[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6076846,"mediaKeyId","2967282-5ba1ad0b9192a658e6872cbf753e54c1","parentId",2967282,"title","Council asks staff to draft ordinance to keep local levy cap at 1% amid state bill debate","audioSeconds",286,"startMs",1093000,"endMs",1379000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2967282-5ba1ad0b9192a658e6872cbf753e54c1&start=1093&end=1379","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2967282-5ba1ad0b9192a658e6872cbf753e54c1/thumbnail_1093000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6076846/Sedro-Woolley/Skagit-County/Washington/Council-asks-staff-to-draft-ordinance-to-keep-local-levy-cap-at-1-amid-state-bill-debate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076846-4df61447726e7d579d4a9ca81792895b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154204&Signature=QZ4dc~1P1pNSjoNATKvdlJ5aOVNGUNkXVdt7ExS-r-9pi0dd6c1WcbZEUWTh1Kj9dVqMi8eqfyIRJ4Ljc1p7WOCnM5IorJwJXqJpYauDpbXhkNPu~3tGQxxAaqjGt1bhMROYGmokIA68551ArIlxBGioShk7I-DIbr3JyieGBVyWm-VDDD7rdwZpD8Gbs5JF60MMTVa2sUuphVw2pYUiY1J5Yz7UXifH~aamC6yao8MnAqaqqMhZPptoqY2FZc1hoCBAw~25RqpJ6ttN21~nCWE~Ow4WseS-Mk5jBmQiAeJjJnvvtae0sck8oeyKh7IZMaj6AlImQfr95ZG84PyDKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sedro-Woolley, WA","date","2025-04-10T15:50:45Z","article","Councilman Henderson told the Sedro‑Woolley City Council on April 9 that he wanted the city to “go on record” to keep the local property tax levy cap at the current 1 percent while Senate Bill 5798 (and a companion house bill) is under consideration in the state legislature.

Henderson said he had discussed the issue with County Assessor Danny Hagen and noted timelines in the bill that would require the Department of Revenue to send information to assessors by Sept. 1 and for assessors to transmit tax data to jurisdictions by Oct. 1. Henderson moved that staff prepare an ordinance preserving the city’s 1 percent levy cap; Councilman LaVaca seconded the motion.

Council discussion included the limits of a current council’s ability to bind future councils. City staff member Nikki (speaking to legal/process limits) said the council cannot bind a future council by ordinance but can adopt a resolution to express the current council’s policy position and that any future council could change an ordinance by vote. Despite those caveats, the motion to ask staff to draft the ordinance carried by voice vote; the meeting record shows those in favor said “aye.”

Key details: motion to request staff draft an ordinance to keep the levy cap at 1%; mover: Councilman Henderson; second: Councilman LaVaca; outcome: carried by voice vote. Henderson also offered that County Assessor Danny Hagen is willing to brief the council after the legislative session on implications of the bill.

No ordinance text was drafted or adopted at the April 9 meeting; the council’s action was to request staff preparation of draft ordinance language for future consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Sedro-Woolley City Council Meeting for April 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Councilman Henderson moved and Councilman LaVaca seconded a request for staff to draft an ordinance asserting the city’s preference to keep the local levy rate capped at 1% in response to discussion of Senate Bill 5798; the motion passed by voice vote at the April 9 meeting.","taxTitle","Sedro-Woolley, Skagit County, Washington","taxId",71694,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6076850,"Sedro‑Woolley holds first reading of proposed changes to off‑street parking rules (Ord. 209,625)",399,4355000,4754000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2967282-5ba1ad0b9192a658e6872cbf753e54c1&start=4355&end=4754","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2967282-5ba1ad0b9192a658e6872cbf753e54c1/thumbnail_4355000.jpg","/articles/6076850/Sedro-Woolley/Skagit-County/Washington/SedroWoolley-holds-first-reading-of-proposed-changes-to-offstreet-parking-rules-Ord-209625","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076850-1f6076b71b4e93854b6f441dbc8cee2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154204&Signature=jRhz0e1bi6AihTfr0HNCb~Fgonbk32qfhF~licrS3FbnJZREpJnysN1Zi3sbf9zYO7Tv9Ut4kyxotnNPmpi-g~608ewTK3ENRYUzHiJdZPBZMx3RAnI-FB9UBHXgyCXQuhgQfD4HRPWvQZ8L2Vyc3zeEZ2KJfYbQiW3cTDZiXkokdLXUgPFAvu503Y51YB~lzpKgE9po20W18uci6FCjCNFvyP9h-NmNFT86a3~RdyDCd8w3AskCu10ES6qfiuwP5ttI~rBkEiZV2P9p2QhZ1tv0Ex0ThciZSfGH3jkmY1RSxMbOvxiXj~GJwoJeJt6Sc9oh~kJ7Vyh~tBL2BOEbxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ashton (Community Development staff) presented the first reading of Ordinance 209,625 on April 9, a set of amendments to Title 17 of the Sedro‑Woolley Municipal Code that would revise off‑street parking and loading requirements.

