[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6227414,"mediaKeyId","3491616-8edb358a7d158afa2c34dfd266f73a33","parentId",3491616,"title","Bothell planning commissioners review transportation impact fee update; no action taken","audioSeconds",3541,"startMs",328000,"endMs",3869000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491616-8edb358a7d158afa2c34dfd266f73a33&start=328&end=3869","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491616-8edb358a7d158afa2c34dfd266f73a33/thumbnail_328000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6227414/Bothell/King-County/Washington/Bothell-planning-commissioners-review-transportation-impact-fee-update-no-action-taken","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227414-015ed85f2b582f18b812bc3cadeed94a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773626238&Signature=BU~b9~lnayX4NmT~GPVCYN-IxKGosKIBKwOfdHw58iAxUb~puAYJTeP3Q-ksupYo-4AHxNcn-KO~Lbos~VUqUCQ7pBCCX40KnlomWSeH08x0jPO6WNBYoCCeFoff1qhzcw96mtlmI0YQwcP~~tMKoxnux3rC2Wzp9O9lIZ~PmcXnLbD6TE9IJW7BftZETktm5PGcpdINO8H88FiO43NjJkTvCYYIoW3d2a0DUSxjqnWFo6baKxhPrqs7me8lE8~~xfEvfT-Oj-m04O2BhL9CC3VikGZaYk79vCLJsnqj9gS9ggjYpWmzwKX189vURSY2KVwD93N1nUltYK9-w7cyFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bothell City, WA","date","2025-05-24T13:23:52.787Z","article","Planning commissioners spent a May 21 study session reviewing a proposed update to Bothell’s transportation impact fees aimed at shifting from a vehicle‑trip approach to a multimodal, per‑person‑trip model and asked staff and consultants for guidance on zone‑based fees and reductions for affordable housing.

The discussion matters because the impact fee update will determine how much new development pays toward a $850 million (planning‑level) transportation project list in the 2024 comprehensive plan and how much the city must make up from grants or other revenue sources if fee revenue is lower than projected.

Boyd Benson, Public Works, Utilities and Development Services Manager, and consultants from Farrampier’s presented the draft approach and repeatedly emphasized that the meeting was for input only. “The goal of tonight is to present information and seek feedback about the impact fee update. There is no action being requested tonight as part of this item,” Benson said. Consultant Carmen Quan summarized the policy: “Impact fees are methods of paying for infrastructure needed to accommodate growth and meet the city's concurrency standards.”

Staff explained the mechanics: build a TIF‑eligible project list drawn from the 2024 comprehensive plan, estimate the portion of each project attributable to growth, divide the growth‑eligible project cost by projected new person trips over a 12‑year horizon and convert that to a per‑trip fee schedule by land‑use type. Staff and consultants repeatedly noted that multimodal trips (pedestrian, bicycle, transit) will be counted as “trips” for fee calculation, not only vehicle trips.

Commissioners pressed for clarity on several topics. Commissioner Jones asked why impact fees historically represent about 12% of Bothell’s transportation funding; staff explained the percentage reflects the share of the project list that can be defensibly attributed to growth and the city’s historical impact fee receipts. Staff and consultants cautioned that the 12% figure is an example coming from prior practice, not a statutory requirement.

Commissioners asked whether the city should adopt a single citywide fee or zone‑based (overlay) reductions in high‑transit or dense zones. Consultants said overlay districts (for example, downtown, regional growth centers or quarter‑mile transit areas) are a common tool: “Development in these areas, you could justify as having a lower impact on the transportation network,” Kendra Breeland said, noting any reductions must be supported by data and defensible calculations.

Affordable‑housing reductions drew considerable discussion. Staff noted Washington state law allows reduced fees for qualifying low‑income housing and child‑care developments (up to an 80% reduction for statutorily defined low‑income housing), but cautioned that broad or deep reductions shrink total fee revenue. Using illustrative numbers, staff showed that large, citywide reductions could materially reduce forecasted revenues and shift costs to other funding sources.

Commissioners queried eligibility and scope. Staff explained state law limits fee recovery to impacts related to growth in Bothell; trips that begin and end outside the city cannot be counted. Interlocal agreements with Snohomish County exist in limited areas to collect reciprocal fees for developments that straddle jurisdictional edges, but such arrangements typically produce small amounts of revenue.

Several commissioners pressed for evidence of a multimodal shift and for project sequencing that ensures investments form a connected network rather than scattered improvements. Consultants and staff said mode shift evidence is developing regionally and that the comp plan sets the policy direction; the fee update is intended to fund projects identified in the comp plan that accommodate the planned growth and multimodal network.

No motion or vote was taken. Staff will continue the impact‑fee eligibility and costing work, return to the Planning Commission with project‑level numbers and proposed fee schedules in the fall, and present the recommendation to City Council with an anticipated effective date of Jan. 1, 2026, if adopted.

