Land use policy is a powerful tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change. So why isnât it a bigger part of the policy debate? This four-part âLand Use and Climate Changeâ series explores that question.
In 2023 the stakes are the highest they have ever been. Wildfires and sea level rise have put the climate crisis in stark context. The Quinault Tribe is relocating their ancestral village away from rising tides. Entire towns are at risk of being wiped out from wildfires. Unequal access to
In the blink of an eye, the 2022 WA Legislative Session has come and gone. Despite the devastating, 11th hour death of HB 1099, our bill with Rep. Davina Duerr (D-Bothell) to add climate change planning to the GMA, this was still one of Futurewiseâs most successful legislative sessions
Note: This article was revised on 10/29/21 to reflect Futurewiseâs decision to rename the âvesting loopholeâ as the âillegal growth loopholeâ to more clearly convey to the public its negative consequences. This is the second installment of a three-part series that is breaking down what the Growth
How a major loophole in the Growth Management Act has allowed unnecessary sprawl and non-compliant development to gobble up our rural lands for decades. Note: This article was revised on 10/29/21 to reflect Futurewiseâs decision to rename the âvesting loopholeâ as the âillegal growth loopholeâ to more
Futurewise 2021 Legislative Wrap-Up: Our efforts to address climate change, housing affordability, and environmental justice through comprehensive planning. At Futurewise, we believe that everyone deserves to live in dignified, safe, and affordable housing, that we must do everything we can to protect our communities and environment from the worst impacts
Itâs official: weâre halfway through the 2021 state legislative session. Wonkabout Washington is back with a legislative low-down, highlighting the Washington Canât Wait campaign priorities, along with a few other key land use bills to keep your eyes on. Letâs get into it! Washington Canât
The 2020 legislative session promises to be like nothing weâve seen before due to the impacts of Covid-19. Legislators will be meeting entirely virtually, providing both new opportunities for constituents to engage on legislation and limitations on the number of bills that will be up for consideration. On top
How have you been breathing lately? Not well Iâm guessing. The last few weeks have seen Seattle, along with cities up and down the West Coast, choked in a surreal, oppressive smoke. For the last six months, it seemed that the outdoors was the only safe haven from Covid-19.
On Tuesday, July 21st, Futurewise hosted Addie Candib, Pacific Northwest Regional Director of American Farmland Trust for a conversation about the threatened state of farmland in Washington. You can watch our entire conversation on the Futurewise Facebook page. Before we dig into our conversation with Candib, letâs start with
As we enter month three of life in a pandemic in Washington, planners, and community organizations are grappling with how to adapt our engagement work when in-person conversations are no longer feasible. What kinds of community engagement is possible during a pandemic? Is it possible for community engagement to be
Weâre all socially distancing here in Washington but last week we convened a group of land use leaders in Olympia for a discussion about how to successfully bridge generational divides in urbanist organizing. In 2018, after over a year of community engagement, Olympia passed legislation permitting âmissing middleâ housing
Futurewise Legislative Wrap-Up: The Story Behind House Bill 2427, the GMA Climate Goal Bill At Futurewise, we believe that local government planning needs to more directly address climate change. We need planning that helps us reduce emissions, especially from transportation, and we need planning that helps us adapt to the
Last month we gave readers of The Urbanist a preview of Futurewiseâs 2020 legislative agenda. This month weâre going to do an overview of another critical area of our work: our legal agenda. Futurewiseâs staff attorney, Tim Trohihomivich, Director of Planning and Law, has been with the
The 2020 legislative session kicked off on January 13th and weâre officially down in Olympia five days a week advocating for the smart, responsible and equitable land use policies Washington needs. This monthâs Wonkabout Washington will present an overview of Futurewiseâs legislative priorities for the 2020 session,
For our monthly meetup on January 14th, we are excited to be joined by our friend Kate Brunette from Futurewise. For 30 years, Futurewise has worked to prevent exurban sprawl, to protect our Stateâs natural resources, and to make our urban areas livable and accessible to all. Founded to
