Thurston County’s 2024-29 Capital Improvement Plan to be put out for public comment and approval

Now nearing its approval and adoption, Thurston County’s 2024-2029 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), or Appendix G on the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan, will be sent out for public comment after October 31.

According to the county’s site, the latest 2024-2029 CIP will be amended concurrently with the budget and will entirely replace the 2023-2028 CIP.

Andrew Pond, Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED) Associate Planner for the CIP, briefed the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) about the CIP timeline at a meeting yesterday, October 18.

“The CIP is part of the required element of the capital facilities under the Growth Management Act. The capital facilities element must identify public facilities needed to support the development and future growth of the county policies to ensure coordination and consistency of capital facilities throughout the county level of service,” Pond explained.

The agenda packet stated that the CIP meets the Growth Management Act requirements for adopting a six-year financing program that will finance capital facilities within projected funding capacities and identify the sources of public monies.

“Capital facilities” include transportation, water, waste and sewer infrastructures, parks, open space, and county facilities designed for citizens in a growing population.

Pond also shared that during the September 20 Planning Commission public hearing, CIP received two public comments regarding various environmental plans and recommendations for county staff assigned to CIP projects.

The next steps for the latest CIP will be setting a public hearing on October 31, holding the public hearing (timed with the budget process) on November 4, and adoption of the final action (timed with the budget process) on December 15.

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Yesterday, October 18, Community Planning & Economic Development (CPED) Associate Planner Andrew Pond met with the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) to discuss the 2024-2029 Capital Improvement Plan.