside, the County has grown substantially <br />over the past decade and will likely continue to do so. While growth itself may be inevitable, the magnitude and <br />direction of this growth can be managed to better align with the community’s goals. Successfully directing growth <br />requires a strategy to retain and expand existing businesses, pursue target industries that align with the County’s <br />values and resources, and develop or redevelop sites to meet those business needs. <br />As housing costs have risen dramatically throughout Kittitas County, managing growth will also require action to <br />improve affordability. Pursuing government funding, forming coalitions among partners, and undertaking joint <br />community planning efforts are all components to increasing housing stock across the affordability spectrum. <br />Supporting a diversity of amenities (quality of place) can influence where people want to live and help attract and <br />retain a broad spectrum of talented individuals and families. <br />Land use is essential to economic development, and, as such, is addressed in this plan. However, it is important <br />to acknowledge that land use regulations are complex, unique to each community, and continuously evolving. <br />While land use appears prominently in the strategies and actions listed below, these are intended as suggestions <br />to be evaluated by County and City stakeholders. <br />Strategies and Actions <br />3.1. Encourage the development of a diverse housing stock to meet the needs of a growing <br />population. <br />3.1.1. Continue implementing the recommendations in the City of Ellensburg’s Housing Action Plan as a model <br />for other communities. <br />3.1.2. Conduct a housing analysis in the Upper County to assess current housing inventory and to evaluate the <br />regulatory environment, potential capacity, and locations. <br />3.1.3. Evaluate zoning/land use regulations to identify barriers to density and housing development as well as <br />opportunities to adopt common standards. <br />3.1.3.1. Implement policy and zoning changes to ensure that developments in Kittitas County are competitive <br />for state and federal funding. Zoning changes to consider include ensuring that multifamily zoning is <br />permitted, allowing modular housing and accessory dwelling units, designating community <br />revitalization areas, and allowing early learning facilities in multifamily zones. <br />3.1.3.2. Ensure land use regulations encourage development of “missing middle” housing and remove <br />potential barriers to housing development, such as parking requirements and setback sizes.