Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lake Stevens council approves right-of-way vacation to enable downtown roundabout and mixed-use development
Summary
The Lake Stevens City Council approved Ordinance 11 83 on Sept. 24, 2024, vacating 656 sq ft of right-of-way in exchange for 9,076 sq ft of dedicated land from developer North Cove LLC to accommodate a downtown roundabout and associated dedications for a private mixed-use project.
The Lake Stevens City Council on Sept. 24 approved an ordinance to vacate small portions of the 20th Street NE and Grama Road right-of-way to enable a downtown roundabout and a private mixed-use development at the intersection of 20th Street and Main.
Principal planner Melissa Place told the council the proposal, advanced by developer North Cove LLC, includes concurrent dedications that would give the city 9,076 square feet of right-of-way while the city would vacate a total of 656 square feet. She described the proposal as a negotiated trade that supports the city’s roundabout design and circulation goals and said the project follows the city’s Type 5 right-of-way vacation process under chapter 14.16.C.95 of the municipal code, which requires a public meeting, a hearing and a council decision.
“The totals to take away from this slide are 9,076 square feet to be dedicated and 656 square feet to be vacated,” Place said during the hearing, adding that the traffic impact fee agreement with the developer had been executed and that survey maps of the dedicated areas will be recorded at Snohomish County after approval.
Developer representative Mark Bilwak testified in support, calling the process collaborative and saying the design was adjusted to avoid unnecessary encroachment on adjacent properties. “I think staff did a great job in kind of explaining what’s before you tonight,” Bilwak said.
Council members asked staff for clarifications about the location of the dedicated parcels and whether other public projects (including a potential nearby fire station rebuild) still align with the roundabout schedule; Public Works Director Aaron Halverson said the city is coordinating with the fire district and that the proposal reflects a three‑way collaboration among the city, the developer and the fire district to address stormwater vault needs and site improvements.
After closing the public hearing (no additional public testimony was received), a council member moved to adopt Ordinance 11 83 approving the right-of-way vacation. The motion passed without recorded opposition.
The ordinance action authorizes city staff to record dedications at the county and proceed with the roundabout right-of-way acquisitions necessary for the North Cove mixed-use project. The council did not specify additional financial compensation as a condition of the vacation because the proposed dedications exceed the area to be vacated.
What happens next: the city will record the dedications at Snohomish County and continue coordination with the developer and regional partners as the roundabout and related projects advance.
