Brady PieperOfficials with the City of Port Angeles in Washington are publishing a draft work plan to guide project planning and funding efforts.
The city’s leadership team is unveiling the City Work Plan, which will establish a framework for leadership to design, collaborate and integrate priority initiatives. Over the next two years, the new plan will work in tandem with the city’s existing planning tools to address infrastructure needs, improve public services, enhance the housing market and increase the city’s adaptability to environmental and social challenges.
Port Angeles’ planning process for financials, facilities and budgets is a tiered process that includes setting funding goals and priorities in the short, mid and long term. The process begins with Vision 2045, a comprehensive plan designed to inform long-range policy priorities. In the mid-term, the city develops the Strategic Plan, Long Range Financial Plans and Capital Facilities Plans.
The Port Angeles’ City Work Plan is the culmination of these strategic planning efforts, especially as the city designs and implements these goals and projects. The final work plan will outline the city’s vision for municipal services, including utility systems, public safety, recreational activities and capital facilities projects.
For contractors, the plan will offer a roadmap for the initiatives the city intends on undertaking in 2025-2026, providing transparency into city projects, objectives and how each project can contribute to the varying goals of the city.
Development of the plan was guided by four main principles: Environment, Budget, Equity and Relationship. Utilizing these principles, the work plan is divided into four accompanying strategic focus areas:
- Infrastructure Development, Maintenance and Connectivity
- Community Resilience
- Citywide Resource Optimization
- Housing
As a major portion of the draft work plan, the city council and other local partners will conduct various infrastructure improvements throughout the city. The plan outlines nine infrastructure projects that are either included in the city’s existing Strategic Plan or contribute to the goals of the city council.
Five of these projects will focus on identifying gaps or hazards in pedestrian infrastructure and improving safety on local roads, sidewalks and trails. In collaboration with several city and state partners, the draft will propose support for public works and utilities on safe walking routes, sidewalk expansions, the Loop Trail initiative, a stair replacement on Laurel Street and the Snow Plan.
The remaining four infrastructure projects prioritize Race Street improvements, sewer line rehabilitation, the A Street Capacity project and securing funding for the goals outlined in the Strategic Plan, Capital Facilities and Transportation Improvement Plan.
The community resilience focus area will address the city’s efforts to adapt to and recover from various challenges, such as climate change, economic disparities and environmental concerns.
The work plan highlights several key projects that will improve the city’s resilience:
- Environmental protection – Continuing initiatives to protect local ecosystems, including the environmental protection of the Elwha Watershed.
- Legislative advocacy – Supporting state-level legislation, such as Senate Bill 5285 and House Bill 1436, to improve public safety funding through a sales tax.
- Floodplain management – Addressing flood risk through community and infrastructure improvements to better prepare for potential floods.
- Emergency response – Reinforcing the city’s preventative measures for natural disasters, including better coordination with local and regional emergency services.
The Housing section of the City Work Plan focuses on addressing the city’s affordable housing challenges, meeting growing demand and promoting equitable housing development for all residents.
This section will feature opportunities for contractors to partner in training with Community & Economic Development for workshops. The housing focus area will also encompass the pursuit of a vacant housing base rate to implement a fair and adequate base rate for buildings.
Some of the other priorities in the housing section include:
- Comprehensive Housing Plan: Finalizing the city’s Housing Action Plan and aligning housing strategies to tackle the city’s housing crisis.
- Pilot housing projects – Developing multi-family housing pilot project to attract and accommodate new residents and alleviate a housing shortage.
- Vacant Property Charges: Implementing new utility charges on vacant properties, particularly for those not connected to city utilities, to incentivize development and reduce blight.
- Affordable Housing Projects: Identifying sites for the development of low-income and workforce housing across the city.
One of the plan’s focus areas will prioritize citywide resource optimization projects to address public needs. This focus area looks to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the city’s operations and services.
As part of this final focus area, the city will pursue low-income assistance programs, an assessment of the city hall facility, capacity enhancements and a comprehensive reporting process that maximizes grant funding and other action items.
Resource optimization will also encompass two energy-oriented projects and one truck route improvement initiative. The city council has already allocated over $8.5 million to support the projects.
For energy, the city council will conduct legislative due diligence and property evaluations for a community solar project adjacent to large energy consumers. Coinciding with the solar initiative, the second energy project will evaluate and develop a phased path for alternative energy sources.
The truck and freight route project will improve Port Angeles’s connections to the port by enhancing SR 117, a designated freight corridor. The project seeks to provide a more direct route to the corridor and allow the downtown area to expand.
For more information on the approved Strategic Plan, see the presentation to city council. While plans are subject to change, interested parties can find a draft 2025-2026 City Work Plan here.
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