PSRC develops guidance, research, and data products to support local planning and advance VISION 2050. Browse resources by policy topic area.
Regional Plans
Guidance by Policy Topic Area
Includes resources from PSRC and partner agencies. Featured resources are listed first and then the rest in alphabetical order.
- Climate Change and Resilience Guidance (2022) – provides guidance on incorporating the policies and actions in VISION 2050 into local planning
- Economic Development Element Guide (2022) – helps jurisdictions understand their local economy, create a vision and goals, and structure policies that work toward those goals
- Housing Element Guide (2023) – a resource for developing effective housing elements that address housing choices and affordability in local comprehensive plan updates
- Transportation Element Guidance (2023) – resource for developing effective transportation elements in comprehensive plans
Featured
- Equity Planning Resources for Comprehensive Plans (2023) – policy resources, data, and local examples of how equity could be integrated into comprehensive plans
- Equitable Engagement for Comprehensive Plans (2022) – guidance and examples for developing and carrying out equitable engagement.
- Coordination with Tribes in Comprehensive Planning (2023) – guidance to support Tribal coordination
Other Resources
- Funding for Local Government Infrastructure (2009) – describes the status of infrastructure funding programs and tools in Washington state
- Plan Review Manual (2021) – details the plan review and certification process and includes checklists for aligning with VISION 2050 and state law
- Racial Equity Impact Assessment (DOCX | PDF) (2023) – Document with a guided set of questions to systematically weave equity into policy decisions.
- Regional Equity Strategy – collection of resources to advance racial equity through regional and local planning
- TOOLBOX Peer Networking Series – work sessions on best practices and resources for emerging planning issues
- Tribes in the Central Puget Sound Region – information and resources on Tribes in the region
- Youth Engagement – resources to facilitate a planning activity with youth groups
Featured
- Planning for Housing Needs & Growth Targets (2023) – review of common questions about growth targets and housing need
Other Resources
- Centers Target and Mode Split Guidance (2014) – regional guidance on establishing regional center growth targets
- Growth Target Guidance (2021) – regional guidance on growth targets consistent with VISION 2050
- WA Department of Commerce: Urban Growth Area Guidebook (2012) – state guidance on urban growth area sizing and densities
Featured
- Guidance on Integrating Stormwater Solutions Into Comprehensive Plans (2023) - provides guidance for integrating stormwater solutions by comprehensive plan element
- Stormwater Parks – guidance on planning for stormwater parks
Other Resources
- Critical Areas – resources compiled by state departments on requirements and guidance for Critical Areas and Shorelines
- Open Space Conservation – includes the Regional Open Space Conservation Plan, transfer of development rights information, and other conservation resources
- Sound Choices Implementation Checklist – checklist designed to help jurisdictions align comprehensive plans with Puget Sound recovery community goals
- Stormwater and Watershed Planning Resources – resources for partners in the collective effort to recover the health of Puget Sound
- Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) – resources to help establish or update TDR programs
Featured
- Climate Change and Resilience Guidance (2022) – provides guidance on incorporating the policies and actions in VISION 2050 into local planning
Other Resources
- Climate Action Toolkit (2021) – resource from King County and the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration
- Climate Change – Dept. of Ecology resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and plan for adaptation and resiliency
- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (2010) – model ordinance, model development regulations, and guidance
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories for King County, Kitsap County, Pierce County, and Snohomish County
- Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) climate change information – scientific information and resources to address climate change, including examples of local climate plans
- Puget Sound Climate Preparedness Collaborative – forum for peer learning and exchange of information, ideas, and opportunities related to climate preparedness
- Puget Sound Hazards Map – interactive map displaying regional hazards
- Puget Sound REV – resources related to electric vehicle infrastructure developed in partnership with Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA)
- Washington State Climate Planning Guidance – resources from Department of Commerce to address climate change in comprehensive plans
- Washington State Integrated Climate Change Response Strategy (2012) – recommendations on how state policies and programs can better respond to climate change impacts
Featured
- Guidance on Incorporating TOD Into Comprehensive Plans (2022) – summarizes key TOD elements to consider in local planning for transit station areas, including local examples from the region and national resources
Other Resources
- Centers Resources – view the regional centers map and centers planning resources
- Growing Transit Communities Strategy (2013) – plan, tools, and resources to promote thriving and equitable transit communities
- Implementing Growing Transit Communities (GTC) in Local Plans – recommendations for advancing GTC in local plans
- Regional Centers Framework (2018) – outlines the structure, criteria, and policy direction for regional and countywide centers
- Transit Supportive Planning Toolkit (2013) – example goals, policies, and implementation actions to better connect land use and transit planning
- Displacement Risk Mapping – data resource on residential displacement risk factors
- Food Policy Blueprints – resources to integrate food systems in local policy and planning
- Integrating Food Policy into Comprehensive Plans (2012) – overview of food policy issues in local comprehensive plans
- Opportunity Mapping – data resource on access to opportunity in neighborhoods across the region
