Snohomish County Council

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1 Snohomish County Council Committee: Planning & Community Development Analyst: Yorik Stevens-Wajda ECAF: 8361 (proposed motion ) Date: June 11, 2017 Motion would provide direction on which, if any, of three major comprehensive plan amendment requests received by the county should be placed on the final docket (XIX) for further processing and analysis followed by council consideration in Summary Snohomish County has received three separate requests for amendments to the county s comprehensive plan, each of which would amend the county s future land use map, urban growth area (UGA), and zoning designations. Procedures adopted in county code provide for a two-step process in which the council first determines whether a given plan amendment request should be further processed. If approved for further processing via motion, a request comes back to the council for consideration and potential adoption into the comprehensive plan at a later date. Motion addresses the first step in the process and would provide direction on which, if any, of the three plan amendment requests should be placed on the final docket (known as Docket XIX) for further analysis followed by council consideration and potential adoption into the comprehensive plan in Comprehensive plan amendments Growth Management Act Snohomish County has planned under the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) framework for over two decades. This framework provides a coordinated land use planning framework with comprehensive planning at its core. The county adopted its first twenty-year comprehensive plan in 1995, has made adjustments, some minor and some more substantial, each year since the plan was first adopted, and adopted major periodic updates in 2005 and In order to make the comprehensive planning process more accessible and understandable to the public, the GMA provides that, with certain exceptions, comprehensive plans be amended no more frequently than once per year. Provisions in state law and case law require that comprehensive plans and Council Staff Report Page 1 of 14

2 amendments to those plans be internally consistent and consistent with the goals of the GMA (RCW 36.70A.020), multicounty planning policies, and countywide planning policies. The county s capital budget decisions and development regulations (title 30 SCC) must also be consistent with and must implement the comprehensive plan. Comprehensive plan amendments Snohomish County Code Snohomish County Code (chapter SCC) provides a two-step process for consideration of comprehensive plan amendment requests not initiated by the county itself. Applications are accepted by Planning & Development Services at any time, and are then periodically packaged for an initial decision on further processing by the County Council on a set schedule. The initial council decision on whether to further process an amendment request (also called setting the final docket ) occurs in the first and fifth year after a periodic update for minor amendments (2016 and 2020) and in the second and sixth year for major amendments (2017 and 2021). If approved for further processing, 1-2 years worth of analysis, environmental review, and other processing is conducted and the request is brought back to the council with the additional information for consideration and potential adoption into the comprehensive plan. See exhibit A, page 6, for an illustration of the schedule. Motion addresses three major (they are considered major because of the requested changes to the urban growth boundary) amendment requests that have been received by the county since the 2015 periodic update. Countyinitiated comprehensive plan amendments are considered each year as part of a separate process that merges with the non-county-initiated amendment request process for council consideration as a consolidated action. Comprehensive plan amendment request SW2 Paula Crandall Amendment request SW2 seeks the redesignation of 146 acres on either side of 43 rd Ave SE between 196 th St SE and 188 th St SE from rural to urban, which would allow higher-density residential development than the current limit of one house per five acres. The request provides two options for offsetting the increase in the county s Urban Growth Area with reductions in other areas, which would reduce the allowed density of residential development in those areas, and a third option with a policy change to remove the need for an offsetting reduction. See exhibit C, page 8, for additional details, as well as the council hearing packet at Comprehensive plan amendment request SW3 LDC, Inc. Amendment request SW3 seeks the redesignation of 135 acres on either side of 43rd Ave SE between Maltby Rd and 196th St SE from rural to urban, which would allow higher-density residential development than the current limit of one house per five acres. The request provides two options for offsetting the increase in the county s Urban Growth Area with reductions in other areas, which would Council Staff Report Page 2 of 14

