Appendix K: Upper Nisqually Valley Community Plan The Upper Nisqually Valley Community Plan’s narrative text and policies are in addition to the Countywide Comprehensive Plan narrative text and policies and are only applicable within the Upper Nisqually Valley Community Plan Boundary. • “Current” or “Existing” conditions are in reference to conditions at time of adoption (Adopted Ord. 99-66s, Effective 1/1/2000). • “Proposed” or “Desired” conditions are those which required Council action and may have also been amended over time through a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (amendments are reflected in this document). CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................. K-7 Overview of the Plan Area ....................................................................................................... K-7 The Upper Nisqually ............................................................................................................. K-7 Alder, Alder Lake and La Grande Reservoir ......................................................................... K-8 Elbe ....................................................................................................................................... K-8 Ashford and National ........................................................................................................... K-8 Park Entrance ....................................................................................................................... K-9 Mount Rainier National Park ............................................................................................... K-9 Gifford Pinchot National Forest ......................................................................................... K-10 Washington State Department of Natural Resources Elbe Hills State Forest ................... K-10 History of the Upper Nisqually Valley .................................................................................... K-11 The Ashford and the Hershey family c. 1915 ..................................................................... K-12 Planning History ..................................................................................................................... K-13 County Planning ................................................................................................................. K-13 Community Planning .......................................................................................................... K-14 Upper Nisqually Valley Community Planning Efforts ............................................................ K-15 1992 Upper Nisqually Community Report ......................................................................... K-15 1994 Upper Nisqually Community Workshop Report ....................................................... K-16 Pierce County Comprehensive Plan | Upper Nisqually Valley Community Plan K-1 Scope of the Community Plan ............................................................................................... K-16 Legislative Authority to Develop the Plan ......................................................................... K-16 Purpose and Use of the Community Plan .......................................................................... K-17 Consistency with the 1994 Pierce County Comprehensive Plan ....................................... K-17 Public Involvement ................................................................................................................ K-18 The Gateway Community Advisory Board ......................................................................... K-18 Visioning ............................................................................................................................. K-18 Open Houses and Workshops ............................................................................................ K-19 Surveys ............................................................................................................................... K-19 Summary of the Upper Nisqually Valley Community Plan .................................................... K-19 Vision Statement .................................................................................................................... K-21 Chapter 2: Land Use Element ........................................................................K-22 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... K-22 Description of Current Conditions ......................................................................................... K-22 Current Comprehensive Plan Designations and Zoning Classifications ............................ K-22 Current Land Uses .............................................................................................................. K-24 Housing .............................................................................................................................. K-27 Demographics of the Upper Nisqually ............................................................................... K-28 Description of Desired Conditions ......................................................................................... K-29 Proposed Designations and Zoning Classifications ............................................................ K-29 Future Land Uses in the Upper Nisqually Valley ................................................................ K-35 Housing .............................................................................................................................. K-38 Projected Demographics .................................................................................................... K-39 Land Use Policies .................................................................................................................... K-39 Goals .................................................................................................................................. K-39 Gateway Communities ....................................................................................................... K-39 Residential and Resource Lands ........................................................................................ K-43 Nonconforming Uses ......................................................................................................... K-44 Affordable Housing ............................................................................................................ K-45 Implementing Actions ............................................................................................................ K-46 Short Term Actions ............................................................................................................ K-46 Pierce County Comprehensive Plan | Upper Nisqually Valley Community Plan K-2 Mid-Term Actions .............................................................................................................. K-47 Long Term Actions ............................................................................................................. K-47 Chapter 3: Community Character and Design Element ..................................K-51 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... K-51 Description of Current Conditions ......................................................................................... K-51 Historic Resources .............................................................................................................. K-52 Design ................................................................................................................................. K-54 Viewsheds and Aesthetics ................................................................................................. K-55 Culture and Community Relations ..................................................................................... K-56 Description of Desired Conditions ......................................................................................... K-57 Historic Resources .............................................................................................................. K-57 Design ................................................................................................................................. K-57 Viewsheds .......................................................................................................................... K-58 Culture and Community Relations ..................................................................................... K-59 Cultural Resources Policies .................................................................................................... K-59 Design and Character Policies ................................................................................................ K-60 Goals .................................................................................................................................. K-60 Design ................................................................................................................................. K-60 Viewsheds .......................................................................................................................... K-61 Community Relations ........................................................................................................