Education and Outreach

The Planners’ Forums are a combined effort on behalf of Department of Commerce, the Planning Association of Washington, and the Washington Chapter of the American […]

The Short Course on Local Planning offers an overview of land use planning laws in Washington, an introduction to comprehensive planning and plan implementation under the Growth Management Act (GMA), a review of roles in planning, and mandatory training on the Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act for local government officials. All courses are offered at no charge and are open to the public.

The Governor’s Smart Communities Awards recognize outstanding efforts of local communities and their partners throughout the state, creating vibrant and livable communities by achieving the […]

The Growth Management Act requires some cities and counties to include a climate resilience element within their comprehensive plans. Many tribes have their own comprehensive […]

The Collaborative Roadmap is a multi-year research and analysis project led by Commerce as directed by the Legislature to make recommendations to update the state’s growth policy framework.