2020/10/21 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

• October 21, 2020 would be voting "no" this evening. Council Member Roberts thanked everyone who was engaged in the process and noted the decision is extremely difficult. He stated that after a careful review of the housing needs and land use planning regulations, he would be supporting the change as outlined in the ordinance. He stated the Council took the correct action to pause the process and seek additional public input, and in his opinion, Housing Hope took the correct action to apply for a rezone in lieu of the pursuing their original direction and to work with the neighbors, which resulted in significant redesign as a result of public input. Council Member Vogeli spoke about the concerns expressed by neighbors and the uncertainty that comes with change. She noted that what is being proposed are single and multi-family dwellings for families, and she emphasized the importance of providing enough varied dwelling units to house the city's residents. She commented on the amenities that are located within the three historical overlay districts and associated zoning standards, and the developer's ability and • willingness to work with neighbors to ensure welcoming design elements and conservation guidelines are implemented that are vital to a livable neighborhood. She stated the vote is not about taking away space, but creating space, and she urged her colleagues to vote yes. Council Member Murphy thanked everyone who expressed interest in this project. He outlined the following concerns: 1) While homelessness is recognized as a serious problem and the statistics regarding homeless students is very concerning, the information received that the project will exclusively house families of homeless students is a false pretense. He added that although the lease priority protocol would initially fill the project with families with homeless students, Housing Hope has provided information that suggests there is no requirement for families to vacate after students graduate; 2) Regardless of the outcome of the proposed action, the City has to continue to look for solutions for the community and affected students; 3) Not convinced there are no other sites within Everett that would be better suited for this project, e.g., the former K-Mart property on Evergreen Way that is close to schools and transit services;4) Concern about the loss of open space within the community, and 5) After thoughtful deliberations, neither the Planning Commission or the Historical Commission 330