Everett planning commission backs May 30 Everett 20 44 drafts, removes inclusionary zoning from recommendation

The Everett Planning Commission voted June 3 to recommend adoption of the May 30 drafts of the Everett 20 44 comprehensive plan and associated development regulations, subject to a commission amendment that removes the proposed inclusionary zoning section and asks the City Council to pursue subarea planning and anti-displacement measures for the parts of south Everett affected by the rule.

The recommendation follows a staff presentation of the May 30 draft materials, a summary of substantive changes since earlier drafts, and a public hearing that included comments from neighborhood residents, the Port of Everett and building-industry representatives. The commission took a series of roll-call votes: first to open the public hearing, then on the resolution transmitting the commission’s recommendation to the City Council with amendments. All recorded votes were unanimous.

Staff told the commission the May 30 materials include two proposed ordinances (one adopting the comprehensive plan and one adopting development regulation amendments), a housing appendix, a transportation appendix, a change report summarizing substantive edits from April 7 and May 10 drafts, a specific-amendment disposition memo, and a final supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) and response appendix to be posted to everettwah.gov/2040four. Staff said the SEIS added a housing needs analysis and land-capacity analysis and otherwise made mostly minor corrections to the draft SEIS.

Why this matters: Everett 20 44 is the periodic comprehensive-plan update that guides where housing and related development can occur in Everett for years to come. Changes in zoning, development standards and administrative tools included in the update affect neighborhood character, development feasibility and the city’s ability to meet state and regional growth targets.

Key outcomes and directions

- Recommendation to City Council: The commission moved to recommend the May 30 draft comprehensive plan and development regulations to the City Council, with the explicit amendment removing the inclusionary zoning regulations (the section in the draft code identified as the inclusionary zoning provision). The commission’s recommendation also asks the council to pursue near-term subarea planning and anti-displacement strategies for the areas identified by residents and staff.

- Inclusionary zoning removed from recommendation: Commissioners debated a proposal to require inclusionary zoning in a small area of south Everett (near Casino Road). After discussion and two procedural amendments, the commission voted to remove the inclusionary zoning section from its recommendation and instead asked staff and council to pursue subarea planning, monitoring, and anti-displacement measures suggested in previous studies (for example, Rethink Housing).

- Accessory dwelling units (ADUs): Staff said the update corrects prior inconsistencies so ADUs can be built where currently allowed without triggering unintended frontage or fee obligations. Park impact fees for ADUs will be charged at 50% of the principal-unit rate under state law; staff noted that language did not appear in the May 30 draft but would be inserted before final adoption. The code now allows ADUs to meet the height of the zone and clarifies setbacks and parking rules. Staff explained that required parking spaces must have independent access (so tandem parking cannot be used to satisfy required parking for more than one required space), but tandem parking is still allowed for non-required residential parking.

- Inclusionary-fee mechanics and fees: Staff described the inclusionary “fee in lieu” option that had been in the draft: $15 per square foot of gross floor area as an alternative to building on-site affordable units, with a 50% reduction (i.e., $7.50 per sq. ft.) on smaller projects between 7 and 15 units. Staff said the draft contemplates deferred payment options (potentially secured by a lien) to ease financing impacts, with the fee ordinarily due at building permit issuance unless deferred. Staff gave examples placing the $15/sq.ft. figure in context: a hypothetical 5,000-square-foot dwelling equates to roughly $15,000, while park, traffic and school impact fees in some cases are in the low thousands per unit (park about $1,000/bedroom; traffic $6,000–$7,000; schools $3,000–$4,000 — numbers staff used as examples during discussion).

- Zoning map and neighborhood commercial: Staff described several zoning map edits including reducing some UR4 (urban residential 4) areas to neighborhood residential (NR) and adding limited neighborhood commercial allowances on a short stretch of West Mukilteo Boulevard between Sound and Upland to allow small, neighborhood-serving uses such as bike shops or studios in corner/limited locations. The staff presentation emphasized that the City Council was still refining neighborhood commercial locations and uses.

- Design, parking, transparency, and waterfront heights: Staff summarized edits to design standards: reduced transparency requirements on ground floors (shifting the vertical measurement from the 2–10-foot band to 2–8 feet), consolidated rules prohibiting ground-level surface parking between buildings and streets into the parking chapter, adjusted rules on rear setbacks and private/shared yard sizes in neighborhood residential zones, and restored a waterfront industrial height bonus in discussion with Port of Everett staff to avoid unduly reducing heights on port property. The final waterfront height language was flagged as one of the few remaining items staff planned to revisit with the Port and council.

Public comment and neighborhood concerns

Public commenters focused on potential impacts to historic overlays and neighborhood character, the inclusionary zoning proposal in south Everett (Casino Road area), and ADU/tandem parking rules. Jean Saddy Hewitt, representing the Norton Grand Historic Overlay, urged protections along West Rucker Avenue, saying, “Everett 20 44 decisions will shape the future of our city, and we hope they will prove that Everett is a city with foresight that values its heritage and historic properties and seeks to promote quality of life, community, and vital growing neighborhoods along with accommodating reasonable growth.”

Laura Gurley of the Port of Everett thanked staff for outreach: “I just really wanted to thank, especially, Yurick and Allison for doing the incredible outreach that they did with us,” and noted the Port and staff continued to coordinate on waterfront height and compatibility issues.

Next steps

Staff told the commission the City Council will consider the update on June 11 and that the materials (including the final SEIS and responses to comments) would be posted on the Everett 20 44 project webpage. The commission recommended removal of the inclusionary zoning provision and requested that the council and staff pursue subarea planning and anti-displacement strategies and monitoring for the affected south Everett areas; staff also indicated the city will continue follow-up work with the Port of Everett and other partners on a short list of outstanding technical items prior to final council action.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to open the public hearing on Everett 20 44: roll-call vote recorded as unanimous (Commissioners Atkins, Ballard, Finch, Sullivan, Shelby, Rutledge, Welch — all “yes”). Outcome: approved.

- Motion to recommend the May 30 comprehensive plan and development regulations to City Council (resolution on the screen): moved, seconded, and then amended during deliberations. Outcome: recommendation approved with commission amendments (removal of inclusionary zoning and direction to pursue subarea planning/anti-displacement measures), roll-call unanimous.

- Amendment to remove inclusionary zoning from the commission recommendation (removal of the code section identified in the draft inclusionary provisions): moved and seconded; roll-call unanimous. Outcome: approved.

What the commission did not do

The commission did not adopt final ordinances (the City Council retains final legislative authority). The commission’s action is a formal recommendation to the council; staff and council retain authority to modify language, add sunset clauses, or adopt alternative anti-displacement strategies before final adoption.

Meeting context and timeline

The commission’s actions close a multiyear process. Staff noted the project was scoped beginning in February 2022, specific amendment requests were advanced in June 2023, and the work incorporated regional planning material from the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Vision 2050. The City Council had a scheduled public hearing on the update on June 11, 2025.

Ending

With the commission’s recommendation transmitted to the City Council, staff will post final SEIS materials and continue targeted follow-up on short technical issues flagged in the meeting, and the council will take up the proposed ordinances at its upcoming meeting.