2007/03/07 Council Agenda Packet

EVERETT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 1 0 Table 6A. 2007-Adopted Population and Employment Targets for 2025 City Limits Unincorporated Everett Planning UGA Area Population 123,060 50,210 173,270 Employment 130,340 6,520 136,860 While the Update incorporates the County adopted target for the UGA, further analysis of the city-preferred targets for the UGA will occur during Phase II UGA planning consistent with Countywide Planning Policy UG-2. VIII. Description of the Preferred Alternative for the Everett Comprehensive Plan A. Public Participation Process Based upon the extensive citizen participation process described earlier in this chapter, a Preferred Alternative was selected. The preferred alternative builds upon earlier public visioning and planning efforts and has incorporated recommendations from a diverse array of interests and citizens involved in the review of the alternative growth scenarios developed for the draft plan and SEIS. B. Basic Growth Concepts of the Preferred Alternative The following concepts are the basis for the policies, land use map designations, and the implementation programs for Everett's Growth Management Comprehensive Plan: 1. The proposed regional high capacity rapid transit system linking Everett and other major urban centers in the region is highly desirable, but is not likely to be sufficiently developed within a time frame that will support the preferred alternative. There will be other important improvements to the transportation system, including improvements to public transportation, and Everett will continue to support development of an efficient regional rapid transit system. The transportation system will continue to be refined in Phase 2 of this Comprehensive Plan Update. 2. The city will accept a moderate increase over the level of population growth proposed under previous land use plans. However, protecting and enhancing the character of existing residential neighborhoods is critical to the quality of life in Everett. Rather than accommodating a higher population level for the city by rezoning single family areas to multiple family, more subtle methods of allowing more housing in neighborhoods throughout the city will be promoted, with an emphasis on the quality and design character of higher density housing in all areas of the community. Increasing opportunities for home ownership is a high priority. 3. The city will preserve most of its industrial land for future job growth. The city feels it is critical to the long-term economic health of the region to treat our industrial land base as an important resource. Areas that have been designated industrial will be preserved for future employment activities rather than being redesignated for residential development. �% 2 INTRODUCTION l 15