[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6263384,"mediaKeyId","3107936-5e0c72d69d7ea0d3cb970425d5543ff0","parentId",3107936,"title","Regional transportation plan (RTP) 2050 presented to Tumwater commission; major projects and targets outlined","audioSeconds",1237,"startMs",1163000,"endMs",2400000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3107936-5e0c72d69d7ea0d3cb970425d5543ff0&start=1163&end=2400","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3107936-5e0c72d69d7ea0d3cb970425d5543ff0/thumbnail_1163000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6263384/Tumwater/Thurston-County/Washington/Regional-transportation-plan-RTP-2050-presented-to-Tumwater-commission-major-projects-and-targets-outlined","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6263384-6ad86bad53e11e68501d0748ac711212/orig.mp4?Expires=1776505290&Signature=FxvQY~rkC8bchXr8IuvIWwAQnkDm89GJb4iEIUF39ngWYdHMbW~hAAhtQ8~Nq91Zyw-8yoiX~jugPmBv~U04fxucQSNf7yH9llNWYdU08yFn~zcPkucEPGzxNJWLdp7UjA6Kb3S6tTpFY9TJlEcuIALg~NVXknICiEc4BfBNwHtLJ0pS1DsDus7vv94vBFqh7laCi3E4ICSvcRHTSi1uRBDfxRg56EpL7Km-5-Yt2yjn-JiCCNoJ5kGnz5FLujd3LhfuCJM4bDn3CxpBU16yde8sCx9Y0I~edVBOdvdGq0KfRQyBrYcoqC4CaCWvsB5UXgW8l1gF~1vNr0quFneJVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tumwater, WA - City Government","date","2025-04-24T08:01:57.633Z","article","Allison Osterberg, planning manager with the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC), presented the draft 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) to the Tumwater Planning Commission on March 25, 2025, describing regional growth projections, policy targets and a package of projects intended to address congestion, safety and multimodal access through 2050.

Osterberg said the Thurston region is among the faster-growing areas in Washington and will see substantial population, housing and job growth by 2050. TRPC modeling projects more than 100,000 additional residents across the region by 2050, about 58,000 additional housing units and roughly 50,000 new jobs, Osterberg said, and noted about 52,000 more residents would live within close access to transit under planned scenarios. The RTP is financially constrained and covers all modes, she said, with a strengthened emphasis on safety, equity, greenhouse-gas reductions and maintenance of existing assets.

The RTP includes about 80 regionally significant projects. Osterberg identified corridor and intersection constraints relevant to Tumwater: Little Rock Road, Capitol Boulevard, Trostle Road, and I‑5 between Tumwater and DuPont, including the I‑5/90th Avenue interchange area. She said projects and studies already planned or underway include trail extensions such as the Deschutes Valley Trail and Karen Fraser Woodland Trail extension; expanded transit investments by Intercity Transit including bus rapid transit and transit signal priority; and corridor signal improvements under a “smart corridors” approach.

Commissioners asked questions about freight, intermodal connections and how the RTP coordinates with neighboring regions and state agencies. Osterberg said the RTP coordinates closely with the Washington State Department of Transportation and other MPOs and acknowledged that freight mobility is an area TRPC plans to study more deeply in the coming year. She said the RTP must be consistent with local comprehensive-plan transportation elements and that TRPC will certify transportation elements as jurisdictions complete them.

Osterberg described schedule and next steps: TRPC planned to release the full RTP draft for public comment in early April, host a story map and survey, seek recommendations from the regional transportation policy board, and schedule TRPC council adoption by July 2025. She invited Tumwater staff to share the RTP public-comment link with local stakeholders when it becomes available.

