The City of Mountlake Terrace is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan for adoption by June 2015. Public participation and input is important and welcome.

The Comprehensive Plan is a broad-based 20-year plan that guides the city’s livability. It includes goals, policies, and a land use map that indicates where land use districts (such as single family, community business, or industrial areas) are located throughout the city. Every 10 years, the city is required by the state to do a major update to the Comprehensive Plan. This update is due by the end of June 2015.

The purpose of an update to the citywide Comprehensive Plan is to ensure the plan reflects appropriate goals and policies for the community and is consistent with state laws. Proposed amendments may address changes to the Comprehensive Plan Map or to specific policies in the Comprehensive Plan and subarea plans.

The City Council and Planning Commission concurred that the existing Comprehensive Plan is in good shape and does not need any significant changes. Minor updates to the city’s demographic and other statistical data, confirmation of environmental maps, updates to the six-year capital investment plan and transportation program, along with some housing and sustainability policies and other minor adjustments are being considered in the update process.

The update is occurring one chapter at a time. Draft updates have already been considered to the following chapters: Community Livability, Housing, Land Use, Environment and Economic Vitality. Chapters still to be considered are Recreation and Parks, Transportation, Capital Facilities, Utilities, and Plan Administration.

The Comprehensive Plan update draft chapters will be brought back for final consideration at public hearings tentatively scheduled in the spring of 2015. Any decision to amend the plan would be made by the City Council. As needed, development regulations may subsequently be updated for consistency with any updates to the plan.

Meetings to discuss the update draft chapters will continue to be held by the Planning Commission and City Council through 2014 and the first half of 2015. All meetings will be announced through meeting agendas, postings, website announcements, and other appropriate means. In addition, City Happenings articles, news releases, publications, and mailings may occur periodically throughout the update process. Interested parties may sign up for email, Facebook or Twitter notifications at www.cityofmlt.com.

For more information about the Comprehensive Plan update, the draft chapters, or to confirm meeting dates, please refer to the Comprehensive Plan webpage at www.cityofmlt.com/majorupdate, or call the Community and Economic Development Department at 425-744-6207.