Long Range Planning

Long Range Planning develops and maintains the comprehensive plan and other strategic planning efforts. The team collaborates with boards, commissions and engages with the public to help guide the city’s future. Staff manage updates to land use, zoning, and development code regulations, process annexation proposals, and ensure that the city complies with evolving state legislation.

Planning and Programming

Critical Areas Ordinance Update

The Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) is a set of development regulations to protect environmentally sensitive areas and safeguard the public from natural hazards such as floods and landslides.

Neighborhood Retail

The City of Renton is exploring opportunities to introduce small-scale commercial and retail uses into residential neighborhoods.

Parking Reform

New state parking laws are being implemented in Renton per the state-mandated parking reforms under ESSB 5184. Learn how and why Renton must update its parking regulations, and outline what the changes mean for future development.

Clean Economy Strategy (CES) 2.0

The Clean Economy Strategy (CES) 2.0 is designed to serve as a roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance environmental sustainability, and prepare for climate change while maintaining and building a strong economy for Renton.

Comprehensive Plan

The Renton Comprehensive Plan is a long-term guide for the city's growth, outlining goals and policies for land use, housing, transportation, and sustainability to support a vibrant, sustainable community.

Housing Legislatives

Washington State Housing Legislative Updates

Learn about housing legislation passed by Washington State and its effects on housing options, inventory and affordable housing.

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission, at the direction or referral by the City Council, reviews staff proposals, holds public hearings, and submits recommendations, as necessary, for implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, including:

Neighborhood or sub-area plans and studies
Shoreline Master Program amendments
Land use regulations and processes, development regulations
Short-range programs

Next Planning Commission Meeting

Next meeting: Wednesday, June 17th, 2026 at 6:00 PM

Location: Council Chambers (7th floor), Renton City Hall, 1055 S Grady Way, Renton WA

Virtual Attendance: via Zoom conference
Webinar ID: 880 3465 9736 Passcode: Weplan2024

Agenda:

BRIEFING:
1. Docket 21 group B, D251: Child Care Centers
2. Docket 21 Group B, D252: Urban Design Regulations Update
3. Docket 21 Group B, D253: Comp Plan Map Amendments (RMF-2 Rezone)

Please see full agenda here.

Members:

Full list of members and vacancies

Term: 3 years

Requirements: Members must be residents or owners of a small business in the City of Renton. (City of Renton Ordinance 6064, Section II).

Meetings: First and third Wednesdays, 6 p.m.

Archive: Past Meeting Agendas and Recordings

Contact:
Community and Economic Development, Planning Division
425-430-7268 or planningcommission@rentonwa.gov

Annexations

As part of the implementation of the Growth Management Act (GMA), Renton and King County established the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) in 1995. Land inside that boundary is defined as urban, and must have urban densities, and land outside the UGB is to remain rural. All land within incorporated cities is “urban”. However, be-tween city limit lines and the UGB there are unincorporated urban areas that are designated as “Potential Annexation Areas” (PAA’s) and each area has been assigned to a city that agreed to consider annexing it at some point in the future. King County’s Countywide planning policies called for urban areas to be part of a city by 2012.

The City of Renton has three PAA’s, click HERE to view a map of them. The East Renton Plateau and Fairwood/Petrovitsky were designated as Renton PAA's in 1995. The West Hill area was added as a Renton PAA in 2005. If all three areas annexed to to City, Renton would be a city of 130,000 people - as many or more residents as the City of Bellevue. In 2008, a portion (4.2 square miles with 16,272 residents of the Fairwood/Petrovitsky PAA came into the City as the Benson Hill Community annexation. The Fairwood/Petrovitsky area voted not to annex to the City of Renton in 2010 and West Hill voted not to annex in 2012.

Until January 1, 2015, state law supported the annexation of unincorporated urban areas by offering a “credit” against the state portion of the sales tax to offset transition costs and deficits to serve these areas over ten years. The sales tax credit was available to annexing areas with populations over 10,000. This additional funding helped cities close the gap between expected service costs and potential revenues. Without this supportive funding from the state, the financial challenges of annexing the city’s PAA’s are compounded.

For additional information about annexations to the City, please call 425-430-6575.

How to Annex To A City