Olympia committee gets update on Olympia-Thurston County Joint Plan for Unincorporated Urban Growth Area

Olympia's Land Use and Environment Committee approved the recommendations of the City of Olympia and Thurston County Joint Plan for the Unincorporated Urban Growth Area (UGA), one of which is removing the requirement for a grocery store in the Community-Oriented shopping center (COSC) zone.

At the committee meeting, Community Planning and Development Principal Planner Joyce Phillips explained that the joint plan is the comprehensive plan for the unincorporated parts of the Olympia UGA. She said these are in the jurisdiction of Thurston County, but they are still considered urban lands.

Phillips said one of the county's proposals was a comprehensive plan amendment and rezoned for a property known as Glenmore Village, located south of the Yelm Highway and east of Rich Road down in the southeast part of the city or UGA.

Phillips said instead of adopting the county's proposals which is amending the comprehensive plan and future land use map, and rezone, the joint plan’s recommendation is to remove the requirement for a grocery store in the community-oriented shopping centers zone.

According to Phillips, this is the only place within the county, or at least within Olympia's UGA, where they have a community-oriented shopping center zoning district. She said it is part of the Glenwood Village master plan.

"I think that has hindered having the commercial portion of that site develop," Phillips commented. As a result, the recommendation is to remove the requirement for a grocery in the community-oriented shopping center zone.

“This means that a grocery store would still be allowed to be established in the area, but it would not be required as a part of the zoning requirements.” Phillips explained.

She added that there are already several grocery stores in the immediate area, and another one is unlikely to be established.

Phillips said the shared recommendations from the two commissions include amended language about:

• Agriculture in the UGA (Natural Environment chapter and related policies)
• Planning for growth in the UGA (Land Use and Urban Design chapter)
• Context for transportation corridors in the UGA
• Modification in language to be more applicable to County
• Reference to traffic improvement plan
• Remove requirement for a grocery store in COSC zone

According to Phillips, this was the first update made to the joint plan after several years. She recalled the Imagine Olympia process that took place between 2009 and 2014 when there was a significant update and rewritten Olympia's comprehensive plan. "This is the first time the joint plan has been updated since work occurred."

Phillips said the former joint plan adopted some goals and policies to help guide the UGA's growth and development over the next 20 years.

But in this particular update, Phillips said, the city requested almost the entire plan be adopted for greater context and completeness.

She added that the city council would have the option to decide if they want to support the Planning Commission's recommendation or whether they want to make any comments to the Board of County Commissioners, who will be adopting the joint plan. "[BOCC] will have the final decision in what is contained within it."

Phillips said the public hearing is not yet scheduled.

Click here to read the plan directly.