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Healthy Community Planning Toolbox – resources to integrate health in planning
- Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map – insights into existing health disparities and how to prioritize investments to reduce disparities
- Airport Compatible Land Use (2011) – planning resources for airport-adjacent communities
- Industrial Lands Analysis (2015) – overview of industrial lands and employment in the region
- Multimodal Transportation Concurrency (2021) – City of Bellevue report on multimodal concurrency implementation
- Planning for Whole Communities Toolkit: Multimodal Concurrency (2014) – overview on multimodal level of service standards and concurrency
Featured
- Findings from Affordable Housing Developer Outreach (2023) - resource documenting barriers and strategies to address affordable housing needs
- Housing Element Guide (2023) – a resource for developing effective housing elements that address housing choices and affordability in local comprehensive plan updates
Other Resources
- Housing Incentives and Tools Survey (2023) – a survey of local jurisdictions to learn how regulatory incentives and tools are used
- Housing Innovations Program (2020) – resources that local governments can use to promote affordability and housing choices in communities
- Housing Opportunities by Place (2023) – typology used to classify strategies and tools that effectively address housing access and affordability
- Regional Housing Strategy – regional housing needs assessment and forthcoming “playbook” of regional and local actions
- WA Dept. of Commerce Housing Planning Guidance – collection of housing planning resources
- Commerce Racially-Disparate Impacts Guidance – state resource on housing planning requirements
- Displacement Risk Mapping – data resource on residential displacement risk factors
- Housing Innovations Program: Mitigating Residential Displacement – summary of tools and methods to address residential displacement
- King County Exclusion and Discrimination in Housing Resources – resources for documenting the local history of racially exclusive and discriminatory land use and housing practices
- Local Housing Solutions Housing Needs Assessment – data tool to look at housing measures, including by race, ethnicity, age and income
- Racial Residential Segregation – data resources for analyzing housing segregation
- UW Race and Segregation in Washington Cities and Counties 1940-2020 – data on race and residential segregation from 1940 to the present
UW Racial Restrictive Covenants Project – maps and data on race-based deed provisions and restrictive covenants
- Economic Development Element Guide (2022) – helps jurisdictions understand their local economy, create a vision and goals, and structure policies that work toward those goals
Featured
- Transportation Element Guidance (2023)– resource for developing effective transportation elements in comprehensive plans
Other Resources
- Adopted Level of Service Standards for Regionally Significant State Highways – description of service standards and other resources
- FHWA Context-Sensitive Design of Transportation Facilities – resources for providing transportation facilities that fit into physical settings and maintain safety and mobility.
- Household Travel Survey – travel pattern data for Puget Sound region
- Multimodal Transportation Concurrency (2021) – City of Bellevue report on multimodal concurrency implementation
- Regional Transportation Plan Regional Capacity Projects List – current capacity projects list and approval process
- Regional Transportation Plan Visualization Tool – interactive map showing existing and future conditions
- SoundCast Travel Demand Model – built for the Puget Sound Region and designed to depict diverse travel behavior to inform land use planning
- Transit Access Checklist (2016) – tools for assessing and expanding access
- WA Dept. of Commerce Transportation Element Guidebook (2012) – guide for reviewing, updating, and implementing transportation elements
- WSDOT GeoPortal – interactive mapping of major transportation features
- WSDOT Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) – resources for understanding and integrating CTR into local plans
- Certification Reports – certifications of local plans and policies by jurisdiction
- Plan Review Manual – includes resources for achieving certification
- Plan Review and Comprehensive Plans: FAQ – responses to common questions
- School Siting Briefing Paper (2021) – provides an overview of school siting issues, legal context, and current practices
- WA Dept. of Commerce Capital Facilities Planning Guidebook (2014) – strategies and techniques to draft the capital facilities element of comprehensive land use plans. It includes guidance regarding planning for and financing infrastructure and services needed to accommodate anticipated growth
Transit Planning Resources
- American Public Transit Association Research and Technical Resources – research, data, and best practices by transit-related topic
- Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Planning Guide (2007) – details major planning areas of establishing BRT
- King County Metro Transit-Supportive Comprehensive Plan Checklist (2023) – resources to incorporate transit-supportive goals and policies in local plans
- Transit Center Resources – reports and tools to support transit planning
- Transit Supportive Densities and Land Uses (2015) – literature review and guiding principles for including transit supportive densities and land uses into comprehensive plans, subarea plans, and transit agency plans
- Transit Supportive Planning Toolkit (2013) – example goals, policies, and implementation actions to better connect land use and transit planning
- Transportation for America Resources – maps, tools, and interactive graphics to aid in transportation planning
Other Resources
- Community Profiles Dashboard - demographic profiles on a variety of topics for all cities and towns in the PSRC region
- PSRC Data – datasets, including GIS and mapping, by policy topic area
- WA Department of Commerce Growth Management
- WA Department of Commerce Periodic Update Guide
- Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) of Washington
PSRC is updating planning resources in advance of 2024 local plan updates. If you have questions about PSRC resources, have other resources to share, or can’t find what you need, please contact planreview@psrc.org for assistance.