Agenda for Change
L e t t e r f r o m t h e P r e s i d e n t & E x e c u t i v e D i r e c to r
Futurewise was founded by a small group of dedicated visionaries who knew first-hand what Washington needed
to manage and guide the growth that was beginning to unfold in Washington State. So much was happening
back then that created the need and desire for an organization that would truly influence the way the state of
Washington would grow and prosper while protecting the legacy and heritage of our critical natural resources.
For 25 years, Futurewise has risen to the challenge and has done what it was founded to do – time after
time. Thanks to Futurewise and a community of passionate residents, community leaders and organizations –
Washington State is getting smarter about how and where we build.
We are increasing growth within our urban centers, providing greater transportation choices and easier access
to work, school and green spaces. We are moving away from sprawl to protecting our farms, forests and wildlife
habitat. We are mitigating climate change and preparing our communities to be more resilient. We are addressing
the pollution of our waters, using our infrastructure more efficiently and reinvesting in our downtowns and our
main streets. We are enabling more and more families to have access to economic opportunity.
Over the past 25 years, Futurewise has saved nearly two million acres of agricultural land, hundreds of thousands
of acres of critical wildlife habitats, safeguarded critical drinking water resources and protected marine and
fresh water habitats. We have developed and put in place the plans, policies and investments to create more
sustainable and equitable communities, with access to affordable housing, green space, jobs and transit – across
Washington State.
We are grateful for your support of Futurewise and for the time and energy you give to make our state and
community a better place.
With gratitude,
Bill RossHilary Franz
President, Board of Directors
Executive Director
A B OUT FUTURE W ISE
From the Cascades to the Olympics, the Walla Walla vineyards to the Skagit Valley
farmlands, and the Pacific Coast beaches to the Puget Sound – it is the beauty of our
state that makes Washington such a desirable place to live, work and play.
Maintaining the beauty and health of our state, however, depends on how well we
manage where and how we grow. Managing a growing population, mitigating the impacts
of climate change, and balancing the need for a strong and equitable community, with the
need to protect our natural resources, are our state’s greatest challenges. Futurewise
was created in 1990 to address these challenges.
Communities across Washington have long struggled with sprawl and traffic congestion
and the dirty air and water associated with it. The trouble starts with a land use
problem: low density and insufficient affordable housing around transit, sprawling
subdivisions that stretch onto working farmlands, forests and habitat areas. The right
plans and policies can turn our cities and towns into cleaner, healthier, safer and more
prosperous communities.
Futurewise uses research, science, planning and policy strategies, education and advocacy to
maintain and improve the quality of life we value. By combining the expertise of our urban
development, housing, environment, energy and transportation planning and policy teams,
we’re helping ensure our communities are socially, economically and environmentally
stronger. We bring people and organizations together to develop solutions to our
communities’ most pressing social equity, economic and environmental issues.
We are committed to preventing the loss of Washington State’s most valuable natural
resource lands, ensuring clean healthy air and water, providing housing for people at all
income levels, making it possible for people to walk, bike and take transit, and fostering
economic innovation.
How we respond to our most pressing economic, equity and environmental challenges
will determine the sustainability, livability and economic vitality of our state’s future.
Futurewise is bringing people, organizations and communities together to develop
solutions and take action – for a better future for all.
research
We bring information
and people together to ask
and answer big questions
and find solutions to the
tough problems our
communities face.
Legal
When the stakes are too
high, we will protect the
health and environmental
well-being of our
communities.
Designing,
engagement
We engage people on
the challenges and
opportunities in their
community to build the
capacity and commitment
for healthier
communities.
Planning & Building
Communities
planning &
design
advoc acy
We push for policy and
project strategies
that will create a
better future for
communities.
We leverage partnerships
to design and plan
communities to achieve
better outcomes.
policy
We develop policies that
when implemented will
create healthier more
equitable and sustainable
communities.
OUR A GEND A FOR C H A NGE
What would Washington look like without Futurewise? And what will Washington
become over the next 25 years? As our state faces a 27% increase in population over
the next 25 years, that growth will place more pressure on limited land, challenge our
Puget Sound and rivers, exacerbate economic and equity challenges, and increase our
need to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Our job at Futurewise is to help solve these big problems, and this Agenda for Change
represents our approach to addressing these problems and our vision for the state. Our
Agenda for Change honors our founding vision from 1990, and is informed by decades
of policy work.
