Tribal Planning Committee Support for Tribal Inclusion within the Updating Washington’s Growth Planning Framework Project

Michael Cardwell, AICP, Tribal Planning Committee Chair

It has been my honor to be working with such an esteemed and diverse group of individuals representing many organizations in an effort to amend the Growth Management Act. The language that I want to point out is the inclusion of Tribal Governments to the document. This is consistent with the Centennial Accord as well as the Millennial Agreement which reaffirmed the Centennial Accord. This relationship was further strengthened by the Gov’t-to-Gov’t Law which codified collaboration. So as such the work that was done by the University of Washington’s Center for Livable Communities College of Built Environments on Updating Washington’s Growth Policy Framework was welcomed, although the Zoom calls tended to be tedious. 

Native Sovereign Nations have come a long way since the government ward days (see below graphic) and are the largest rural economic development developers underlying Washington State as well as outside the borders. So for them to be a part of the process to determine where public investment is to go should be welcomed. We are the new partners and actually can help with documenting natural resource management milestones. We are co-managers of fisheries and understand that the amenities we are enhancing provides us all with that quality of life that we all seek. Clean water, clean air, and fish ‘n game.  

So it is my great joy that I submitted a letter of endorsement for the proposed GMA legislative fix. It corrects an oversight and slight of Tribal Governments that have always worked to be good neighbors and hosts to this land. I certainly hope that all certified planners request from their employing jurisdictions that they support and request that the legislators representing them also support this proposed legislative fix. Tribal Governments exist. Let’s plan together.