Mountlake Terrace commission recommends Housing Action Plan with added developer feedback and implementation clarifications

The Mountlake Terrace Planning Commission voted Nov. 10 to recommend the draft Housing Action Plan to the City Council with proposed additions and amendments discussed at the meeting.

The commission opened a public hearing on the draft after the consultant summarized a single substantive change: added language clarifying how actions are prioritized as near-, mid- and long-term. The consultant said near-term items are intended to be implemented within about a year, midterm items may take three to five years depending on capacity, and long-term actions will likely require new funding or partnerships. "This is our final meeting together," the consultant said, summarizing the plan and the schedule for review by council work session and a Dec. 4 council public hearing.

The plan translates the housing element of the comprehensive plan into concrete actions with cut sheets for each item. It lists completed and in-progress work—zoning and design updates to align with House Bill 1110 to promote middle housing and density bonuses for sustainable building—alongside near-term items such as updating subarea plans, reviewing town‑center zoning and simplifying accessory dwelling unit (ADU) permitting to a building-permit-only process. The consultant also described updating impact-fee assessments to a per‑square‑foot basis to encourage smaller-unit production.

Commissioners pressed for clarity on implementation sequencing and developer input. "I often find myself looking for information from on the ground, like developers, as inputs to a lot of the policy," a commissioner said, urging the city establish a regular feedback loop so priorities better reflect developer realities. Staff agreed and said the commission could add an ongoing action to proactively seek developer feedback and coordinate follow-up, noting that outreach already occurs but could be made more systematic.

A commissioner asked why some midterm items were placed in a three- to five-year window. Staff and the consultant replied that while many code updates could be started in the next 6–12 months, broader MFTE (multifamily tax-exemption) program refinements and associated studies generally take additional time. The consultant said MFTE studies typically take "around 6 months to a year" on the consultant side and that final timing depends on city budget, council priorities and engagement.

An online commenter, Mike Lawrence, urged the city to "solidify" street‑frontage design standards and the availability of city funding before final design, saying mid‑stream changes to engineering contracts can create a "waterfall effect" that forces building redesigns and long delays. Staff acknowledged the comment, noted that permitting clarity is already an action in the plan, and said they would consider whether additional planning-level standards or implementation guidance should be added.

After public comment, the commission voted to recommend the Housing Action Plan to the City Council "with proposed additions and amendments, in concept as discussed at this meeting." The motion passed on a voice vote with no opposition recorded. The chair said the item will go to the council work session later this week and a council public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 4.

The commission also handled routine business: excusing Commissioner Morgan for the evening, approving Oct. 27 minutes and confirming an excused absence for a previous meeting. The meeting adjourned at the close of miscellaneous business.