The Growth Management Policy Board's October 2002 approval of the Central Puget Sound Regional Growth Centers - 2002 monitoring report included direction for staff to prepare regional criteria and designation processes for new Regional Growth and Manufacturing Industrial centers in order to ensure consistency across the region. The Policy Board recommended that the processes establish more formal roles for the Policy and Executive Boards in the review and final approval of proposed Regional Growth and Manufacturing/Industrial Centers.

At its November 14, 2002 and January 9, 2003 meetings, the Board reviewed and endorsed draft criteria for proposed new Regional Growth and Manufacturing Industrial Centers. Both sets of criteria were formally released for a 45-day public review and comment on January 28, 2003. In the review period, Regional Council staff distributed the proposed draft criteria, and discussed them with the region's planning and public works directors, countywide planning groups, and countywide technical advisory committees.

At its April 10, 2003 meeting, the Growth Management Policy Board reviewed public comments that were received, considered staff recommendations, and took action to recommend that the Executive Board adopt the new criteria and designation processes for Regional Growth and Manufacturing Industrial centers, as revised. In their discussion, Board members asked staff to come back at their June meeting with a recommendation on the effective date of the new criteria, and whether the new criteria should apply to all new designations other than the 21 centers and 8 manufacturing/industrial centers now in place, or exempt those areas that counties or countywide groups are currently in the process of designating as centers.

If you have questions or comments about the recommended criteria, please contact Ben Bakkenta at 206-971-3286, e-mail bbakkenta@psrc.org, or Norman Abbott at 206-464-7134, e-mail nabbott@psrc.org.