Spokane County begins 2026 comprehensive plan update under Growth Management Act; water, housing and West Plains infrastructure highlighted

Spokane County Planning Director Scott Chesney said the county is updating its comprehensive plan under the Washington State Growth Management Act and must finish the work to meet statutory deadlines that currently land on June 30, 2026, with a likely legislative extension to December 2026.

The update matters because, Chesney said, the comprehensive plan guides land use, transportation and capital‑facility decisions across the county and shapes where housing and jobs will grow for the next decade.

Chesney, speaking in a February 2025 Mic'd Up Spokane interview, described the process as a statutory, multi‑element review that local governments must revisit every 10 years. "It is a it is a statutory requirement that that we have and update our plans now every 10 years," he said. The county's last full update was completed in 2016–17.

Under the Growth Management Act (GMA), counties serve as regional coordinators: Spokane County will recommend urban growth areas based on land‑capacity analyses and technical input, then the county board makes final decisions after steering‑committee review that includes city and town elected officials. Chesney said the county maintains an ongoing technical relationship with the Washington State Department of Commerce and holds a weekly planning studio that includes a Commerce planner.

Chesney summarized how the land‑capacity analysis works: planners tally remaining…