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Bothell council eliminates off‑street parking minimums, adopts Phase 2 comprehensive code updates
Summary
On July 8 the Bothell City Council adopted Phase 2 of comprehensive plan code updates, removing off‑street parking minimums, adding a neighborhood‑scale commercial definition and eliminating maximum building coverage in favor of hard‑surface limits. The vote passed 6‑1 after debate on long‑term parking implications.
Bothell’s City Council voted on July 8 to adopt a set of Phase 2 comprehensive-plan code updates that remove off‑street parking minimums, create a definition for “neighborhood‑scale commercial” and eliminate maximum building coverage in favor of regulating hard‑surface coverage.
Council supporters said the changes reduce regulatory barriers for housing and small businesses; one council member opposed the parking minimum removal and voted against the ordinance.
Deputy Community Development Director and planner Jacqueline Sampson summarized the package for council, explaining the updates respond to the 2024 comprehensive plan and follow guidance from the Washington State Department of Commerce. Sampson told the council the proposed changes “include eliminating off street parking minimums as well as updating related requirements for bicycle parking and rideshare parking.” She also noted the city moved to regulate maximum hard-surface coverage rather than building coverage to simplify review.
Why it matters: removing parking minimums is intended to lower the development cost burden that can make smaller housing types and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) harder to build. The change also responds to state law and regional policy shifts.
Key votes and outcome Council member Amanda Dodd moved the adoption; Council member Jenny Aldrichs seconded. The ordinance passed on a 6‑1 vote: Yes — Mayor Thompson; Council members Aldrichs, Kurd, Dodd, McCord and Deputy Mayor Alcavara; No — Council member Ben Manki. Council member Jean Zorns was absent and excused.
Debate highlights Council member Manki said he supported parts of the update but opposed the complete elimination of parking minimums. “I think they're too heavy as they are right now,” he said in part, and later added he would vote no because he was “unsure” about abandoning minimums entirely given future uncertainties about transportation modes and the difficulty of adding parking later.
Supporters said the change removes a regulatory cost that effectively taxes new housing units and can make small-scale projects infeasible. Council member Karsten Kurd described the update as “a big step away from the way we've always done things toward our community's values a little bit closer,” arguing parking minimums can increase traffic and pollution and discourage smaller housing types.
Implementation and related rules The ordinance packages other updates that implement the city’s comprehensive plan direction: a new municipal-code definition for neighborhood‑scale commercial (staff cited Bothell Municipal Code section references in their materials), elimination of maximum building-coverage limits in favor of maximum hard-surface coverage, clarifications to variance criteria, and updates to private-docketing and net-billable-area rules.
Staff noted the changes were accelerated in part by recent state law (Senate Bill 5184, enacted May 7, 2025), which prompted a reexamination of parking policy.
Ending Council directed staff to proceed with final ordinance publication and to provide implementation guidance to applicants and staff as the new rules take effect. Staff said they would provide materials to help developers and residents understand the new parking, bicycle parking and rideshare standards.
