Everett committee plans inventory, stakeholder roundtable to address vacant storefronts

The Everett City Council Parks and Built Environment Committee on April 9 discussed next steps for a vacant-storefronts policy development process that focuses on gathering on-the-ground information, coordinating with downtown stakeholders and sequencing any code changes to follow the city’s pending comprehensive plan.

Jennifer Gregerson, planning staff, told the committee that planning staff “haven't started work on any changes or proposals for the language that's in our code around vacant storefronts because they're still focused on the comprehensive plan.” She said the comprehensive plan is scheduled for council adoption on June 11 and that staff work on code changes would follow that action.

The committee agreed on a multi-step approach: have a summer intern conduct a storefront census and outreach, gather input from downtown stakeholders such as the Downtown Everett Association and the Chamber, and hold a public listening session or town hall before drafting code updates. Council member Voguely offered to lead grassroots outreach, saying, “I want a town hall. I'm putting my fist down.”

Why it matters: vacant ground-floor storefronts affect downtown vibrancy,…