3 Full time equivalent staff resources June July August September October November December January February March April May June July August September October November December January February March April May June July August reduce the allowed density of residential development in those areas, and a third option with a policy change to remove the need for an offsetting reduction. See exhibit D, page 9, for additional details, as well as the council hearing packet at Comprehensive plan amendment request SW4 Northshore School District Amendment request SW4 seeks the redesignation of a 31-acre portion of the new North Creek High School site from rural to urban, which would allow a consistent land use designation throughout the site and some potential for future expansion of school facilities. See exhibit E, page 10, for additional details, as well as the council hearing packet at Considerations Cost and county resources A decision to approve for further processing one or more comprehensive plan amendment requests would direct the county to commit significant resources to analysis and evaluation of the proposed amendment as well as administration of the process. The applicant is responsible for direct costs for environmental review and public noticing, while the county is responsible for tasks like project and contract management, public outreach, potential countywide planning policy amendments, and other work. Note that amendment request SW4-Northshore is less complex and would require less in the way of resources to process than either SW2-Crandall or SW3-LDC, Inc. County staff have estimated that, assuming consultants are used for environmental review, a total of about 3.8 FTE-years worth of staff time (an FTEyear is equivalent to one year of work for one employee) would be required to further process all three amendment requests. Most of the work would be assigned to Planning & Development Services and Public Works staff. This staff time may involve a budget request for additional staff resources or the deferral of other planned work program items to a later date. Figure 1: Estimated county staff resources to process all three amendment requests Council Staff Report Page 3 of 14

4 Policy and regulatory consistency Planning & Development Services has conducted an initial review and evaluation of the three comprehensive plan amendment requests and has found that amendment request SW4-Northshore is consistent with requirements in state law, the countywide planning policies, and the county s comprehensive plan. However, as proposed, PDS review and evaluation has found that amendment requests SW2-Crandall and SW3-LDC, Inc. are not consistent with requirements in state law, the countywide planning policies, or the county s comprehensive plan. The fundamental reason for this finding of inconsistency is that each optionprovided for the two amendment requests, except SW3-option 2, results in a net increase to the capacity of developable residential land in the county s urban growth area (see figure 2 below). A core premise of the Growth Management Act, as well as adopted countywide and county policies, is that urban growth areas should not be sized or expanded larger than needed to accommodate estimated population and employment growth for the subsequent 20 year planning period, plus market and safety factors (see especially CPP-DP- 1, CPP-DP-2, CPP-DP-3, and comprehensive plan policies LU-1.A.1, LU-1.A.10, LU-1.A.14 in Exhibit F, pages 11-14). The Snohomish County UGA Land Capacity Analysis Technical Report, revised October 2016, states that the urban growth area has about 34% more developable residential land capacity than is needed to accommodate the urban portion of forecasted population growth in the county. This excess capacity significantly exceeds the limit of 15% established by countywide planning policy CPP-DP-1 ( The County shall maintain Urban Growth Areas that shall include additional capacity to accommodate at least 100%, but no more than 115%, of the County's adopted 20-year urban allocated population growth projection ) and comprehensive plan policy LU-1.A.1 ( No expansion of the UGA that increases population or employment capacity shall be permitted if the resulting total additional population capacity within the Snohomish County composite UGA as documented by both City and County comprehensive plans would exceed the total 20-year forecasted UGA population growth by more than 15 percent. ) The county most recently evaluated its developable land capacity and reviewed its urban growth area in 2015 and found that the urban growth area had more than sufficient developable residential land capacity meaning that any additions of developable residential land would be inconsistent with state law and countywide and county policies unless, at a minimum, a future land capacity analysis found a need for additional land to accommodate forecasted growth. Option 2 for amendment request SW3-LDC, inc. does not result in a net increase to the county s overall urban growth area, but is nevertheless not consistent with CPP-DP-3 ( the county may adjust urban growth areas defined in this policy as concurrent actions to expand an urban growth area in one location while contracting the same UGA in another location emphasis added) because the southwest UGA and the Granite Falls UGA are considered different UGAs Council Staff Report Page 4 of 14

5 If either, or both, of the amendment requests were modified to be net neutral in terms of developable urban residential land capacity within the same UGA, it is possible that the request would become consistent with applicable law and policies. Materials submitted with amendment requests SW2 and SW3 suggest that such a modification to the amendment request could be developed during the two year processing phase. However, there is no provision in county code for this type of a modification to be made and incorporated into the docket for council consideration. See figure 2 below for a comparison of each amendment request and options affect key urban growth area statistics. Figure 2: Comparison of each option s effect on urban growth area statistics SW2 UGA addition area (43rd N of 196th) SW3 UGA addition area (43rd S of 196th) SW2/3 option 1 UGA removal area (Lowell-Larimer) SW2/3 option 2 UGA removal area (Granite Falls) SW4 UGA addition area (Northshore) Gross Calculations for each component Acres Net buildable land capacity Net developable Housing units Population Calculations for each option Option SW2 Option Option Option SW3 Option Option SW Council Staff Report Page 5 of 14

