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Hilltop BIA petition stalls at about 53% as council hears update
Summary
Consultants and city staff told the Economic Development Committee the proposed Hilltop Business Improvement Area has collected petitions representing roughly 53.2% of the assessment total, short of the 60% RCW threshold; staff said the consultant contract ends 2026-04-30 and organizers hope more outreach will close the gap.
City staff and consultants updated the Economic Development Committee on March (2026) on plans to form a Business Improvement Area (BIA) in Hilltop, saying the petition process has advanced but remains below the legal threshold required to trigger city review. "We're at 53.2% of successful petitions collected," said Andres Mantia of Uncommon Bridges, the consultant working with the community.
The presentation laid out the proposed BIA boundary and financing framework. According to consultants, the district would cover roughly 506 parcels and about 212 ratepayers; assessment rules would follow state law and use assessor appraised values, lot size and other measures to calculate each property’s share. The team described draft ceiling assessment rates of $65 per unit per year for market-rate housing and $30 per unit per year for subsidized housing, and reviewed a first-year budget and a list of proposed services including cleaning, outreach, business support, activation, and administration.
The RCW that governs parking and business improvement associations requires petitions representing 60% of the total assessment (not merely 60% of property owners) before the city begins its verification and ordinance process. Consultants told the committee they have been working to reach additional property owners who could push the petition past the 60% threshold but have encountered turnover in property management, difficulty locating decision-makers and mixed responses from owners. Uncommon Bridges said roughly 15 large ratepayers currently make up the 53% achieved so far.
Council members pressed on next steps and timing. Staff confirmed the contract with Uncommon Bridges has been extended through 2026-04-30 but will not be extended beyond that date. "If we had more time than April, I mean, it's gonna ... at this point, yes," said Mantia when asked whether more time would likely allow organizers to meet the threshold. Staff noted the petition effort is not strictly time-bound and, if organizers reach 60% after the contract ends, the city could still proceed with verification and the ordinance process.
Committee members and public commenters repeatedly raised equity and governance concerns, including fears that a BIA could accelerate displacement if community voices are not meaningfully included. "We need sustained investment, support for small businesses, and most important most importantly, real partnership with the people who live and work there," said April Smith of District 5 during the public-comment period. Consultants pointed to a proposed grounding period and bylaws (including community seats and a commitment to local hiring of up to 70% of contracted services) as ways to build trust and spell out service delivery.
The committee did not vote on any ordinance at the briefing. Staff said they will return a synopsis after the consultant contract ends and that petition collection could continue until organizers reach the 60% legal threshold.
