Comprehensive Plan

What is the City’s vision for the future? How does the City plan for and make it happen?

In helping Granite Falls grow and thrive, good community development must be provided. In addition to enacting sound development regulations and laying out smart zoning designations, it is the adoption of clear goals, policies and growth projections that can result in safe neighborhoods, appropriate public services, and strong economic vitality. This forward thinking, long-range planning establishes desired priorities for land use, housing, transportation, capital facilities, economic development, parks and recreation, natural environment and open space protection, historic preservation and more.

These City-adopted vision and plans for the future are found within the following long range planning documents:

• 20-Year Comprehensive Plan (2015);
• Comprehensive Water System Plan (2022);
• Comprehensive Wastewater Facilities Plan (2016);
• Stormwater Management Action Plan (2024 Draft);
• Six Year Capital Facilities Plan (2024 Draft);
• Shoreline Master Program (2019); and
• Six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (2023)

The Community Development Department is involved with maintaining these documents and is responsible for updating them as required by state statutes.

Granite Falls 2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update

The City is currently in the process of amending the present comprehensive plan to bring it into compliance with new state and federal laws, court decisions, administrative guidelines and best management practices. This effort, known as the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update, lays out a 20-year growth plan for the City which includes growth targets for new housing and jobs, local preferred goals and policies, and a set of inventories of existing and desired public facilities, infrastructure improvements and programs.

Get Involved!

There are a number of ways to get involved and let your voice be heard on this important effort. Attend a Planning Commission meeting(s), attend a City Council
meeting(s), or come join us for the Public Open House later this spring on the draft proposed Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update (tentatively scheduled for June 2025).

Growth Management in Washington

The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) establishes many of the requirements for the City’s comprehensive planning documents. GMA establishes an overall goal to "ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards." (RCW 36.70A.020).

Amendments to these documents are prepared in accordance with direction provided by the City Council and carried out by City Planning staff and the City Planning Commission to review, recommend, and adopt the preferred amendments. Coordination must also occur with other agencies on regional planning and tribal issues.

The Washington State Department of Commerce has a wealth of information on their website about the Growth Management Act (GMA) along with information on the obligations of local governments to create comprehensive, citywide, long-range plans
.
Educational videos on the local community planning process are available using the links below:
 
Introduction to the Short Course on Planning
Comprehensive Planning Basics
Implementing Your Plan
Updating Your Plan
Washington’s Legal Framework for Land Use Planning
Constitutional Issues and Other Protections
Roles and Responsibilities in Planning
Public Participation and Effective Meetings
Open Public Meetings Act
Appearance of Fairness Doctrine
Short Course Video Study Guide

Document Center

The Document Center provides easy access to public documents. Click on one of the categories below to see related documents or use the search function.

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Categories always sorted by seq (sub-categories sorted within each category)
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2024 Comprehensive PlanNo documents

2015 Comprehensive Plan (November 4, 2015)17 documents

• Cover Page
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• Comprehensive Plan Name Page
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• Table of Contents
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• Plan Background
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• Natural Features Element
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• Land Use Element
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• Lane Use Element Appendix LU-1
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  Buildable Lands Report Summary
• Housing Element
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• Capital Facilities & Utilities Element
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• Transportation Element
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• Economic Development Element
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• Essential Public Facilities Element
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• Shoreline Element
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• Parks, Recreation & Open Space Element
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• Appendix PRO-1
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• Appendix PRO-2
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• Appendix – Definitions
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City Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Maps2 documents

• Comprehensive Plan Map
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• Zoning Map
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City Shoreline Master Program3 documents

• 2012 Master Shoreline Program
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• Shoreline Master Program Inventory Analysis Report
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• Shoreline Master Program Map
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Applications and Checklists23 documents

• Bond Quantity Work Sheet
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• 10% Annexation Petition Form
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• 60% Annexation Petition Form
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• Adjacent Property Owner's Affidavit
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• Adjacent Property Owner's List
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• Affidavit of Mailing
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• Affidavit of Posting
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• Annexation Checklist and Information
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• Annexation Timeline
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• Banner Permit Application
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• Boundary Line Adjustment Submittal Checklist
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• Conditional Use Permit Submittal Checklist
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• Environmental Checklist (SEPA)
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• Final Long Plat Application
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• Final Plat Submittal Checklist
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• Multi-Family Development Submittal Checklist
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• Pre-Application Meeting Application and Submittal Checklist
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• Preliminary Plat Submittal Checklist
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• Public Notice Checklist
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• Short Plat Submittal Checklist
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• Single Family Homes, Additions, Garages and other Residential Structures Checklist
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• Special Event Permit Application
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• Variance Submittal Checklist
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