The Greater Graham Community Plan Area
The greater Graham Community Plan area is located in south central Pierce County at the fringe of the County?s Urban Growth Area limits. The plan area encompasses approximately 76 square miles and is bounded on the north by the communities of Spanaway, Frederickson, and South Hill, on the west by Fort Lewis Military Lands, and on the east by the City of Orting and the community of Alderton-McMillan. The City of Eatonville is located about four miles south of the Graham plan area. The northern most limits range from 208th Street East at the western edge up to almost 176th at SR-161 (Meridian Avenue). SR-7 (Mountain Highway) is located along the western boundary of the plan area and 352nd Street East represents the southern boundary. The plan area extends as far east as the Puyallup River Valley. The intersection of 264th Street East and SR-161 is roughly the geographic center of the plan area.
Graham Community Plan Area Map
The Graham Community Plan and Regulations
The Graham Community Plan was adopted by the Pierce County Council on October 10, 2006 with an effective date of March 1, 2007. The purpose of the community planning process is to enhance community values and identify and assure sensible growth and development. Using the existing County Comprehensive Plan as a foundation, the community planning process allows citizens to make specific recommendations regarding such things as land use patterns, housing densities and design, environmental protection, infrastructure development, and transportation. The final approved plan and implementing development regulations provide the policy and regulatory basis under which the community will develop in the future. Please see Plan Summary for an overview of the Graham Community Plan and Graham Community Plan Maps for the individual maps contained in the plan document. The Graham Land Use Designation Map and Graham Zoning Map identify the Comprehensive Plan land use designations and zoning adopted with the Graham Community Plan.
The regulations to implement the Graham Community Plan were also adopted on October 10, 2006 with an effective date of March 1, 2007. The adopted regulations introduced new Graham Chapters for Title 18A -Zoning, Title 18B - Signs, and Title 18J - Design Standards and Guidelines of the Pierce County Code. These regulations establish the allowed land uses, setbacks and other density and dimension requirements, sign standards, and the requirements for site design, building architecture, landscaping and recreation standards. The Zoning Summary Sheets provide details about residential density, lot dimensions, setbacks and allowable uses in the different zones in the Graham Community Plan area. The Administrative Design Review Checklist provides information and instructions on designing projects that comply with the design standard requirements outlined in Title 18J. These design standards also apply to construction of single-family and two-family dwellings in the urban area as outlined in the ADR Checklist for Single-Family and Two-Family Residential. A Site Plan Review process is available for applicants who wish to propose alternative design methodologies to the prescribed design standards. The submittal standard checklists outline the minimum requirements to submit complete applications for residential building permits, commercial building permits, land divisions, land use applications, etc. within the Graham Community Plan area.
Want More Information?
For more information about the Graham Community Plan and implementing regulations please contact Mike Erkkinen at (253) 798-2705 or by email at merkkin@co.pierce.wa.us.
The Graham Community Plan is available for viewing online in .pdf format. In order to view the .pdf files you must have Adobe Acrobat (R) Reader installed on your computer. You can download the Adobe Acrobat (R) Reader software at no cost from this website.
