The City of Lakewood’s Planning Division reviews land use permit applications for consistency with the City’s current Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Development Regulations. The division also administers and coordinates annual updates to the Comprehensive Plan and development regulations as directed by the Lakewood City Council or mandated by the state through the Growth Management Act (GMA), the Shoreline Management Act (SMA), the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), or other legal requirements.
Visit the Lakewood Permit Center page to apply for a permit or to learn more about allowed uses on your property.
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Announcements
Lakewood calls for applications to change the text of the Comprehensive Plan and development regulations as well as applications to rezone property once a year. Starting in 2025, these applications are submitted through the City’s new permitting system. Use the links below to go directly to the different types of amendments:
For more information, go to https://cityoflakewood.us/permit-center/ or call 253.512.2261
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on 16 proposed 2025 development regulation amendments on July 2. View the meeting materials here. View the public hearing here. Once published, the July 16 meeting materials will be published at https://cityoflakewood.us/planning-commission/.
The amendments include:
On June 2, the City Council adopted 12 amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Map, and Development Regulations. View the amendments here. The amendments include:
2025-01 “Co-Living Housing” Amendments for consistency with ESHB 1998;
2025-04 Regulatory amendments for consistency with SB 5792 “Concerning the definition of multiunit residential buildings”;
2025-05 Regulatory amendments regarding residential parking for consistency with SSB 6015;
2025-06 Technical updates to the Municipal Code to reincorporate previous Civic Use regulations; update LMC 18A.10.180 (Definitions) to include “religious assembly”; amendments to LMC 18A.40.080 (A) to allow religious organizations in various land use zones; and amendments to LMC 18A.40.080 (A) to allow day care centers in real property owned or controlled by religious organizations in the MR1 and MR2 zones;
2025-07 New 2025-2029 Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Plan and updates to LMC Chapter 12.13;
2025-08 Redesignate / rezone parcel 0319061001 from Air Corridor (AC) / Air Corridor 1 (AC1) to “split zoning” of AC / AC1 and Industrial (I) / Industrial 1 (I1);
2025-10 Redesignate / rezone parcel 5140001191 from Downtown / Central Business District (CBD) to Open Space and Recreation (OSR) / Open Space and Recreation 1 (OSR 1);
2025-11 Reduce the minimum square footage for attached and detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in LMC 18A.40.110 (B)(1)(f);
2025-12 Adopt regulations allowing new housing in “existing buildings” zoned for commercial and mixed use in all land use zones that allow multifamily (4+ units in one building) housing consistent with RCW 35A.21.440 and RCW 36.70A.130;
2025-13 Rezone parcel 7025000161 (Primley Park) from Open Space & Recreation 2 (OSR2) to Open Space & Recreation 1 (OSR1); and
2025-14 Redesignate/rezone parcel 2200000021 (Harry Todd Park) to exclusively Open Space & Recreation (OSR) / Open Space & Recreation 1 (OSR1).
Natural Environment and Climate Change
In 2025, the City of Lakewood is developing a Natural Environment and Climate Change (NECC) Program that consolidates adopted policies, priorities, and action items from several focus areas – urban forestry and tree canopy work, climate change and resiliency, and energy efficiency – into a single implementation plan. Details regarding environmental protection and actions can be found at the webpages linked below:
Contact
Planning
[email protected] or 253-512-2261
Planning Division Manager – Tiffany Speir
(253) 983-7702
Email: TSpeir
To email Tiffany Speir add her email handle before @cityoflakewood.us