As Washington’s comprehensive plan update cycle rolls on, LCG is proud to announce that three comprehensive plans we have worked to update have recently been adopted by each city’s council. In recent years, new state requirements for comprehensive plan updates have gone into effect, which require cities to dig into their housing needs for all income levels and how existing policies may exacerbate racial disparities and patterns of segregation. LCG has been working closely with the Washington State Department of Commerce to understand these new requirements and guide cities toward more equitable housing and economic development outcomes.
Lake Forest Park is a Seattle suburb in the northern part of King County. Its location on Lake Washington creates some environmental challenges and maintaining the city’s tree canopy is a top priority for residents and lawmakers.
LCG was a part of a multidisciplinary team led by SCJ to assist the City of Lake Forest Park in updating their Comprehensive Plan. LCG engaged with City leaders throughout the process to guide discussions around an updated housing needs assessment that has led to recommendations for updated development regulations to provide a more diverse mix of housing that will better accommodate households of all backgrounds and income, while also complying with new statewide housing legislation. The Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the Lake Forest Park City Council in December 2024.
SeaTac is a diverse city in south King County with ambitious plans to improve its multimodal infrastructure, increase access to key services throughout neighborhoods, and create a destination experience for people traveling to and through the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
LCG was part of a multidisciplinary team led by Otak tasked with updating the City of SeaTac's comprehensive plan. LCG engaged with staff and City leaders throughout the process of updating the housing and economic vitality chapters of the comprehensive plan, analyzing housing needs, nodal development patterns, and racial disparities in access to housing and economic opportunity. LCG also produced geographically detailed forecasts of future housing and employment for land use and transportation modeling throughout the update process. The Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the SeaTac City Council in December 2024.
Mill Creek is a small city in Snohomish County, located northeast of Lynnwood. The City has evolved from a suburban residential community to also encompass a vibrant, walkable area anchored by its successful town center.
LCG was part of a consultant team led by Otak that updated the City of Mill Creek’s 2044 Comprehensive Plan. LCG and Otak had previously worked on a plan to extend the town center south into the Mill Creek Boulevard subarea, an underutilized commercial zone. As part of the comprehensive plan update process, LCG substantially drafted the Housing and Economic Development Elements and analyzed housing needs by income band and racially disparate impacts in housing policy following new Washington State regulation. LCG developed several growth scenario forecasts to help the City understand the level and type of development needed to meet their housing targets citywide, with a focus on the Mill Creek Boulevard Subarea. Working closely with the Planning Commission, LCG helped the City plan for the type and scale of development in the subarea that would both meet state targets and continue the mixed-use and walkable vision in the Mill Creek Town Center south to the new subarea. The Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the Mill Creek City Council in December 2024.
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