2006/07/12 Council Agenda Packet

LP> 2 . A Vision for Everett's City Center We have heard through the public — — outreach process that establishing a Everett's City Center is a compact, unique and attractive urban center. It is home to quality vision for Everett's downtown is the high-density housing, a variety of entertainment venues and cultural facilities, historic most important priority for the buildings, unique shopping and dining choices, offices, city and county government services, Downtown Plan. Previous downtown financial and professional services. planning efforts have included a Downtown is a pedestrian friendly, active neighborhood where people are prioritized over statement of goals, but perhaps accommodating the automobile. Businesses, residents, employees, institutions and property without an overall vision for what the owners have created a clean, safe and active environment to which visitors return often. community wants the city center to The city center is connected with convenient transit, pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle access to become. Deciding what we want surrounding neighborhoods, Everett Station, and the waterfront. People enjoy tremendous downtown to be, the role it plays within views from buildings, streets and public spaces. Streetscape and public open space the overall context of the city, and how improvements have dramatically transformed many parts of the city center by stimulating private sector investment. it is supposed to look will help determine what land use strategies, Significant historic buildings have been preserved and rehabilitated. New buildings have infrastructure priorities, public service incorporated quality designs and materials to be compatible with older buildings. The city center has a lively atmosphere on weekends and in the evenings, as people come from investments, and development surrounding communities to enjoy the arts, entertainment, cultural offerings, dining and standards should be endorsed. shopping opportunities year round. At right is an attempt to state a vision Downtown's regeneration accelerated following a summit in which stakeholders formed a for Everett's City Center compiled from proactive organization advocating for downtown with a unified voice. This organization endorsed the vision for downtown and partnered with the City to adopt a strategy prioritizing the comments collected from the redevelopment with quality development standards, public infrastructure improvements and Downtown Plan public participation public services. This organization has been a constant champion for improving the process, or statements from the 2004 appearance of the city center and promoting it as a business district and neighborhood. Vision Team effort, and from the City's The private sector and the greater Everett community responded to the enhanced Growth Management Comprehensive environment with unprecedented commitment in the form of new and renovated buildings, Plan. It is written from the perspective new businesses, activities, and events. The growing cultural arts scene flourished and of a person in 2025. bolstered downtown's image as a desirable place to live, visit, conduct business, shop and enjoy a wide variety of attractions. EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN – DRAFT 6/29/2006 11