Council workshop reviews draft comprehensive plan, climate resiliency and transportation elements

Centralia planning staff on Tuesday briefed the City Council on a draft comprehensive plan and linked climate and transportation planning documents, outlining major map changes, public engagement and near-term projects identified by consultants.

Community Development Director Emil Pearson told the council the update includes a large appendix and reflects extensive outreach: "We've had 17 workshops, a couple open houses, a couple presentations throughout the community over the last year," Pearson said. He also said 460 people responded to the plan survey.

What changed on maps: Pearson said the draft trims about 1,000 acres from the citys urban growth area (UGA) in places that cannot develop on city sewer, including most of the River Heights area, and introduces a new R2A district that he described as a rural 2-acre zone concentrated on Davis Hill. The presentation separates open space from public facilities on the land-use map; parks such as Borse Park are shown as open space while institutions like the college and cemetery are mapped as public facilities.

Population and land-capacity approach: Pearson described Centralias population allocation process under the Growth Management Act and county planning policies. He said the state/county allocation for the city was 24,000 but the plan team modeled growth closer to 30,000—32,000 as a planning range once committed land and critical-area constraints are accounted for.

Infrastructure limits: Staff repeatedly told council members that sewer capacity is the limiting factor for where growth can occur. "It controls where growth is going to occur," Pearson said. Both Pearson and City Engineer Patty Page said extending gravity sewer along Harrison Avenue and other corridors is required to open land for larger development.

Climate and hazards: Pearson reviewed the draft climate resiliency element and associated maps prepared by consultants. He said the climate plan examined drought, heat, precipitation, flood risk and smoke and that consultants modeled future flood extent for 2080, with staff noting the Office of the Chehalis Basin projects used in that mapping.

Transportation highlights: Page presented the transportation element and recommended projects that staff and consultants will move into the citys six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). She said the near-term work includes the North Shubert Road improvements, described as Westside Connector Phase 1 (contractor under contract; construction scheduled for summer/fall) with 10-foot shared-use path, landscaped stormwater swales and a center turn lane. Page also said the consultants recommended sidewalk projects such as Mount Vista and a Locust-to-Seminary Hill connection and that a complete-streets ordinance will be brought to council in coming weeks.

Warehouse and corridor concerns: Councilors raised questions about industrial development along Harrison and I-5. Pearson said staff will present study material used by other cities (for example, Vancouver and Tumwater) that regulate the size and classification of distribution warehouses; he said the planning commission would review that information.

Next steps: The comprehensive plan package remains in draft. Pearson said the plan and its large appendix organize goals and policies into a single online resource; the planning commission and council will continue review and hearing steps before any adoption action. The transportation plan had a separate public hearing during the regular meeting; staff closed that hearing and said the TIP will return to council with a resolution for adoption.