[{"_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",6201366,"mediaKeyId","3794568-1e7911a8e0b75ae03a12c7f9b7737fcb","parentId",3794568,"title","Everett council approves initial funding, property actions to advance downtown outdoor event center","audioSeconds",5332,"startMs",3186000,"endMs",8518000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3794568-1e7911a8e0b75ae03a12c7f9b7737fcb&start=3186&end=8518","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3794568-1e7911a8e0b75ae03a12c7f9b7737fcb/thumbnail_3186000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6201366/Everett/Snohomish-County/Washington/Everett-council-approves-initial-funding-property-actions-to-advance-downtown-outdoor-event-center","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201366-226017cfe5c57a1e733cfec531cc373f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135262&Signature=HiHcllh86qT9NcvB4AMvVKZq41v~X7ShCvd6L1~tcw6IoQe5qpoSQdNWrO5v6TNBuzAQoCOoaQe7~Cif7bVRsbaAq7HQEyAUgJgzig5o9XeY-hTyDhIM8Y1qsZh3Z6bEprJwCWD2TJa-nlWBmOcVuof1ZW1d8OtCFkAcRIChAtwjM86uMpopBk8kAYdQKgOA3u7MCrDesC5YseRf-7pypkL06N-2T6TFSzbm9RZX9KGwc~vYzDL1LNiEy4UMWdVujS3xyTXPpdz3ZUa6Jet~zvqvha9~SWhpcoYAfXtbsPtmLdJOESo4XNhKusku7m3~q-1jc-f21nXjTog6~oJURQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Everett City, WA","date","2025-06-12T17:31:21Z","article","Everett — The Everett City Council voted Wednesday to move forward on the Everett Outdoor Event Center, approving $4.8 million in initial funding and a series of contracts and acquisition steps intended to keep the AquaSox and a proposed U.S. soccer partner in downtown Everett.

Council members approved the first set of actions related to the project — including initial budget appropriations for planning and property option funds, an ordinance authorizing acquisition including eminent domain as a last resort, and professional services and design-build agreements — after a two-hour public comment period and a staff briefing that laid out a projected “game-ready” budget of about $82 million.

The council’s action clears the way for property negotiations, more detailed design work and lease negotiations with private partners. “It’s time we raise the bar,” Scott Pattison, city staff lead on the project, told the council. “This is not just another project. It’s a bold statement.”

Why this matters: City staff and their consultants said the downtown site could deliver a multiuse outdoor facility that would host baseball (AquaSox), a U.S. Soccer League (USL) team and year-round events. Consultants described a funding mix intended to limit the city’s operating burden by securing private capital and long-term leases; residents and business owners raised concerns about displacement, property acquisition, and whether the estimated $82 million total cost is realistic.

What the council approved and what it means
- Initial budget and appropriation: Council passed Ordinance (council bill 2505-30) to establish a $4,800,000 special improvement project fund to pay for planning, legal, design and initial property acquisition work. That vote was 6–1 (Council member Tuohy voted no). Staff described the $4.8 million as money to advance site design to roughly 60% and to exercise property options and initial negotiations.
- Property acquisition authority: The council adopted an ordinance authorizing acquisition and the exercise of eminent domain if negotiations fail (council bill 2505-32). Pattison said the imminent domain ordinance is intended to incentivize voluntary sales by offering tax advantages and to provide a pathway if agreements cannot be reached. The vote was 6–1 (Tuohy no).
- Contracts and consultants: Council approved several professional services and design-builder agreements to advance site surveys, relocation planning and preliminary construction design. The council selected Bailey Construction (award: $2,901,602 plus sales tax) as the design-builder and authorized Kimley Horn and other consultants to manage relocation outreach and property appraisal work.
- Public–private delivery exploration: The council adopted a resolution to select Public Facilities Group (PFG) as the third‑party facilitator to explore a public–private partnership model similar in form to a 63‑20 partnership (taxable bonds were anticipated for this project). The resolution passed unanimously.

