Shape the future of Adams County

Adams County is in the process of updating the County's Comprehensive Plan for 2027-2047 and its associated development regulations. Public participation is a key part of the Comprehensive Plan update process. The County will hold a series of meetings to engage stakeholders and to reach out to the public. To help the public understand the Comprehensive Plan update process, the County prepared a Public Participation Plan detailing why the County is updating the Plan and the anticipated update timeline.

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

The County’s Comprehensive Plan is an expression of the County’s values and priorities. The Comprehensive Plan provides a 20-year vision for how the citizens of the community want their County to look and to function. The County first adopted a Comprehensive Plan in 1965. After the passage of the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA), the County adopted a new Comprehensive Plan in 2005 to address the elements required by the GMA. Subsequently, the County adopted a 2015 Comprehensive Plan. The County’s Shoreline Master Program, an element of the Comprehensive Plan, was amended in 2023.

Why update?

The County is required to review and update as necessary their Comprehensive plan and development regulations by June 30, 2027. This will include the public’s values over the 20-year planning window of 2027-2047 and include updating the plan and development regulations to reflect current law.

What are development regulations?

Development regulations are controls placed on development or land use activities by the County and include but not limited to development codes for zoning, critical areas, planned unit developments, and subdivisions. The County’s development regulations implement the policies of the Comprehensive Plan. The GMA requires the County’s development regulations to be consistent with its adopted Comprehensive Plan.

- SURVEY COMING SOON -

The County is developing a survey for the community to:

• Work together to identify planning priorities, issues, and opportunities;
• Build consensus on the long-term vision of the County; and
• Identify future projects and improvements for the next 20 years.

Please return soon to take the survey!

To view the informational materials, please see the Document Library to the right.