6 Exhibit A Comprehensive Plan Amendment Schedule Council Staff Report Page 6 of 14

7 Exhibit B Overview Map of Amendment Requests Note: detailed maps are available in the council hearing packet ( Council Staff Report Page 7 of 14

8 Exhibit C Plan amendment request details SW2-Paula Crandall SW2 Paula Crandall Option 1 The 146-acre Urban Growth Area addition area is bounded on the north by 188 th St. SE, on the west by 39 th Ave SE and the new North Creek High School, on the south by Jewell Rd./196 th St. SE, and on the east by a LOCATION powerline corridor that would be comparable to 46 th Ave. SE. The 230-acre Urban Growth Area removal area is along the west and southwest side of Lowell Larimer Road from the Everett city limits on the north to the intersection of Seattle Hill Road and Lowell Larimer Road Redesignate 146 acres from Rural Residential (5 acres of which includes COMPREHENSIVE PLAN a Rural Urban Transition Area overlay) to Urban Low Density Residential LAND USE DESIGNATION Redesignate 230 acres from Urban Low Density Residential to Rural Residential Five Acre Rezone 146 acres from Rural-5 to Residential-7,200 ZONING Rezone 230 acres from Residential-7,200, Residential-9,600 and Planned Residential Development-9,600 to Rural-5 POLICIES No policy amendments proposed LOCATION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION ZONING POLICIES SW2 Paula Crandall Option 2 The 146 acre Urban Growth Area addition area is bounded on the north by 188 th St. SE, on the west by 39 th Ave SE and the new North Creek High School, on the south by Jewell Rd./196 th St. SE, and on the east by a powerline corridor that would be comparable to 46 th Ave. SE. The 161-acre Urban Growth Area removal area is located within the unincorporated Granite Falls Urban Growth Area and bounded on the north by Menzel Lake Road and Granite Falls city limits; on the west by city limits, on the east by Menzel Lake Road; and on the south, in part, by 84 th St. NE. Redesignate 146 acres from Rural Residential (5 acres of which includes a Rural Urban Transition Area overlay) to Urban Low Density Residential Redesignate 161 acres from Urban Low Density Residential to Rural Residential Five Acre Rezone 146 acres from Rural-5 to Residential-7,200 Rezone 161 acres from Residential-9,600 to Rural-5 Amend policies in the comprehensive plan land use element to allow capacity-neutral Urban Growth Area land swaps between non-contiguous Urban Growth Areas LOCATION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION SW2 Paula Crandall Option 3 The 146-acre Urban Growth Area addition area is bounded on the north by 188 th St. SE, on the west by 39 th Ave SE and the new North Creek High School, on the south by Jewell Rd./196 th St. SE, and on the east by a powerline corridor that would be comparable to 46 th Ave. SE. Redesignate 146 acres from Rural Residential (5 acres of which includes a Rural Urban Transition Area overlay) to Urban Low Density Residential ZONING Rezone 146 acres from Rural-5 to Residential-7,200 POLICIES Amend policies in the comprehensive plan land use element to allow certain Urban Growth Area expansions without a concurrent offsetting Urban Growth Area reduction in another area Council Staff Report Page 8 of 14

