McCormick Village update: staff describes mixed-use concept, middle-housing and shared-street design

Staff provided an update on McCormick Village, a multi-phase middle-housing development in the Fort Orchard area that incorporates a pedestrian-oriented commercial core, shared-street design and a mix of housing types.

Nick (staff member) described the site as roughly 21 acres with about 18 acres of residential use, 3.7 acres set aside for commercial, and approximately 1 acre of wetland preservation. The applicant’s concept materials cited approximately 359 units overall though only the first half of the project has been permitted; staff said unit counts for the western half are still under review and the final number could change.

Staff and the developer (McCormick Communities, per staff materials) are proposing middle-housing types including small detached homes, carriage houses, four-plex and six-plex buildings and cottage-style units. The plan relies on narrow, shared streets (a woonerf or "shared street") for residential blocks and pedestrian-only promenades for the commercial core. Staff showed international examples (Stockholm, France, Sweden) and said design features include alleys for vehicle access, on-street parking limited to narrow sections, and traffic-calming measures.

Commissioners asked about police input on speeding, about fire-code limits (20-foot clear widths), and the interaction between shared streets and emergency access. Staff said fire-code requirements limit how much the design can narrow a roadway and noted state law discussions are ongoing regarding permitted speed limits on such shared facilities. Commissioners also asked about golf-cart access and parking; staff said the project could include a golf-cart parking/drop-off area or dedicated crossings but noted safety and crossing design would guide any connection to the larger road network.

Staff said some commercial building permits are under review and that the near-term timeline for those first commercial buildings is 12 to 18 months for construction once permits are issued. Staff also noted a public-facing 3-D walkthrough of the site is available on the city website.

Ending: The presentation was informational; staff will continue reviewing the western portion of the project and return with permit updates. The commission suggested follow-up with police, fire and traffic engineering on speed and access issues.