Ordinance 2978-07 - Laserfiche WebLink

EVERETT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Table 8: 2007 Adopted Population and Employment Targets for 2025 City Limits Unincorporated UGA Everett Planning Area Population 123,060 50,210 173,270 Employment 130,340 6,520 136,860 III. Everett's Land Use Concept Through the public participation process used to review the alternatives, the Planning Commission recommended and City Council selected a "Preferred Alternative" which most closely resembles Alternative 2 Adopted Targets. A. Why Everett is Making Few Land Use Changes Everett's existing land use patterns have been developed over the past century through the interactions of the economy, desires of property owners, construction of transportation facilities and utilities, changing lifestyles and, more recently, by land use planning and regulation. The physical landscape, that has resulted through this combination of forces, with some exception, has been generally acceptable to the residents of Everett and its planning area. It has long been apparent that residents of the community have desired to avoid significant changes. Periodically, residents have strongly objected to land use changes or developments that have been perceived to change the character of the neighborhood or community. Most of the land within the planning area is developed. Available vacant or redevelopable land has been planned for certain types of land use, and has been provided infrastructure according to the planned land uses. After adoption of the 1994 GMA Comprehensive Plan, the City made significant changes to regulations to implement the plan: • Lot sizes in single family zones were reduced. • Development standards were added for small lot single family and duplexes. • Minimum lot sizes were reduced for lot area averaging in short plats and subdivisions. • A cluster subdivision option was adopted that allowed lower minimum lot sizes. After experience implementing those regulations, the City made additional changes, primarily to make easement access lots more functional in terms of open space, parking privacy and aesthetics. Amendments included: • Increased lot sizes for lots without alley access. • Lot area averaging provisions were eliminated for easement access lots. • A minimum lot area was established for cluster subdivisions. • Maximum lot coverage was increased on small lots. • 100% of critical areas and their buffers can count in lot area, provided each lot has a minimum area of 4,000 sf, excluding critical areas and buffers. Two major Comprehensive Plan changes have occurred that provide for a significant amount of housing in the Port of Everett North Marina and in the Riverfront area. LAND USE ELEMENT 14