9 Exhibit D Plan amendment request details SW3-LDC, Inc. SW3 LDC, Inc. Option 1 The 135-acre Urban Growth Area addition area is bounded on the north by Jewell Rd./196 th St. SE, on the west by the existing Urban Growth Area boundary that would be comparable to 41 st Ave SE, on the south by Maltby Road (SR 524), and on the east by a powerline corridor that LOCATION would be comparable to 46 th Ave. SE. The 230-acre Urban Growth Area removal area is along the west and southwest side of Lowell Larimer Road from the Everett city limits on the north to the intersection of Seattle Hill Road and Lowell Larimer Road Redesignate 135 acres from Rural Residential to Urban Low Density COMPREHENSIVE Residential PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION Redesignate 230 acres from Urban Low Density Residential to Rural Residential Five Acre Rezone 135 acres from Rural-5 to Residential-7,200 ZONING Rezone 230 acres from Residential-7,200, Residential-9,600 and Planned Residential Development-9,600 to Rural-5 POLICIES No policy amendments proposed LOCATION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION ZONING POLICIES SW3 LDC, Inc. Option 2 The 135-acre Urban Growth Area addition area is bounded on the north by Jewell Rd./196 th St. SE, on the west by the existing Urban Growth Area boundary that would be comparable to 41 st Ave SE, on the south by Maltby Road (SR 524), and on the east by a powerline corridor that would be comparable to 46 th Ave. SE. The 161-acre Urban Growth Area removal area is located within the unincorporated Granite Falls Urban Growth Area and bounded on the north by Menzel Lake Road and Granite Falls city limits; on the west by city limits, on the east by Menzel Lake Road; and on the south, in part, by 84 th St. NE. Redesignate 135 acres from Rural Residential Urban Low Density Residential Redesignate 161 acres from Urban Low Density Residential to Rural Residential Five Acre Rezone 135 acres from Rural-5 to Residential-7,200 Rezone 161 acres from Residential-9,600 to Rural-5 Amend policies in the comprehensive plan land use element to allow capacity-neutral Urban Growth Area land swaps between non-contiguous Urban Growth Areas LOCATION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION SW4 SW3 LDC, Inc. Option 3 The 135-acre Urban Growth Area addition area is bounded on the north by Jewell Rd./196 th St. SE, on the west by the existing Urban Growth Area boundary that would be comparable to 41 st Ave SE, on the south by Maltby Road (SR 524), and on the east by a powerline corridor that would be comparable to 46 th Ave. SE. Redesignate 135 acres from Rural Residential Urban Low Density Residential ZONING Rezone 135 acres from Rural-5 to Residential-7,200 POLICIES Amend policies in the comprehensive plan land use element to allow certain Urban Growth Area expansions without a concurrent offsetting Urban Growth Area reduction in another area Council Staff Report Page 9 of 14

10 Exhibit E Plan amendment request details SW4-Northshore School District LOCATION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION SW4 Northshore School District The 31-acre Urban Growth Area addition area is bounded to the north by 188 th St. SE, on the west by 39 th Ave. SE and the new North Creek High School, on the south by Fernwood Elementary, and on the east by property lines that would be comparable to 41 st Ave SE. Redesignate 31 acres from Rural Residential (5 acres of which includes a Rural Urban Transition Area overlay) to Public/Institutional Use ZONING Rezone 31 acres from Rural-5 to Residential-9,600 POLICIES No policy amendments proposed Council Staff Report Page 10 of 14

11 Exhibit F Policy References Growth Management Act Planning Goals (RCW 36.70A.020) (1) Urban growth. Encourage development in urban areas where adequate public facilities and services exist or can be provided in an efficient manner. (2) Reduce sprawl. Reduce the inappropriate conversion of undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development. (10) Environment. Protect the environment and enhance the state's high quality of life, including air and water quality, and the availability of water. (12) Public facilities and services. Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards. Snohomish County Countywide Planning Policies CPP-JP-4 Encourage policies that allow accessible, effective and frequent interjurisdictional coordination relating to the consistency of comprehensive plans in a particular Urban Growth Area (UGA) and to the expansion of a UGA. CPP-DP-1 The County shall maintain Urban Growth Areas (UGAs), as shown on the map in Appendix A, that: a. When aggregated at the time of 10-year updates, shall include additional capacity to accommodate at least 100%, but no more than 115%, of the County's adopted 20-year urban allocated population growth projection; b. Include all cities in Snohomish County; c. Can be supported by an urban level of service consistent with capital facilities plans for public facilities and utilities; d. Are based on the best available data and plans regarding future urban growth including new development, redevelopment, and infill; e. Have identifiable physical boundaries such as natural features, roads, or special purpose district boundaries when feasible; f. Do not include designated agricultural or forest land unless the city or County has enacted a program authorizing transfer or purchase of development rights; g. Have been evaluated for the presence of critical areas; h. Where possible, include designated greenbelts or open space within their boundaries and on the periphery of the UGA to provide separation from adjacent urban areas, rural areas, and resource lands; i. Should consider the vision of each jurisdiction regarding the future of their community during the next 20 years; j. Are large enough to ensure an adequate supply of land for an appropriate range of urban land uses to accommodate the planned growth; and k. Support pedestrian, bicycle and transit compatible design. CPP-DP-2 An expansion of the boundary of an individual Urban Growth Area (UGA) that results in a net increase of residential, commercial or industrial land capacity shall not be permitted unless: a. The expansion is supported by a land capacity analysis adopted by the County Council pursuant to RCW 36.70A.110; Council Staff Report Page 11 of 14