Discussion highlights and open questions
- Cost and scope: Staff and consultant Ben Franz (SOJ) presented an overall cost framework that totaled about $82 million: roughly $42 million in hard construction costs, $20 million in soft costs and a placeholder of $20 million for property acquisition. Franz said that at the $42 million hard‑cost level the stadium would support about 3,500 seats but likely include up to 1,500 in temporary bleachers for initial operations.
- Revenue model: Pattison and staff described multiple revenue sources under negotiation: tickets taxes, concession and naming-rights revenue, and capital contributions from private sport partners. Pattison said private partners had committed to a “range of upfront capital contributions” and to assume much of day‑to‑day operations. He and council members said more detailed lease and pro‑forma work is needed and will be provided before any larger financial commitment.
- Property acquisition and relocation: Council approved a Kimley Horn agreement for relocation and property outreach work. Council members and business owners pressed for clear, early relocation plans and for staff to provide firm timelines. City staff said construction, at the earliest, would begin in Q1 2026 and that relocation planning would proceed well ahead of any demolition or construction. “We are committed to relocating businesses,” consultant Ben Franz said, and the city emphasized that relocation assistance would follow the Uniform Relocation Assistance standards.
- Risk and contingency: The project team described a 10% contingency within the total project budget and said progressive design‑build delivery, plus partner commitments, are intended to limit cost growth and provide a guaranteed maximum price at a later stage.

Public comment and council reaction
More than a dozen residents, business owners, sports representatives and team officials spoke during the public comment period. Supporters — including representatives from the AquaSox, the USL partner and local soccer and college coaches — said the facility would support year‑round events and help revive downtown. Opponents and several downtown business owners asked for stronger relocation guarantees and questioned the project’s cost assumptions and financing timeline; one business owner described construction impacts already experienced during preliminary site work.

Council votes and next steps
The council approved the initial budget appropriation (council bill 2505-30), the budget amendment ordinance for the project, the ordinance authorizing acquisition (including eminent domain), several consultant agreements, the selection of a design‑builder and the selection of Public Facilities Group to continue exploring a public‑private delivery model. Several motions passed 6–1 with Council member Tuohy voting no on a subset of the measures; the public‑facilities selection passed unanimously.

Council members asked staff to return with a fuller pro‑forma, firm partner commitments tied to the 60% design milestone, and a detailed relocation plan and timeline for affected businesses. Staff said they will deliver a final packet and supporting materials to the council in advance of the next council meeting and that site design will advance to 60% before larger capital commitments are finalized.

Ending note: The project cleared key procedural and funding hurdles to move into detailed design and property acquisition. But the largest questions — final public‑private financing terms, the precise cost of acquisition and relocation, and the structure of lease revenue — remain to be finalized in forthcoming staff reports and lease negotiations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Everett City Council Meeting: June 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Everett City Council approved $4.8 million in initial funds, property‑acquisition authority and consultant and design‑builder contracts Wednesday to advance the proposed Everett Outdoor Event Center in downtown Everett.","taxTitle","Everett, Snohomish County, Washington","taxId",2974,"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},6201361,"Residents urge inclusionary zoning as Everett holds public hearing on 2044 comprehensive plan update",6531,1047000,7578000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3794568-1e7911a8e0b75ae03a12c7f9b7737fcb&start=1047&end=7578","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3794568-1e7911a8e0b75ae03a12c7f9b7737fcb/thumbnail_1047000.jpg","/articles/6201361/Everett/Snohomish-County/Washington/Residents-urge-inclusionary-zoning-as-Everett-holds-public-hearing-on-2044-comprehensive-plan-update","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6201361-2ce282e9c82a31596d750152f73a3cc2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135261&Signature=KFl2hyuIWHRTE~RP7~IdjWvQ-IHc8pna33tbV8Gj0J1W4EfV5Y0JVPEcFg7DCT-zPNf9cikGsv4q4WitH6D5Z1ilqGvASdrCsyss4ttwG4C02gX-mPJN9F~HgAPiFHnRbsdfZ-kr-00q83OLezhfxd2xe8yrYJ5KeZl3Tt8c1HHEgjcj1OG1hm4Y8dC3Sv-jLber0i5XtgpR6bk0RcWN1-y6qZBfQEHzHWpfB3z2UDiTeLUrB1ip0rP84DVPGOlz~BkW7FbMEmDn6y22C5AbzUJJ2koK9RnxUGJNI6ncEVVm9rKOvk~5NYdTuPxtFl5dLsdROYG3ltdtCoogqE~XCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Everett — Dozens of residents and community organizations urged the Everett City Council on Wednesday to keep inclusionary zoning in the draft Everett 2044 comprehensive plan, saying the policy is needed to prevent displacement in low‑income, transit‑adjacent neighborhoods.