Ending: Commissioners generally supported exploring zone‑based fee approaches and targeted reductions for qualifying affordable housing while asking staff to quantify revenue tradeoffs. Staff said they will bring concrete examples and calculations at the next presentation to the commission and then to council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bothell Planning Commission Meeting - May 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning commissioners spent a May 21 study session reviewing a proposed update to Bothell’s transportation impact fees aimed at shifting from a vehicle‑trip approach to a multimodal, per‑person‑trip model and asked staff and consultants for guidance on zone‑based fees and reductions for affordable housing.","taxTitle","Bothell, King County, Washington","taxId",53919,"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},6227409,"Bothell planning commission forwards Phase 2 code updates — removes parking minimums, adds neighborhood‑scale commercial allowance in residential zones",899,4339000,5238000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3491616-8edb358a7d158afa2c34dfd266f73a33&start=4339&end=5238","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3491616-8edb358a7d158afa2c34dfd266f73a33/thumbnail_4339000.jpg","/articles/6227409/Bothell/King-County/Washington/Bothell-planning-commission-forwards-Phase-2-code-updates-removes-parking-minimums-adds-neighborhoodscale-commercial-allowance-in-residential-zones","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227409-bccad98fa24a57586c1b4e8fcd623fbb/orig.mp4?Expires=1773626238&Signature=mruy42dsIPYdLQ5~VjDhZzdGZxqW~ya6osqymutqfXpa8i4w3BjH04lbBNXGaLGwezRFA5otiKOfHbxitmMOOZ3~cVAXfNv2kjMvWM36eivaUUEhQdBVNdG0j13tJGu5h5pBidWRkbUmqHY8cvRsS9dh6z1lMIkhAxf6wvl40PCzxvUkLfDQNGhKADcmlMEty8bIvXQhdgpIzZ7C-ielqOf-UfGgCr1-PmBZVbjaXSd~1s5MGzieL5NCc2ZmfGMfzoui1AGoKmkj6J4oWbfZTLPxXHdHjItBJppBeBSwbhYZeOIzQYHyEwAumaJefggjZoSr4a2lZjlTRlBvliZ~9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Bothell Planning Commission on May 21 voted unanimously to forward draft findings, conclusions and recommendations for Phase 2 of the 2024 comprehensive plan code amendments to City Council.

The vote matters because the Phase 2 package would change multiple sections of the Bothell Municipal Code to align zoning and development standards with the Imagine Bothell Comprehensive Plan adopted in December 2024, including removing minimum off‑street parking requirements and allowing limited neighborhood‑scale commercial uses in residential zones.

Jacqueline Sampson, planner with Community Development, presented the draft findings and recommendations and described the requested action: the commission could approve, approve with revisions or deny the draft recommendation before it is taken to council. “The purpose of the Phase 2 code updates is to align the Bothell municipal code with the city's values and visions around future development as highlighted in the 2024 Bothell comprehensive plan,” Sampson said.

Key changes in the draft forwarded to council include:

- Adding neighborhood‑scale commercial uses in specified residential zones;
- Removing minimum off‑street parking requirements and decoupling bicycle and shared‑vehicle parking standards from vehicle‑parking calculations;
- Removing maximum building coverage provisions and revising variance and comprehensive‑plan amendment docketing processes (several topics such as floor‑area ratio and lot coverage were deferred to a later work plan);
- Updating code sections identified in the draft findings and recommendations (Attachment 2 of the staff packet).

Commissioners asked clarifying questions. Commissioner Robson asked how the code would handle temporary loading and delivery needs once parking minimums are removed; Sampson replied those needs are addressed in the city’s street standards and right‑of‑way provisions and remain a topic for related design‑standards work. Commissioner Westerbeck flagged a parenthetical note in the draft amendment criteria that staff said had already been removed in the next version.

The Planning Commission’s recommendation documents the hearings, public outreach and earlier study sessions that informed the package. If the council follows the commission’s recommendation, staff will present the draft to council in a study session on June 3, hold a public hearing June 17 and target a final ordinance on July 1.

Action: Commissioner Westerbeck moved to adopt the draft findings, conclusions and recommendations and Commissioner Jones seconded; the motion carried unanimously and the commission forwarded the package to City Council.

Ending: Commissioners and staff said they will continue outreach and follow‑up work on related topics — including parking enforcement, street‑standards updates and middle‑housing incentives — as the code amendments proceed to council. The commission scheduled a June 3 meeting to return with further housing‑incentive and middle‑housing discussion.","On May 21 the Planning Commission voted unanimously to forward draft findings and recommendations for Phase 2 comprehensive plan code amendments to City Council. Proposed changes include removing minimum off‑street parking requirements, revising bicycle and shared‑vehicle parking standards, adding neighborhood‑scale commercial uses in some","actionData","errors"]

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Bothell planning commissioners review transportation impact fee update; no action taken

Bothell planning commission forwards Phase 2 code updates — removes parking minimums, adds neighborhood‑scale commercial allowance in residential zones