The proposal consolidates parking rules from multiple zoning chapters into a single table in Chapter 17.36 and applies a scaled minimum‑parking approach so smaller dwelling units (studios, one‑bedrooms) require fewer spaces than larger units. Ashton said the code would also clarify the city’s cooperative/shared parking provisions so developers and property owners better understand how to create shared parking agreements.

The ordinance would require loading zones or docks for residential developments at a threshold of 25 units or more; buildings with 24 units or fewer would not be required to provide a loading zone under the current draft. Ashton said the city is proposing parking maximums (above the existing minimums) for the Central Business District and the Urban Village Mixed‑Use overlay to discourage large surface parking lots that can displace commercial or housing uses.

Ashton told council that state legislative mandates are incorporated where required by RCW; the presenter noted one statutory requirement about “major transit stops” must appear in municipal code even though Sedro‑Woolley has none. Council members asked questions during the first reading about enforcement of vehicles that overhang sidewalks, the legislative background on parking reductions and the city’s next steps. Ashton said the proposal did not change minimum parking requirements for commercial, industrial or public uses, and did not change accessory dwelling unit (ADU) parking minimums except where a state RCW specifically requires language to be added.

Councilman Lavaca praised the consolidation into a single matrix and called it easier to read; Councilman Cook thanked staff and said the council cannot control the state legislature’s actions. Councilman Lloyd asked whether the legislature is seeking to reduce parking requirements; Ashton said several bills address parking and identified one as Senate Bill 6015 (the presenter did not quote a final code reference).

The ordinance is a first reading and will return to council for further consideration at a future meeting; Ashton indicated staff anticipates the item on the next council agenda but did not give a final date. No vote to adopt occurred at the April 9 meeting.

Key details: ordinance number 209,625; consolidates parking rules into 17.36; loading zone threshold begins at 25 residential units; parking maximums proposed only for the Central Business District and Urban Village Mixed‑Use overlay; state RCW language included where mandated.","Planning staff presented Ordinance 209,625, a first reading that would consolidate off‑street parking rules into Chapter 17.36, scale residential minimums by unit size, add loading requirements for larger developments, and set parking maximums in the Central Business District and Urban Village overlay.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6076855,"Skagit Transit presents 5–10 year plan; proposes hourly east–west link and on‑demand pilot that could include Sedro‑Woolley",1424,2066000,3490000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2967282-5ba1ad0b9192a658e6872cbf753e54c1&start=2066&end=3490","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2967282-5ba1ad0b9192a658e6872cbf753e54c1/thumbnail_2066000.jpg","/articles/6076855/Sedro-Woolley/Skagit-County/Washington/Skagit-Transit-presents-510-year-plan-proposes-hourly-eastwest-link-and-ondemand-pilot-that-could-include-SedroWoolley","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6076855-bae75e78197c0c2333c7948a8674fe5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154204&Signature=jL6FhLPumNaGDN1g28NBcpVyMVEjutv2Qx0fJoSC-w-TOCYKeOMVlZ4WUcRq8yiMY4zJ35hA-gZ6pfONIvX-hUwozT146sz3fJCW7uyg~y1kq69niScyZX6rSmOydJjp7ky5uwZaH0ofid8IOcME7gTHRf3NZb4~zTnRJqzpqYbWilrSKj5Lr5aZjabfdBPb58DqRodQeQhKNKJtcR3phccCrjeOmkfTJaf58iPmT1fGyZ4dXs9CmMM1IWLv5EECe33oA~kZ9J0EQL6mjmSg8t6kMGuAizkRSbur8aJYibEJn27mSUVnnEEO~vRJwIooAI1g7iieq-HZ6tlp9jG0lA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sam Zimbabwe, presenter for Skagit Transit, told the Sedro‑Woolley City Council on April 9 that the agency’s long‑range transit plan is intended to “provide a guide for the next 5 to 10 years of investment in transit service across Skagit County.” The plan proposes route restructuring to increase reliability, moves to a target maximum one‑hour headway on many routes, and recommends later and Sunday service in more places.