12 b. The expansion otherwise complies with the Growth Management Act; c. Any UGA expansion should have the support of affected cities. Prior to issuing a decision on a UGA boundary change, the County shall consult with affected cities and give substantial weight to a city s position on the matter. If the County Council approves an expansion or contraction of a UGA boundary that is not supported by an affected city, it shall include in its findings how the public interest is served by the UGA expansion or contraction despite the objection of an affected city; and d. One of the following conditions is met: 1. The expansion is a result of the most recent buildable lands review and evaluation required by RCW 36.70A.215 and performed per policy GF-7 following the procedures in Appendix E. 2. The expansion is a result of the review of UGAs at least every ten years to accommodate the succeeding twenty years of projected growth, as projected by the State Office of Financial Management, and adopted by the County as the 20-year urban allocated population projection as required by RCW 36.70A.130(3). 3. Both of the following conditions are met for expansion of the boundary of an individual UGA to include additional residential land: (a) Population growth in the UGA (city plus unincorporated UGA) since the start of the twenty-year planning period, equals or exceeds fifty percent of the additional population capacity estimated for the UGA at the start of the planning period. Acceptable sources of documentation are the most recent Snohomish County Tomorrow (SCT) Growth Monitoring Report (GMR) or the buildable lands review and evaluation (Buildable Lands Report [BLR]), and (b) An updated residential land capacity analysis conducted by city and County staff for the UGA confirms the accuracy of the above finding using more recent residential capacity estimates and assumptions, and any new information presented at public hearings that confirms or revises the conclusions is considered. 4. Both of the following conditions are met for expansion of the boundary of an individual UGA to include additional employment land: (a) Employment growth in the UGA (city plus unincorporated UGA) since the start of the twenty-year planning period, equals or exceeds fifty percent of the additional employment capacity in the UGA at the start of the planning period. Acceptable sources of documentation are the most recent SCT GMR or the buildable lands review and evaluation (BLR), and (b) An updated employment land capacity analysis conducted by city and County staff for the UGA confirms the accuracy of the above finding using more recent employment capacity estimates and assumptions. 5. The expansion will correct a [case where the UGA line incorrectly bisects an existing building or parcel, where it inadvertently and incorrectly follows an arbitrary feature such as a section line, or where the boundary is on the wrong side of a right-of-way that is expected to be annexed by a city]. 6. Schools (including public, private and parochial), churches, institutions and other community facilities that primarily serve urban populations within the urban growth area in locations where they will promote the local desired growth plans should be located in an urban growth area. In the event that it is demonstrated that no site within the UGA can reasonably or logically accommodate the proposed facilities, urban growth area expansions may take place to allow the development of these facilities provided that the expansion area is adjacent to an existing UGA. 7. In UGAs where the threshold in Condition 4 has not been reached, the boundary of an individual UGA may be expanded to include additional industrial land if the expansion is based on the criteria contained in RCW 36.70A.365 for the establishment of a major industrial development. This assessment shall be based on a collaborative County and city analysis of large developable industrial site needs in relation to land supply. Large developable industrial sites may include land considered vacant, Council Staff Report Page 12 of 14