Wonkabout Washington is back after a brief hiatus and weâre wrapping up the year with an exceptionally wonky topic that has broad impacts for land use law and tenant rights regulations across Washington. Thatâs right, weâre talking this month about takings law and a hugely consequential recent
Futurewise and Skyway Solutions Advocate for Equity in Skyway Subarea Plan As the King County Council considers a draft of the Skyway-West Hill Land Use Subarea plan, Futurewise and Skyway Solutions are asking the council to consider a set of equity-focused improvements, with a particular focus on improving the inclusionary
Keeping an Equity Focus for SEPA Reform in Seattle This yearâs legislative session saw the passage of a major bill, House Bill 1923 that aims to transform zoning and density in communities across Washington state. HB 1923 encourages cities to adopt new development regulations to increase density and to
The Road Map to Washingtonâs Future: Missed Opportunities On June 30, 2019, after almost three years of work, the Ruckelshaus Centerâs Road Map to Washingtonâs Future delivered to the legislature a âcomprehensive and collaborative look at the Growth Management Act.â Leading up to the reportâs release,
In this monthâs Wonkabout Washington, weâre diving into amendments to four of Pierce Countyâs subarea plans. Specifically, weâre examining the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for amended Community Plans for South Hill, Mid-County, Frederickson and Parkland-Spanaway-Midland, which make up the central unincorporated urban growth area (UGA) in
Futurewise is pushing the advisory group to use an equity lens in high-speed rail planning. As The Urbanist recently reported, Washington state is moving forward with funding studies for an interstate high-speed rail line corridor between Vancouver, British Columbia and Eugene, Oregon. For the past year, Futurewise has served as
Snohomish County Reconsiders Developing Channel Migration Zones The Growth Management Act, including the Shoreline Master Program, touches many different land use issues in many different parts of the state. Futurewise works with local partners across Washington who keep us informed of local GMA issues that need our attention. Recently the
On Tuesday, March 19th, Futurewise is welcoming activist scholar Dr. Lisa K. Bates, Ph.D. as our Keynote Speaker for the Spring Luncheon and Livable Communities Awards. Dr. Bates will be speaking on the topic âHousing Justice, not for âJust Usââ, a timely exploration of the false dichotomies that anchor
Futurewise to Appeal Ferry County Agricultural Land Designation Futurewise, along with our partner Concerned Friends of Ferry County, have decided to appeal Ferry Countyâs agricultural land designations to the Appeals Court, in hopes of bringing Ferry County into compliance with Growth Management Act (GMA) regulations for maintaining and enhancing
With just a few weeks left in 2018, Futurewise is looking ahead to the 2019 legislative session. The November elections substantially changed the make-up of the state legislature, with Democrats picking up seven seats in the State House and three seats in the State Senate. The new members will change
Tacoma has adopted a new affordable housing action strategy that aims to reach 10,500 households over 10 yearsâ-a plan that will mean a $70 million housing investment, paid for from a mix of public, private and philanthropic resources. The strategy tackles four main areas: production of new homes,
Quick quiz: Can you name all fourteen goals of Washington stateâs Growth Management Act? Would you guess that addressing climate change is not one of them? Nearly thirty years ago, Washington passed the Growth Management Act (GMA), a comprehensive piece of legislation dedicated to responsibly managing our stateâs
Submit your nominations for the Futurewise Livable Community Awards! Each year, Futurewise honors community leaders in five categories (Local Government Excellence, Equity and Environment, Protecting Natural Resource Areas, Smart Growth and Transportation, Community Champion). We want your nominations for 2019! Submit your ideas online. Pierce County Council Votes to Double
New study shows Seattle has overabundance of parking Since the invention of the automobile, Americans have been obsessed with where to park them. Yet, new research presented by the Research Institute for Housing America (RIHA) shows clearly that Americaâs investment in parking is out of balance with demand. In
We are excited to announce a new partnership between Futurewise and The Urbanist! Futurewise is a statewide organization dedicated to proper implementation of the Growth Management Act. We encourage healthy, equitable, and opportunity-rich communities while protecting our most valuable farmlands, forests, and water resources through wise land-use policies and practices.