(1) Purpose of the Utilities Element. This utilities element has been developed in accordance with RCW 36.70A.070 of the Growth Management Act to address utility services in the City of Forks and the adjacent urban growth area. It represents the community’s policy plan for growth over the next twenty (20) years. The utilities element describes how the goals in the other plan elements will be implemented through utility policies and regulations, and is an important element in implementing the Comprehensive Plan.

The utilities element has also been developed in accordance with the County-wide Planning Policies, and has been integrated with all other planning elements to ensure consistency throughout the Comprehensive Plan. The utilities element specifically considers the general location, proposed location, and capacity or all existing and proposed utilities, including, but not limited to, electrical lines, telecommunication lines, water and sewer facilities. This element also identifies general utility corridors.

The utilities element includes:

(2) Urban Growth Area. The urban growth area (Forks urban growth area = FUGA) boundary was selected in order to ensure that urban services will be available to all development. This includes the provision of utility facilities. The City and the County recognize that planning for utilities is the primary responsibility of the utility providers. However, the urban growth area incorporates plans prepared by the providers into its comprehensive planning efforts in order to identify ways of improving the quality and delivery of services provided in the City and its designated urban growth area boundary. All development requiring urban services will be located in the urban growth area, and will have these services extended to them in a timely and financially feasible manner. The utility plan in this element will guide decision-making to achieve the community goals as articulated in the vision statement.