Ordinance 2978-07 - Laserfiche WebLink

EVERETT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN B. Holding Capacity/Buildable Lands Analysis Buildable Lands Analysis. The Growth Management Act requires that counties complete a review and evaluation program every 5 years to determine if sufficient land is available to accommodate the adopted population and employment targets. The analysis must be based on actual densities of housing that has been constructed and the actual amount of land developed for commercial and industrial uses within the urban growth area since the adoption of a comprehensive plan. In 2002 Snohomish County Tomorrow completed a Buildable Lands Project with the intent of determining if sufficient land capacity existed to accommodate the 2012 population and employment growth targets of Snohomish County and cities within the county. (Everett's existing Comprehensive Plan was originally adopted in 1994 and included population and employment targets for 2012.) The analysis assumed that future projects would be at a similar density as developments constructed from 1995 - 2000, rather than the higher densities allowed by the zoning code. The report concluded that sufficient land was available to accommodate Snohomish County's and Everett's 2012 population and employment targets within Everett and Snohomish County overall. The buildable lands data was used as the starting point in developing the alternatives for the 10- year update to the Comprehensive Plan. The methodology: • Excluded parcels or portions of parcels that were considered undevelopable, including publicly-owned parcels (parks, schools utilities; etc) and critical areas and their buffers. • Assigned a development status to remaining parcels based on a set of criteria, including value of land and improvements. The four categories for development status are developed, vacant, partially used (assumes more development will occur on site), and redevelopable (assumes existing structures will be demolished and new construction will occur). • Residential density assumptions were assigned by zone to each development status category based on examining 5 years of development history(1995-2000). Assumed densities were lower than the densities allowed by the zoning code. Densities in zones that allow both residential and commercial use, assumed a mix of uses consistent with development that occurred in 1995-2000. • For commercial, industrial and mixed-use zones, assumptions for square footage per employee and floor area ratios were made for each employment sector(manufacturing, retail, etc.) • Dwelling unit and employment capacity were calculated for each parcel using the assumptions. • Population capacity was calculated by multiplying the number of dwelling units by average occupancy rate and persons per household. These numbers were reduced by factors that consider some of those properties will be used for public uses, such as parks and schools, and some property owners will not want to sell their properties. • Employment capacity was also reduced by public purpose and market reduction factors. • Projects approved after 2001 were added into the capacity. 1. Population and Employment Capacities for 2005 Comprehensive Plan Update Three alternatives were evaluated for the 10-Year Comprehensive Plan Update. Population assumptions for the first alternative, Existing Trends, were based on the Buildable Lands data, which assumes development similar to that which occurred between 1995 and 2000. The LAND USE ELEMENT 10