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Kittitas County and Ellensburg update comprehensive plan and urban growth area work
Summary
County and city planning staff described the periodic comprehensive-plan update required by state law, including housing needs, land capacity analyses, critical areas ordinances, public engagement and a May open house; county staff said they have a draft housing needs assessment and expect further public input.
County and Ellensburg planning officials updated elected leaders on the periodic comprehensive-plan update that will include a housing element, critical areas review and a land-capacity analysis required by state law.
County staff said they hired a consultant in May 2024 and have completed a draft comprehensive-plan gap analysis. The update must incorporate recent state statutes addressing housing affordability, climate and best available science for critical areas. Staff said the county expects a final draft of the housing needs assessment and land-capacity analysis in May and has already begun an Easton sub-area plan with monthly community meetings.
The county described the process for population projections: it used the Office of Financial Management’s medium scenario and then ran that input through modeling to allocate population and housing need across jurisdictions and urban growth areas (UGAs). Staff noted jurisdictions can still negotiate allocations through the Conference of Governments and the Board of County Commissioners, but the county is moving forward with the median projection so land-capacity work can continue.
Both county and city presenters emphasized public outreach. County staff said the first open house will coincide with the farmers market on May 17, with follow-up meetings including senior-center sessions and a May 5–7 evening open house. Officials said surveys and QR-code links to the comprehensive-plan webpage are active and will inform development-regulation changes. County staff also reported progress on a settlement on the county critical areas ordinance with the Yakama Nation that resolves an appeal to the Growth Management Hearings Board and will clarify administration of best available science.
