Frequently Asked Questions

A Comprehensive Plan is a long-term roadmap for the City of Kent that guides decisions on where we locate housing and jobs, where we invest in transportation, utilities, parks, and other public assets over a 20-year period. 

The Plan serves as a vision document for future growth and services in the City; it will impact neighborhoods, businesses, traffic, public facilities and services, and the environment. The updated Plan will address new and long-standing challenges including providing needed housing, multi-modal connectivity, a vibrant downtown and business community, access to parks and open space, social equity, and climate resiliency.

Ultimately the goals and policies laid out in the Comp Plan will have an impact on everyone’s day-to-day lives in the city, from where we live to how we get around and much more.

Washington State’s Growth Management Act (GMA) requires each city and county to periodically review and update their Comprehensive Plans. 

The City’s last Comp Plan update was adopted in 2015. Kent has experienced a lot of change since then. The 2044 Comp Plan is an opportunity to revise population and employment growth forecasts with the most up to date data, review existing policies to ensure they make sense our community's evolving needs, write new policies that reflect the priorities of the communities of Kent, and confirm that all federal, state, and local requirements are met.

The Kent 2044 Comprehensive Plan update was launched in December of 2022 and the update must be completed by December 2024.

The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) identifies mandatory and optional elements that a Comprehensive Plan should include. Each element has its own goals and policies. The updated 2044 Kent Comprehensive Plan will include the following elements:

• Land Use
• Housing
• Transportation
• Parks and Recreation
• Utilities
• Economic Development
• Capital Facilities
• Shoreline
• Climate

Under the Washington State Growth Management Act, cities are required to plan for residential and employment growth over the next 20-years. The Comprehensive Plan sets forth the vision for how growth may occur, and where it is anticipated. Every parcel in the City of Kent is assigned a land use and zoning district designation. The land use designations set the long-term vision for properties and identify generalized uses such as industrial or multi-family residential. Zoning district designations, which by law must be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan land use designations, provide more detail on permitted uses and development standards. The City must maintain a certain amount of residential and commercial growth capacity to accommodate 20 years’ worth of growth. Through 2044, Kent is expected to accommodate 10,200 housing units and 32,000 jobs.

Once a new Comprehensive Plan is adopted, the City will pursue an update of the zoning and land use codes. The update will address inconsistencies between the updated Comprehensive Plan and current development regulations.

The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requires state and local agencies to consider the likely significant adverse impacts of planning actions, including policy documents and changes to development regulations. If proposed plans or regulations would allow activities to occur that are likely to have significant adverse impacts, those impacts must be addressed during environmental review.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will evaluate up to three different growth alternatives and a “no-action” alternative. The EIS will include information on potential growth alternatives, existing environmental conditions, potential significant environmental impacts, and potential measures to mitigate impacts. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the EIS. Ultimately, a "preferred alternative" will be selected to move forward through the public process.

The “scoping process” is an opportunity for the public to learn about the Comprehensive Plan update and provide early input on the project as it begins. The “scoping process”  seeks input from the community, affected agencies, and Tribal Nations on what topics will be included in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The City anticipates addressing the following topics:

• Earth
• Water Quality
• Air Quality & Greenhouse Gas
• Plants & Animals
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Transportation
• Land & Shoreline Use
• Population, Housing & Employment
• Environmental Health
• Public Services & Utilities

Input on potential growth alternatives, topics of emphasis, and elements of the environment to study are particularly important and will inform the analysis in the EIS.

The Comprehensive Plan Update is an opportunity for EVERYONE – residents, business owners, community organizations, and other community members – to discuss how the City will grow through 2044. There will be many opportunities to participate, including meetings, open houses, online surveys, and public hearings. Also look for us at community events around the City! 

Join our email list by clicking follow us on the main page to receive project updates and notifications of upcoming events. If you have any questions, or would like to provide us with comments, please use the Contact Us question form on the main page or Email us at FutureKent@kentwa.gov. 

Public input from every engagement opportunity will be cataloged to ensure that City staff and decisionmakers have a full understanding of public sentiment when drafting goals and policies. Public feedback on Comprehensive Plan materials will assist in making final revisions.