Daphne Xia

By Daphne Xia, for Edmonds Beacon

A panel discussion sponsored by Edmonds Civic Roundtable on the topic of the Growth Management Act (GMA) delved into the importance of the state statute, which requires cities and counties to develop a comprehensive plan to manage population growth.

The conference, held July 25 in the plaza room above the Edmonds Library, looked into the history of the GMA and why should citizens care. (The title: “The Growth Management Act: Why is it such a big deal?”)

Panelists were former Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling and Mike Appleby, vice president of Chicago Title Insurance in Everett. Earling had direct experience with GMA as he served on the Washington State Growth Management Board for five years before his successful mayoral runs.

Appleby is familiar with the impacts of GMA and has delivered numerous presentations on the subject.

So what is the Growth Management Act? Essentially, it’s a series of state laws that requires cities and counties to develop a comprehensive plan, an essential document that acts as a 20-year blueprint to guide city and county decisions on population growth management and urban planning. Edmonds’ comprehensive plan, which must comply with GMA requirements, must be updated by 2024.

Two focused areas

The City is now reviewing the plan with two focused areas: waterfront issues and a “gap analysis” regarding equity and climate.

In other words, the comprehensive plan and the imbedded GMA are indeed big deals for the city and its residents.

The GMA relates to many real issues that the public faces in daily lives, such as traffic and housing. It sets the principles for comprehensive plans, which then direct urban planning growth management.

Starting at the state level, the chain of impacts on policy-making then goes down to regional planning, for which the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is responsible. Its VISION 2050 regional plan, completed in 2021, has multicounty planning policies that cities use as a guide when updating comprehensive plans.

There is a series of 14 policies – the latest the addition of the Shoreline Management Act –that act as the basis of comprehensive plans. Mandatory elements include land use, housing, capital facilities plan, utilities, rural development, transportation, and ports.

An important element of comprehensive plans under the GMA is urban growth and accommodating future growth – which raises important questions for Edmonds moving forward. GMA directs cities and counties how to grow and adapt that population growth based on statistics from employment, transportation, population, and housing.

Based on population projections, counties, while consulting with cities, determine where that growth should occur. And then cities make sure that their comprehensive plans include details on how to accommodate the projected growth.

Public engagement needed

The public’s engagement is crucial, as the impacts of GMA and comprehensive plans are reflected in daily lives.

During his presentation, Appleby used an example from former Rep. Joe King when telling the origin story of GMA.

While he was stuck in traffic on a state highway in Puget Sound, King noticed that there were new apartment complexes going in on the side of the highway. He wondered about the impacts on traffic and communities residents of the apartments would bring.

He thought about who was responsible for coordinating possible impacts, but later found out the answer: no one. That was the inspiration for the Growth Management Act.

Something as common as traffic can indicate how pivotal the act is in relation to urban planning and population growth management.

After Appleby’s presentation on the technical side of the GMA and comprehensive plans, Earling took the stage and shared his experience as a judge on the Growth Management board and why the public should care about Puget Sound growth.

“We’re going to have to, as a community, just start thinking this is what we want to have, what we’ll probably need, and how far we might be helpful just to understand the mechanics of how the process works,” he said.

Housing was a hot topic among audience members.

Phil Lovell, a member of the Snohomish Community Advisory Board, expressed his concern about the gradual elimination of home ownership, while renters also face rising rents.

“I was particularly struck by the difference in financial capacity between the average homeowner and a renter,” Lovell said.

Appleby said the average wealth of a U.S homeowner is about $320,000 per person, and the average wealth for renters is drastically lower: $6,000.

“It’s important we as citizens have correct input into our councilmembers,” said Appleby. “We need to make sure to understand where we want the growth, where we want to spread out.”