1. Concentrate Growth In Existing Cities
2. Cre ate Great Neighborhoods With Access To Housing,
Transit & B asic Services
3. Make It Easier For People To Get To Where They Need To Go
4. ENSURE CLEAN, HEALTHY WATER & PROTECT CRITIC AL FIS H &
WIL DLIFE HABITATS
5. PROTECT WORKING FARM & FORESTLANDS
6. Encourage Economic Development
Thanks to the courageous leadership and passion of our supporters, organizational
partners, business community and government leaders, we are positioning ourselves to
achieve this vision, together.
P l a n n i n g for o u r Grow i n g R e g i o n
Our region is growing rapidly – and managing that growth is critical to the future of our
environment, our economy and our health and well-being. Understandably, failing to plan
for growth results in sprawl, and sprawl destroys prime farmland, increases government
services and infrastructure costs, and results in traffic gridlock.
Futurewise’s regional planning agenda is to manage growth so that jobs, housing, and
other important destinations are located inside existing cities and within walking
distance of transit, rather than paving over critical farmlands, forests and green spaces.
At the regional level, Futurewise is helping cities work together to make smarter
decisions about growth, resources and investments.
R e g i o n al P la n n i n g
G o a l: Co n c e n t ra t e G row t h I n s i d e C i t i e s
Address Health and
Equity In Seattle and
King County
Focus Housing In
Existing Communities
Near Transit
Increase Economic
Opportunities In
Transit-Rich Areas
What makes a community healthy?
Cities need to accommodate
In the Puget Sound region, only
What are the indicators, and how
the growing housing demands in
29 percent of jobs are within a
do our communities measure up?
order to prevent the building of
half mile of a major transit station.
These questions formed the basis
subdivisions on our farmlands,
We believe our state needs and
of a special analysis Futurewise
lower transportation costs and
deserves better. With billions being
recently completed for King
congestion, and reduce air pollution
invested in transit, more of our jobs
County and Seattle. Our Health
and greenhouse gasses.
and homes should be convenient to
and Equity Reports gathered and
public transportation.
examined data around the issues
Futurewise is working to increase
of health, housing, environment,
housing near transit stations. In 2014,
We are seeing the return of major
transportation, economic devel-
we continued our planning, policy
companies back to our downtowns
opment and education. These
and advocacy for dense housing
linked by rail, street car, and bus
reports bring a clear focus on the
and commercial development in key
rapid transit. Many of our cities
health and equity challenges these
transit hubs in Shoreline, Seattle,
that will be connected to high
communities face and strategies to
Everett, Spokane, Tukwila and
capacity transit have capacity for
improve the conditions over time.
Bellevue. The plans we worked
adding jobs. Futurewise is working
on lay the foundation to ensure
to make certain the areas within
Our work revealed the significant
we achieve the benefits of our
walking distance to transit hubs are
disparities in environmental justice and
significant transit investments and
carefully planned as the ideal places
equity in Seattle.The City of Seattle
that we actualize the vision of
for high-density employment.
is now launching an Environment
smart growth. We are now working
and Equity Initiative to address the
to make certain these plans are
At the same time, we are
environmental disparities and to
implemented.
developing strategies to protect
and grow small businesses that have
implement strategies to enhance
environmental equity. We will
We will continue working
had a long-standing place in the
continue our work with Seattle and
in Olympia to secure much
community, so they are not pushed
cities in King County to develop
needed affordable housing and
out by increasing market pressures.
policy and investment strategies to
infrastructure financing tools.
address the disparities our Health
and Equity Reports have revealed.
P rov i d i n g S o l u t i o n s to the Iss u es
O u r C omm u n i t i es F a ce
Building great communities requires understanding the community context and
developing innovative solutions to the multitude of issues communities face.
