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City planner presents draft comprehensive plan update; council questions water supply and implementation timeline
Summary
Contract planner Melissa Paulson presented a draft Tenino comprehensive plan update that adds climate and economic development elements, updates housing data and maps, and begins a Department of Commerce 60‑day review; councilors raised questions about water supply, utility capacity and implementation sequencing.
Melissa Paulson, the contracted city planner, presented a draft update to Tenino’s comprehensive plan at the Aug. 12 meeting and outlined next steps.
Paulson said the draft is based on the 2016 plan and adds two new elements: a climate element and an economic development element that includes contact lists and grant resources for local businesses. She said maps and the housing element were updated using the city’s housing needs assessment and that transportation and utilities elements will be revised to reflect current priorities.
"We took the 2016 comprehensive plan, and we used that as our base layer," Paulson said, describing edits to make the plan more readable and to incorporate new legislative requirements. She outlined a schedule: Planning Commission final work in August, Planning Commission public hearing and a city council public hearing in September, which will begin a 60‑day Department of Commerce review, and expected final adoption in November–December.
Councilors asked for clarification on housing-related code changes, building‑code updates needed to implement certain strategies, and whether the water‑rights and source assessment the city commissioned has been reviewed by the Planning Commission. One councilor raised concerns about Tenino’s limited water supply and climate vulnerability, asking for that information before moving forward with certain growth assumptions.
Paulson said public comments and council input are welcome via email or phone and that staff will coordinate with public works to confirm utility capacities and the transportation improvement priorities for the plan update.
The council did not take formal action; the planner will continue outreach and incorporate feedback ahead of formal hearings.
