2007/03/14 Council Agenda Packet

WHEREAS, City staff completed calculations for population and employment capacity defined by the following geographic boundaries: B-3 zone, Core Residential/B-2 Area, remaining Area within the City limits, and the unincorporated Planning Area; and WHEREAS,the density and population assumptions were updated to reflect the Comprehensive Plan recommendations, 1995 - 2005 permit history, pending projects, and amendments to the Comprehensive Plan designations after 2001; and WHEREAS,the employment calculations were updated to reflect 2001-2005 permits and pending projects; and WHEREAS,the calculations show there is more than sufficient capacity to meet the 2025 population and employment targets within the City limits; and WHEREAS,there is insufficient capacity to meet the County adopted targets for the unincorporated Everett Planning Area when using Everett's adopted designations for the area; and WHEREAS, staff has proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan Introduction, Land Use Element and Housing Element that document the capacities and adopt Snohomish County targets within the unincorporated Everett Planning Area; and WHEREAS, SEPA review was completed for the proposed amendments through issuance of an Addendum to the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement completed for the 2005 Update, and Adoption of the Snohomish County Environmental Impact Statement for their 10- Year Update; and WHEREAS,Planning Commission held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on February 20, 2007 and recommended that City Council approve the proposed amendments; and WHEREAS,the city will continue to monitor the growth occurring under the Growth Management Comprehensive Plan and will periodically review and update the plan as provided by the Growth Management Act to make adjustments as needed to respond to changing circumstances and to ensure that growth in the community is of a desirable character and occurs in an orderly manner; and WHEREAS,the City Council finds that the proposed amendments to the policies of the Comprehensive Plan are: a. Based upon changed circumstances, including new and updated information; and b. The assumptions upon which the revisions are based include new and updated information, including new boundaries for calculations; and c. That the changes and clarifications to the revised policies are based upon more and better information than was available when the plan was first adopted,promote a desirable growth pattern for the community; and d. That the policy changes are consistent and not in conflict with existing policies; and