Lacey planners present three future land‑use map alternatives as 2025 comprehensive‑plan cycle begins

City staff introduced three alternative future land‑use maps on Jan. 8 as Lacey begins its 2025 comprehensive‑plan update, saying a separate future land‑use map would let the city process rezonings more quickly if proposed zoning changes remain consistent with the map.

Julian Houston, a city planning staff member, told the Planning Commission that the city currently uses a single map that serves as both the zoning map and the future land‑use map. "Currently within the city, we have one map that functions as both our zoning map and our future land use map," Houston said, adding that the combined map forces most map changes into the annual comprehensive‑plan‑amendment cycle, a six‑ to nine‑month process. Separating the two would allow administrative rezoning that is consistent with the future land‑use map to be processed outside the once‑a‑year comp‑plan amendment window, he said.

Why it matters: separating the future land‑use map from the zoning map would let the city respond more quickly to requests to change similar residential zone types (for example, from low density to moderate density) without running the full comprehensive‑plan amendment process. That change could shorten timelines for projects that are consistent with the plan’s policies and the future land‑use map.

Key details

- Staff presented three alternatives: a no‑change/current‑conditions option (a simplified map that mirrors current zoning), a residential‑leaning alternative (mixed‑use areas biased toward housing), and a commercial‑leaning alternative (preserving specific corridors and centers for commercial uses such as South Sound Center, Martin Way corridor and areas near I‑5).

- Staff said the 2025 comp‑plan update must address technical guidance from the state, including population‑density and land‑capacity checks published by the Washington State Department of Commerce and asked planners to consider strategies to reduce vehicle miles traveled by bringing homes and jobs closer together.

- House Bill 1110, passed at the state level and referenced by staff, increases middle‑housing allowance (for example, permitting two units per residential lot and permitting up to four units if one unit is affordable, and additional allowances within a quarter‑mile of major transit stops). Staff noted Lacey currently lacks Commerce‑defined "major transit stops," but Martin Way is identified as a corridor that could be affected in future cycles.

- Regional context: staff cited the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) buildable‑lands analysis (2020 baseline) showing regional buildable capacity and staff said Lacey has sufficient land capacity countywide to meet projected demand, though housing (homes actually built) and proximity of housing to jobs remain concerns.

What was discussed

Commissioners and members of the public asked questions about the maps and the public input used to create them. Staff said the city asked residents to drop pins on maps identifying suitable areas for moderate density, high density, mixed use and commercial growth; staff presented aggregated heat maps showing clusters near Midtown, Martin Way and the area around Cabela's (to the north/ northeast). Commissioners emphasized the desire for mixed use that allows neighborhood‑scale services (corner stores, small businesses) as well as larger destination retail that supports family‑wage jobs.

Staff also described an upcoming timeline: the 2025 comp‑plan update materials are intended to be presented at a joint joint meeting with the Lacey City Council (February 11) and a public open house at the planning commission meeting on Feb. 12. Staff said a consultant contracted to provide Lacey‑specific population projections will refine city forecasts ahead of later code and zoning updates.

Quotes

"If a proposed zoning change is consistent with the future land use map, we don't have to go through that much longer, more robust, review process," Julian Houston said, explaining how separating the maps could speed some rezonings.

"We want people to live closer to where they work and where they play," Commissioner Jeff Gadman said during the discussion, urging mixed‑use outcomes.

Ending

Staff will return with more detailed materials and maps and will present the alternatives at the joint meeting with the City Council on Feb. 11; commissioners were asked to attend the city open house and to expect more detailed analysis and possible regulatory changes to follow later in 2025. The commission signaled support for flexibility and mixed‑use options but offered no formal policy vote at the Jan. 8 meeting.