Wenatchee Urban Area Comprehensive Plan 2017 Welcome to the City of Wenatchee Comprehensive Plan... a document setting forth a vision, goals and policies for our future! The city, along with the nation and world, is going through massive demographic, social, and economic changes. The technological revolution combined with the millennial generation entering the workforce, is changing cities beyond our imaginations. Our nation’s cities are where the majority of people live, work, and play. Over 75% of our gross economic activity occurs in cities today. Furthermore, cities are innovation centers for this revolution where ideas creating value and improving lives are developed every day. The role for cities to empower and harness this activity has never been greater and as such, it is the goal of Wenatchee to provide an environment in which people can maximize their life outcomes. Sometimes, this means getting out of the way by removing barriers, and sometimes this means taking specific actions to support this objective. This Comprehensive Plan is based on this core understanding of our changing world for this period of change may have a much greater impact on people in terms of way of life than the industrial revolution. Let’s work together to leverage this opportunity of change to make the City of Wenatchee an amazing city of the future. INTRODUCTION The City of Wenatchee Urban Area establishes specific goals and outlines Comprehensive Plan is a planning and polices that are implemented in codes such visioning document prepared by staff under as the zoning code, subdivision code, the direction and guidance of local elected Shoreline Master Program, and officials, boards and commissions, and development standards which address citizens and business owners, consistent transportation systems, infrastructure, code with the Washington State Growth enforcement and housing programs among Management Act (GMA) to ensure orderly others. Additionally, the Comprehensive and efficient city growth through the next Plan comprises a number of sub-area plans twenty years. and technical level documents adopted as referenced plans. These additional The Comprehensive Plan comprises several documents study existing and planned chapters of topics, including Land Use, infrastructure, capacities, and levels of Transportation, Housing, Parks and service to guide capital improvements and Recreation, Natural Element, Public can provide specific targeted policy Facilities, Utilities, Economic Development, direction for identified study areas. Cultural and Historic Resources, and Community Design & Healthy Communities. The City of Wenatchee is required to maintain Each element of the Comprehensive Plan an up-to-date comprehensive plan in accordance with the Washington State Growth Page 1 of 5 Wenatchee Urban Area Comprehensive Plan 2013 Management Act, updated at 8 year cycles. The and commercial growth and services. Similar to last major plan effort occurred in 2006. the nation and Washington State, Wenatchee faced significant economic challenges in the last Wenatchee continues to grow and has been decade and other hardships such as wildfire experiencing many changes over the last events. Through these events Wenatchee as a decade. Some of these changes include community has adapted to change and made demographic shifts relating to race, ethnicity significant progress at implementing the policy and age. Wenatchee as a community values it’s direction in the Comprehensive Plan. cultural diversity. Significant progress has been made to encourage the establishment of neighborhood associations, to play a significant COMPREHENSIVE PLAN VISION role in communicating the issues and preferences within Wenatchee’s In the 2006 comprehensive plan update neighborhoods. process, the City worked with citizens to create a “vision” for life in Wenatchee 20 years into As Wenatchee grows and experiences change the future. The vision is the guide for the communities in the Valley are choosing to development of the Comprehensive Plan and look at opportunities to work together on helps shape the Goals and Policies therein. services and goals realizing the benefits of a combined approach to valley wide issues. Shifts Based upon the views expressed by local toward sustainability and efficient service residents during the visioning process, provisions have occurred including the Wenatchee’s vision focuses on three annexation of commercial and industrial lands interconnected subjects considered to be the in Olds Station, as well as multiple islands of most important determinants in Wenatchee’s unincorporated land surrounded by city limits. future: Economic Development, Quality of Life, Chelan County Fire District 1 now includes the and Learning and Human Services. City of Wenatchee and the Museum is currently receiving funding from multiple jurisdictions in Economic Development the Valley. Residents envision Wenatchee to have a robust, Updated infrastructure plans such as a new diverse, and sustainable economy. By sewer plan, participation in the Community improving transportation and the physical Planning Assistance for Wildfire Program, the infrastructure of the City, Wenatchee’s retail City of Wenatchee Shoreline Master Program, a districts, such as Downtown, will have grown in study focusing on the North Wenatchee Avenue quality and range of services. Increased transportation corridor, a new downtown riverfront development and recreation, parking study, and new sub area plans for South combined with regional partnerships, inspire a Wenatchee and a North Master Plan among unique identity for the City. others, are significant recent studies, plans or Quality of Life programs that will play a significant role in the next 20 years of growth and development in Throughout the next 20 years, Wenatchee’s Wenatchee. neighborhoods will become increasingly attractive and affordable for everyone. By Existing plans such as the Wenatchee creating a comprehensive system of pedestrian Waterfront Sub-Area Plan are being and bicycle trails, residents enjoy convenient implemented with successful development of access to services, open spaces, playfields, and infrastructure and a mix of intended residential parks. This vision is based on a direct Page 2 of 5 Wenatchee Urban Area Comprehensive Plan 2013 correlation between the surrounding natural beauty and environmental quality and the community’s quality of life. Learning and Human Services In twenty years, residents see Wenatchee as the home to an array of high quality educational institutions that meet the community’s and the region’s needs. In addition to educational facilities, maintaining high-caliber medical facilities and crime prevention services are also seen as essential to supporting economic vitality and a high quality of life. The Future City In twenty years, residents see Wenatchee as a city employing sustainable technologies to improve quality of life, enhance environmental quality, and improve economic activity. The illustration below outlines a vision for future cities as provided in Mobility 2050, A Vision for Transportation Infrastructure, produced by Northwestern University, May 2016. Page 3 of 5 Wenatchee Urban Area Comprehensive Plan 2017 PLANNING PROCESS on possible amendments to the Plan or development regulations. The Washington State Growth Management Act requires periodic review and, if necessary, Policy 3: Amendments to the Plan should not be revision of the Wenatchee Urban Area made more frequently than once every year, except in Comprehensive Plan. The City of Wenatchee completed a comprehensive update of the plan emergencies. in 2006. The intent of the 2017 update process Policy 4: All proposed Plan amendments in any one was to consider strategic amendments as necessary to build upon the process from 2006 year shall be considered concurrently so that the and meet state update requirements. The City cumulative effect of the various proposals can be established a process and schedule for public determined. participation with the adoption of a Public Participation Plan under Resolution No. 2016- Policy 5: When any Plan amendments are proposed, 13. the same public hearing procedure should be followed as The City of Wenatchee Planning Commission for initial adoption: at least one Planning Commission held a series of 10 workshops for the purposes public hearing and one City Council public hearing. of reviewing and updating each of the elements of the comprehensive plan. Notice of this Policy 6: The City shall take action to review, and if process was provided to a master list of current necessary revise, the City’s Comprehensive Plan and and prior stakeholders involved in planning in implementing ordinances at least every eight years to the community and the public was invited to ensure compliance with the GMA, in accordance with the attend the workshops. The public was invited to track progress on the update process by procedures and schedules listed in RCW 36.70A.130. signing up with email notifications of workshops and hearings and reviewing web postings for draft materials. On January 22, 2017, a 60 day public review and comment period and environmental review was issued by the City. This notice identified opportunities for public comment through additional workshops, an open house and public hearings before the City of Wenatchee Planning Commission and Wenatchee City Council. Written comments and public testimony were reviewed and considered in the review and adoption process. The 2017 plan amendments were adopted