Board proclaims October is National Community Planning Month

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 05, 2021

October is National Community Planning Month, following a proclamation approved by the Washington County Board of Commissioners during their regular meeting today (Oct. 5).

Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation includes development review, land use and transportation planning work. That work has local, regional, state and federal implications. The Current Planning work group, for example, works with developers, consultants and others to make sure development in the unincorporated area meets County, state and Metro codes.

“We’re continuing to work with Building Services to complete the build out of North Bethany and shorten development review times,” said Steve Shane, Principal Planner, Current Planning. “We’re also working to bring more affordable housing units online, particularly those that are close to transit and other necessary services.”

The Transportation Planning work group is focusing on a Countywide Transit Study, using data from the Transportation Futures and First and Last Mile studies.

We're also reviewing the County road design and construction standards to improve how we design our transportation system,” said Erin Wardell, Principal Planner. “This will help us meet our goal to move people and goods more efficiently.”

Short-term rental regulations, ongoing work with significant natural resources and implementation of House Bill 2001/Middle Housing is making up the bulk of the Community Planning work group tasks.

“We are working hard to make it easier to build a wider range of housing types,” said Theresa Cherniak, Principal Planner. “This will help with affordability and housing choice for everyone.”

National Community Planning Month, sponsored by the American Planning Association, highlights the significant impact planning has on growing communities.  Read the proclamation

Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation is committed to planning and protecting the uses of the land – balancing care for the natural environment, economic development, safety and community livability.

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