Puget Sound Regional Council                                   psrc.org
  Regional Coordination     at work
  Transportation Policy Board and Growth Management Policy Board
 
              March 8, 2007

The Transportation Policy Board was briefed on the recommended preferred growth alternative for the VISION 2020 update.

Members of the Growth Management Policy Board designed the preferred growth alternative as an ambitious but achievable growth strategy to support a high quality of life in the region for the long term. Combining the best elements of four potential growth scenarios, the preferred alternative was found to perform well in terms of jobs/housing balance, access to transit, air quality, and other measures.

The Executive Board plans to take action in March 2007 to release staff to develop a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This DEIS will contain the full analysis of the preferred growth alternative alongside the other four growth alternatives.

For more information, contact Norman Abbott at 206-464-7134, nabbott@psrc.org.

The Transportation Policy Board recommended approval of actions designed to implement the transportation related multi-county planning policies.

The Growth Management Policy Board is leading the effort to update VISION 2020, the regional growth, transportation and economic strategy. A key part of the update is to develop multicounty planning policies for the environment, development patterns, the economy, transportation, and public services and facilities. The Transportation Policy Board has played a key role in the update of the transportation policies and identification of actions to implement them. The policies will be released at the same time as the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for analysis and public review. The policies are available online at psrc.org.

For more information, contact Mike Cummings at 206-464-6172 or mcummings@psrc.org.

The Transportation Policy Board discussed how PSRC is conducting its Destination 2030 conformity review of Sound Transit Phase 2.

PSRC is required by state law and the agency's Memorandum of Understanding with the transit agencies to review Sound Transit Phase 2 (ST2) for conformity with Destination 2030 and VISION 2020. PSRC is set to begin the review process with the draft plan that has been released for public review. The review process will incorporate the agency's current review processes for the transportation elements of local comprehensive plans and the candidate to approved process outlined in Destination 2030's Guidance for Major Capacity Investments. The Transportation Policy Board will review the draft conformity review in April and act on its recommendation to the Executive Board in May.

For more information, contact Jennifer Ryan at 206-587-5670 or jryan@psrc.org.

In Other Business, the Transportation Policy Board:

  • Heard that the WSDOT Traffic Management Feasibility Study is now underway. The study is examining European approaches to maximizing system efficiency and safety with a customer oriented approach.
  • Recommended adoption of a routine amendment to the Transportation Improvement Program updating information for three WSDOT projects and one King County project.
  • Recommended certification of the 2005 comprehensive plan update for City of Snohomish.

    The Growth Management Policy Board recommended that the Executive Board approve a working set of draft actions for the VISION 2020 update.

    The actions describe how the proposed multicounty planning policies for the VISION update will be implemented. The draft actions, multicounty planning policies and the preferred growth strategy will be included in a VISION document scheduled for public review this summer.

    For more information, contact Rocky Piro at 206-464-6360, rpiro@psrc.org.

    The Growth Management Policy Board discussed a request by the City of Seattle to designate the Seattle-South Lake Union neighborhood as a regional growth center.

    The proposed center is located at the south end of Lake Union between I-5 and State Route 99. The area is planned to accept significant growth of jobs and housing. The city envisions the area as a lively, exciting urban neighborhood where people can live and work. Seattle-South Lake Union meets all the criteria required for designation as a regional growth center.

    In April, the policy board will be asked to act on a recommendation to the Executive Board that Seattle-South Lake Union be designated as a regional growth center. In May, the Executive Board would give final approval.

    For more information, contact Yorik Stevens-Wajda at 206-389-2158, ystevens@psrc.org.

    The Growth Management Policy Board recommended that the Executive Board approve the City of Snohomish's 2005 comprehensive plan update.

    The policy board found that the city's plan update conforms to the Growth Management Act and is consistent with the Destination 2030 regional transportation plan.

    For more information, contact Yorik Stevens-Wajda at 206-389-2158, ystevens@psrc.org.

    The Growth Management Policy Board was briefed on a Prosperity Partnership proposal to convene a Regional Housing Strategy Development Working Group.

    The working group will meet four times over six months to develop a regional strategy for housing affordability in the region. The group will be a coalition of representatives from business, local government, and nonprofit and for-profit housing interests.

    For more information, contact Carol Naito at 206-464-7535, cnaito@psrc.org.