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Sammamish staff begin overhaul of right-of-way code and public-works standards; CIP reprioritization discussed
Summary
City engineers described a 2025 initiative to update the right-of-way chapter of the development code and the city’s Public Works Standards, and presented a six-year combined transportation and stormwater capital plan with program delays and staffing constraints.
City staff told the Sammamish City Council on Tuesday they will begin a multi‑year overhaul of the right‑of‑way code (Sammamish Development Code chapter 21.8) and the Public Works Standards, documents the city has not comprehensively updated in a decade.
City Engineer Lehi Wu and Deputy Public Works Director Greg Samatillo said the code and standards govern critical topics — permitting, street and stormwater design, maintenance, and inspection — and must be aligned with the comprehensive plan, recent legislation and current best practices. Wu observed that the standards have not been updated since 2016 and that multiple internal guidance documents now conflict with the code.
Jennifer Vonelli and others said the update will be a major undertaking that requires a consultant and sustained internal engagement. Staff proposed a schedule to select a consultant in Q3 2025 and to deliver draft updates in early 2026. The update will address topics including pedestrian connectivity, utilities in the right-of-way, stormwater design, consistent permit timelines, and a town-center interim standard adopted in 2020.
Separately, staff provided a status report on the city’s transportation and surface-water capital programs. Staff said most ongoing construction projects remain on schedule but that some projects have been delayed because of staffing shortages and procurement difficulties. Notable items mentioned included the Sahali Way study (presented earlier in the meeting), Lewis‑Thompson Road work, East Lake Sammamish Parkway stabilization (consultant solicitation yielded no submissions), and camera inspection of storm pipes ahead of overlays.
Staff said they plan to publish updated six‑year TIP (transportation improvement program) and SWIP (stormwater improvement program) lists this summer, to align with the citywide CIP and to inform grant and procurement timelines. Councilmembers requested details on how frequently standards will be updated going forward, whether franchise/franchised utility work will be governed more consistently, and how undergrounding and other long‑term infrastructure strategies might be evaluated during the code update.
No formal council action was taken Tuesday on code or standards changes; staff requested council input and committed to return multiple times during the update process for policy-level decisions.
