Project Briefs
Downtown Plan - City of Kelso, Washington
Downtown Kelso suffers from a lack of retail and pedestrian activity due to regional competition and a complex circulation system. However, the location of the city’s historic center on the Cowlitz River, the surrounding established neighborhoods, and the dedicated interest of downtown stakeholders provides a positive force for innovation. The City has taken a leadership role in consolidating the government core by developing off-street parking, restoring the historic railroad station for AMTRAK use, and assembling property for redevelopment. BHC assists the City in providing land use, urban design, and economic development assistance, leading to an action strategy for new mixed-use development, pedestrian connections to the riverfront trail, and resolution of traffic problems.
SR527 Sub-Area Plan – City of Mill Creek, Washington
BHC assisted the City in securing grant funds from the State Planning and Environmental Review Fund. We then organized an interdisciplinary team responsible for preparing a plan that focused on a largely undeveloped 200-acre area between the town center and the northern city limits. The plan established comprehensive land use designations and zoning for development that responds to market demand; is sensitive to the significant natural environmental features; and stimulates urban development that will enhance the town center and provide a significant increase in the tax base. The process produced information and analyses that support a series of decisions ranging from comprehensive plan amendments to project permitting via SEPA “planned actions”. The plan integrated real estate market analysis and environmental review of natural systems, transportation, land use, aesthetics, and impacts on capital facilities and utilities. This occurred within the comprehensive plan and development code as well as with public outreach, environmental review, and project management. Several hundred new high-density residential units have been completed, and major public infrastructure is in place. The Plan was recognized by the State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development for sprawl reduction in 2000.
Shoreline Master Program, Sultan, WA
BHC managed a three-year process to create the city’s first-ever SMP. Heightened interest in Sultan’s streams, habitats, and flood plain led to an increased need to adopt shoreline goals, policies, and regulations that more specifically addressed local conditions. BHC Consultants prepared a detailed shoreline inventory that led to the designation of shoreline environments along with associated policies and development regulations.
2006 GMA Update, Lewis County, WA
BHC Consultantsis assisting the County in the 7-year review and amendment of the Comprehensive Plan in order to comply with the Growth Management Act (GMA). The objective of this assignment is to create a holistic perspective of the County’s recent planning and enable the 2006 update to bring the Plan into full compliance with the GMA, as well as to meet the community’s expectations. The principal focus of the assignment involves significant revision of the housing and capital facilities elements, as well as the creation of new economic development element. All other elements are being reviewed and revised to reflect current and forecasted conditions. Additionally, we are assisting the County in meeting Growth Hearings Board directives to comply with statutory requirements for the preservation and use of prime agricultural lands.
Comprehensive Plan Update, Newcastle, WA
BHC Consultants provided comprehensive plan updating services to the City in 1999, 2000, and 2001-02. The latter assignment was the first complete "housecleaning" since the plan was adopted. BHC’s role included auditing the plan to improve the effectiveness of the goals, policies, and strategies; updating existing conditions and forecasts; integrating new elements to address economic development, a downtown master plan, endangered species, and parks; creating a cleaner format; and improving consistency between the plan and its implementing ordinances.
Parks, Trails and Open Space Plan, City of Orting, WA
In our role as Orting’s external planning department, we prepared the City’s first parks plan and associated parks impact fee ordinance. Orting was a fast growing community that had no policy framework for determining concurrency for parks, trails, and recreation facilities to meet the demands of the hundreds of new households. BHC prepared an assessment of existing facilities and current and projected demands. Since LOS had not been discussed, we worked with the community to define a methodology for arriving at an appropriate system of parks classifications and using it to determine how the community’s expectations could be achieved through various funding sources, including impact fees. The plan was certified by the IAC and incorporated into the comprehensive plan. In 2005, we assisted the City in securing Pierce County Conservation Futures funding to purchase 40 acres of prime land for habitat protection and development of a community park.
2006 APA/PAW Joint Awards Program, Honorable Mention Award – Rural/Small Towns Plans Category
|