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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />January 21, 2025 <br /> <br />Everett City Council <br />City of Everett <br />2930 Wetmore Avenue, Suite 9-A <br />Everett, WA 98201 <br /> <br />RE: Metro Everett Zoning <br /> Dear Councilmembers: <br /> <br />The Downtown Everett Association is a champion for our downtown community. Through the <br />support of local stakeholders, donors, and strong partnerships, we have made considerable <br />progress on placemaking efforts, helped recruit new businesses, and supported events to bring <br />people into our downtown core. <br /> <br />Recently, there has been discussion around allowing Hope & Wellness to continue operations <br />at its existing location on Rucker. We understand that Hope & Wellness provides valuable <br />services and offers a place of refuge for those in need. It’s also our understanding that over the <br />last year, the City of Everett has proactively assisted this group to find a suitable location due to <br />current noncompliance with zoning, which does not permit social services located on the <br />ground floor in Downtown Everett. <br /> <br />We support the zoning outlined in Metro Everett with the vision for an attractive, clean and <br />safe place – bustling with activity on the streets and in public places. This sub-area plan was <br />created with extensive and thoughtful community input before adoption. The plan recognized <br />the high concentration of existing services in Everett’s urban center and sought to maintain an <br />effective balance. Since the Metro Everett plan was adopted in 2018, many of the aspirations <br />identified by the community are coming to fruition. <br /> <br />More businesses are seeking to locate downtown and fill vacant storefronts. In 2024, over a <br />dozen new businesses opened on the ground floor. Some examples include an ice cream bar, <br />dog daycare, and yoga studio. Currently, there are several new businesses planning to open in <br />the next six months, which will further reduce ground floor vacancies. In making such <br />investments, property and business owners must be able to rely on the existing zoning code as <br />a roadmap for downtown’s transformation. Making changes or exceptions – even with the best <br />of intentions – will undermine the trust that’s required for long-term investment. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />[EXTERNAL] Comment – 1/22 Everett City Council Meeting->2025.01 DEA Ltr Metro Everett Social Services Council.pdf