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Sammamish previews town center code rewrite as SEIS comment period continues
Summary
City staff and consultants presented a draft rewrite of the Town Center code and invited public comment during an ongoing SEIS comment period, outlining form-based zoning, an "eco factor" for landscaping, changes to parking rules tied to recent state law, and a proposed optional master concept plan for larger sites.
Sammamish City officials and their planning consultants on Tuesday previewed a draft rewrite of the Town Center code and urged feedback while the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) comment period remains open through July 9.
The draft code, scheduled for publication June 23, would simplify the Town Center zoning into fewer districts, replace parts of the existing Unified Development Code with a form-based approach emphasizing street-facing design, and introduce an "eco factor" (a green-score system) to encourage trees, plantings and other greening treatments, Jeff Arango of Framework told the Sammamish City Council.
The preview matters because the council will select a preferred alternative on July 15 and publish a final EIS in August; the code rewrite is intended to make the Town Center easier to administer, align standards with market realities, and create tools to encourage affordable housing and environmental features.
Arango summarized a code audit finding that "the code is just really confusing to use. It's hard to administer, and there's a lot of discretion that's involved," and said the update aims to remove duplicative sections, clarify standards and replace a cumbersome unified-zone development permit process with an optional master concept plan for larger (more than five contiguous acres) projects.
Deputy director of community development Matt Bradmeier said the SEIS was published June 9 and that the draft code will be posted June 23; an open house is scheduled June 25 and the council will preview SEIS comments and choose an alternative on July 15. Arango described the eco factor as "a flexible point based system to integrate trees, landscape, green design into projects in a very flexible way." He said the system is already used in other cities and can be administered with a scoring sheet.
Council members pressed staff on specifics. Councilmember Sid Gupta asked whether each property would be required to meet a green-score threshold; Arango replied, "That's correct."
Deputy Mayor Amy Lamb asked whether the eco factor could be tied to quantifiable greenhouse gas savings. Arango said staff would research examples and follow up. Councilmember Pamela Stewart asked whether form-based code would force small unit types; Arango said the code would not dictate unit mix, and that "a form based code actually would be the opposite of being prescriptive in the sense that ... the applicant's choice" determines unit sizes.
The presentation also addressed parking changes required by recent state legislation. Arango told the council the state law preempts local minimum parking mandates: "One of the recent bills ... puts limits on what cities can require for parking." He added that the law does not set a maximum and developers may still provide more parking for market or financing reasons.
On housing incentives, Arango said the current pool of transfer-of-development-rights (TDR) credits from King County has been largely used and that the city's update would honor existing credits while considering whether additional public-benefit trades (additional affordable housing, TDRs or other benefits) could be authorized as part of height or incentive packages.
Public commenters during the session voiced both support and concern. Jennifer Kim urged the council "not to approve the additional 2,000 housing units at the Town Center" citing lack of transit and infrastructure; Jason Kiefer, who said he could not afford to buy in Sammamish, urged the council to allow "yes to more homes." Several residents, including Heather Murphy Raines, said they worry doubling units would change the city's character and urged more outreach.
Matt Bradmeier said staff and Framework have been meeting with property owners, agencies and stakeholders since January and that the team will return July 15 with a recommendation for the SEIS preferred alternative and next steps for public hearings and adoption.
The council did not take final action Tuesday; staff asked the public to submit SEIS comments by July 9 and attend the June 25 open house to review the draft code and street, utilities and permitting details.
