Snoqualmie committee forwards revised historic downtown color palette to council

At a Community Development Committee meeting, members agreed to forward a proposed resolution to expand the historic downtown color palette to the full City Council for consideration on July 14, aiming to give downtown merchants more exterior color options while preserving the area’s historic character.

The proposal, presented by Community Development Director Mona Davis, grew from a process that began in February and included four follow-up planning commission meetings and a public hearing on May 19. Davis said downtown merchants told staff the existing palette left them “basically, like, beige, tan, and blah,” and that limited choices had increased time and expense by requiring design-review variances for many storefronts. “We came up with a color palette that everybody unanimously agreed upon,” Davis said.

The resolution, and an accompanying Exhibit A, expand permitted exterior base and trim combinations and add muted pastel accents while excluding very bright colors for building shells and factory colors on stone or brick. The staff memo in the committee packet explains additional clarity provisions, such as a recommended contrasting trim rule that discourages using the identical color for trim and base. Davis said the Planning Commission unanimously approved the recommended palette on May 19.

Councilmember Wadden praised the collaborative process and urged a full council presentation. “I wholeheartedly support this in moving it on to the council,” Wadden said, noting the Economic Development Commission and downtown merchants had driven the initiative. Chair Lewis Washington drew attention to a written exception included in the resolution allowing the use of a historic color if laboratory testing verifies it had been used on an individual Snoqualmie landmark or contributing building: "If a historic color is found to have been used on an individual Snoqualmie landmark or a contributing building within the landmark district through the use of laboratory testing, this color shall be permitted in a similar manner." Washington urged that the item be presented to council for transparency.

Committee members and staff discussed the Planning Commission’s role and a briefing from the King County historic preservation group given to the commission on May 5. Staff reported they had accepted physical color chips and public comments from business owners during the Planning Commission process. Commissioners and staff emphasized that the palette expansion is intended to reduce small-business costs tied to design-review variances while retaining guidance to protect the visual coherence of the historic downtown.

The committee did not take an ordinance-reading vote; members agreed to place the resolution on the City Council agenda with a formal presentation scheduled for the council meeting on July 14. Other routine business — approval of the meeting agenda and prior minutes — was completed before the color-palette discussion, and the committee adjourned following the item.

Next steps: staff will prepare a formal presentation of the resolution and Exhibit A for the City Council meeting on July 14; the Planning Commission record and the staff memo will accompany that item.