Counties and cities planning under the Growth Management Act are required to complete periodic updates to their comprehensive plans and development regulations. This page provides guidance and resources to assist local planners in preparing their periodic updates for review by Commerce.
Periodic Update interactive map
Local jurisdictions can use the interactive map to review a tailored list of resources related to their next periodic update. The data contained in the interactive map is also available in the County GMA Periodic Update document (Excel).
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.
Upcoming workshops
2026 Series – Critical Areas (2 of 2)
Thursday, October 3, 2024 from 10am – Noon
On Final Approach – Workshop for jurisdictions due December 31, 2024
- On Final Approach Workshop flyer (PDF)
- On Final Approach Workshop presentation (PPT)
- On Final Approach Workshop video recording (Vimeo)
2026 Series – Critical Areas (1 of 2)
- Workshop flyer (PDF)
- Critical Areas Workshop presentation (PDF)
- Critical Areas Workshop video recording (Vimeo)
2026 Series – Housing Workshop
2026 Series – Kickoff event
2026 Series – Climate Workshop
2024 Legislative Wrap-up
2025 Series – Capital Facilities Workshop
- Workshop flyer (PDF)
- Capital Facilities Workshop presentation (PDF)
- Capital Facilities Workshop video recording (Vimeo)
2025 Series – Climate Workshop 1
- Workshop flyer (PDF)
- Climate Workshop 1 presentation (PDF)
- Climate Workshop 1 video recording (Vimeo)
2025 Series – Climate Workshop 2
- Workshop flyer (PDF)
- Climate Workshop 2 presentation (PDF)
- Climate Workshop 2 video recording (Vimeo)
2025 Series – Critical Areas Workshop
- Workshop flyer (PDF)
- Critical Areas Workshop presentation (PDF)
- Critical Areas Workshop video recording (Vimeo)
2025 Series – Housing Workshop 1
2025 Series – Housing Workshop 2
- Workshop flyer (PDF)
- Housing Workshop 2 presentation (PDF)
- Housing Workshop 2 video recording (Vimeo)
2025 Series Kick-off
- Workshop recording (Vimeo)
- Periodic Update introduction (PDF)
- Commerce resources and grant’s introduction (PDF)
- Thurston Regional Planning Council introduction (PDF)
- Municipal Research and Services Center introduction (PDF)
- Commerce Housing introduction (PDF)
- Commerce Climate introduction (PDF)
2025 Series – Transportation
- Workshop flyer (PDF)
- Transportation workshop presentation (PDF)
- Transportation workshop video recording (Vimeo)
2025 Series – Tribal Participation in Planning Workshop
- Workshop flyer (PDF)
- Tribal Participation workshop presentation (PDF)
- Tribal Participation workshop video recording (Vimeo)
Past session videos from the 2024 workshop series hosted by Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) can be found on the PSRC website.
Resources
Status: Ongoing
The governor and the Legislature made a historic investment in Growth Management Act planning during the 2022 legislative session and have continued that into the 2023-2025 budget period. As a result, we expect to provide grant funding to all counties, and cities within those counties, in advance of their upcoming comprehensive plan and development regulation “periodic updates,” required under RCW 36.70A.130(5).
Grants are available to counties and cities based on fully planning or partially planning status under the GMA, as well as population:
Fully planning
- Counties with 100,000 population and over: $700,000
- Counties under 100,000 population: $350,000
- Cities with 100,000 population and over: $325,000
- Cities with 50,000 to 99,999 population: $175,000
- Cities with 3,000 to 49,999 population: $125,000
- Cities under 3,000 population: $100,000
Partially planning
- Counties with 10,000 population and over: $150,000
- Counties under 10,000 population: $100,000
- Cities (No population limits): $20,000
Grant requirements
Commerce intends to provide these same grant amounts to all counties and cities throughout the update cycle, with due dates from 2024 through 2027, under RCW 36.70A.130(5)(a)-(d). Grants should be available for all jurisdictions starting two years before the statutory deadlines for review and revision, established under RCW 36.70A.130(5).
Application materials
Local jurisdictions whose Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations are due in 2026 should use the below links to apply for their Periodic Update Grant (PUG). Please note that the application deadline for PUG has been extended from September 30th, 2024 to October 18th, 2024
- Capital Facilities Plan: City of Wenatchee (PDF)
- Comprehensive Plan: City of Des Moines (PDF)
- Comprehensive Plan: Grays Harbor County (partially planning)
- Comprehensive Plan: City of West Richland (PDF)
- Critical Areas Ordinance: City of Pullman (partially planning) (PDF)
- Housing Action Plan: City of Leavenworth
- Deadline Extension request: City of Mercer Island (PDF)
- Work program: City of Tumwater (PDF)
- Scope of Work: San Juan County (PDF)
- Findings of Fact and Resolution: Spokane County (SpokaneCounty.org)
- Findings of Fact and Resolution: Pacific County (PDF)
Counties and cities must be up-to-date with the requirements of the GMA, including the periodic update requirements, to be eligible for grants and loans from certain state infrastructure programs.
Commerce maintains a list of local governments’ periodic update status and Growth Management Hearing Board orders to help applicants and funding programs implement this requirement.
See the GMA Periodic Update and GMHB Status Report (PDF).
The Status Report is advisory and is based on the most recent information available to Commerce on the date it is published. If you believe the information on the report is not accurate, please contact Mary Reinbold at Mary.Reinbold@commerce.wa.gov.