Our communities need to be affordable so that we provide housing for all people to live
in. Our communities should be designed and built so that people can safely walk, bike
and take transit to get where they need to go. Our communities should enable a growing
economy to create better pathways for economic opportunity. Our communities should
embrace nature, greening its hardscapes and engineering sustainable solutions. Our
communities should provide places for community to gather, connect and play.
Futurewise is working at the state, county, city and neighborhood scale to implement
innovative strategies to create stronger, healthier communities.
c o m m u n i t y P la n n i n g
G o a l : B u i l d G re a t U rb a n a n d R u ra l C o mmuni t i e s
Create Great
Neighborhoods
Address the Need for
Affordable Housing
Build Resilient
Communities
The Puget Sound region is one of
The economic growth Seattle
We live in an age of global warming,
the fastest growing regions in the
and our region are experiencing
water scarcity, sea level rise and
nation. In 2014 more than 7,000
presents challenges as housing
increasing storm events. Futurewise
units of housing and 6 million
costs rise. If current trends
believes the decisions we make
square feet of commercial space
continue, Seattle will become less
today best prepare us for the
began construction in Seattle.
and less affordable.
challenges we face now and in
After several years of slow growth
the future. This means we need to
and a recession, new housing and
In early 2015, Futurewise released
mitigate climate change and start
commercial construction began
its Seattle Affordable Housing Strat-
preparing for its inevitable effects.
booming, and we witnessed the
egies Report, setting forth recom-
urbanism strategies we’ve been
mendations for improving Seattle’s
Futurewise is working with
recommending for many years
ability to meet the growing afford-
communities on issues from
finally bearing out.
able housing needs. The reasons for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions
a deficit of affordable housing are
from transportation and land use to
Futurewise is bringing its urban
complicated, including an ineffective
adapting to climate change impacts
design and planning expertise
regulatory system, growing income
from flooding and sea level rise to
to our region’s fastest growing
disparities, and a lack of sufficient
water resource management.
neighborhoods. Through our
financing tools and resources to
neighborhood planning in First Hill,
build affordable housing.
This year we will release two
reports from our Resilient
Belltown and Tukwila International
Boulevard, Futurewise is working
Futurewise is working at the city
Communities work. Our Landslide
with the local community to
and state level to move forward
Hazards Report provides strategies
plan great neighborhoods that
a number of strategies from chang-
to reduce the risks to people and
are reflective of their values
ing zoning to increase housing
property from unstable areas, and
and culture, and include green
density, enabling more housing
our Climate Resiliency Report will
space, basic services, transit and
to be affordable by design, and
set forth recommendations for
affordable housing.
increasing state and local funding
steps our region needs to take to
for affordable housing.
strengthen its resiliency to perform
well as the world around it changes.
T r a n sporta t i o n + L a n d Use =
S u sta i n a b l e F u t u re
Nothing would make a greater difference in our environment, our economy and our quality
of life than changing the state of transportation. Today, nearly 77 percent of all commute
trips in the region are made by automobile. This number needs to be reversed so that
75 percent of trips use other forms of transportation – from foot, to bike and transit.
The problem and solution all start with land use: we built most of our region and state
at such low densities that people have no choice but to drive. Without high enough
densities, there isn’t a robust enough market to sustain neighborhood business and
provide enough riders to make transit cost-effective. Futurewise’s work aims to address
this land use-transportation disconnect, to change the way we plan, design and build our
communities to make walking, biking and transit the reliable and best transportation
alternative for most people.
T r a n s p o r tat i o n
G o a l: M a k i n g I t E a s i e r Fo r Pe o p l e To
G et To W h e re T h ey N e e d To G o
BIG
WIN
Spokane Voters Pass
Complete Streets Levy
Expand Transit Systems
Connect Seattle’s
Iconic Spaces
Ridership on light rail continues
After years of work by Futurewise
to grow as more and more people
The Lake2Bay area is home to
and local advocates, Spokane voters
leave their cars behind and have
some of our most iconic public
approved a Complete Streets levy
easier access to transit. Almost
spaces – the Waterfront, Myrtle
in 2014. This levy provides $25
52 miles of high-capacity, high
Edwards Park, SAM Olympic
million in funding – to be stretched
frequency light rail lines are either
Sculpture Park, Seattle Center and
further with federal funds – for
completed, in construction or are
Lake Union Park. It is also an area
road maintenance and bicycle and
planned for the Puget Sound region.
undergoing rapid change with over
pedestrian infrastructure.
