Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves small right‑of‑way vacation for Grade Road/20th St NE development (Ord. 122)
Summary
After a public hearing, Lake Stevens council adopted ordinance 122 to vacate 387 sq ft of right‑of‑way at Grade Road and 20th Street NE for an applicant’s mixed‑use development; staff said the applicant will dedicate additional right‑of‑way for a future roundabout and receive TIF credit for the portion used in the roundabout design.
Planner Jill Needham presented the public hearing on a right‑of‑way vacation connected to a proposed mixed‑use development at the corner of Grade Road and 20th Street NE, explaining the vacation totals 387 square feet and staff used county assessor data to value the area at about $9,500 (≈ $24.69/sq ft). "This is a public hearing," Needham said, and she emphasized the vacation and the roundabout project are separate processes; the only item before council was the vacation ordinance.
Needham reviewed the municipal criteria for a Type 5 right‑of‑way vacation (notice, public hearing, appraisal/compensation, and public benefit) and told council the applicant will also dedicate right‑of‑way needed for the roundabout; that dedication would be handled under a traffic impact fee (TIF) agreement that provides the applicant credit for area used for the roundabout. Staff recommended adoption of ordinance 122.
Council asked technical questions about the size and purpose of the vacated areas, whether the dedication area is larger than the vacation area, and how the roundabout timing and funding affect the sequence of transactions. Staff said the roundabout design is at roughly 60% and the project’s federal funding is delayed, so construction and city acquisition/dedication will be handled on a separate schedule.
After closing the public participation portion, councilmember moved to adopt ordinance 122, a second was received, and the council approved the ordinance by voice vote. Staff said final dedication boundaries and a TIF agreement will be resolved in subsequent land‑use and funding steps.
