The King County Council on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 approved the 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan, a 20-year roadmap for managing growth, expanding affordable housing, addressing climate resiliency, and improving transportation infrastructure.

The approval follows more than a year of work by the Local Services and Land Use Committee, led by Councilmember Sarah Perry, and extensive public engagement.

“This has been a huge undertaking, starting in January and culminating in our final vote today,” Perry said. “I’m particularly excited about how we’ve focused on rural areas, balancing local integrity with the need for updates while planning for the future.”

The plan includes zoning updates to expand middle housing options like duplexes and triplexes, increased incentives for affordable housing, and provisions for temporary farmworker housing. Environmental protections include new policies for green energy production, climate action, and infrastructure resiliency to prepare for flooding and wildfires.

Transportation updates emphasize active mobility options like biking and walking, while zoning changes aim to encourage the development of behavioral health facilities and childcare services.

Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda highlighted the plan’s alignment with community needs in areas such as White Center and North Highline, where issues like affordable housing, childcare, and health services are critical.

“This is a once-in-a-decade plan with generational impacts,” Mosqueda said. “I’m thrilled it reflects the values and vision of our District 8 communities, including White Center.”

Councilmember Girmay Zahilay praised the plan’s expansion of middle housing, building on his Missing Middle Housing legislation, and called it a vital step toward addressing the regional housing crisis.

The plan aligns with the state Growth Management Act, which requires comprehensive plans to be reviewed every 10 years. It shapes how unincorporated King County grows, guiding land use, transportation, environmental stewardship, and access to vital services.

For more information on the King County Comprehensive Plan, visit the county’s website.