Ordinance 2921-06 - Laserfiche WebLink

Executive Summary The impetus for this plan comes from two sources. The first is the City Council's direction to address specific pressing regulatory and redevelopment issues currently hampering positive downtown revitalization, including allowable building heights, parking concerns, building design, and redevelopment incentives. The second impetus is the need to identify a coordinated set of actions to achieve the City's vision for a more active, diverse, multi -modal, and visually appealing downtown as called for in Everett's Comprehensive Plan. To address these purposes, the Everett Department of Planning and Community Development, under the direction of the Everett Planning Commission and with the assistance of a consultant team, undertook a year-long planning process. Starting in the summer of 2005, the planning team reviewed existing conditions and relevant planning documents. In September, over 100 people attended the first of four Planning Commission workshops to give participants the chance to envision the type of downtown they hoped to achieve. With the input from the first three Planning Commission meetings, the planning team developed a preferred downtown plan concept, which was approved by the Planning Commissioners at a February workshop. Following the February workshop, the planning team tested the feasibility of a range of example development projects per current market conditions and developed construction costs. The planning team also prepared specific recommendations for zoning and development standards, circulation and parking, streetscape and open space, historic preservation, and public safety. The team's analysis indicated that the development market demand and land use capacity in downtown are congruent with comprehensive planning growth projections. While numerous transportation improvement actions are recommended that will increase access to and within downtown, the team found EVERETT DOWNTOWN PLAN — DRAFT 6/29/2006 Key issues identified by City Council required attention in this plan: • Building heights and view impacts. • Permitted uses. • Parking demand and supply. • Building design. • Economic redevelopment.