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Bothell staff outline housing action plan timeline and urge broader outreach
Summary
Staff briefed the planning commission on progress updating Bothell’s Housing Action Plan, previewing a full draft due in May–June and a summer engagement push; commissioners urged targeted outreach to seniors, renters and students and flagged infrastructure costs that can block small infill projects.
City staff told the Planning Commission on March 18 that a full draft of Bothell’s updated Housing Action Plan is expected in May or June and will be followed by a summer engagement period to solicit broad public input.
The staff presenter summarized the update process (work began September 2024), the three plan components—an updated action plan, middle-housing code updates (completed Dec. 2025), and a forthcoming multifamily tax-exemption (MFT) update expected by the end of July—and the outreach completed so far with consultant Burke.
Staff said key themes from initial engagement include a desire for a diversity of home sizes, easier permitting for accessory dwelling units, more walkable neighborhoods served by transit, and clearer tenant protections. The presenter said the team is applying community feedback to the draft and planning additional focused outreach in the summer.
Commissioners asked staff to expand targeted engagement with groups that had low participation so far: seniors, renters and students. Commissioners suggested reaching student government, particular campus faculty or residence-hall staff, and holding focused sessions at times that fit those groups’ schedules. The presenter said staff and their consultant will pursue those channels and will work with communications to 'close the loop' so participants see how their comments shaped the draft.
Several commissioners also raised implementation concerns that extend beyond the plan’s policy language. Commissioner West warned that infrastructure requirements—frontage improvements, sewer upgrades, ADA ramps and related right-of-way work—can make small infill projects financially infeasible even when zoning allows more units, saying such costs “just kills the project.” Commissioners discussed the potential to pair city or LCIP funding with targeted projects, or to design funded inclusionary incentives, so smaller developers can deliver deed-restricted affordable units without shouldering disproportionate upfront infrastructure costs.
Staff acknowledged those constraints and said LCIP revenues could help fill localized capital gaps, but cautioned LCIP is incremental and unlikely to fully fund major citywide needs. Staff said the housing action plan work will examine incentive calibrations, equity priorities and the potential use of targeted funding tools to support affordable housing outcomes.
No action was required. Staff will present the draft housing action plan to council and the planning commission when it is ready and will run a second round of community engagement over the summer.
