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ORDINANCE NO. 3272-12 <br /> An Ordinance Increasing the SEPA Categorical <br /> Exemption Threshold for Residential and '''111411010,114,.1- <br /> Commercial Development in the E-1 MUO(Mixed <br /> Use Overlay)Zone,as provided by RCW 43.21C.229, <br /> Amending Ordinance No. 1348-87,as amended <br /> (EMC Chapter 20.04). <br /> WHEREAS,the City Council finds the following: <br /> 1. The City has been preparing the Evergreen Way Revitalization Plan,the goals of which include <br /> encouraging more residential and mixed use development to support the significant public <br /> investment made by the City and Community Transit in the Swift Bus Rapid Transit service on <br /> Evergreen Way. <br /> 2. The City engaged the services of an economist to evaluate the economic viability of different land <br /> uses for the Evergreen Way corridor,including residential and mixed use development. <br /> 3. The economic analysis found that residential and mixed use redevelopment on Evergreen Way <br /> would be substantially more viable with a range of incentives not currently available in Everett's <br /> land use code or procedural requirements. <br /> 4. Chapter 43.21C RCW authorizes cities to exempt from environmental review infill development <br /> that meets the requirements of 43.21C.229 in areas where existing densities are lower than <br /> provided in comprehensive plan policies. <br /> 5. The adopted Everett Growth Management Comprehensive Plan designates Evergreen Way as a <br /> high intensity mixed use corridor and encourages a greater density of housing development in <br /> proximity to transit facilities. <br /> 6. Most housing development in the Evergreen Way corridor since the adoption of the Everett <br /> Growth Management Comprehensive Plan in 1994 has not reached the permitted density in the <br /> existing zoning. <br /> 7. Increasing the categorical exemption threshold for residential and mixed use development would <br /> reduce the time required to process land use permits for development that is encouraged by the <br /> comprehensive plan. It would be one of several incentives proposed as part of the Evergreen <br /> Way Revitalization Plan to encourage the development of additional residential and mixed use <br /> development near Swift Bus Rapid Transit stations. <br /> 8. Since the City established its existing SEPA categorical exemption thresholds in 1987, it has <br /> significantly improved its protection of environmental resources and mitigation of impacts <br /> 1 <br />