Washington County 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update – MN

SRF assisted Washington County, located in the eastern Twin Cities metro area bordering the St. Croix River and Wisconsin, with its 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update. The update was completed in accordance with the Metropolitan Council’s mandatory planning cycle and was designed to guide future land use, development, infrastructure, and policy priorities across the county. SRF’s role included leading public engagement, preparing key plan elements, and supporting the County throughout the 18-month planning process.

The Comprehensive Plan was developed through three key phases of engagement that took place over a four-month period and laid the groundwork for understanding community needs and shaping future goals.

Discovery and Community Input

The primary goal of Phase 1 was to collect meaningful input from county residents about the current state of the community and their vision for the future. Feedback gathered during this phase helped shape the plan’s overall vision, goals, policy recommendations, and implementation strategies.

To ensure robust participation, SRF and Washington County implemented a multi-faceted outreach strategy. This included:

• Eight pop-up events held at high-traffic community locations, including festivals, chamber of commerce gatherings, and public services such as food shelf distribution hours.
• A five-minute verbal survey administered onsite to quickly capture opinions and ideas from participants.
• Family-friendly engagement materials such as handouts and activities to encourage participation across age groups.

In total, nearly 1,000 residents were engaged during Phase 1.

Online Engagement and Interactive Tools

To expand access and meet residents where they were, an online platform was launched alongside in-person events. The Washington County 2040 Wiki Map enabled community members to participate anonymously from home and provide geographic-based input. Residents were asked to map and describe:

• Their favorite place in the county
• Their biggest concern
• The county’s best characteristic

This tool proved effective in gathering spatial data and helped ensure all areas of the county were considered during plan development.

Plan Review & Refinement Process

Following Phase 1, SRF worked closely with County staff and stakeholders through Phase 2 (Plan Review) and Phase 3 (Final Plan). These phases included:

• Review and refinement of policy priorities
• Evaluation of land use scenarios
• Drafting and finalization of the full plan document
• Presentation of plan components to stakeholders and the public

Throughout all phases, SRF maintained regular collaboration with Washington County Planning staff, ensuring consistency between community input, technical analysis, and policy recommendations.

The final plan reflects the diverse needs and priorities of the community and provides a flexible roadmap for growth, preservation, and investment through 2040.

Resource Links:
Washington County Comprehensive Plan
Full Washington County Comprehensive Plan PDF

Internal Category Links:
Community & Transportation Planning
Community & Public Engagement
Municipal Engineering & Utilities

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