Tumwater OKs contracts with Thurston Regional Planning Council to update HCP land‑capacity study and run land‑use alternatives

Tumwater’s City Council on Jan. 7 approved two service provider agreements with the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC). The agreements will update the city’s land‑capacity analysis used for the Bush Prairie Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and run land‑use alternatives modeling for the city’s comprehensive plan land‑use element.

Brad Medruth, deputy community development director, told the council the HCP land‑capacity update will refresh a five‑year‑old analysis that estimates the amount of land the city needs to accommodate growth over the next 30 years; staff expect a draft HCP to be available to the public in early spring. The second agreement asks TRPC to run models of development potential driven by different residential densities to inform future land‑use designations and zoning.

Council member Michael Althauser moved to authorize the mayor to sign the service provider agreement with TRPC for the HCP land‑capacity analysis update; the motion was seconded by Council member Angela Jefferson and passed by voice vote. A second motion to authorize the mayor to sign a separate service provider agreement with TRPC for the Land Use Alternatives Review was moved by Kelly von Holtz, seconded by Jefferson, and also approved.

Both agreements were presented as short‑turnaround items intended to feed into the city’s comprehensive plan update and HCP revision schedule. Medruth said the land‑use alternatives modeling will help determine residential density scenarios that will guide land‑use designations and zoning decisions.

The approvals authorize signature of the agreements so TRPC may begin work on these analyses and staff may integrate the results into the city’s planned comprehensive plan update.