Council reviews draft comp‑plan chapters; staff adds tribal acknowledgement, tree‑canopy and air‑quality policy options

City planning staff presented four draft chapters of the comprehensive plan update — the introduction, conservation and environment, capital facilities/utilities, parks/recreation/open space — and the Healthy Des Moines element at the April 3 study session. Staff emphasized the update responds to new state laws and regional planning policy changes and must demonstrate capacity to meet the city’s population and housing targets under the Growth Management Act.

Key additions and council direction: • Tribal acknowledgement: staff added a tribal land acknowledgement after coordination with tribes; staff reported the Puyallup Tribe participated directly and approved the language presented. Council accepted the inclusion as drafted. • Tree canopy and critical areas: staff proposed multiple new policies to preserve and increase tree canopy and to require replacement ratios when significant trees are removed. Staff recommended keeping high‑level policy language in the comp plan while placing numerical replacement ratios and implementation details in municipal code or development regulations. Councilmembers supported adding language to encourage tree planting programs and sought flexibility to identify priority areas for new plantings. Council asked staff to include a policy encouraging city efforts to promote or coordinate tree replacement programs with regional partners when available. • Air quality, noise and airport impacts: staff proposed policies that would require continued regional engagement on Sea‑Tac Airport impacts (airborne particulates and aircraft noise) and support for independent monitoring and studies. Council asked staff to broaden the language to reference “relevant agencies” and to note other pollution sources (for example, major arterials and highways) rather than naming only the Port of Seattle, and to avoid naming specific studies where possible so the language remains durable over time. • Parks and open space: staff replaced the parks chapter with the city’s 2022 Parks, Recreation and Senior Services (PRSS) plan goals and policies, and council asked staff to ensure acquisition language emphasizes addressing underserved areas and proximity/walkability when prioritizing new park land. • Capital facilities: staff updated references to franchise agreements and provider plans with the most recent materials; no substantive policy changes were requested.

Staff sought direction on language choices and implementation sequencing. Council asked staff to keep the comp plan policies high level (reserve technical details and numerical standards for the municipal code) and to bring back the remaining chapters on a schedule that spaces large content items into manageable study sessions.

Ending: Staff will revise language per council guidance, include suggested wording changes (for example: broaden references to “relevant agencies” on airport impacts; add encouragement of tree replacement programs) and return with additional chapters and a revised schedule for the update process.