Residents urge zoning limits and historic overlay for small Terrace Drive and Hoyt Avenue blocks amid city comprehensive‑plan process
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Summary
Speakers during public comment urged the council to avoid high‑density rezoning on Terrace Drive and parts of Hoyt Avenue, and asked for a historic overlay; staff said the draft comp plan contains a proposed UR‑4 designation for seven parcels at 19th Street but the map can change before final adoption.
Several Everett residents used the public‑comment period to press the city to limit rezoning pressure in small, older residential blocks and to seek historic protections.
Eric Nordine, who said he lives on the 4300 block of Terrace Drive, told the council the two‑block street is a “quiet neighborhood residential street” and said the draft comprehensive plan’s proposed mixed‑use designations along nearby Rucker Avenue should not extend to Terrace Drive. “I think any MU designation is inappropriate for Terrace Drive,” Nordine said, urging the council to consider lower intensity zoning such as MU‑7 for the Rucker side and UB‑4 or UR‑7 on the Terrace side to create a “kinder, gentler transition” from commercial to residential uses.
Madeline Shepherd, a Northwest Everett resident, said portions of Hoyt Avenue are slated in the draft to be rezoned from R‑2 to UR‑4 and urged the council to pursue a historic overlay for Hoyt and parts of Colby Avenue. Shepherd said she and neighbors circulated a petition and found that many residents were unaware of the proposed rezoning; she reported collecting 53 signatures opposing the change and said she submitted the petition to the city.
City administration told the council staff will reach out to Shepherd’s neighborhood on the process for creating or expanding a historic overlay and explained that steps include a property survey, review by the Historic Preservation Commission, Planning Commission review and then council action. Staff also clarified that the draft plan currently shows the neighborhood residential designation along most of Hoyt but identifies seven parcels at 19th Street with a proposed UR‑4 designation that could be changed before the plan’s final readings.
Council members said they will review the specific block requests and noted the comp‑plan process allows map and designation changes as the council continues final deliberations. Council member Ryan, who said Terrace Drive is in his district, offered to look into Mr. Nordine's concerns.