Planners' Update Newsletter Virtual public meetings scheduled on the Growth Management Act WAC Update Commerce is working to update the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) implementing the Growth Management Act (GMA). We recently finalized the project scope (.pdf) for the WAC update and we plan to release a preliminary draft of proposed changes for review today. The scope provides background information and identifies potential changes to our administrative rules. We are considering changes to reflect recent legislation, case law and recommendations from state agency subject matter experts. Public meetings Commerce is hosting two public meetings in December to hear your perspectives, share information about the project and answer questions. - Thursday, Dec. 9, 10:30 a.m. - noon
- Monday, Dec. 13, 1 - 2:30 p.m.
These will be virtual meetings. If you want to attend, please email William Simpson at gmarulemaking@commerce.wa.gov. We will add you to the project email list and send out a meeting link later this month. Written comments If you cannot attend one of the meetings, we welcome written feedback on the preliminary draft through Jan. 19, 2022. Please email your comments to gmarulemaking@commerce.wa.gov. We anticipate holding a public hearing on the proposed rule next spring. This preliminary draft and the upcoming meetings provide a chance for us to work with stakeholders early in the process to address your concerns and incorporate feedback before initiating the formal adoption process. There will be additional opportunities to comment during the adoption process next spring. Grant application open: Connecting (affordable) Housing to Infrastructure Program  The Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) is accepting applications for sewer, water or stormwater improvements and/or waived system development charges for new affordable housing projects. The applicant must be a city, county or public utility district in partnership with an affordable housing project. Applications must meet the following requirements: - The city or county must have imposed a sales and use tax for affordable housing.
- The new housing development must include at least 25% affordable units, which must have a strong probability of serving the target group for at least 25 years.
- The affordable housing development must begin construction within 24 months of the grant award.
- Federal funds must be under contract by December 2024 and expended by December 2026. Projects funded with state resources must be completed by June 2023, or June 2025 if funds are re-appropriated.
- Where applicable, the extension for new drinking water, wastewater or stormwater connections must be consistent with the approved comprehensive plans under the growth management act and must be within the established boundaries of the urban growth area.
A total of $34.6 million is available and grants can be up to $2.5 million. No match is required, but the applicant must demonstrate that all funding to complete the affordable housing project is committed prior to contract execution. Pre-application Webinar Thursday, Dec. 2
1:30 p.m. Pacific Time
REGISTER CHIP grant applications will be received through ZoomGrants. The application is a two-step process, so applicants are encouraged to begin their applications as soon as possible. Download full grant program details, including a list of application questions, in this CHIP Guidelines document (.pdf). | $5.9 million in HAPI and TODI grants awarded  To help communities grapple with the growing challenge of housing shortages and housing affordability challenges, Commerce recently awarded $5.9 million in funding through two new growth management grant programs. Read about the grants and some of the awardees on Commerce's Medium site. Housing Action Plan Implementation grants: $3.5 million to 44 communities The Housing Action Plan and Implementation (HAPI) grant provides funding for cities to develop strategies to meet their housing needs. Commerce awarded $3.5 million to 44 communities to research their housing needs, engage the community in a public process, and identity zoning changes or programs that would encourage private developers to build more housing to meet the needs of residents. HAPI grant recipients (.pdf). An additional round of grants will open in December for the remaining funds. More details on the remaining grant funds will be provided in the December Planners' Update newsletter. Transit-Oriented Development and Implementation grants: $2.4 million to 11 cities The Transit-Oriented Development and Implementation (TODI) grants provide funding to leverage investments in light rail and bus service. Commerce awarded $2.4 million to 11 cities to review zoning around transit stations and streamline permit processing times for more development in station areas. Transit-oriented development is an efficient way to absorb the state's expanding population and build high-quality neighborhoods, while minimizing traffic and costly sprawl. TODI grant recipients (.pdf). | Introducing new GMS team members Growth Management Services (GMS) recently added two new team members and one team member has been promoted to a new position. Here's some information about each of their roles and a few fun facts to help you get to know them.  Keri Sallee hired as Senior Planner in Western Washington We are excited for Keri Sallee to start with the GMS team this week, and look forward to what she'll bring to our unit and the division. Keri will be our team's newest senior planner in Western Washington, providing direct technical work, jurisdictional assistance and working with general growth management policy issues. Some of you have already had the pleasure of meeting and possibly working with Keri in her prior work with local governments, most recently as Senior Long Range Planner for Port Orchard. With more than 30 years in the planning field, Keri will provide a broad range of experience and understanding of public-sector planning to assist local communities in meeting Washington's growth management and comprehensive planning requirements. Keri has lived in the Pacific Northwest for 24 years, is a volunteer foster family for mama cats and their kittens, and loves kayaking down lazy rivers and working on her novel. Reach Keri at keri.sallee@commerce.wa.gov. |  Mary Reinbold to support Multi-Family Tax Exemption program GMS welcomes Mary Reinbold, AICP, to provide technical assistance to communities administering or implementing a multi-family tax exemption (MFTE) program. Mary