How Urban Growth Areas, Growth Management Act shape housing affordability discussions in Clallam County

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 5, 2026

By Amber Dewey

For the Sequim Gazette

Together, Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) and the Growth Management Act (GMA) determine where homes can be built, how dense those homes can be, and how much land is available for future growth. For a community facing rising housing costs and a shortage of units across all income levels, understanding these two frameworks is essential.

GMA explained

The Washington State Growth Management Act is a statewide planning law adopted in 1990 to help fast‑growing counties manage development in a coordinated, sustainable way. Clallam County is required to follow the GMA, including regular updates to its Comprehensive Plan. Under the GMA, counties must:

• Plan for population growth over a 20‑year horizon.

• Ensure enough land capacity for housing at all income levels.

• Protect critical areas, resource lands, and rural character.

• Direct most new development into designated Urban Growth Areas.

Clallam County’s most recent Land Capacity Analysis (LCA) shows how this works in practice. The county must demonstrate that it has sufficient land suitable for development to meet projected housing needs across income segments — from extremely low‑income households to moderate‑income families.

UGAs explained

Urban Growth Areas are boundaries drawn around communities where urban‑level development is allowed and encouraged. Inside UGAs, cities and counties can extend sewer, water, roads, and other infrastructure needed for higher‑density housing. Outside UGAs, development is limited to preserving rural lands and natural resources.

In Clallam County, UGAs include areas around Sequim, Port Angeles, Forks, Carlsborg, Joyce, and Clallam Bay/Sekiu. These are the places where most new housing is expected to occur.

However, Washington’s UGAs are unusually restrictive. A recent statewide study found that only 3.74% of Washington’s land lies inside designated UGAs, meaning nearly all growth must fit into very small geographic areas.

How they affect housing affordability

Because the GMA restricts most new housing to UGAs, the amount of land available for development is tightly constrained. When land is scarce, its price rises, making new homes more expensive. Statewide, land prices in urban counties have doubled over the last decade, and Clallam County is not immune to these pressures.

Clallam County’s LCA shows that even within UGAs, many parcels face barriers such as environmental constraints, infrastructure gaps, or zoning limits that reduce their development potential.

Affordability challenges

Approximately 7,000 households earn under 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Five thousand, seven hundred households earn 30%–50% of the AMI, and 7,300 households earn 50%-80% of the AMI.

These households face the greatest pressure because they need more affordable housing options — yet the limited land supply and rising construction costs make it difficult to deliver units at lower price points.

UGA boundaries limit growth

Many parcels adjacent to UGAs are already developed or suitable for housing but cannot be used because they fall outside the boundary. Expanding UGAs could allow modest, logical growth while still protecting critical lands.

A 2025 study recommends requiring cities and counties to expand UGAs during their next Comprehensive Plan update to include adjacent parcels already served by urban services.

This approach could increase land supply and ease upward pressure on home prices.

Helpful policy options

Several reforms have been proposed to help communities like Clallam County improve affordability:

• Expand UGAs to reflect real housing needs.

• Rezone for intermediate density, allowing more homes without fully urbanizing rural areas.

• Ensure no net loss of buildable land when environmental protections reduce development capacity.

These changes would give counties more flexibility to meet housing demand while still honoring the GMA’s environmental and rural‑preservation goals.

The bottom line

The GMA and UGA system profoundly shape housing affordability in Clallam County.

While they protect rural landscapes and guide responsible growth, they also limit the land available for new homes, driving up prices and constraining supply.

As the county works through its Comprehensive Plan update, decisions about UGA boundaries, zoning, and land capacity will determine whether Clallam County can meet the housing needs of its residents in the years ahead.

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Amber Dewey is executive officer of the North Peninsula Building Association.