Title: MRSC - Growth Management Act
Headings: Growth Management Act
Growth Management Act
Overview
GMA Goals
( RCW 36.70A.020)
Who is Required to Plan Under GMA?
Natural Resource Lands and Critical Areas
Comprehensive Plans
Mandatory Comp Plan Elements
( RCW 36.70A.070)
Optional Comp Plan Elements
Urban Growth Areas and Accommodating Future Growth
Growth Management Hearings Board
Recommended Resources

Content: Mandatory Comp Plan Elements
( RCW 36.70A.070)
Land Use
Housing
Capital Facilities Plan
Utilities
Rural Development (counties only)
Transportation
Ports (mandatory for cities with annual maritime port revenues exceeding $60 million, RCW 36.70A.085)
Optional Comp Plan Elements
Economic Development*
Parks and Recreation*
Conservation ( RCW 36.70A.080)
Solar Energy ( RCW 36.70A.080)
Recreation ( RCW 36.70A.080)
Subarea Plans (neighborhoods, rural villages, urban growth areas, tribal areas, etc.) Ports (optional for cities with annual maritime port revenues of $20 million to $60 million, RCW 36.70A.085)
*These elements are listed as mandatory in RCW 36.70A.070 (7) and (8), but they are actually optional because funds have not been appropriated to help pay for preparing them, per RCW 36.70A.070 (9). While all of these elements are important, the land use element sets the direction of future growth in a community and is usually depicted as a future land use map. The future land use map, which is policy-oriented, is then implemented in large part by the official zoning map, a regulatory tool. Comprehensive plans must also address "essential public facilities" that are typically difficult to site, such as airports, educational facilities, transportation facilities, and correctional facilities. Comprehensive plans also must be coordinated with adjacent and overlapping jurisdictions and must be updated every 8 years, with optional annual updates. For more information, see our page on Comprehensive Planning. Urban Growth Areas and Accommodating Future Growth
Under the GMA, the state Office of Financial Management (OFM) develops population projections for the state and each county. Each "fully planning" county is then mandated to determine, in consultation with cities, where that growth should be directed to occur. Once these growth projections are adopted, then the county and cities are to use them in their comprehensive planning processes and make sure that their plans can accommodate the projected level of growth ( RCW 36.70A.115 ).