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Mercer Island planners outline station-area zoning changes under state TOD law, warn of large infrastructure cost gaps
Summary
City Manager Jesse Bonham and Planning Director Jeff Thomas briefed the school board on growth-management requirements and House Bill 1491, saying Phase One station-area planning must be completed by July 31, 2026, and predicting thousands of additional units by 2030; they warned the city lacks funding to meet projected infrastructure needs.
Mercer Island -- City staff briefed the Mercer Island School District board on the implications of the Growth Management Act and recent state housing laws, including House Bill 1220 (affordable-housing targets) and 2025's House Bill 1491 (transit-oriented development requirements around light-rail stations).
"My name is Jesse Bonham, the city manager for the City of Mercer Island," the city manager said as he introduced the briefing, which focused on the planning work required to comply with a Growth Management Board order and the new state TOD provisions. (Jesse Bonham, City Manager)
Jeff Thomas, the city's planning director, walked the board through a two-phase station-area boundary around…
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