Planning commission to solicit public comment on downtown historic color palette; staff to invite King County preservation

The Snoqualmie Planning Commission directed staff April 21 to seek public comment on a proposed expansion of the downtown historic overlay color palette and asked staff to invite King County historic preservation staff to the next hearing.

City consultant Andrew Levins presented options drawn from other Washington towns’ historic palettes, including Sherwin‑Williams and Benjamin Moore collections. He recommended bringing one or more curated palettes to public comment rather than leaving color choices entirely open.

“Basically, we're here to meet again on the, historic color palette options,” Levins said. He summarized code constraints: exterior paint changes within the historic overlay require a Type 1 permit, while colors not in an approved palette would require a Type 2 variance.

Commissioners and several attendees said the current rule — a very limited set of preapproved combinations — felt too restrictive for downtown businesses but that an open‑ended palette would be too vague and invite poor results. Commissioners asked staff to present a focused alternative at the next public hearing: a curated palette similar to Orting’s historical colors plus the city’s existing limited combinations, with clearer guidance on where “pop” or accent colors are allowable.

Vice Chair Coco and several commissioners said they favored limiting the range of primary building colors while allowing a broader set of accent/trim colors to give business owners some expressive options without allowing garish combinations. “Give the business owners 1 area to make some pop,” one commissioner said during discussion.

Staff reported King County Historic Preservation staff had advised against mandating a single strict palette in all cases, and commissioners asked staff to invite King County staff and other preservation experts to the public hearing so the commission and downtown business owners could hear technical guidance and examples.

The commission agreed to take the Orting‑style curated palette and the city’s existing palette out for public comment, invite King County preservation staff and other local stakeholders, and use the forthcoming public hearing to refine mandatory vs. recommended choices and to define how trim, awnings and accents would be regulated.

Commissioners also asked staff to include clear sample pairings and guidance (for example, suggested contrast rules between primary and trim colors) and to provide paint‑chip or manufacturer reference codes so applicants and staff can match colors consistently. Staff said it will return to the commission with a public hearing notice, the proposed palette for review and with King County preservation staff invited.