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City to forward South Station countywide growth-center application to King County; designation unlocks PSRC funding eligibility
Summary
Staff recommended, and the committee forwarded to council, a resolution supporting submittal of the Countywide Growth Center application (South Station subarea). The designation would allow Federal Way to compete for Puget Sound Regional Council transportation grants and advance TOD-focused code changes and rezones.
Lucy Sloman, special projects planner in Community Development, asked the committee to adopt a resolution supporting submittal of the city’s countywide growth center (CGC) application for the South Station area to King County.
Background and purpose: Federal Way was designated a candidate CGC by the King County Growth Management Planning Council in December 2021 and later adopted the South Station subarea plan and center’s chapter in the comprehensive plan. Sloman said the CGC boundary (the orange line) differs from the broader subarea (green) and the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) district (yellow), and that the adopted boundary reflects land likely to redevelop and supports the long-term planning vision. The city’s preferred Sound Transit station location was announced in June, and the application to King County is due Oct. 1.
Why it matters: Sloman said a countywide growth-center designation is required to apply for certain transportation grants from the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). Designation signals commitments in the comprehensive plan and subarea plan, and staff said next steps will include community outreach on code changes and potential rezones to support the center.
Property-owner concerns and TOD boundaries: Committee members raised questions about the yellow TOD boundary and whether parts of DBM property were excluded; staff said the TOD (phase 1) boundary was drawn in response to property-owner concerns during the subarea-planning process but that the city will revisit boundaries and notify property owners during upcoming outreach. Staff said the county-level boundary for the CGC is the orange line the council will be asked to reconfirm.
Funding and projects: Council members asked what PSRC grants can fund; staff described the PSRC as the gateway to most federal transportation funding in Washington and said eligible projects include pedestrian access, signals and capacity projects. Members also asked whether state projects (for example, a planned roundabout near Lowe’s) could be influenced by the designation; staff said designation could be helpful when advocating for state funding but does not guarantee state capital-budget inclusion.
Action: Committee members moved and seconded forwarding a resolution supporting the submittal of the countywide growth center application to King County to the Sept. 16, 2025 council consent agenda. The chair called the vote in favor.
Ending: With council action and the City’s submittal, staff plan community conversations about potential code changes, rezones and implementation actions tied to the center designation.