will be working with a consultant and stakeholder group to develop guidance for jurisdictions considering or operating an MFTE program, and to develop a legislative study that looks at how cities and counties implement MFTE programs and how to improve their efficacy. Commerce is also required to develop an audit program that Mary will help to develop and administer. The MFTE program, codified as RCW 84.14, changed significantly in 2021, opening the program to all cities, towns and many counties in the state. See an overview of the changes (.pdf). Mary has a background in affordable housing, program development and local planning and joins Commerce from the City of Bonney Lake. Outside of work, Mary practices aikido, is the proud owner of a bob-tailed manx who attends most meetings with her, and is an avid reader of historical and detective fiction. Reach out to Mary at Mary.Reinbold@commerce.wa.gov or (509) 638-5449. |  Laura Hodgson Promoted to Senior Planner, will lead HB 1220 work We are also pleased to announce that Laura Hodgson has been promoted to Senior Planner. Laura will work with a consultant and stakeholder team to develop guidance for Washington communities to implement House Bill (HB) 1220 and provide technical assistance to communities throughout Washington as they do this work, as well as support our suite of growth management housing grants this biennium. HB 1220 updated Washington state's land use planning framework to require cities to plan for the affordability of a specific number of homes. It also expanded the requirements for housing elements to address racially disparate impacts, displacement and exclusion in housing. Initial guidance on HB 1220 is in this Discussion Document (.pdf). Laura was previously the program manager for the $5-million Increasing Residential Building Capacity grant program and has 15 years of public and private sector urban planning experience. Laura enjoys spending her free time with her husband and 3-year old son, gardening and reading. She also hopes to soon be dancing two-step and west coast swing again with her husband when the pandemic allows life to return to normal. Reach Laura at Laura.Hodgson@commerce.wa.gov or (360) 764-3143. | MRSC resources on climate action planning Webinar: Equity and Inclusion in Climate Action Planning In the second of three webinars in the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) Local Climate Response Project training series, panelists will take a closer look at frontline communities most impacted by climate change. On Tuesday, Dec. 7, from 11-12:30 p.m., this free webinar will share information on data to identify disparate health outcomes and how to engage the communities that are most affected by severe climate events. This includes degraded air and water quality, food system disruptions and other climate-related impacts. Webinar details & registration Local Climate Response Project and more This webinar is part of MRSC's Local Climate Response Project, which focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, centering equity in climate planning efforts, and adapting to and becoming more resilient to the effects of climate change. Over the next several months, MRSC's website will include a series of blog posts (including this one on the recent local government climate response survey), an interactive map of local climate plans and updated climate topic pages to assist local governments in developing and implementing effective climate plans and policies. Planners' Forums Planners' Forums will resume in 2022. Until then, presentations from past Regional Planners' Forums can be found on the Planners' Forum webpage. The Short Course on local planning The Short Course on local planning offered by the Department of Commerce offers an overview of the land use planning laws in Washington state, an introduction to comprehensive planning and plan implementation under the GMA, and a review of the roles in planning and mandatory training on the Open Public Meetings Act for local government officials. All courses are free and open to the public. There are two Short Courses remaining in 2021: | MONTH | DATE | TIME | REGISTRATION | | November | Tuesday, 11/30/2021 | 6-9 p.m. | Register | | December | Thursday, 12/16/2021 | 1-4 p.m. | Register | Virtual visits available Our team is also offering e-visits to local planning commissions or other meetings via Zoom. Contact your regional planner (.pdf) with any requests for presentations. Topics may include, but are not limited to, comprehensive plan basics or roles in the planning process. Grant Updates and Reminders NEW: Streamflow Restoration Grants (Ecology) The Department of Ecology's Streamflow Restoration competitive grants are open now thru Feb. 1, 2022. The grants will help state and local agencies, Tribal governments and non-profit organizations implement local watershed plans and projects to improve streamflow and aquatic resources. $40 million is available for eligible projects. The Streamflow Restoration webpage linked below includes resources for potential applicants including grant guidance and a recording of the applicant workshop webinar. Puget Sound Solid Nutrient Reduction Grant Program (Ecology) Ecology also announced opening of the Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction grant program. Eligible applicants are the 43 municipalities operating the 58 wastewater treatment plants that discharge to the Washington waters of the Salish Sea that will be applying for coverage under the Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction General Permit. Please see Table 1 in the program funding guidelines for a list of eligible applicants and eligible grant amounts. Eligible applicants will apply for grants through the Ecology Administration of Grants and Loans (EAGL) system. Apply now through March 1, 2022. After applications are received, Ecology will work directly with applicants to develop a funding agreement. Subscribe to our Planners' Update newsletter Do you have new staff or know of someone who would like to know about planning news in Washington? If so, please encourage them to sign up for the Commerce Planners' Update newsletter by visiting www.commerce.wa.gov. Scroll to the bottom of the page to the "subscribe" area, enter your email and click "submit" to choose subscriptions you would like to receive. For this newsletter, under "Public Infrastructure," select "Growth Management." You may unsubscribe from any topic at any time. | 
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