Since 1997, Pierce County and its 23 cities and towns have worked collaboratively in a program to collect annual development permitting data, inventory developable land, and enhance information relating to wetlands and steep slopes. Commonly referred to as the Buildable Lands Program, this collaborative program is aimed at satisfying the 1997 amendments to GMA and improving accuracy in the information used to determine the capacity of the County?s UGAs

The initial Pierce County Buildable Lands Report generated by this program was released in 2002. It consolidated, for the first time, incorporated and unincorporated land development data for all urban areas within Pierce County. The 2007 Pierce County Buildable Lands Report fulfills the on-going reporting requirements stipulated in RCW 36.70A.215, referred to as Buildable Lands legislation. The successful completion of this second report is representative of on-going coordination and cooperation efforts between Pierce County and all of its cities and towns in monitoring development activities and analyzing the residential and employment capacity of designated urban areas in Pierce County.

The results of the 2007 residential and employment capacity analysis concludes that collectively, among all the jurisdictions, there continues to be an abundant amount of vacant, underdeveloped and redevelopable land to accommodate the adopted urban housing and employment needs for the County and its cities and towns. This report details the methodology, assumptions, and calculations that substantiate this assertion.

The initial 2002 Report and the 2007 Report and associated appendices are available for viewing on-line. The report and associated appendices can also be obtained on compact disk by calling Pierce County Planning and Land Services at 253-798-2785.

If you have any questions regarding the 2007 Report or projects associated with the Pierce County Buildable Lands Program, please contact Dan Cardwell at (253)798-7039 or dcardwe@co.pierce.wa.us.