Ordinance 3454-15 with Exhibits A- C

EVERETT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN B. Basic Growth Concepts of the Everett Comprehensive Plan The following concepts are the basis for the policies, land use map designations, and the implementation programs for Everett's Growth Management Comprehensive Plan: The County Council, on June 10, 2015, adopted the Snohomish County General Policy Plan which included 2035 growth targets for each city within the county, and for unincorporated areas. For Everett, the population growth targets are identical to Alternative 1, while the employment growth targets are identical to Alternative 2. While Everett does not believe these population growth targets are feasible, the City will adopt them conditionally as the preferred alternative growth targets in order to avoid the growth target reconciliation process following adoption of the City's comprehensive plan update. The growth targets are conditional on a number of actions and influences that are beyond the City's control occurring that would create stronger demand for housing in Everett. If these factors do not occur, then Everett's preferred alternative growth targets will be those stated for the default Alternative 2. 2. Everett supports the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) of the Puget Sound Regional Council's Vision 2040 regional growth, transportation and economic development plan. However, the growth guidance suggested by the PSRC for Everett requires residential development between 2015 and 2035 to be at a pace of more than 5 times the rate since 1990. This regional expectation for a community with very little undeveloped residentially zoned land means that, to be successful, significant fundamental changes to the local and regional real estate market are required to promote redevelopment at very high densities in Everett. Since Everett has only minor influence over the dynamics of the regional economy, forces beyond Everett's control must align if the City is to grow in accordance with the regional expectations. 3. The Regional Growth Strategy contained in Vision 2040 was adopted in 2008, and developed prior to that year, well before the full effects of the national recession could have been anticipated. Everett encourages the PSRC and our fellow communities to re- evaluate the growth projections to determine what is realistic, possible, and feasible, and make adjustments as needed. 4. For the higher growth suggested by Vision 2040 to be feasible, Everett is dependent upon several assumptions that require actions beyond Everett's control, specifically the following: a. Sound Transit 3 must be approved by the electorate and light rail service to downtown Everett must be completed by about 2030, to give the real estate market enough time to respond to the light rail service and station improvements that serve Everett. b. Sound Transit will build the light rail system and light rail stations in a manner and locations that maximize support for job and housing development in Everett. c. The regional economy is robust enough to make high rise residential and non- residential construction in Everett financially viable, in order to support densities high enough to accommodate the growth expectations of Vision 2040. Decisions by major industries and employers to locate, stay and grow in Everett (military, aerospace, high tech industry, etc.) will greatly influence the strength of the local real estate market. INTRODUCTION