Everett planning staff present draft development regulations, propose new zone framework and use rules

Planning staff presented a complete draft of Everett’s comprehensive plan and companion development regulations and asked the planning commission for feedback on specific zoning and use changes that will be part of the Everett 2044 update.

York Stevens Wojta, planning director, told commissioners the city had published the “04/07/2025 complete review draft” and opened a public comment period through May 12, and that the draft would go through further public hearings, including a city council session “tomorrow” and a planning commission hearing on May 6. “We have published a complete draft of the comprehensive plan and development regulations and made that available to the public for review and comment. We are in a comment period on this draft through May 12,” Stevens Wojta said.

Why it matters: The draft restructures residential and mixed‑use zoning across Everett and will guide where housing, commercial activity and light industry may locate for years to come. Commissioners pressed staff for specific limits and clarity on how the new zones will interact with lenders, childcare regulations, and industrial uses.

Key proposals and discussion

- New zone framework: Staff proposed replacing the four single‑family zones (RS/R1/R2/R2A) with a neighborhood residential (NR) zone and a neighborhood residential constrained zone intended to preserve existing development patterns in limited‑access areas. Urban residential zones would be named UR plus a number that denotes height (for example, “UR4” indicates a four‑floor urban residential zone). Stevens Wojta said the change was driven by the state middle‑housing requirements and the city’s goal to permit a wider range of housing types.

- Height, coverage and unit limits: For the neighborhood residential zone staff proposed a 35‑foot height limit, maximum lot coverage in the 50–60% range depending on unit count, and a 15‑by‑15 shared‑yard requirement for units not fronting a street. Staff said they would not “count doorknobs” — i.e., the code would not impose a prescriptive cap on unit counts on a lot but practical dimensional limits would constrain buildable units.

- Definitions and technical changes: The draft collapses multiple dwelling definitions into a single “dwelling” definition, clarifies what constitutes a separate kitchen (to prevent home‑occupation bakeries from being treated as a second dwelling), adds a park‑and‑ride definition to distinguish it from commercial parking, and aligns terms such as “sleeping unit/cohousing” with state law.

- Neighborhood commercial and adaptive reuse: Staff introduced a neighborhood commercial framework intended to support small‑scale, walkable businesses near arterials. The draft enumerates example uses (cafés, artists’ studios, social services, small libraries and similar uses) and includes an “other uses if compatible” clause. Adaptive reuse of nonresidential buildings was moved out of the use matrix into a dedicated section; staff said they will reconcile whether administrative review or other review pathways are needed when converting larger nonresidential buildings.

- Childcare and social services: The draft maps daycare and childcare uses across zones and flagged a reference note that currently limits neighborhood‑scale daycares to 3,000 square feet in some places. Commissioners asked staff to reconsider that cap and to ensure local code aligns with state licensing requirements that require outdoor play areas. Several commissioners urged broader allowances for childcare to address local shortages.

- Mini‑storage, light industrial and mixed‑use centers: The draft includes a proposed minimum floor‑area‑ratio requirement (FAR 2) for mini‑storage in mixed urban zones to encourage multi‑story development, effectively limiting single‑story mini‑storage. Staff proposed reclassifying some light industrial uses as administrative uses (staff approval with possible conditions) rather than conditional uses, and limiting light industrial in mixed‑use centers to 5,000 square feet gross floor area to favor “urban manufacturing” and small‑scale production rather than large warehouses. Commissioners asked staff to justify the 5,000 sq ft breakpoint and to keep the reference notes adjustable.

- Transit, parking and EV charging: Staff separated park‑and‑ride from commercial parking to ensure transit facilities associated with light rail and bus rapid transit are not treated the same as standalone commercial parking; they also acknowledged a gap for standalone electric vehicle charging facilities and said they would add a use or placeholder to address EV charging stations and associated electrical infrastructure.

Commissioner and staff follow‑ups

Commissioners asked staff to: - Clarify how the new “dwelling” language will interact with mortgage lenders and programs such as Fannie Mae; staff noted a Fannie Mae search suggested eligibility if a use is legally permitted in the underlying zone, but promised to follow up with lenders. - Revisit daycare size limits, parking and loading requirements tied to mini‑storage, and administrative review pathways for adaptive reuse in NR zones. - Provide maps and examples showing where neighborhood commercial rules would apply (several commissioners requested the arterial map referenced in council discussions).

No formal vote

The planning commission took no formal vote on the draft regulations during the meeting; staff said they expect to revise the draft after public and council comment and then return a final supplemental environmental impact statement and a staff recommendation before the planning commission issues a formal recommendation to city council.

Ending

Staff requested additional written comments and said the full draft documents are available on everettwa.gov/2040four and in print at two libraries. Stevens Wojta told commissioners staff will consolidate comments into a report for the planning commission and city council and said parking, chapter 13 and a few other sections will appear in a second book of regulations to follow.