Mayor Mayhew urges community-driven priorities as Snoqualmie planners set 2026 work plan; chair and vice chair re-elected
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Summary
Snoqualmie’s new mayor told the Planning Commission he wants the community to help set top priorities for 2026, while commissioners and staff identified a comp plan amendment, zoning-map update, climate-element timing, wireless code and historic-preservation work as key tasks. The commission re-elected its chair and vice chair by voice vote.
Mayor Brian Mayhew asked Snoqualmie’s Planning Commission on Feb. 2 to help the city define its top priorities for 2026, stressing collaboration and transparency rather than imposing an agenda.
"Planning commission service is one of the most influential things you can do in the community," Mayhew said, thanking members for their work and asking them to help the city "know its answers" about what residents want to prioritize. He described his approach as focused on process: eliciting community consensus before prescribing solutions.
Why it matters: Commissioners and staff identified several near-term and statutory tasks that will shape land use in the coming year. Director Davis told the commission that securing Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) certification requires a comp plan amendment and an updated zoning map, and that the city must refresh the housing and land-use elements, including a buildable-lands reconciliation.
"That's kind of a number one priority," Director Davis said, adding that staff will fold other code updates into that exercise, including historic-preservation rules and development-code changes tied to the zoning update.
Key issues discussed - Comp plan amendment and zoning map: Staff said the city must update the zoning map and complete a buildable-lands analysis this year to meet PSRC requirements for certification. That work will include code updates necessary to implement the zoning changes. - Historic preservation: Director Davis said the city has been out of compliance on the special-landmark commission requirement and needs to revisit the interlocal agreement and related code work. - Climate element: Staff recommended pausing the local climate-element effort while county and state changes are finalized. The commission noted the local climate element is not due until 2029, but some grant-driven priorities fall earlier; Director Davis flagged potential funding and timing trade-offs. - City finances and tax constraints: Mayhew described Washington’s property-tax structure as limiting, saying the "most that the city can raise property taxes is 1%" without voter approval and that roughly "70% of the city's costs are personnel-related," creating recurring budget pressure. - Economic development and "leakage": Commissioners and the mayor discussed retail leakage (residents spending outside Snoqualmie), retail gaps such as dry cleaners, and code limits (no big-box retailers, no drive-throughs) that constrain sales-tax growth. - Growth opportunities: The Growth Management Act and urban growth-area planning framed a conversation about Snoqualmie Hills (UGA), which remains designated for future incorporation, and the Mill Site, which has an existing development agreement with specified affordability commitments. - Technology and outreach: Commissioners asked about a draft AI policy and using AI for pre-meeting research. Director Davis said a city AI policy exists in draft form but has not been adopted and noted the city is recruiting a communications coordinator to improve outreach.
A recurring technical detail: Mayor Mayhew explained the city's revenue constraints under state law and that the property-tax increase limit without voter approval is 1 percent; staff and commissioners discussed other revenue sources (sales tax, user fees) and how local code limits sales-tax generating uses.
Votes and formal actions - Agenda amendment: The commission voted to amend the agenda to add a new-business item for election of chair and vice chair; approved by voice vote (tally not specified in the transcript). - Minutes: The commission approved the Dec. 1, 2025 minutes with clerical edits; approved by voice vote (tally not specified). - Election: Commissioners nominated and voted to re-elect the current chair and to re-elect Vice Chair Kolkup; the nominations carried by voice vote (tally not specified).
What’s next: Director Davis said the commission will prioritize staff work on the comp plan/zoning update and related code amendments this year. Because of holidays, spring break and two vacant commissioner seats, staff and the mayor will consider canceling the mid-February meeting and resume in March. Director Davis also asked commissioners to help recruit candidates for the two vacancies; an application is available on the city website.
At the meeting’s close at 8:21 p.m., Chair Tessman adjourned the session.
