Ordinance 2021-94 - Laserfiche WebLink

I 110 Geographic Extent of the Comprehensive Plan: 1. Everett Planning Area -- The Future City Limits? Everett is proposing a "planning area" I which includes not only all lands within the present city limits, but also extends to areas that are presently unincorporated and for which Snohomish County has the responsibility for planning and land use permit administration. These are areas that have a reasonable chance of being annexed to I the city within the twenty year horizon of the Growth Management Act. Citizen interest may prompt consideration of annexation beyond the proposed planning area boundaries shown on the attached map, while other areas located within the Everett Planning Area may ultimately be more logically served by one or more neighboring municipalities. The Everett Planning Area is drawn I with simple boundaries formed primarily by arterial streets, natural physical barriers, or special district boundaries. Everett is expected to focus its annexation efforts and provision of public services to the areas within the planning area boundaries. 1 Goals#1 and #2 of the Growth Management Act require that urban growth areas be designated in each county, within which future urban growth would be encouraged and outside of which only rural uses would be permitted. The Everett Planning Area boundaries ensure Everett's compliance with these two goals. With the exception of a small agricultural area and a few ravine and bluff areas in the area above Lowell-Larimer Road, all of the areas inside the Everett Planning Area are designated "urban" by the existing City or County comprehensive plans. The agricultural I area is to remain designated for agricultural zoning and uses. The ravine and bluff areas are included within the Everett Planning Area to create logical planning area boundaries and avoid the argument against future annexations on the basis of "irregular boundaries." They are protected I from urban development by existing and proposed environmentally sensitive area policies and development regulations. OP The Everett Planning Area has been divided into 6 Planning sub-areas, as indicated on the attached map. These smaller units make the collection of data simpler, which makes the different characteristics of the city and its urban growth area easier to understand. The general characteristics of each area are summarized in a later section entitled "Existing Conditions." A I description of potential changes to land uses and the transportation system for each subarea is contained in the Draft EIS on the alternative growth strategies of the plan. I 2. Outside the Everett Planning Area: Outside of the proposed Everett Planning Area boundaries are the comparable planning areas or urban growth areas for the cities of Mukilteo, Lynnwood and Mill Creek to the south, Marysville to the north, and an urban area to the southeast of Everett I not yet claimed by any existing municipality as being within its planning or growth area. This unclaimed area is served indirectly by the Everett water and sewer system, through the Silver Lake Water District. While Everett has expressed an interest in this area in the past, it is too far from current city boundaries to be considered a logical area for annexation and extension of 1 additional services within the twenty year horizon of the Growth Management Act. However, this area could be considered for future service by Everett if there is unprecedented interest in annexation expressed by area residents. IThe proposed growth or planning areas of other municipalities may overlap portions of the Everett Planning Area. Within these areas, further agreements are required to determine which cities should serve and ultimately annex these rapidly urbanizing unincorporated areas. Goal #11 I of the GMA requires close coordination between municipalities and counties for the planning of land uses, transportation, facilities and services. Cooperation with neighboring cities and the county is essential to provide adequate public services to these areas regardless of which cities ID may ultimately annex them. The Snohomish County Tomorrow planning process has provided a forum for close coordination between Everett and its neighboring jurisdictions. I 6