Everett adopts 2044 plan and new development rules with targeted zoning, transit and preservation changes

The Everett City Council on June 18 adopted the Everett 2044 Comprehensive Plan and the Periodic Update Development Regulations after approving multiple staff- and council-sponsored amendments that modify transportation policies, new neighborhood commercial rules, and add studies on historic-area design and inclusionary zoning impacts.

The plan and regulations set long-range land-use and housing policy for the city through a combination of new policies, mapped rezones and development standards. Planning Director York Stevens Watts told the council the package combines the periodic update with local implementation steps, and staff recommended the set of amendments presented to the council. "This agreement is 1 of several agreements between the city and the developer," Stevens Watts said in an earlier briefing describing related implementation steps for other actions the council is considering.

Why it matters: the comprehensive plan and its companion development regulations govern where and how Everett will grow, how the city prioritizes transit and street safety, and what kinds of housing and small commercial uses neighborhoods may see. Council members and the public framed debates around displacement risk, preserving affordability and creating walkable neighborhood services.

Most notable council actions and staff directions - The council approved changes to several transportation policies to add explicit language on transportation demand management and prioritizing transit (policies referenced as TR 8, TR 15, TR 37 and TR 51 in staff materials). Staff said large projects or requests for parking…