This month: New community engagement toolkit; impact fees guidebook; CHIP applications opening soon; and more



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July 15, 2025
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Planners’ Monthly Newsletter – July 2025

*This month: New community engagement toolkit; impact fees guidebook; CHIP applications opening soon; staff updates; upcoming events*

Comp Plan gif
New toolkit helps bring community voices to local planning

Meaningful community engagement is vital to any successful planning effort. Local voices should be heard at every stage, especially when community members may be unfamiliar with the planning process or how to give input.

Now, Commerce has a new resource to help bring those voices to the table.

The Plan Together, Grow Together toolkit [ [link removed] ] includes a video, graphic novel and workbook designed to introduce core concepts around comprehensive planning and ways community-based organizations can get involved.

Commerce developed the toolkit in partnership with local governments and community-based organizations across Washington as part of the Advancing Meaningful Engagement pilot program.

*Read the full announcement from July 1* [ [link removed] ]

Washington population growth is slowing, OFM says

Washington’s population continues to grow, though at a much slower rate than it did during the last decade, according to the latest population estimates [ [link removed] ] released by the Office of Financial Management.

OFM reported the state’s population had grown by 79,400 to 8.1 million people as of April 1. Net migration, the main driver of population growth, fell to the lowest level (outside of the COVID-19 pandemic) since 2013.

*Housing updates*

New guidebook: Proportional impact fees and system development charges

Residential Fees Guidebook cover

Commerce has new guidance for jurisdictions and utility providers as they develop and implement proportional impact fees for residential uses.

The new Residential Proportional Impact Fees and System Development Charges Guidebook [ [link removed] ] outlines key considerations to lead jurisdictions through calculating and adopting proportional impact fees and system development charges consistent with recent updates to state law.

 



CHIP grants open to applications July 16

The next round of Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program grants will open to applications Wednesday, July 16.

CHIP connects affordable housing projects to utility systems, and it can reimburse costs associated with water, sewer and stormwater improvements and waived system development charges. This includes upsizing water and sewer lines to serve increased density, and water and sewer line extensions to serve new affordable housing developments.

Available funding:


* $55 million for all eligible jurisdictions
* $30 million for projects serving low-income households in jurisdictions with 150,000 or fewer residents
* $5 million for projects serving moderate-income households in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties

Application materials will be available on Commerce’s _CHIP webpage_ [ [link removed] ] beginning July 16. Applications are due by Friday, Sept. 26.

For questions, contact Mischa Venables, CHIP Program Manager, at [email protected].

 

Commerce tool can estimate middle housing returns

Commerce has an updated resource to estimate financial feasibility for middle housing projects. The Middle Housing Pro-Forma Tool [ [link removed] ], which was previously applicable only to Puget Sound, has been revised for use across the state.

Pro-formas are essentially a developer's way of evaluating a real estate project to see if it makes financial sense. Commerce’s middle housing pro-forma can be used to model many middle housing building types and provide estimates of local construction costs, rents and sales prices.

 

Unit lot subdivisions fact sheet updated

Commerce has revised its Unit Lot Subdivisions fact sheet [ [link removed] ] to reflect updates to state law made during the 2025 legislative session. The fact sheet now reflects Chapter 271, Laws of 2025 (SB 5559 [ [link removed] ]), which provides guidance on how unit lot subdivisions are defined and processed

For questions, contact Lilith Vespier at [email protected].

*Staff updates*

Valeria Smith
Congratulations, Valerie Smith!

The Growth Management Services team congratulates our friend and Deputy Managing Director Valerie Smith on earning the Urban Design and Planning Outstanding MIPM Student Award from the Department of Urban Design and Planning at the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments.

Valerie is set to complete her master’s in infrastructure planning and management this summer. We are proud to call her our colleague and want to recognize all the hard work she has put in over the years. Way to go, Val!



*From our partners*

Draft statewide transportation plan available for public review

Washington State Transportation Commission

The Washington State Transportation Commission released its draft 20-year transportation plan and is asking for review and feedback by Friday, July 18.