2000 residential units and 6 million
We’ve come a long way, but we
square feet of office space in the
Creating cities that are easy and
still have a long way to go. To have
works with more on the way. Its
safe for people to get around
an effective regional transit system
demographic profile is changing
on foot or bicycle has long
and address the significant traffic
from the rising tech industry to
been an important part of the
congestion on our roads, high
rising housing costs. It is challenged
Futurewise agenda. In 2010, we
capacity light rail must connect
by a patchwork of roads and transit
developed Spokane’s Complete
Lynnwood with Tacoma and extend
lines – and limited bicycle and
Streets ordinance and then ran a
further to reach more communities
pedestrian infrastructure.
campaign, reaching health, business,
to the south and the east side.
environment, education and the
Futurewise is working locally to
In 2014, Futurewise worked
broader community to secure its
help expand light rail while also
with the Lake2Bay Coalition and
adoption. In 2013, our Complete
ensuring that station locations,
Framework to develop the first
Streets ordinance was recognized
design features, and land use
element of a re-imagined vision
as one of the top five in the nation.
around station areas will result in
of the Lake2Bay as a city-defining
increased ridership and provide
connection between the north end
It is one thing to get legislative
greater access to where people
of the waterfront and South Lake
action to mark the shift in how we
live, work and learn.
Union, along with a focus on creat-
design and use our streets, but it
ing a high quality public realm for
is another thing entirely to actually
We are also working with our
the Lake2Bay zone. The Lake2Bay
build them. Futurewise is honored
transit partners to secure needed
project recently received an award
to help bring this measure to the
funding authorization at the state
from the Seattle Design Commis-
voters and secure its passage. We
level so we can bring a vote to the
sion. In 2015, we are helping Lake-
are now turning our efforts to helping
people to approve the next phase
2Bay move forward with the next
Spokane pass transit funding in 2015.
of light rail.
big step of implementation.
W ater for L i fe
Water is essential to life. We need a safe, reliable supply of water to ensure the health
and prosperity of our communities, economy and environment. We are blessed with
water resources and abundant fish and wildlife from the Spokane, Columbia and Yakima
Rivers to Lake Washington, Lake Whatcom, Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean.
Today these water bodies are threatened by drought, storm events, water quality
impairments and increased growth pressures – all risks that will intensify with climate
change. Futurewise works with local partners to address these water challenges. We
strive to find creative, effective ways to protect our shorelines – not only for fish and
wildlife, but for future generations.
W at e r , F i s h & W i l d l i f e
G o a l : E n s u re C l e a n , H e a l t hy Wa t e r and
P ro t e c t C ri t i c a l F i s h a n d W i l d l i fe Habi t at s
BIG
WIN
Safeguarding
Washington’s Water
Protect Our Shorelines
Restore Urban
Watersheds
Protecting our Puget Sound,
The Yakima River has always been
marine shorelines and state’s rivers
Statewide, our roads, sewers, water
a critical water body for Washing-
and streams goes together with
and stormwater infrastructure is
ton’s economy, environment and
creating a strong economy and
aging. Additionally, our infrastructure
communities. It supports at least 48
ensuring the well-being and quality
does not implement the latest
species of fish, 250 types of wildlife,
of life of Washington residents.
sustainable development technologies.
and water for 300,000+ residents
The challenge is our infrastructure
and 500,000+ irrigated acres of
Since our beginning, Futurewise
improvements are expensive, and
high-value crops like apples, cher-
has been working to protect
maintenance programs have been
ries, hops and grapes.
and restore our state’s critical
chronically underfunded.
shorelines. Over the last ten
Over the last 30 years, the Yakima
years, we have provided technical
Futurewise is advocating at the
Basin has experienced a significant
expertise and advocacy in over
state level for new funding sources,
number of droughts, resulting in
35 counties and cities from
and at the local level for an inte-
a moratorium on the issuance of
the San Juan Islands to Tacoma
grated approach to managing and
any further water permits. These
to the coastal communities of
sustaining water resources. We are
droughts had significant environ-
Grays Harbor and Pacific County.
