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Bothell staff urge higher EV‑ready requirements and incentives to meet rising demand
Summary
City staff proposed raising EV‑ready parking percentages for multifamily and commercial zones, discussed incentives and cost tradeoffs between installing conduit at construction versus retrofitting, and debated exceptions for affordable housing; commissioners generally favored higher EV‑ready levels and incentives.
At the commission's July 15 meeting, Civic Spark fellow Jay Hawkins presented a study session on electric‑vehicle (EV) parking code updates, showing local EV registrations and usage trends and recommending higher EV‑ready and installed percentages in targeted zones.
Hawkins said Bothell is seeing a steep increase in battery EV registrations and presented City Hall charger usage as evidence of demand: the city's four charging stations (eight ports) saw roughly 18 to 20 sessions per day during the sampled period. He argued that increasing EV‑ready percentages at construction significantly reduces retrofit costs, giving an example that raising a 40‑space lot from 25% to 45% EV‑ready would cost about $27,000 if installed during construction versus roughly $72,000 to retrofit later.
Staff proposed raising EV‑ready requirements for multifamily housing (staff discussed targets from 25% up to 45% and noted regional peers such as King County at 40% and Redmond at higher levels), expanding requirements for larger commercial lots (grocery and high‑amenity centers), and offering incentives (expedited permit review, point systems) to encourage voluntary installation. Hawkins warned against blanket exemptions for affordable housing, noting that doing so could limit charger access for lower‑income residents and proposed technical assistance or incentives instead.
Commissioners generally supported raising EV‑ready minimums, stressed minimizing retrofit costs and discussed turnover and fee structures to discourage vehicles occupying chargers after charging completes. There was also discussion of whether level‑3 fast chargers could substitute for multiple level‑2 stalls in high‑turnover locations such as grocery stores or fast‑food centers.
Staff will refine thresholds and incentive packages and return with draft code language for further discussion; no formal decision was made at the study session.
