Council advances draft comprehensive plan after hours of public comment; limits new density near Henderson-Burnham

Gig Harbor City Council heard a staff presentation and extensive public testimony March 24 before approving several amendments to the draft comprehensive plan that will be incorporated into a revised document for second reading and final adoption on April 14.

The council’s discussion followed a staff report from Community Development Director Eric Baker, who described the comprehensive plan as “what the city wants to be when it grows up,” a 20-year roadmap required under the state Growth Management Act and guided by regional plans and countywide policies. Baker said the draft accommodates state-mandated housing targets, infrastructure needs and a forthcoming climate element, and that subsequent actions would include updates to the zoning map, development regulations and the city’s critical areas ordinance.

Why it matters: The comprehensive plan sets land-use policy and the map that will guide future zoning and development rules. The public hearing centered on a proposed change that would allow much higher residential density on a 13-acre property near 112th Street and Burnham Avenue, a change neighbors said would worsen traffic, reduce neighborhood character and strain schools and emergency access.

Council action and key details

- Council moved to designate the parcel adjacent to Henderson Bay as Residential Medium (6–12 dwelling units per acre) for the draft comprehensive plan; the amendment, proposed by Council Member Jenny Wouk and seconded by Council Member Coronado, passed by roll call 6–0 with Council Member Stone recorded as an abstention. Staff noted the land-use designation change will be carried forward into follow-on zoning and development-regulation work.

- The council voted unanimously (7–0) to remove the properties west of State Route 16 from the Gig Harbor North “center of local importance” designation, leaving only the east side of the highway included.

- The council also approved (6–1) an amendment to raise the target residential density for C‑1 commercial business areas from 32 to 38 dwelling units per acre; the motion was moved by Council Member Rodenberg and seconded by Council Member Coronado.

- Council approved (6–1) removing the word “vertical” from two places in the draft policy language so that mixed-use areas can include residential development without mandating that housing be built over ground-floor retail.

- Staff and council also agreed to convert three parcels on Burnham Drive from “mixed use” to an employment-center designation to reflect existing uses; that change passed unanimously.

Public testimony and concerns

Dozens of speakers — including many residents of Henderson Bay Estates and adjacent neighborhoods — urged the council to retain lower-density land use at the 112th/Burnham site. Abby Davis, a homeowner near the site, told council, “Changing it now to a much higher density will have significant and lasting consequences for the surrounding community.” Neighbors consistently cited: proximity to roundabouts on State Route 16 and associated congestion; lack of safe pedestrian connections and bus service; potential impacts on school capacity; and compatibility with the existing single-family neighborhoods.

Developers and property owners speaking in favor of greater density argued for more housing choices near services and transit and said some Gig Harbor parcels are appropriate for attached housing and townhomes. John Homas and Carol Holmes described a site they own in Westside that they said has sidewalks, nearby grocery and medical services, and access to transit; they suggested it could support denser, small-footprint housing with structured parking.

Staff clarifications and next steps

Baker said the comprehensive plan is a “what” document; the zoning map and development regulations are the “how” and will be revised through 2025. He noted the state’s housing guidance attaches expected housing types to income bands and that the Department of Commerce and countywide planning policies inform local choices. He also warned that updates such as the critical areas ordinance and the climate element could change buffers or permit requirements and that zoning updates will need to be consistent with capital facilities and environmental analyses.

The council left the public hearing open for additional comment and instructed staff to incorporate the council’s amendments into the draft. The revised comprehensive plan will return for a second reading and final vote at the April 14 council meeting.

Ending: Council members and staff emphasized the plan remains a draft and that many technical follow-up items — zoning map updates, development regulations and a critical areas update — will be required before new development rules take effect.