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West Richland council adopts updated transportation element, citing GMA deadline and policy edits
Summary
The West Richland City Council voted to adopt Resolution 1526, approving seven goals and accompanying policies for the transportation element of the 2026 comprehensive-plan update after staff and commission review; one policy was revised to broaden concurrency tools.
The West Richland City Council voted Sept. 7 to adopt Resolution 1526, approving revised goals and policies for the transportation element of the city's 2026 comprehensive-plan update.
Public Works Director Rosco Slade told the council that the update aligns the city's transportation policies with Growth Management Act requirements and reflects consultant Transpo's recommendations. Slade said the state's Senate Bill 5558 pushed the city's update deadline to Dec. 31, 2026, giving jurisdictions additional time to complete mandatory eight-year reviews.
Slade summarized the package as seven high-level goals and roughly 46 supporting policies. The city's utility and street subcommittee and the planning commission reviewed the draft and recommended a specific revision to Policy 5e: removing language that had made binding site plans the sole method for demonstrating concurrency between transportation capacity and development. "Binding site plans aren't the only way to obtain concurrency," Slade said, describing the edit as increasing implementation flexibility.
During the council's consideration, members asked a procedural clarification about phrasing (ride-share versus carpool and reference to horses and active transportation). A councilmember moved to pass Resolution 1526; the motion was seconded and approved. The mayor pro tem announced, "Motion carries." The council did not record an itemized vote tally in the meeting transcript.
The adopted goals emphasize preserving a safe, efficient transportation system; coordinating improvements with neighboring jurisdictions and providers; promoting aesthetics and safety; expanding active-transportation options; maintaining infrastructure; minimizing environmental impacts; and adding a new goal on financing and prioritizing projects.
Next steps identified by staff include incorporating the adopted goals and policies into the comprehensive-plan docket and continuing outreach and technical refinements ahead of the formal plan update schedule. The council will receive future staff reports as the city works through the remainder of the 2026 update requirements.
Resolution 1526: adopted; vote recorded in meeting as "Motion carries."
