Futurewise
Futurewise works throughout Washington State to encourage healthy, equitable, and opportunity-rich communities and to protect our most valuable farmlands, forests and water resources through wise land use policies and practices. Founded to help support implementation of the first-in-the-nation Growth Management Act, we focus on directing equitable growth into our urbanized areas and preventing the conversion of wildlife habitat, open space, farmland, and working forests to subdivisions and development.
The Road Map to Washington’s Future: Missed Opportunities
On June 30, 2019, after almost three years of work, the Ruckelshaus Center’s Road Map to Washington’s Future delivered to the legislature a “comprehensive and collaborative look at the Growth Management Act.” Leading up to the report’s release, Futurewise was hopeful that...
In this month’s Wonkabout Washington, we’re diving into amendments to four of Pierce County’s subarea plans. Specifically, we’re examining the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for amended Community Plans for South Hill, Mid-County, Frederickson and Parkland-Spanaway-Midland, which make up the central unincorporated urban growth area (UGA) in the county. Unfortunately,...
Futurewise is pushing the advisory group to use an equity lens in high-speed rail planning.
As The Urbanist recently reported, Washington state is moving forward with funding studies for an interstate high-speed rail line corridor between Vancouver, British Columbia and Eugene, Oregon. For the past year, Futurewise has served as...
Snohomish County Reconsiders Developing Channel Migration Zones
The Growth Management Act, including the Shoreline Master Program, touches many different land use issues in many different parts of the state. Futurewise works with local partners across Washington who keep us informed of local GMA issues that need our attention. Recently the...
On Tuesday, March 19th, Futurewise is welcoming activist scholar Dr. Lisa K. Bates, Ph.D. as our Keynote Speaker for the Spring Luncheon and Livable Communities Awards. Dr. Bates will be speaking on the topic “Housing Justice, not for ‘Just Us’”, a timely exploration of the false dichotomies that anchor...
Futurewise to Appeal Ferry County Agricultural Land Designation
Futurewise, along with our partner Concerned Friends of Ferry County, have decided to appeal Ferry County’s agricultural land designations to the Appeals Court, in hopes of bringing Ferry County into compliance with Growth Management Act (GMA) regulations for maintaining and enhancing agricultural...
With just a few weeks left in 2018, Futurewise is looking ahead to the 2019 legislative session. The November elections substantially changed the make-up of the state legislature, with Democrats picking up seven seats in the State House and three seats in the State Senate. The new members will...
Tacoma has adopted a new affordable housing action strategy that aims to reach 10,500 households over 10 years–-a plan that will mean a $70 million housing investment, paid for from a mix of public, private and philanthropic resources. The strategy tackles four main areas: production of new homes, preservation...