2019/09/04 Council Agenda Packet

,.M Draft Comment Letter to PSRC about the Final Preferred Alternative for Vision 2050 (Aug. 22, 2019) to grow at more than 2.5 times that growth rate (2,748 annual average population gain) for the preferred alternative. Such a turnaround is not easily accomplished. To realize such a dramatic increase in our rate of growth will require more than just "bending the trend." Since light rail will not arrive in Everett until 2036, more than half way through the 2020 to 2050 planning period, most of our projected growth under Vision 2050 is not likely to occur until the latter part of the planning period. 2035 Everett 2050 Transit 2017 Growth Targets Focused Growth Population 110,000 165,000 197,000(+32,000 above 2035) Employment 105,000 140,000 194,000(+54,000 above 2035) 4. Everett cannot commit to any specific growth targets at this time. Much more planning work at the countywide and local level, including Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs), buildable land analyses, local visioning, and public input, must take place to establish realistic and supportable growth targets for individual jurisdictions. Multi-county Planning Policies (MPPs) and CPPs must allow for flexibility in setting and adjusting numerical targets for population, housing and employment growth. Everett appreciates the addition of MPP-RGS-3, calling for flexibility in establishing and modifying countywide growth targets. However, we ask that it be modified to read as follows: MPP-RGS-3: Provide flexibility in establishing and modifying countywide growth targets within countywide planning policies, provided growth targets support the Regional Growth Strategy. 5. We also support adding a sentence to RGS-Action-3, as follows: Growth Targets: PSRC,together with its member jurisdictions, will provide guidance and participate with countywide processes that set or modify local housing and employment targets. This effort will include a rationale for the timing of regional growth strategy implementation that includes interim-year growth amounts in relation to anticipated completion of regional transit investments and corresponding market responses. PSRC will also provide guidance on growth targets for designated regional centers and improving jobs-housing balance, and coordinate with member jurisdictions regarding buildable lands reporting. 6. Everett agrees with most of the proposed policy amendments in the Multi-county Planning Policies (MPPs). The additional emphasis on maintaining stable urban growth area boundaries, addressing equity, climate change, transit oriented development, affordable housing, access to opportunity, improved mobility options, air and water quality, and improved coordination among public service providers, are an improvement to the current MPPs. The revised policies will serve as a strong foundation for updates to the CPPs for each of the counties. 24 Page 2 of 4