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Auburn's Comprehensive Plan

The Comprehensive Plan is Moving Auburn Forward

Imagine Auburn Logo

As we continue to develop our vision for the future of Auburn, we want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to help us create our vision for the next 20 years. In 2022-2024, the City is updating the previous Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2015, and your feedback is needed. Please join the discussion to sign up for email updates, participate in surveys, and to stay up to date on upcoming community workshops.

The City of Auburn’s Comprehensive Plan update will provide a general vision for the future of the community and a roadmap for the next twenty years. It outlines what the community wants to look like moving forward towards 2044, and how to make that collective vision a reality. The Plan also addresses regional growth requirements provided by Puget Sound Regional Council.

If you have further questions or want to assist in our outreach efforts, please email [email protected].

Comprehensive Plans

Auburn's Comprehensive Plan is the leading policy document that guides the City's evolution and growth over a 20 year period. The Comprehensive Plan identifies the desired type, configuration, and intensity of land uses throughout the city, as well as the character and capacity of public facilities and services like streets and utilities. Its policies address critical topics such as housing, the environment, transportation, public safety, and economic development. The Comprehensive Plan also serves as the basis for the City's adoption of special purpose plans for the city such as transportation or utilities plans, and serves as the basis for development standards and regulations such as City zoning and critical area regulations.


Background on the Comprehensive Plan

Just as the City is dynamic, the Comprehensive Plan is not a static document. Adjustments to the plan, policies and maps will need to occur over time. Comprehensive plan element policies and components required by the Growth Management Act (GMA) are integrated throughout the Comprehensive Plan. The Plan must also be consistent with Puget Sound Regional Council's Vision 2040 Policies, the King County Countywide Planning Policies, and the Pierce County Countywide Planning Policies.

The most recent major update to the Comprehensive Plan was adopted by City Council on December 14, 2015, see Ordinance No. 6584 (PDF). Completion of the updated Comprehensive Plan followed more than a year of public outreach and participation that began in early 2014 with the City's "Imagine Auburn" visioning initiative.


Annual Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan

As required by state and city law, the Comprehensive Plan may only be amended (or modified), once per calendar year except in certain limited circumstances. The City establishes a submittal deadline so that all amendments can be considered at the same time. Amendments may be proposed by the City or private citizens. With the help of the residents, business, and the City of Auburn Planning Commission (a volunteer advisory board appointed by the City Council), amendments to the Comprehensive Plan are prepared annually for City Council consideration and potential adoption.

Annual Amendment Application Process

Please note that due to staff workload issues created by and logistical difficulties of considering simultaneous comprehensive Plan amendments, the city will temporarily pause the acceptance of privately-initiated comprehensive plan map and text amendments for processing in the annual cycle of 2024.  The City will not accept applications for consideration in the 2024 annual amendment cycle but will resume accepting applications for the 2025 annual cycle.

The City generally accepts applications to amend the City of Auburn Comprehensive Plan annually. Please note that applications are temporarily postponed for the 2024 annual amendment cycle while the city focuses on the 2044 Periodic Comprehensive Plan update,  addressing how the city will plan for the next 20-years of growth.  Annual amendments are anticipated to resume for consideration during the 2025 annual amendment cycle. Those interested in submitting a comprehensive plan amendment application for consideration during the annual amendment cycle are encouraged to discuss their ideas with the Planning staff of the City of Auburn Community Development Department. Early coordination and submittal of perspective amendment applications is recommended. Applications received may be processed as part of this year’s amendment cycle or docketed and deferred for consideration later as part of the major Comprehensive Plan Update or subsequent processing.  You may obtain an application for text or map amendment of the Comprehensive Plan from the City's Forms page.

View the Comprehensive Plan

The Comprehensive Plan is comprised of the following components:

  • A central "Core Plan" that provides a broad vision for Auburn in 2030; followed by
  • Eight (8) Volumes or Elements that help carry out the vision for Auburn on specific subject areas; and
  • Twelve (12) Supplementary Reports or Appendices that provide statutory rules or background analysis and data.

View Comprehensive Plan in an interactive Flipbook format

The link below will direct you to the interactive "Flipbook" version of the Comprehensive Plan. Please be aware that due to the large size of the Transportation Element, a brief summary of the Transportation Element is incorporated into the flipbook version of the Comprehensive Plan. A similar approach is taken for the Supplementary Reports or Appendices to the Comprehensive Plan. Due to the number and size, the 12 Supplementary Reports, a summary or each is incorporated into this version of the Comprehensive Plan. Both the full version of the Transportation Element and the 12 Appendices are provided under the heading titled, "View Printable Comprehensive Plan by volume."

View Printable Comprehensive Plan by Volume

Links to each separate Volume of the Comprehensive Plan, including the Core Plan, seven Elements, Comprehensive Plan Map, and 12 Supplementary Reports, are provided below.

Related Documents and Links