Consultants present midcourse strategic plan assessment as Snoqualmie growth slows

BERC Consulting presented a midcourse update on the city's strategic planning process during the Snoqualmie City Council roundtable on June 23, previewing a "city effectiveness assessment" and early engagement findings.

Brian Murphy, BERC Consulting, told the council the assessment "is only one input into the planning process. We are midway through community engagement." He said the firm is combining plan reviews, data analysis and targeted outreach to produce recommendations for an August retreat.

The consultants said Snoqualmie's population growth has slowed after a decades-long increase tied to development at Snoqualmie Ridge. "You were seeing sales tax on new construction. You were seeing an increase in your property taxes, and now a lot of that's gonna slow down," Murphy said, adding that the shift affects the city's fiscal outlook and service priorities.

The assessment cited housing constraints: the King County Growth Management Planning Council approved a reduction in Snoqualmie's 20-year housing growth target from about 1,500 units to 719 units, and BERC noted that roughly half the city's land is constrained by critical-area regulations and that much remaining residential land sits in residential owner associations (ROAs), limiting density options.

Consultant Maddie Immel said housing affordability remains a concern despite high median incomes. She cited data showing that about one-third of renter households are cost burdened (spending 30%-50% of income on housing) and noted steep housing costs could push some residents to move outside the city. Immel also pointed to a sharp increase in food-benefit sign-ups in regional needs assessments: a 42% increase from 2020 to 2022 in the study BERC reviewed.

On jobs and retail, the consultants reported about 5,500 jobs in 2023 and a King County employment target that would add roughly 4,425 jobs over 20 years. BERC also presented "pull factor" data showing that categories such as accommodations and food services draw customers from beyond city limits while other retail categories show leakage to neighboring markets and online sellers such as Amazon.

BERC outlined fiscal findings showing Snoqualmie currently in a stable position, with property tax comprising roughly 38% of revenue and sales tax about 15%. The consultants noted recent voter-supported measures to shore up revenue and said the city's revenue is projected to exceed expenditures through about 2029 under current assumptions, though inflation and rising personnel costs create long-term pressures.

Council members pressed on land-use constraints and housing targets. Councilor Johnson asked the consultants to examine the city's capacity to accommodate households at low area median income (AMI) levels; the consultants said they would follow up with staff and bring more detail in August. Councilor Benson raised questions about ROAs and accessory dwelling units (ADUs); council members noted state-level action would be required to preempt private covenants that restrict ADUs.

Murphy emphasized the tentative nature of the presentation and the continuing engagement work. "We're not committing council to anything in particular," he said, adding the team will return Aug. 15 for a three-hour retreat to present integrated findings from the engagement effort, including a statistically valid National Community Survey sample and targeted focus groups with business owners, downtown residents, seniors and human services providers.

The council asked BERC to prioritize further analysis of workforce housing, land capacity, economic development and retail leakage. The firm and staff will refine data, verify jurisdictional breakdowns for the human-services indicators cited, and bring ideas for potential strategies and trade-offs to the August session.