2024 Comprehensive Plan Update


Communities Comp Plan - SMC Update logo copyplanning under the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) are required to update their comprehensive plans every ten years. The City of Stanwood is required by RCW 36.70A.130 to update its Comprehensive Plan by December 31, 2024. It is the City’s hope that the 2024 Comprehensive Planning process will generate community excitement and lead to new investment in the City while preserving its historic character. The goal of the update is that the Comprehensive Plan provides an effective means to achieve renewed community vitality that can support Stanwood residents for many years to come.

The City of Stanwood’s current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in June of 2015, with various updates and amendments in the subsequent years. With the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update, the city desires to have an updated, well-organized, concise plan that is user-friendly and complies with the requirements of the Growth Management Act and the Puget Sound Regional Council Policy Vision 2050.

There are two primary objectives of the Comprehensive Plan update: 1) examine the challenges faced by the community and provide strategies for overcoming those challenges, and 2) identify opportunities for community growth as outlined in the Puget Sound Regional Vision 2050 Plan while preserving the City’s small-town vision and quality of life. The City wants to ensure that growth occurs in a way that considers the quality of life, placemaking, and other community character goals. This update is not about adopting a new vision for the community but instead builds upon decades of planning activities to update and refine the vision for the community.

The updated plan should inspire, guide, and direct growth during the next 20-year planning horizon while being sensitive to existing residents and businesses. The City desires to have significant and meaningful community engagement in preparing the plan using various methods, including online participation options. Check out the progress on the simultaneous Stanwood Municipal Code update here https://stanwoodwa.org/554/Municipal-Code-Update

We are continuously accepting public comments and feedback throughout this process.


CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN QUESTIONNAIRE

Do you have a specific vision or want for CLICK HERE to complete the Comprehensive Plan Questionaire (1)Stanwood? Now is the perfect time to have your voice heard. City Staff is working on a massive update of Stanwood’s development codes and procedures, in addition to updating the long-term goals and vision of the city. Part of this process includes creating a list of needed infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, roads, trails, stormwater drainage, and other issues that impact the City. This list allows the Mayor and City Council to prioritize and budget infrastructure projects over 6-year and 20-year timeframes and is referred to as the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).  

Previous Capital Improvement Projects approved and constructed through this process include the new baseball fields at Heritage Park, Viking Way improvements, the drainage system downtown, and new sidewalks along 273rd Place NW.  To know what parts of Stanwood need maintenance or improvement, we need to hear from you. The Capital Improvement Plan Questionnaire is intended to help the city identify community infrastructure concerns, needs, and desires regarding roads, parks, and drainage systems. As city residents, you use the city’s roads and parks daily; we want to hear about any physical improvements that may be needed to improve your quality of life in Stanwood.

This questionnaire will open mid-November and remain active until January 31, 2023.




How to Comment:

  • Email – patricia.love@ci.stanwood.wa.us
  • Phone – Community Development Department - 360-629-2181
  • In Writing – Community Development Department, 10220 270th Street NW, Stanwood, WA 98292

Advisory Group:

A Citizen Advisory Group was established to represent the community's voice in the update process and provide early policy guidance that reflects the community’s core values and goals. The Advisory Group will meet monthly for 18 months, except for August and December. The Advisory Group's roles include representing the interests of Stanwood and community residents, ensuring that the proposed plans and regulations reflect the desire and vision of the Stanwood community, actively engaging with staff and the consultants to share opinions, perspectives, and debate issues; and provide policy recommendations to the City Council. The Advisory Group met on July 20, 2022, September 21, 2022, November 30, 2022, and January 18, 2023. Minutes from these meetings are posted below.

The next Advisory Group meeting will be on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm and held virtually via Zoom.

If you would like to attend the Advisory Group meeting, you can click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82745943400
Telephone: 253-215-8782
Webinar ID: 827 4594 3400
Passcode: 962649

Farmer's Market:

City of Stanwood Community Development Department will be at the Stanwood Farmers Market on select dates to engage the community and hear your feedback. City Staff will be at the Farmer's Marker on the following dates to discuss specific topics.

  • June 24, 2022, Housing
  • July 15, 2022 Transportation and Infrastructure
  • August 5, 2022, Twin City Mile Revitalization
  • August 26, 2022 Parks and Trails
  • September 30, 2022, Economic Development and WSDOT

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