2013/01/02 Council Agenda Packet

3 26. City staff reported that this figure is subject to further review and change, but is offered for the purposes of attempting to address the greater growth assumptions of the RGS, while recognizing the final growth targets will be determined through the public comprehensive plan update process. 27. The Planning Commission has significant concerns about the City's ability or desire to accommodate the preliminary 2035 population growth targets and has suggested that the City consider a lower preliminary growth target for population. 28. The Planning Commission has stated concerns about the assumptions for employment growth in Everett,based on projections that were established prior to the significant economic recession of the past five years, which has resulted in the employment growth targets for even the currently adopted comprehensive plan being unreasonably optimistic. 29. The Planning Commission has stated its desire for the community to establish its own vision for the levels, character and quality of growth it wishes to accommodate, which may differ from the levels of growth provided by the guidance in the Vision 2040 RGS. 30. Staff has briefed the City Council concerning the preliminary growth targets and the feedback from the Planning Commission. WHEREAS, the City Council concludes the following: 1. The City is unable to commit to the significantly higher 2035 population and employment growth levels suggested by the Vision 2040 RGS for a variety of reasons related to existing land use patterns, local land use economics, uncertainty of future regional transportation infrastructure investments,the challenges related to redevelopment in a city that is essentially built out, and the need for public feedback about the community vision for Everett's future. 2. It would be premature to commit to growth targets that are significantly higher than the capacity of the existing comprehensive plan until a thorough technical analysis and public outreach process has been conducted to determine Everett's ability and desire to accommodate such high levels of growth. NOW,THEREFORE,THE CITY HEREBY RESOLVES the following: 1. The City of Everett will consider how it may be able to accommodate the guidance for population and employment growth suggested by the Vision 2040 Regional Growth Strategy, however, it will commit to the following as preliminary 2035 growth targets for purposes of initiating its 2015 comprehensive plan update: a. Population within the current city limits: 143,000 (increase of approximately 20,000 over the 2025 comprehensive plan growth target) b. Employment within the current city limits: 140,000 (increase of approximately 10,000 over the 2025 comprehensive plan growth target) 10