Regional Growth Center Project

On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014 the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) designated a 465 acre area of existing commercial and multi-family development in University Place as the newest Regional Growth Center in the four county Puget Sound Region and the first in Pierce County since 2003 (see map).

According to PSRC, "Regional Growth Centers are relatively small areas of compact development where housing, employment, shopping and other activities are in close proximity. The regional growth strategy of the Puget Sound Regional Council's Vision 2040 involves strengthening and revitalizing existing centers as well as encouraging development of suburban places that are emerging as new community and regional hubs. The term "regional center" is used to differentiate centers that are designated for regional purposes from those that have a more local focus. A key goal of Vision 2040 is focusing development in urban growth areas, and attracting an increased portion of regional jobs and housing growth that occur within urban areas into regional centers."

The Puget Sound Regional Council's Vision 2040 regional growth strategy forecasts the population in the Puget Sound region growing by 1.7 million people and adding 1.2 million jobs between 2000 and 2040. To accommodate this growth, Vision 2040 allocates the population and employment to cities, towns and unincorporated areas in the region. University Place is called upon to accommodate an additional 32,000 and 9,000 jobs between 2000 and 2040. A significant portion of that population and employment will occur in the Regional Growth Center. The City has been working to develop a Subarea Plan during 2016 and 2017.

The City Council adopted the Regional Growth Subarea Plan (PDF) in 2017.

For more information, email Kevin Briske, Community and Economic Development Department Director, or call 253.460.5405.