Our Services:

Special Area Planning
Special area planning often includes developing subarea and corridor plans and special overlay districts. Plans can be developed to guide growth according to the vision for the area. Through a public involvement process, the creation of policies, zoning standards, development standards, design guidelines, and master plans contribute to the planning effort. This land use planning can also be a part of a comprehensive approach that considers transportation, streetscape, and environmental issues.

Community Planning
Community planning is often considered when planning a revitalization of downtowns. Involvement from the community is incorporated at all stages of planning. A successful approach entails bringing businesses, property owners, and local government together to support redevelopment efforts. The goal is to keep the community involved throughout the process of developing a vision and putting together a plan to implement it. Charettes, public open houses, surveys and design workshops to gain input from citizens of all ages and walks of life helps create the personal ownership in the vision necessary to successfully implement the plan.

Development Regulations and Design Guidelines
The development of regulations and design guidelines helps local communities to develop design guidelines to help create a sense of place and define the overall vision. Guidelines typically include landscaping, site design, building setbacks, pedestrian connections and amenities, parking, signage, and building design.

Transportation Planning
Transportation planning projects include preparation of comprehensive transportation plans, corridor studies, multi-modal (trail, bicycle, pedestrian) improvements; traffic calming, roundabouts, regional and subarea traffic modeling; preparation of transportation impact fee studies and mitigation fee ordinances; and traffic growth forecasting.

Environmental Planning
Environmental planning often involves NEPA, SEPA, GMA, and other environmental regulations and their application. Integrating these regulations into the planning and design of projects is essential to provide a cost-effective quality product within an optimum timeframe. Identifying constraints, understanding regulatory procedures, staying current with ever-evolving issues are essential elements of project planning and design.

Natural Resource Planning
Regulations placed on new development make it increasingly important for approvals and permits to be obtained in a timely manner. A proven approach involves working with project planners and engineers early in the development process to create concepts that avoid, minimize, and/or mitigate environmental impacts when technically and economically feasible. The permitting process may entail obtaining permits from federal, state, and local governments, utilities, air quality authorities, and other permitting agencies.

Parks and Open Space/Greenway Planning
Parks and open space planning may involve the following areas: streetscape and urban corridor enhancement, greenway plans, roadside restoration; visual resource and environmental impact studies; pedestrian, bike, and interpretive trail design; low-impact and sustainable design techniques; park design and open space plans.

Land Use, Capacity Analysis, Urban Growth Area, and Growth Management Planning
A clear and concise land use plan establishes the basis for the future of a community. How the area will look, the interaction between commercial and residential areas, the interplay between land development and transportation improvements, quality site design, open space patterns, and special areas planning are all reflected in the land use plan. Determining the amount of land available for development and expected population increases are important components of planning appropriately for an area. From community outreach to Geographic Information Systems analysis, it is important to choose the tools most appropriate for a particular planning effort and work carefully toward creating a plan that reflects the unique needs of each community.

Capital Facilities Planning
Identifying and addressing infrastructure deficiencies is critical to implementing the vision generated in community comprehensive plans. Planners, engineers, and scientists can provide cost estimates and funding strategies for projects identified as necessary to support short and long term growth scenarios.