working to help increase imple-
mental and economic impacts as
Through our work we have
mentation of green infrastructure
residents, farmers and businesses
protected over 5,000 miles of
retrofits that repair our roads, and
did not have the water they needed.
shoreline habitat.
slow down, capture and reuse the
In 2014, Futurewise reached a land-
In 2014, Futurewise published
streets. Such investments are an
mark water rights agreement with
four technical reports on what
ecologically sound way to reduce
Kittitas County and the state’s
is needed to protect and restore
polluted water entering our rivers,
Department of Ecology that
our most important shoreline
streams and Puget Sound.
resolves over 100 years of water
habitats. We are now working with
rights issues. It ensures residents,
Kitsap, Snohomish, Whatcom and
In 2015, we launched GreenLink
farms, fish and wildlife have the
San Juan counties to implement
Bellingham, a community-wide
water they need, even during drought
the innovative strategies in these
watershed planning process for the
years. The approach we developed
reports that will protect and
City of Bellingham that will present
serves as a model for communities
restore critical shoreline habitats.
an ambitious vision and strategies
water that currently runs off the
looking for creative solutions to
for watershed management, public
water resource management.
open space and mobility, and wildlife habitat stewardship.
food for tho u g ht
Each day, over 7,000,000 Washington residents shop at grocery stores and farmers
markets, cook meals at home, and dine at restaurants and cafes. Collectively, our
choices have an enormous impact – on the future of our state’s agricultural land, the
viability of thousands of food businesses and the size of our environmental footprint.
Beyond our farmlands and ranchlands lies a forest of trees that provide abundant
wildlife, clean water, public recreation, materials for our homes, and local jobs. It is the
water and the trees that attract people to come to our state and keeps us all here.
These places are our sacred spaces to relax and rest and our best playgrounds to hike,
camp, climb and ski.
For 25 years, Futurewise has been committed to protecting our resource lands for the
people and places that depend on them. In this time, we have protected nearly two
million acres of our states most critical working farmlands and forests.
farms & forests
Goal : P res er ve Wo r kin g F a rm a n d Fo re s t L a n d s a n d
Su s ta in th e L o c a l Fo o d a n d Fo re s t E c o n o my
BIG
WIN
BIG
WIN
Develop a Regional
Food Strategy
Protect Washington
State’s Food Economy
Seeing the Forests and
the Trees
In Washington State, farms and
Throughout the state, farmlands
Our forests define our Evergreen
ranches cover nearly 15 million
and ranches – integral to our
State – from the Colville National
acres and support a greenbelt of
environment and our food
Forest to the Olympic Mountains.
working lands that help direct
economy – are at risk.
We rely on our forests for the air
growth into urban areas and
limit sprawl.
they clean, the water they collect
In the last decade, Washington
and the jobs they provide.
State has lost more than 500,000
Local farms, food manufacturers,
acres of its farmland and ranchland.
Futurewise is working in every
distributors, grocers and
Preserving agricultural land in the
corner of the state to conserve our
restauranteurs provide more
face of increasing development
most critical working forestlands
than 300,000 jobs and represent
pressure requires a concerted
and protect our most vulnerable
a $3 billion industry for our
effort by policy makers.
wildlife habitat. The concept is
state. Alongside these economic
simple: keep large forest and
benefits, our regional food system
Futurewise works in over 30
wildlife habitat areas safe by
provides the benefits of promoting
counties across the state to
preventing scattered development
ecological awareness, preserving
implement a range of policies to
within and around the fringes.
cultural heritage and fostering a
support and protect agriculture.
unique sense of place.
Our policies are related not only to
Our efforts have been tireless –
preserving the land itself but also to
and more importantly, not fruitless.
In 2015, Futurewise is working in
preserving the economic viability of
From protecting over 50,000
Eastern Washington to develop a
agriculture.
acres of the Upper Teanaway from
regional food strategy, preserving
development to ensuring 450,000
agricultural land and promoting the
In the last two years, our policy and
acres of lynx and critical wildlife
economic development of the food
advocacy work has protected over
habitat in Stevens and Ferry
industry, including local production,
one million acres between Ferry,
counties, we have protected over
processing, distribution and retail.