No formal votes on the RTP were taken by the commission. Commissioners thanked TRPC staff for the overview and asked staff to return or provide follow-up materials on freight, trail projects and transit-service expansions affecting Tumwater corridors.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission March 25 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Thurston Regional Planning Council staff presented the draft 2050 Regional Transportation Plan to the Tumwater Planning Commission, summarizing regional growth projections, targets for safety and mode shift, and planned projects affecting Tumwater corridors including Little Rock Road, Capitol Boulevard and I‑5 interchange areas.","taxTitle","Tumwater, Thurston County, Washington","taxId",70653,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6263389,"Tumwater planning commission reviews draft housing element, discusses affordability tools and implementation priorities",0,3037000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3107936-5e0c72d69d7ea0d3cb970425d5543ff0&start=3037&end=3037","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3107936-5e0c72d69d7ea0d3cb970425d5543ff0/thumbnail_3037000.jpg","/articles/6263389/Tumwater/Thurston-County/Washington/Tumwater-planning-commission-reviews-draft-housing-element-discusses-affordability-tools-and-implementation-priorities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6263389-b5a7a9c52894b209ed790c92610db75b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776505290&Signature=QAdMfSD~6uMTUzw649ptvzOdr7zO0fIobc6iCF-vgRXB-XVIkAu7WMq4IRTCk3L5BoX~4BKFVLdTSw0TG5zmkDjUiDScyANrWHFkcAY8khFwnmRj59P4lsbiATBzECg0zMU4ggGBuWgwiHFS2AyFHTLaKjdG2Mo8h~J3FaIW5IsaqAlGoY17jUA2xM4AXV3JHW-rE4i0hiEqyf37Vl-zPZLldjixw4TM8aMOA05wkvdt-KUEVnAGlcEl0G7gBiOszaDO7yjpfT2bvYRSRbCnHQIXeTfQLw9Oxq0PM6-ydgBmPTejdIgeOwn~G2MuNTl8gUk8DRCSwZQoCy9yfKOVMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of Tumwater housing staff presented a draft housing element for the city’s comprehensive plan periodic update during the Planning Commission meeting Tuesday, March 25, 2025, outlining goals, policies and implementation actions to address an estimated shortfall of housing over the next 20 years.

The draft sets six goals including increasing the supply and variety of housing, expanding permanently income-restricted affordable housing, maintaining existing housing stock, improving access and stability for households, strengthening partnerships to implement housing strategies, and exploring a permanent funding source for low-income housing.

Erica Smith Erickson, Housing and Land Use Planner for the City of Tumwater, told commissioners the city’s current housing supply within the city and its urban growth area is roughly 12,000 residential units and noted a projected need of a little over 9,000 additional units over the next 20 years. Smith Erickson said the draft breaks needs down by area median income (AMI), with market-rate, middle-income (80–120% AMI) and income-restricted (under 80% AMI) categories, and includes proposed implementation items ranging from changes to development code to creation of local funding mechanisms and partnerships with nonprofit housing providers.

Commissioners pressed staff on which actions are state-required versus discretionary for Tumwater and urged clearer prioritization. Commissioner Gary Kirkpatrick and others emphasized the gap between planning and execution, noting that many projects in capital plans require outside funding and that a long list of goals does not guarantee implementation. Commissioners suggested adopting a short-term implementation program (for example, a 3–5 year action plan) that highlights “high-impact/low-effort” items while identifying longer-term, grant-dependent efforts.

Discussion addressed specific policy tools in the draft. Smith Erickson described options to expand the city’s multifamily property tax exemption (currently a 12-year option) and noted a state-level 20-year option exists; she said the city council had not scheduled an update to the local exemption program for 2025 but that the option could be reconsidered in future work programs. Commissioners and participants also discussed planned-unit developments that mix market-rate and permanently income-restricted units, demonstration projects that temporarily relax some development standards to test affordability approaches, and land-trust or revolving-fund models to support homeownership.

Commissioners raised concerns about how condominium conversions and rental ownership can affect neighborhood stability. Commissioner Kirkpatrick warned that when condominiums become predominantly rentals, maintenance can decline because fewer owners live in units and may be reluctant to fund repairs. Commissioners suggested the city consider registration or licensing for rental properties and expand landlord resources and tenant education to reduce code and maintenance problems.

Panelists and commissioners discussed manufactured-home parks as an important existing source of affordable housing and asked staff to preserve those sites where feasible. Smith Erickson also noted ongoing work on a displacement study, being led by consultants in partnership with the city, and said staff expect to present findings after the consultants finalize the analysis.

No formal legislative actions or amendments to the draft were taken at the meeting. The commission did adopt short procedural motions during the session: two successive five-minute extensions to allow further discussion and a motion to adjourn at the meeting’s close; each motion was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

The housing element draft will move forward for continued public review. Smith Erickson asked commissioners to submit written feedback to staff; she said the city will use the commission’s input to refine the draft goals, policies and implementation actions and to prepare materials for future council review and public outreach.","City staff presented draft housing goals, policies and implementation actions as part of Tumwater’s comprehensive plan periodic update. Commissioners and stakeholders discussed housing supply targets, incentives such as multifamily tax exemptions, preservation of manufactured-home parks and the need to prioritize attainable actions and funding.","actionData","errors"]

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Regional transportation plan (RTP) 2050 presented to Tumwater commission; major projects and targets outlined

Tumwater planning commission reviews draft housing element, discusses affordability tools and implementation priorities