What are communities doing to phase growth within urban growth areas?
Pierce County and Port Townsend/Jefferson County, WA are exploring the use of growth phases or tiers within its UGAs. Communities in other states offer some tested examples of growth phasing techniques. The Twin Cities, Minnesota Metro Area and Summit County, Utah (Park City-Snyderville Basin vicinity) have implemented a similar system. The Summit County system limits development in its second and third tiers to 25 to 50 percent of the units allowed once the area becomes first tier. To develop at 50 percent, the developer must provide all major facilities needed to serve the development. The Twin Cities Metro Area uses tiers as a basis for tailoring different growth management strategies to different geographical policy areas. For instance, in the city centers (tier I), the emphasis is on redevelopment, in other fully developed areas (tier II) the emphasis is on infill, and in developing areas the emphasis is on rounding out available facilities. Special strategies can be applied to fr