Pierce, Clark, Snohomish, Benton
700,000 acres of forests and over
and Walla Walla counties.
22 species who depend on these
places and call them home.
STAFF
Board Members
Hilary Franz
Bill Ross, President
Roberta Lewandowski
Executive Director
Ross Strategic, former
Retired Urban Planner; former
Commissioner, Alaska Department of
Planning Director for Redmond and
Environmental Conservation
King County
David Bricklin, Vice President
Bruce Lorig
Futurewise Co-Founder
Principal, Lorig and Associates
Hayley Bonsteel
Outreach & Engagement Program
Manager
Julia Burns
Whatcom County Outreach &
Education Coordinator
Ryan Ericson
Whatcom County Program Director
Amy Gore
Sustainable Communities Director
Christina Hannan
Finance & Operations Manager
Andrea Johnson
Development Director
Kristen Kelly
Snohomish/Skagit Co. Program
Director
Kitty Klitzke
Eastern WA Program Director
Francesca Lepore
Development Coordinator
Land use attorney and partner,
Bricklin & Newman LLP
Mary McCumber
Tom von Schrader, Treasurer
Former Executive Director of PSRC;
COO and Principal, SvR Design
former member of the Governor’s
Erin Tam, Secretary
Partner, EnviroIssues
Laura Ackerman
Spokane Farmer and Citizen Activist
Michael Brown
Vice President Community Affairs,
The Seattle Foundation
Jeff Eustis
Futurewise Co-Founder
Land use attorney and partner,
Aramburu & Eustis, LLP; Adjunct
Futurewise Co-Founder
Growth Strategies Commission
Henry McGee
Professor Emeritus,
Seattle University School of Law
Julie Meghji
Citizen Activist and Environmental
Blogger
Dave Russell
Professor Emeritus, Aeronautics and
Astronautics, UW;
former Mayor of Kirkland
professor at Seattle University
Christian Sinderman
School of Law
Political and Communications
Holly Gadbaw
Former Growth Management
Consultant,
Northwest Passage Consulting
Amy Moreno-Sills
Hearings Board member; former
Cathy Strombom
Pierce County Program Manager
CTED Team Manager; former Mayor
Principal Professional Associate and
of Olympia
Vice President, Parsons Brinckerhoff
Outreach & Engagement Program
Stephanie Honan
Ryan Vancil
Coordinator
Assistant Vice President,
Environmental and land use attorney,
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Vancil Law Offices
Ray Johnston
Charles Wolfe
Partner, Johnston Architects
Environmental and land use attorney,
Jeannette Ordonez
Tim Trohimovich
Director of Planning & Law
Heather Trim
Science & Policy Director
Al Levine
Retired Deputy Executive Director
Spencer Williams
of Seattle Housing Authority; Mayor’s
Urban Designer & Planner
Advisory Committee on Affordable
Bryce Yadon
Statewide Policy Director
Housing; UW Affiliate Faculty
Affiliate Assoc. Professor, UW
College of Architecture & Urban
Planning
Show your support of Futurewise and help spread the word
about the important work Futurewise does to create
healthy communities and protect our farms,
forests and shorelines.
Become a member, volunteer your time or
become an activist on a critical issue –
go to www.futurewise.org to learn how.
S tay co n n ected with Futurewise ha ppenings:
Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Futurewise.Washington
Follow us on Twitter @FuturewiseWA
S TAT E WI D E H E A D QUART E R S
SNO H O MISH / SKAGI T
816 Second Avenue, Suite 200
PMB 532, 1429 Avenue D
Seattle, WA 98104
Snohomish, WA 98290
(206) 343-0681
(425) 923-8625
E A S T E R N WA S H ING TON / S P OKANE
W H AT CO M / BELLINGH AM
35 W. Main Street
1155 N. State Street, Suite 310
Spokane, WA 99201
Bellingham, WA 98225
(509) 838-1965
(360) 306-5708
Designed by Erin Kaufman
Cover and additional photographs
by Erinn J. Hale Photography
© Futurewise