Mercer Island planning commission outlines 2025 work plan, flags state-law deadlines

Mercer Island planning staff on Feb. 26 presented the Bridal Planning Commission with a tentative work plan for 2025 that prioritizes state-law compliance and a handful of narrow code fixes.

Principal Planner Adam Zack told the commission the plan is intended to give commissioners an early view of likely code and comprehensive-plan work and the review steps they should expect. “The comprehensive plan can be amended once per year,” Zack said, noting the annual docket process and other routes the City Council uses to add items to the commission’s work load.

The department of Community Planning and Development highlighted several near-term items: regulations to implement House Bill 1042 (requiring cities to allow new dwelling units in existing buildings) with a staff briefing in March and a public hearing expected in April; a narrow amendment to clarify how downhill façade height is measured in single-family zones (section 19.02.020(e)) planned for April and a May hearing; and a subsequent code section to implement House Bill 1998 on co‑living housing (to be scheduled after the façade-height item). Staff said HB1042 regulations must be adopted by June 30 and that HB1998 work is targeted for later in the year.

Zack described how projects are added to the commission’s work plan — primarily through the annual docket (Sept. 1–Oct. 1 application window) and by council direction — and reviewed standard steps for code amendments: initial briefings, a staff draft, public notice and a public hearing (staff noted public hearings require a 30‑day notice), commission deliberations and a recommendation to council, followed by council readings.

Commissioners asked for clarifications on scheduling, how items might be combined when overlapping, and the status of a proposed new park zoning text from the Parks and Recreation Commission. Zack said the parks‑zone item remains on a variable timetable while the Parks and Recreation Commission finishes its draft. He said staff intends to bundle related amendments when feasible to avoid duplicative code amendments.

The work plan also lists the fall annual docket process; staff reminded commissioners that some projects currently on the list were docketed in 2023–24 but were deferred while the periodic comprehensive‑plan review concluded.

Looking ahead, staff asked commissioners to expect study sessions followed by at least one subsequent meeting that would include the public hearing and deliberation for simpler code changes, and additional rounds for more complex projects.