Smart Growth Plan Hopes to Rein in Sprawl in Walla Walla

The Washington city reformed its zoning code to support more multifamily development and a diversity of housing types to meet the needs of its growing population.

1 minute read

October 4, 2022, 11:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Aerial view of Walla Walla, Washington

Danita Delimont / Walla Walla, Washington

With their town surrounded by valuable agricultural land, officials in Walla Walla, Washington are particularly attuned to the need to rein in sprawl and encourage smart growth as the population grows. As Patrick Sisson explains in Planning Magazine, when it came time to update the city’s comprehensive plan, the city’s planners worked to reform and streamline complicated, outdated zoning codes and support more density and multifamily development.

“The answer was Neighborhood Residential (RN), a near-universal residential zoning designation that allows builders to go as dense as 75 units per acre, given that they still meet existing standards like landscaping, height, setbacks, parking, and lot coverage.” The city also updated regulations for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), eliminating owner-occupied restrictions and raising the size limit. 

Sisson’s article details the changes, the process of getting them approved, and the positive reactions from many residents and builders. While Sisson admits that “So far, the numbers aren't showing a dramatic change,” due to the pandemic, there is some progress, and “developers have begun investing in new types of projects, including apartment complexes and conversions of motels into affordable housing.” According to Sisson, the city is also considering expanding a tax incentive for multifamily housing and creating a community land trust.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022 in Planning Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight