News

October Comp Plan Happy Hour

đź‘»Let’s Get Togetherđź‘» It’s SpOOky Season! And what’s spookier than car emissions, traffic accidents, and poor sidewalk infrastructure? This month, we’re teaming up with the Nondrivers Alliance and Transportation Choices Coalition to celebrate a Week Without Driving!  With fall fully … Continue reading →

Spokane County’s Growth Pattern and the August 2026 Wildfires

In the first week of August 2026, three wildfires — Old Trails, Fairview, and Autumn Lane — tore through the unincorporated fringe of Spokane County, burning more than 11,000 acres, destroying or damaging an estimated 850 to 1,000-plus structures, and forcing nearly 67,000 people to evacuate. Continue reading →

The Board Has Ruled: Aspirational Is Not Enough

On August 17, the Growth Management Hearing ruled that Thurston County’s plan does not comply with the GMA: both the greenhouse gas emissions reduction subelement and the climate resiliency subelement failed. This decision will shape climate planning across the state for years to come. Continue reading →

September Comp Plan Happy Hour

✨Let’s Get Together✨ Is Seattle’s Comp Plan process currently moving forward? Sadly, no, we are yet again, delayed. Are we still hosting monthly happy hours in the meantime? You bet! Our next stop is in Ballard at Old Stove Brewery, … Continue reading →

August Comp Plan Happy Hour

With summer trucking through and hopefully more bus service coming soon, let’s talk about what frequent transit means to you! Our friends at Transportation Choices Coalition will be sharing updates on the Seattle Transit Measure and ways we can all get involved to get … Continue reading →

Futurewise files a friend of the court brief supporting the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s appeal of the Kitsap County critical areas regulations

Our hot dry summer underscores the need for trees and shrubs to shade rivers and streams to protect the salmon that live in these habitats. The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe appealed Kitsap County’s requirements to retain trees and shrubs and … Continue reading →

Futurewise works for strong protection for wetlands, waterways, and water quality 

Four drought years in a row has highlighted the need to protect our waterways for drinking water, irrigation, and fish and wildlife habitat. Wetlands clean, store, and slowly infiltrate water into the ground where it seeps into streams, rivers, lakes, … Continue reading →

Get Involved: Building Code Reform and Advocacy

In recent years, there has been growing attention to the barriers that existing building codes in the United States pose to goals of building more housing, in more places, for all incomes and household types. In Washington state, we’ve worked … Continue reading →

Meet Stephanie Dechaine Cameron, Development Director!

Welcome to the newest Futurewise team member! Stephanie is our new Development Director and is here to make sure we have the resources to keep fighting for livable communities for decades to come. Read on to get to know her! … Continue reading →

Victory for salmon and Southern Resident Orcas: Growth Management Hearings Board improves protections

On February 17, 2026, the Growth Management Hearings Board agreed with Futurewise and its allies that the Snohomish County critical areas regulations failed to adequately protect rivers and streams. Critical areas regulations are required to protect fish and wildlife habitats … Continue reading →