The original item was published from 4/28/2025 3:48:00 PM to 5/1/2025 12:00:03 AM.

News Flash

Vision 2045: Comprehensive Plan Update

Posted on: March 28, 2025

[ARCHIVED] Reminder: Public Comment Period Ends April 30!

The City of Port Angeles is seeking public comment as part of the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process for its 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review. The City is evaluating two planning alternatives:

Distributed Growth Alternative, which would increase housing capacity across most residential areas, expand commercial land uses, enhance multimodal transportation, and invest in utilities with minimal park expansion;
Focused Growth Alternative, which would concentrate growth in Downtown and the First Street/Front Street corridor with targeted infrastructure investments and minimal growth elsewhere.

Public input is critical to help the City evaluate how a preferred alternative to guide future development will be selected. Input on the alternatives will be requested at a later date once the analysis has been completed. Anyone can submit comments, which are encouraged by April 30, 2025, though later comments on the alternatives and decision will also be considered in the future. Comments may be submitted by contacting Ben Braudrick, Planning Supervisor, at bbraudri@cityofpa.us.

What is the City requesting comment on? The City of Port Angeles is undergoing a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review. For more information on SEPA and the public process, you can click here to download a document with more information. You can also visit the City's dedicated webpage for more information on the Comprehensive Plan periodic update.

The City is currently planning on evaluating two different planning alternatives, which may be hybridized:

Distributed Growth Alternative: The Distributed Growth Alternative includes increased housing capacity in most residential areas and expansions of where commercial land uses are permitted. It also features improvements to multimodal transportation networks and citywide investments in utility infrastructure. However, it involves only a minimal increase in park land.

Focused Growth Alternative: The Focused Growth Alternative directs the majority of growth to the Downtown area and the First Street/Front Street corridor, with increased housing capacity in both residential and commercial areas. It emphasizes focused investment in transportation systems, parks, and utility infrastructure. Growth in all other areas of the City and Urban Growth Areas would remain minimal.

What is SEPA? The State Environmental Policy Act, or SEPA, looks at the environmental impacts of government decisions. The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC) provide statutory rules and guidance for environmental review (42.21C RCW and WAC 197-11).

Why is the City requesting comment? The City is requesting comment to help choose a preferred alternative to move forward in the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update.

Who can comment? Anyone and everyone is welcome to provided comment.

When must comments be provided by? The commenting deadline is April 30, 2025, however the City will continue to accept and review comments made after this deadline.

How can I comment? Public comment can be made by contacting, Ben Braudrick, Planning Supervisor, Bbraudri@cityofpa.us.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Project: Vision 2045 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update

Description of Proposal: The proposal is a non-project action to update the Comprehensive Plan per state requirements. Vision 2045 will update the existing plan by providing a refreshed perspective of the land use, development, and transportation options serving the city while complying with state, regional, and county requirements.

Proponent: City of Port Angeles

Location of Proposal: City of Port Angeles – Citywide

Lead Agency: City of Port Angeles, Washington

EIS Required: The lead agency has determined this non-project proposal is likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment. An environmental impact statement (EIS) is required under the State Environmental Policy Act (RCW 43.21C.030 (2)(c)). Generally, an EIS is an informational document that provides the City, public, and other agencies with environmental information to be considered in the decision-making process for a plan, program, or new development. It also allows agencies, affected tribes, and the public to comment on proposals, alternatives, and environmental impacts. An EIS describes: proposed actions and alternatives, existing conditions of the study area, impacts that may occur if an alternative were implemented, mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate impacts, and potential significant, unavoidable, and adverse impacts.

The lead agency has identified the following areas for potential discussion in the EIS:

Land Use & Housing
Transportation
Water Resources
Climate
Natural Hazards
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space
Public Services & Utilities
Capital Facilities

A Draft EIS will be published for review by the public, affected tribes, and agencies. After receipt and consideration of all comments, the City will choose a preferred alternative to move forward in the Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update. The preferred alternative may be a combination of elements that fall within the range of the alternatives analyzed in the Draft EIS. A Final EIS and Response to Comments will then be prepared.

Conceptual Alternatives: A comparative evaluation of alternative courses of action will be included in the Draft EIS. Alternatives are anticipated to include a No-action Alternative (as required by SEPA) and at least two Action Alternatives that will consider different growth levels and/or patterns.

Two Action Alternatives under consideration include the following. The final Comprehensive Plan may incorporate a hybrid of these Action Alternatives:

Distributed Growth Alternative:

Increased housing capacity in most residential areas
Expansions of where commercial land use is permitted
Improved multimodal transportation networks
Minimal increase in park land
Citywide investments in utility infrastructure

Focused Growth Alternative:

Majority of growth in Downtown and First Street/Front Street corridor
Increased housing capacity in residential and commercial areas
Focused investment in transportation, parks, and utilities
Minimal growth in all other areas of the City and Urban Growth Areas

Public Comment and Scoping: Agencies, affected tribes, and members of the public are invited to comment on the scope of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan and related project environmental impacts. You may comment on alternatives, mitigation measures, probable significant adverse impacts, and licenses or other approvals that may be required. Comments will be accepted on:

Growth alternatives
Probable significant adverse impacts
Mitigation measures

Public Comment Period: The comment period is open from April 1, 2025, through April 30, 2025. To submit a comment, please email the project manager at the address below or attend an upcoming public meeting.

Public Open House: April 17, 2025, 4:00-7:00 PM, Port Angeles Senior and Community Center, 328 E 7th St, Port Angeles, WA 98362

Project Manager and Agency Contact:

Ben Braudrick, Planning Supervisor

City of Port Angeles EIS Scoping Comments

Community & Economic Development

321 East 5th Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362

(360) 417-4804

Bbraudri@cityofpa.us

SEPA Responsible Official

Shannen Cartmel, Director of Community & Economic Development

scartmel@cityofpa.us

For more information on this process, and to submit comments directly to the Vision 2045 Comprehensive Plan Update team. Please consider attending an upcoming public meeting or emailing the project manager. Upcoming meeting dates and times will be posted on the project website at: https://www.cityofpa.us/937/Vision-2045-Comprehensive-Plan-Periodic-