Jefferson County Comp. Plan Update

Summary of the project

What is the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan?

Our Comprehensive Plan is a 20-year vision and roadmap for the County's future. Our plan guides County decisions on where to build new jobs and houses, how to improve our transportation system, and where to make capital investments such as utilities, sidewalks, and libraries. Our Comprehensive Plan is the framework for most of the County's big-picture decisions on how to grow while preserving and improving our communities. see the comp plan at: http://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/commdevelopment/CompPlanGeneral.htm

Our Comprehensive Plan meets the requirements of the Washington State Growth Management Act by helping protect our environment, quality of life, and economic development.

"Plan for what is difficult while it is easy; do what is great while it is still small"

What issues or themes thread themselves throughout the comp plan and influence policy choices?

Potential issues and themes

Rural Character: How do we define it; why is it important, and how can we preserve and enhance it?
Economy and Jobs: Support a vibrant economy and family wage jobs, including agriculture and the local farm economy.
Housing: Support adequate and affordable housing for all segments of the population.
Quality of Life: Support equitable access to and enhancement of amenities to all age groups and income levels.
Transportation Choices: Promote transportation choices (bike, transit, ped facilities, motorized) –offers benefits to many.
Environment and sustainability: Grow the economy and develop while protecting natural assets and the long term viability of our natural environment to sustain us.
Community Resiliency: Prepare to thrive in the face of predicted changes in climate, energy, the natural environment and global events.
Health: Improved access to affordable health care and promoting healthy life-styles for all can support all other goals of our citizens and for our County.

How do I participate in the process?

You can participate in the process by:
Attending Planning Commission meetings, typically held the 1st Wednesday of each month at the Tri-Area Community Center in Chimacum.
Submitting a survey conveying the issues that affect you/your area.
E-mailing comments to: PlanComm@co.jefferson.wa.us
Checking this webpage for updates and upcoming events.

Food Resiliency

To be determined...

Sustainable agriculture is a way of growing or raising food, including animals, in an ecologically and ethically responsible manner using practices that protect the environment, safeguard human health, are humane to farm animals, and provide fair treatment to workers.

Affordable Housing

The Housing Action Plan was jointly adopted by the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners and the Port Townsend City Council in October of 2006. The Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan is expected to be updated to reference the adoption and the merging of Clallam County and Jefferson County's Housing Authories, now known as Peninsula Housing Authority.

Affordable Housing is housing deemed affordable to those with a median household income as rated by country, State (province), region or municipality by a recognized Housing Affordability Index.

Housing Affordability Levels by Income Group
Income Group	Definition	Annual Household Income	Affordable Monthly Housing Cost	Affordable Monthly Rent	Affordable Mortgage Payment
Extremely Low Income	Less than 30% of Median	$0 - $14,061	$351	$0 - $263	$0 - $228
Very Low Income	31% to 50% of Median	$14,062 - $23,435	$352 - $586	$273 - $454	$238 - $396
Low Income	51% to $80% of Median	$23,436 - $37,966	$587 - $937	$470 - $750	$418 - $656
Moderate Income	81% to 95% of Median	$37,967 - $44,527	$938 - $1,113	$774 - $918	$687 $807
Middle Income	96% to 120% of Median	$44,528 - $56,244	$1,114 - $1,406	$947 - $1,195	$844 - $1,022
Upper Income	Greater than 121% of Median	$56,245	$1,406	$1,230	$1,097
_{* Data based on 2010 Federal Census}

Climate Change

The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners and the Port Townsend City Council adopted the Climate Action Plan on November 14, 2011. The Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan is anticipated to be revised to include this adoption.

Transportation

The 2015-2020 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) was adopted on September 15, 2014. The Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan will be updated to include the adoption of the plan.