The County is responsible for land use planning and transportation in unincorporated urban and rural areas, in addition to County-managed roadways within the cities. 

Who is responsible for long range planning?

• Board of Commissioners – Five elected officials who are the County’s ultimate decision-making body for land use and transportation planning policy
• The Planning Commission – A nine-member advisory body appointed by the Board of Commissioners to four-year terms
• Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation Planning and Development Services (PDS) Division

What does PDS do?

• Community Planning:
  • Maintains the County’s Comprehensive Plan
  • Updates to the Community Development Code (CDC) 
  • Updates to Community Plans
• TransportationPlanning:
  • Prepares and updates the County Transportation System Plan (TSP)
  • Conducts travel demand forecasting
  • Administers the Transportation Development Tax (TDT)
  • Oversees monthly meetings of the Washington County Coordinating Committee (WCCC). The committee assists in setting local transportation policies

Additional resources:

• Land Use Ordinances - Implement new land use regulations
• Annual Work Program – Planning projects, potential land use ordinances and other Long Range Planning activities for the year
• Community input via the Community Participation Organizations (CPOs) and their leadership group, the Committee for Community Involvement.  (CCI)
• How an issue/idea becomes a land use regulation? Brochure, Video
• Subscribe to LUT e-newsletters