Comprehensive Plan

Gig Harbor Comprehensive Plan

The City of Gig Harbor Comprehensive Plan was developed in response to the requirements of the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) and coordinated with the City's vision of the future. The Plan integrates citizen's ideas, concerns and preferences into statements on how the City should be developed, what development regulations should accomplish, and what facilities and services levels are needed. The Comprehensive Plan expresses Gig Harbor’s vision of itself and what it would like to become, and is the policy underpinning for all of the city’s planning activities. The City’s first GMA Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1994.


Comprehensive Plan Amendments -- The City reviews requests to amend its Comprehensive Plan annually. Any citizen or property owner can apply for a Comprehensive Plan amendment. Private applications are due in odd years on the last business day of June for review the next cycle. Private applications are only processed on a biennial basis, with decision occurring in the even years (Ordinance Number 1365).


At the beginning of every review cycle, the City Council holds an initial public hearing and decides which requests will be formally docketed and forwarded to the Planning Commission for review. The Planning Commission holds work-study sessions and public hearings and then provides a recommendation to the City Council.

Amending the Comprehensive Plan

The City of Gig Harbor accepts private applications for Comprehensive Plan Amendments every odd year until the last working day of June. Click the following links for the Master Planning Application and Comprehensive Plan Checklist (PDF).

2022 Comprehensive Plan Docket

The Community Development Department has docketed the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments submitted for the 2022 annual review cycle. As required by Chapter 19.09, the Department reviewed the applications and determined completeness. Per code, the City Council makes the final decision on which amendments will proceed through the annual amendment process. Amendment applications chosen to proceed will be forwarded to the City of Gig Harbor Planning Commission for further processing and public hearings. Links to each application are provided below.

PL-COMP-22-0001: Update the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Element (Chapter 11) and Capital Facilities Element (Chapter 13) consistent with the updated Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan.

PL-COMP-22-0002: Update the Capital Facilities Element (Chapter 13) and Utilities Element (Chapter 9) consistent with the Comprehensive Plan amendment procedures provided in the Gig Harbor Municipal Code, Chapter 19.09, and with other pertinent Comprehensive Plan Elements, as well as any relevant case law.

PL-COMP-22-0003: Update the Comprehensive Plan, generally, to include language pertaining to climate change and sustainability.

PL-COMP-22-0004: Add the Stormwater Management Action Plan (SMAP) as an appendix to the City’s Stormwater Comprehensive Plan. 

A public hearing on the applications is scheduled for October 20, 2022 during before the Planning Commission. All persons will have an opportunity to present their oral comments at the public hearing. Those wishing to submit written comments may do so at the hearing or by submitting them to the Community Development Department at the address below, or by e-mail at cdesimas@gigharborwa.gov or by facsimile at (253) 858-6408. All written comments must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

 

2016 Comprehensive Plan Elements and 2018 Amendments

Single Elements

  1. Chapter 1 Introduction - Amended 2018
  2. Chapter 2 Land Use - Amended 2018
  3. Chapter 3 The Harbor
  4. Chapter 4 Community Design
  5. Chapter 5 Environment
  6. Chapter 6 Housing
  7. Chapter 7 Economic Development - Amended 2018
  1. Chapter 8 Essential Public Facilities
  2. Chapter 9 Utilities
  3. Chapter 10 Shoreline Management
  4. Chapter 11 Parks, Recreation and Open Space - Amended 2018
  5. Chapter 12 Transportation - Amended 2018
  6. Chapter 13 Capital Facilities - Amended 2018
  7. Chapter 14 Arts and Culture

Appendix Maps

  1. Land Use Map Appendix 1
  2. Critical Areas Map Appendix 2
  3. Urban Growth Areas Map Appendix 3
  1. Neighborhood Design Areas Map Appendix 4
  2. Centers Local Importance Appendix 5
  3. Tacoma Narrows Airport FAR 77 Map Appendix 6