What is a Comprehensive Plan?

The Comprehensive Land Use Plan is a roadmap for our County’s future.

The Comprehensive Land Use Plan will develop long-term goals for land and resource use based on input from the community. These goals will turn into actions, laws, and guidelines that affect decisions on key issues such as housing needs, critical areas, transportation, local economic development, jobs and services, and future land use mapping and zoning.

Planning in Grays Harbor County

Cities (incorporated areas) are responsible for land use planning, zoning, and development within their boundaries, while Grays Harbor County is responsible for all unincorporated areas. The Grays Harbor County Comprehensive Plan will not affect the current plans within city boundaries.

Over the past 50+ years, the Grays Harbor County Planning Commission and staff have developed documents that established the long-range planning policy for unincorporated Grays Harbor County (those areas outside of incorporated cities) and guide Grays Harbor County zoning laws.

Planning helps us address important questions:

What is the community’s vision for the future of Grays Harbor County?
What is unique and special about Grays Harbor County? What must we keep? What could we change?
How should growth be managed to enhance the quality of life?
What types of housing, jobs, and businesses are needed? Where should they be located?
How should people move around the county?

The new Grays Harbor County Comprehensive Land Use Plan will provide:

A shared vision for long-term planning
Land use goals and policies that describe how and where current and future development should occur
A Land use map that identifies areas for current and future land uses

Grays Harbor County Vision Statement:

In November 2025, the County adopted a shared vision statement, informed by community feedback gathered via in-person events and an online survey during the summer:

Grays Harbor County will be a vibrant community that preserves its rural character and local identity while embracing new opportunities and well-planned growth. As a gateway to Washington’s pristine coastal beaches and the scenic Olympic Peninsula, we highly value our beautiful natural surroundings and recognize the importance of balancing land uses to protect agriculture and environmentally sensitive areas while supporting development. A variety of housing options, living wage jobs, and shops, services and community spaces will make Grays Harbor County a pleasant and thriving place to live, work, visit and play. A mix of vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit options will provide efficient and accessible connections throughout the area. We will achieve our vision through community-guided decision making, by working closely with residents, businesses, and project partners.

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