2007/03/07 Council Agenda Packet

1 0 EVERETT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN • A cluster subdivision option was adopted that allowed lower minimum lot sizes. After experience implementing those regulations, the City made additional changes, primarily to make easement access lots more functional in terms of open space, parking privacy and aesthetics. Amendments included: • Increased lot sizes for lots without alley access. • Lot area averaging provisions were eliminated for easement access lots. • A minimum lot area was established for cluster subdivisions. • Maximum lot coverage was increased on small lots. • 100% of critical areas and their buffers can count in lot area,provided each lot has a minimum area of 4,000 sf, excluding critical areas and buffers. Two major Comprehensive Plan changes have occurred that provide for a significant amount of housing in the Port of Everett North Marina and in the Riverfront area. Everett has already implemented a number of other"reasonable measures" to increase residential densities. These include: • Allowing accessory dwelling units in single family zones. • Providing tax credits for multiple family housing built within a target area in the downtown. • Providing for manufacturing housing. • Allowing mixed-use. The Comprehensive Plan contains additional reasonable measures to increase residential densities that have not been implemented, such as allowing detached accessory dwellings in single family zones. As a result, Everett's land use concept for the 10-year update of the Comprehensive Plan reaffirms the growth strategy endorsed in the 1994 GMA Comprehensive Plan. It calls for increasing population without making significant land use changes to most geographic portions of the planning area. B. Why Everett Encourages Continued Economic Growth It has become apparent that the cost of providing public services to support growth in any community is expensive for government. Expanding populations demand higher levels of public service as a means of maintaining a certain standard of living or quality of life. Everett has always strived to provide a complete range of high quality urban services. It has also attempted to provide a wide range of housing types, as well as commercial and industrial activities through its land use planning and zoning regulations. Partially as a result of history and partially as a result of intentional public policy and investment decisions, Everett has emerged as the employment and industrial center of Snohomish County. Approximately 40% of all jobs in 5 Snohomish County are located within the Everett Planning Area and will continue to be. As the job center for the county, Everett has made investments in its transportation and utility infrastructure to maintain a healthy economy for the city and the region. Since it is difficult to establish large industrial tracts in areas where there has not previously been such zoning, Everett's large base of industrial land represents an important regional resource. Having a large base of industrial and commercial land has also helped Everett financially support public LAND USE ELEMENT 16