Planning 2011-11-10 Southcenter Plan Comprehensive Plan Policy Review

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COM PREHENSIVE TUKWILA CENTER PURPOSE Urban centers are described in King County's Countywide Planning Policies as areas of concentrated employment and housing, with direct service by high- capacity transit. They are to encompass a wide range of land uses, including retail, recreational, public facilities, parks, residential, and open space. In 1995 T43i,- Tukwila's uUrban cQenter -(T4X-), Southcenter. was designated one of the region's urban centers, in keeping with a desire for development as a high- density, regionally oriented, mixed -use center. The vision for Southcenter is consistent with Puget Sound Regional Council's Vision 2040, the adopted regional growth strategv which provides guidance to cities and counties for accommodating future growth. The strategv is designed to preserve resource lands and protect rural lands from urban -tvve development by p romoting infill and redevelopment within urban areas to create more compact, walkable, sustainable and transit friendly communities. All levels of government in the central Puget Sound's four counties use Vision 2040 as a regional framework for making local decisions. King Countv was required to nrepare broad Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) that comply with both the growth principles of the Growth Management Act and the more directive policies of the Multi Countv Planning Policies (Vision 2040). Under this strategv the maioritv of the region's emplovment and housing growth is targeted to occur in Metropolitan Cities and Core Cities. Tukwila is a Core Citv with a designated urban center intended to become a compact, sustainable community where housing and iobs are located in a manner that provides for easy mobility and accessibility. Planning for a regional urban center as defined by the Countywide Planning Policies earns preferential treatment by the transit providers for fixed -rail transit service and other transit service and facility improvements. The idea is to help ensure the long -term economic viability and competitiveness of urban centers in the region as energv costs escalate, congestion increases and consumer preferences shift. In 2002, the City began a planning process to create a plan for ina,': ri�ynt tl-2 T, -.!a Urban CantrrSouthcenter A primary focus of the Plan was retaining the C'�a urban center's competitive edge and economic strength as retail developmenteenter- growsth within the region. The Citv held six Ppublic workshops and found that participants supported the following concepts: 1) making the TUG Southcenter area a more attractive destination for shopping and leisure activities; eGembe -F Q OOS Dreft, November 2011 1 13