At the public hearing on the periodic update and implementing development regulations, speakers from Casino Road and other neighborhoods described housing instability, overcrowding and recent eviction notices. The Planning Commission chair, who addressed the council during the hearing, also urged the council to reconsider removal of inclusionary zoning language that had been part of earlier drafts.

“Removing this policy from the final draft disregards the time, energy, and lived experience that community members brought to this process,” said a Casino Road resident during public comment. Planning Commission Chair Demi Chatters told the council she was “very disappointed in the planning commission in their choice to remove the recommendation for inclusionary zoning” in the version that reached the council and urged the council to “take another look.”

Why this matters: Everett’s update is intended to guide growth through 2044 and to meet state and county housing forecasts. City staff said the update must balance increased housing capacity with protections against displacement; one specific tool — inclusionary zoning — would require a share of units in certain new developments to be affordable. Supporters said the policy is a widely used tool in nearby jurisdictions and is particularly urgent where rail and other infrastructure investments may raise market pressures.

What happened at the hearing
- Public comment: More than a dozen residents, advocates and service providers testified. Several speakers from Casino Road and South Everett asked the council to retain inclusionary zoning in the final plan; others raised concerns about neighborhood commercial rules, parking, alley access and design standards for porches and street‑facing entrances.
- Planning Commission position: Demi Chatters, chair of the Planning Commission, explained the planning commission’s review history and said the city needs to accelerate housing production and better protect renters. She noted the commission previously recommended inclusionary zoning in earlier drafts and expressed disappointment that the recommendation was removed in the transmitted version.
- Council procedure: The council opened and then closed the public hearing on the two complementary ordinances (the comprehensive plan and the development regulations). Council will take final readings and potential amendments at the June 18, 2025 meeting. Staff said they will issue a final draft packet on Friday ahead of the June 18 votes.

Substantive concerns raised by commenters
- Inclusionary zoning: Advocates argued inclusionary zoning would help current Casino Road residents stay in place as transit and other investments arrive. Speakers noted that more than a dozen jurisdictions in the Puget Sound region have inclusionary zoning policies, and urged Everett to be the next.
- Parking and alley access: Several commenters asked the city to restrict curb cuts and require parking and trash access from alleys where alleys exist, to preserve on‑street parking and neighborhood character.
- Neighborhood commercial framework: Speakers supported tighter limits on hours (suggested 7 a.m.–10 p.m. rather than 6 a.m.–11 p.m.), limits on the size and types of clinics permitted, and a prohibition on drive‑through uses in the proposed neighborhood commercial overlay.
- Design standards: Commenters recommended minimum porch depth and building transparency rules that preserve street‑facing entrances, and asked the city to adopt floor‑area ratio standards consistent with state model language to limit over‑scaled buildings in neighborhoods.

Next steps
The council closed the hearing and will consider final votes and any council amendments at its June 18 meeting. Staff said a final packet will be released this Friday and that council amendments at the June 18 meeting will be incorporated into the final adoption materials. Several council members and staff said they plan additional outreach with neighborhoods that requested refinements to height and transition rules.

Ending note: The hearing showed strong community engagement and competing priorities — a push to meet state growth targets while seeking policy tools to protect low‑income residents. Several council members signaled they want more time and additional detail on specific neighborhood requests before finalizing the plan.","Residents and community groups urged Everett’s City Council Wednesday to retain inclusionary zoning and other anti‑displacement measures in the Everett 2044 comprehensive plan update.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Everett council approves initial funding, property actions to advance downtown outdoor event center

Residents urge inclusionary zoning as Everett holds public hearing on 2044 comprehensive plan update