13 redevelopable, and/or partially-used by the Buildable Lands Program (per GF-7 and Appendix E of these CPPs) and may include one or more large parcels or several small parcels where consolidation is feasible. 8. The expansion will result in the realization of a significant public benefit as evidenced by Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) to the expansion area from Agriculture or Forest lands designated as TDR sending areas. The expansion area shall not be a designated forest or agricultural land of long-term significance. 9. The expansion will permanently preserve a substantial land area containing one or more significant natural or cultural feature(s) as open space adjacent to the revised UGA boundary and will provide separation between urban and rural areas. The presence of significant natural or cultural features shall be determined by the respective legislative bodies of the county and the city or cities immediately adjacent to the proposed expansion, and may include, but are not limited to, landforms, rivers, bodies of water, historic properties, archeological resources, unique wildlife habitat, and fish and wildlife conservation areas. 10. The expansion is a response to a declaration by the County Executive, or the County Council by resolution, of a critical shortage of affordable housing which is uncurable in a timely manner by the implementation of reasonable measures or other instrumentality reasonably available to the jurisdiction, and the expansion is reasonably calculated to provide affordable housing. 11. The expansion will result in the economic development of lands that no longer satisfy the designation criteria for natural resource lands and the lands have been redesignated to an appropriate non-resource land use designation. Provided that expansions are supported by the majority of the affected cities and towns whose UGA or designated MUGA is being expanded and shall not create a significant increase in total employment capacity (as represented by permanent jobs) of an individual UGA, as reported in the most recent Snohomish County Tomorrow Growth Monitoring Report in the year of expansion. CPP-DP-3 Following consultation with the affected city or cities, the County may adjust urban growth areas defined in this policy as concurrent actions to expand an Urban Growth Area (UGA) in one location while contracting the same UGA in another location without resulting in a net increase of population or employment land capacity. Such action may be permitted when consistent with adopted policies and the following conditions: a. The area being removed from the UGA is not already characterized by urban development, and without active permits that would change it to being urban in character; and b. The land use designation(s) assigned in the area removed from the UGA shall be among the existing rural or resource designations in the comprehensive plan for Snohomish County. CPP-DP-4 The County and cities shall use consistent land capacity analysis methods as approved by the Snohomish County Tomorrow Steering Committee. Snohomish County Comprehensive Plan GOAL LU 1 Establish and maintain compact, clearly defined, well designed UGAs. Objective LU 1.A Establish UGAs with sufficient capacity to accommodate the majority of the county's projected population, employment, and housing growth over the next 20 years. LU-1.A.1 UGAs shall contain sufficient land capacity for a variety of land uses and densities, including green belts and open space, in suitable locations to accommodate at least 91.5% of the county s 20-year population and employment projections. No expansion of the UGA that increases population or employment capacity shall be permitted if the resulting total additional population capacity within the Snohomish County composite UGA as documented by both City and County comprehensive plans would exceed the total 20-year forecasted UGA Council Staff Report Page 13 of 14

14 population growth by more than 15 percent. A portion of the 20-year forecast UGA population may be reserved for allocation to Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) receiving areas. LU-1.A.4 UGAs shall have existing or planned infrastructure capacity to adequately support urban growth over the 20-year period. LU-1.A.5 Determination of adequate land capacity shall be based on methodologies developed jointly with other jurisdictions and shall be consistent with Countywide Planning Policy DP-4. LU-1.A.8 UGA boundaries shall be periodically re-evaluated to determine whether or not they are capable of meeting the county's 20-year population and employment projections. This re-evaluation shall be consistent with Snohomish County's "buildable lands" review and evaluation program requirements established in Countywide Planning Policy GF-7. LU-1.A.9 Ensure the efficient use of urban land by adopting reasonable measures to increase residential, commercial and industrial capacity within urban growth areas prior to expanding urban growth boundaries. The County Council will use the list of reasonable measures in accordance with the guidelines for review contained in Appendix D of the Countywide Planning Policies to evaluate all UGA boundary expansions. LU-1.A.10 Expansion of the boundary of an individual UGA to include additional residential, commercial industrial land capacity shall not be permitted unless it complies with the Growth Management Act, is consistent with the Countywide Planning Policies and complies with the criteria established in Countywide Planning Policy DP-2. LU-1.A.14 Any action to expand an UGA while contracting the same UGA in another area without resulting in a net increase of population or employment land capacity shall comply with the Growth Management Act, be consistent with the Countywide Planning Policies and comply with Countywide Planning Policy DP-3. LU-1.A.15 All UGA expansions that add residential land capacity shall be designated as TDR receiving areas and all development approvals in such areas shall be consistent with adopted TDR policies in this chapter. Objective LU 1.C Establish and maintain a UGA boundary that provides a distinct edge between urban and rural land uses. LU-1.C.1 Unique topographical and physical features such as watershed boundaries, streams, rivers, ridge lines, steep slopes, roads, railroad lines and transmission lines (where they follow property lines) and special purpose district boundaries shall be used, if possible, to delineate and define the boundary. LU-1.C.3 The designation and siting of new industrial, commercial, and public facility land uses along the UGA boundary should include vegetative buffers. GOAL LU 2 Establish development patterns that use urban land more efficiently. Objective NE 1.A Balance the protection of the natural environment with economic growth, housing needs and the protection of property rights. NE-1.B.1 The county shall consider comprehensive land use plan designations and development regulations that take into account: (a) environmental sensitivity and ecological functions and values; (b) limitations of ground and surface water quantities; and (c) potential impacts on surface and ground water quality. NE-1.B.4 The county shall plan for growth in a manner that encourages reduction of sprawl, meets GMA housing goals and places employment and residential uses in close proximity to reduce impacts to air quality. NE-10.B.2 Establish land use patterns that minimize transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and encourage the preservation of resource lands, open space and habitat. Council Staff Report Page 14 of 14