2007/03/07 Council Agenda Packet

1 0 EVERETT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CHAPTER 4 HOUSING ELEMENT I. Background and Information A. 1994 GMA Comprehensive Plan Housing Element. The 1994 GMA Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan was based on several planning efforts: • Everett Vision 2000. (See Chapter 1 Introduction for more information.) In the area of home and neighborhood, the Everett 2000 Vision is for "every neighborhood to be a safe and attractive place that fosters civic pride and encourages the participation of its neighbors in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life. Furthermore, every individual and family should have access to safe, decent, affordable housing in the neighborhood of their choice." • 1992 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS). CHAS is a federally- mandated plan that addresses the housing needs of very low, low, and moderate income households, the homeless, and persons with special needs for supportive housing. It is similar to the Consolidated Plan, that is discussed in Section II of this Element. • Housing Issues and Policy Directions. This study was prepared for the City to be used as the basis for the Housing Element, and was an appendix to the Housing Element. • Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan. The land use plan addressed a variety of issues that are integral to the housing element, including comprehensive plan designations and zoning/development standards for residential land throughout the City. B. Implementation of the 1994 Housing Element. Many of the policies in the 1994 Housing Element have been implemented. Design guidelines were adopted for small lot single family, duplexes, and multiple family housing. A tax exemption was adopted to encourage multiple family housing in a target area in the downtown area. Lot sizes were reduced in single family zones. And a cluster alternative was adopted for subdivision. C. 2025 Population Forecasts and Allocation. Under the Growth Management Act, the Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) forecasts population for Counties, which must be accommodated within urban growth areas. The OFM 2025 population forecast for Snohomish County was a range of 795,725 to 1,062,903. OFM considered the midpoint of that range, 930,314, as the most likely population. Snohomish County's Countywide Planning Policies provide direction on how to allocate OFM's countywide forecast to cities, urban growth areas (UGAs) and the rural areas of the County using the cooperative planning process of Snohomish County Tomorrow. Snohomish County c3`7 Tomorrow narrowed the range and developed draft low and high population and employment forecasts, which were distributed throughout the County using the PSRC's forecast analysis HOUSING ELEMENT 1