Resident Guide to the City Plan

A summary of the various topics and elements of the Comprehensive Plan.

Resident Guide to the City Plan  (1 MB)

Capital Facilities Plan

The need assessment and funding strategies for the next six years of City projects.

2024-2029 Capital Facilities Plan (10 MB)

Conservation Element

Identifies critical environmental areas and valuable natural resources as well as policies to protect and conserve them.

Economic Development Plan

Identifies techniques to attract new development and business to key areas in the City.

Economic Development Plan (8 MB)

Housing Element

Studies the existing housing stock and explores methods of providing sufficient affordable housing for all economic segments.

Housing Element  (<1 MB)

2021 Tumwater Thurston County Joint Plan

Aligns City and County policy concerning the Tumwater Urban Growth Areas to ease future annexation transitions.

Joint Plan  (9 MB)

Joint Plan Element of the Tumwater Comprehensive Plan

The City of Tumwater and Thurston County Joint Plan is an element of both the City and County's Comprehensive Plans that covers the unincorporated parts of the Tumwater Urban Growth Area (UGA).

Prepared and updated cooperatively by Thurston County and the City of Tumwater, the Joint Plan is the comprehensive plan for unincorporated lands located inside the City's urban growth boundary and provides guidance for future growth in the UGA.  Goals and policies in the Joint Plan are the framework for the transition of the UGA from rural to urban level of development.

Thurston County adopted UGA zoning and development standards to implement the Joint Plan.  Development standards for the UGA are intended to be similar to those that apply within Tumwater's city limits.

The Joint Plan was originally adopted in 1995 and updated in 2021. After the City Council recommended approval of the update to the Joint Plan on August 2, 2021, the Thurston County Board of Commissioners adopted the update to the Joint Plan on November 30, 2021.

Any amendments to the Joint Plan need to be reviewed by the City and County Planning Commissions and approved by the City Council and the Thurston County Board of Commissioners.

Contact Us

Contact Brad Medrud, Planning Manager, in the Community Development Department at (360) 754-4180 for more information.

Land Use Element

Contains goals, policies, and designations for current and future land use throughout the City.

Land Use Element (<1 MB)

Lands for Public Purposes Element

Identifies lands used for public purposes and facilities and outlines the process for siting essential public facilities.

Lands for Public Purposes Element (<1 MB)

2008 Adopted Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan

Outlines plans to retain open space and develop recreation opportunities and parks.

Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan (2 MB)

Update Addendum (1 MB)

Shoreline Master Program

A detailed shoreline inventory and master program for managing shoreline development.

Shoreline Master Program

Transportation Plan

Determines whether public transportation systems will adequately serve new development.

Transportation Plan (11 MB)

Transportation Plan Appendices (11 MB)

Utilities Element

Inventories and proposed improvements for gas, electricity, cable TV, and telecommunications utilities.

Utilities Element (5 MB)

Appendices

Various documents that were used to collect and reference information used in the Comprehensive Plan.

A: Neighborhoods (2 MB)

B: County-Wide Planning Policies (<1 MB)

C: Sustainable Thurston Goals and Actions (9 MB)

D: Land Use and Housing Survey Results (15 MB)

E: List of Foundational Plans and Documents (<1 MB)

F: Glossary  (1 MB)

G: Ordinance O2016-012 (<1 MB)

H: 2016 Tumwater Soil Report (2 MB)

Subarea Plans

More detailed plans for specific areas within the City.

Brewery District Plan

Black Hills Subarea Transportation Plan (28 MB)

Capitol Boulevard Corridor Plan

Littlerock Road Subarea Plan (3 MB)

Conservation Map