Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mill Creek council begins SEPA scoping for Southtown Center redevelopment
Summary
City staff and consultants opened the scoping phase of a State Environmental Policy Act environmental impact statement for the Southtown Center subarea, presenting a draft redevelopment framework that emphasizes a Main Street, walkability, new park space and multimodal improvements. The public comment period is open during the scoping stage.
Mill Creek city staff and outside consultants briefed the City Council on Oct. 7 as the city opened scoping for an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the State Environmental Policy Act for the Southtown Center subarea.
Consultants described a redevelopment framework centred on a new Main Street extension, more pedestrian crossings and a central park that would connect to the existing pond and the North Creek Trail. Jeff Foster, the GGLO principal on the project, told the council, “Southtown Center is now designated an urban center in your comp plan… This is the opportunity to build on what's already there and make improvements for the decades to come.”
The draft goals presented to the council included extending a walkable district, expanding housing choices, aligning growth with infrastructure and improving stormwater systems. Staff and consultants proposed breaking up large superblocks and increasing the number of pedestrian intersections. The project presentation said the plan would reduce current block crossing intervals “from roughly 900 feet to 350” and add continuous protected bike lanes and traffic-calming measures.
Rich Shipanski, the environmental specialist on the team, outlined what the EIS will evaluate and its role. “First of all, EIS is not a permit. It's an informative document that helps the city and helps the team formulate the plan,” he said, adding the document will analyze biological resources, land use, population and employment, utilities (including stormwater), transportation, aesthetics and alternatives ranging from “no action” to higher-density scenarios.
Consultants flagged possible mitigation and implementation tools, including the option to adopt a planned-action ordinance after the EIS so project proposals consistent with the plan would not require separate SEPA review. Staff noted the city issued a determination of significance on Oct. 3 and is now in the scoping comment period; Rich Shipanski said the scoping process “will go until the 20 eighth” and that comments received will be reviewed and “the EIS can reflect it if it's deemed appropriate.”
Council members pressed consultants on design detail, parking and implementation. Councilmember Steckler asked about condominium design elements and parking ratios; consultants replied they had not specified building-level ownership forms and were using early “shape-on-site” massing with a roughly 1:1 parking ratio for planning, while noting policy steps and a parallel citywide parking regulation update could address parking requirements. Councilmember McEvoy asked whether a proposed north–south internal street would require property acquisition; consultants said private and public mechanisms were possible and that phasing would likely spread costs across redevelopment.
What’s next: consultants said they will develop alternatives this fall and return in the new year with draft recommendations, massing studies and design guidelines. The council was told the scoping record will inform the draft EIS, which will have a public comment period once published.
Votes at a glance: none. Staff noted the scoping period is open and will accept agency and public comments during the scoping window identified on the city’s website.
Ending: The council closed the study-session segment and moved on to its next agenda items; staff and the consultant team said they will provide additional opportunities for stakeholder and public input through fall and into 2026.