The plan’s short‑term changes aim to be service‑hour neutral while creating space to layer in more frequent and later service if additional resources become available. Zimbabwe said the proposed short‑term changes include making the Route 305 an hourly, single‑seat connection from downtown Sedro‑Woolley to Skagit Station and adjusting Route 301 to strengthen east–west links to Chuckanut Park & Ride and the airport. He told the council that the 70X route currently runs only once every three hours through parts of Sedro‑Woolley, which makes trip planning difficult.

Why it matters: Council members said improved east–west connections and more reliable service could affect commuting, student travel to Skagit Valley College and access to jobs. The plan also identifies midday ridership as unusually high, suggesting many riders use transit for shopping, appointments and non‑commute trips.

Skagit Transit is also proposing an on‑demand transit pilot, a service model between fixed‑route buses and paratransit that would let users request rides within defined zones. Sam Zimbabwe said Anacortes and Fidalgo Island emerged as top candidates for a pilot; Sedro‑Woolley also “has a lot of opportunities” if the pilot succeeds. Malia Kosinski, planning outreach manager for Skagit Transit, told the council the agency is pursuing grant funding for a pilot and is “working with Janicki to see about putting a bus pull out in front of their facilities out in Hamilton and then potentially looking at expanding the vanpool program.”

Council members asked whether private ride‑hail services (Uber/Lyft) could fill gaps. Zimbabwe said on‑demand transit aims to be an affordable, accessible option that complements private services: it can be booked with a short wait (typically 15–30 minutes) and provide wheelchair‑accessible vehicles; private apps are often more costly and are not guaranteed to provide accessible vehicles.

Councilman Burns added that Skagit Transit is testing Wi‑Fi on buses and that Verizon service “should be going online soon,” which councilors said could help riders on longer routes.

Next steps: Zimbabwe said a 30‑day public comment period will open early next week and run through May 14; the Skagit Transit board will consider approval after that. If the board adopts the plan, Skagit Transit will begin preparations for initial service changes and continue working with cities on stop locations, passenger facilities and implementation timing.

The presentation and question‑and‑answer session took place during the council meeting; several council members and Skagit Transit staff participated in the discussion. The council did not take a formal vote on the plan during the April 9 meeting. Skagit Transit will accept public comments during the posted comment window and will publish details about proposed route and schedule changes before implementation.","Skagit Transit outlined a long‑range transit plan that would restructure routes countywide, add later service hours, pursue an on‑demand pilot (Anacortes now; Sedro‑Woolley as candidate), and start a 30‑day public comment period next week.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council asks staff to draft ordinance to keep local levy cap at 1% amid state bill debate

Sedro‑Woolley holds first reading of proposed changes to off‑street parking rules (Ord. 209,625)

Skagit Transit presents 5–10 year plan; proposes hourly east–west link and on‑demand pilot that could include Sedro‑Woolley