The Washington Transportation Plan Vision 2050 [ [link removed] ] provides a high-level policy transportation blueprint for the state, counties, cities, and transportation operators to use in crafting their transportation plans. The plan was shaped through engagement with city and county governments, regional planning organizations, state transportation agencies, tribes, private-sector partners, and the public.  

Comments on the draft plan can be emailed to [email protected] or submitted via an online form [ [link removed] ]. The commission is expected to adopt the final plan later this summer.



WGS publishes new Groundwater Chemistry Database for the Columbia Basin

DNR logo

The Washington Geological Survey released a new groundwater chemistry database including more than 1,500 water samples from wells and other water sources in the Columbia River Basalt Group in the Columbia Basin. A pamphlet and a spreadsheet (ZIP file) [ [link removed] ]provide an overview, analysis and data. The data are also available on WGS’ GIS Data and Databases [ [link removed] ] page.



Ecology adding new Chapter 173-217 WAC – State Waters Alteration Permit

Dept of Ecology logo

Ecology initiated state rulemaking to add a new chapter to Washington Administrative Code (WAC) establishing State Waters Alteration Permit (SWAP), a formal permitting program for projects that could alter or impact state waters.

Currently, Ecology issues administrative orders under the Water Pollution Contract Act to authorize projects seeking to alter or impact state waters (including those no longer federally regulated). While administrative orders protect the environment, the process lacks public notice opportunities and timeline obligations for issuing decisions. A new state permitting program would replace the current administrative order process and provide positive customer service benefits by: 


* Providing better clarity and predictability about our actions and requirements 

* Creating general permits to streamline approvals for projects with minor impacts 

* Establishing opportunities for public review 
* Setting mitigation requirements for projects 

Ecology filed the SWAP Rulemaking Announcement (CR-101) on June 10. Ecology will work with the public and interested parties through the GovDelivery email list [ [link removed] ] as they develop rule language. Ecology will start the informal feedback period with the first tribal information session July 30 and first public information session July 31.

Please visit Ecology’s rulemaking webpage [ [link removed] ] for more information or contact Sonal Gangawala Khanna, rulemaking lead, at [email protected].



*Upcoming events*

Regional Planners’ Forums

The Washington State Department of Commerce, Planning Association of Washington, and Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association collaboratively present the Regional Planners’ Forums [ [link removed] ].

The Planners’ Forums offer a free opportunity for planners, planning commissioners, elected officials and community members to talk informally about local issues, share ideas and receive updates from state and federal agencies.

The Planners’ Forums also satisfy requirements for credentialed planners toward professional development through advanced-level presentations on timely and relevant planning subjects.

*Eastern Planners’ Forum: *9-11 a.m. Wednesday, July 23* — *Register for the Eastern Forum via Zoom [ [link removed] ]

*Summer Planners’ Forum: *9-11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 31 — Register for the Summer Forum via Zoom [ [link removed] ]

*Take survey: *If you have attended a Regional Planners’ Forum or are considering doing so, Commerce invites you to take our 2025 survey [ [link removed] ]. This survey will help Commerce determine training needs.

Periodic Update Workshops

Commerce routinely hosts workshops on specific elements of the periodic update process. These workshops provide valuable opportunities for local jurisdictions to understand and meet the requirements of the periodic update. Please consider joining us for an upcoming workshop.

*2027 Series Critical Areas 1 of 2*


* 10 a.m.-12 p.m. July 24
* Register for the Periodic Update Workshop via Zoom [ [link removed] ]





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About Commerce

Commerce works with local governments, businesses, community-based organizations and tribes to strengthen communities. The department’s diverse portfolio of more than 100 programs and effective public and private partnerships promote sustainable community and economic development to help all Washingtonians thrive. For more information, visit [link removed]. For information on locating or expanding a business in Washington, visit choosewashingtonstate.com [ [link removed] ].

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