Urban3 analysis shows higher tax productivity for mixed‑use development; Lynnwood officials weigh annexation and policy tools

A consultant analysis used by Snohomish County and presented to the Lynnwood City Council on Wednesday shows property tax revenue per acre is far higher for compact, mixed‑use parcels than for low‑density single‑family land — a framing the consultant calls the difference between "miles per tank" and "miles per gallon." Officials said the tool can help the city target annexation, transit‑oriented change and infrastructure investment.

Chris Collier, who presented the Urban3 work for the county alliance, described the analysis as an attempt to measure how much tax revenue each acre produces rather than raw totals. "When you divide value by the acreage that it sits on, you come out far ahead" with smaller commercial parcels and mixed‑use parcels, Collier said, showing maps that re‑ranked county parcels when measured per acre rather than in total assessed value.

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