Planning commission reviews draft land-capacity method, county population allocation

College Place planning staff and consultant Justin Barelocker of JEB Engineers reviewed a draft land-capacity analysis methodology and a proposed county population allocation at the March 18 Planning Commission meeting, saying the county is proposing a 73,112 total-county population target for the plan period that yields an allocation of about 13,320 residents for College Place.

The presentation summarized five steps in the county’s proposed methodology: define the study area and cutoff date, calculate parcel-level developable area, identify pipeline developments, deduct nondevelopable areas (easements, public land, critical areas), and calculate residential and employment capacity by zone to compare capacity with projected growth.

The methodology uses assessor parcel data, limits the base date to Dec. 31, 2024, and treats “pipeline” development as projects vested or in pre-application between 2020 and 2025. Justin Barelocker said the city may include pre-application projects as pipeline capacity; he cited a Lakeside proposal on roughly 30 acres that the consultant team described as planning for about 924 units (roughly 7 units per acre) and a separate 80-unit apartment plan east of Home Depot…