Ordinance 2021-94 - Laserfiche WebLink

Best Guesses About the Future-- Assumptions for Everett's Plan: The following basic assumptions about Everett's future are the basis for the comprehensive plan. 1. Snohomish County will continue to make the transition from a resource and resource related manufacturing based economy to one based upon modern technological manufacturing, finance, services, retail, international trade, government and transportation; and Everett will continue to be the manufacturing, service, government, trade, medical service, transportation, and technology center for the county. Changes in the traditional economic base will cause the city to re-evaluate it historic land use patterns, particularly in certain shoreline areas previously used for heavy manufacturing activities. 2. Everett will remain the central city for Snohomish County, and as the population of the area continues to grow and age, its role as the activity center for governmental, financial, professional, educational, medical and social services within the county will grow. 3. Everett and the surrounding areas will remain an attractive area to live, and population growth rates within the county will considerably exceed that of the state and nation as a whole. 4. Everett's citizens and neighborhoods will remain active in the affairs of city government and planning, and will demand that growth and development be responsive to the desires of the community, with an emphasis on the quality of development and character of neighborhoods rather than the quantity of f growth. 5. As the areas within and surrounding Everett become more densely developed, the demand for high levels of public services and amenities will also grow, requiring local government to plan for and provide the services and facilities necessary for a high quality urban environment. 6. Like other local governments, Everett will be forced to rely even more heavily on local sources of revenue as state and federal funding of community services and capital improvements will become increasingly difficult to obtain. As a result, the city will have to reexamine traditional land use patterns in order to make the most effective use of its capital facilities investments. 7. The majority of Everett's residential growth will occur in the south part of the planning area and near the Central Business District. 8. There will be significant re-development activity in and surrounding Everett's downtown core. 9. As vacant and developable land becomes more scarce and population continues to grow, the cost of housing will rise at a faster rate than personal income, although probably not at the extreme rate at which it occurred in the period of 1988 to 1990. This will force the City to reexamine the traditional residential development and re-development patterns. 10. Although improvements will be made and greater emphasis will be placed upon the public transportation system, the private automobile will continue to be the primary form of transportation for the majority of Everett and Snohomish County residents. Everett must consider revisions to its traditional land use pattern and development regulations to promote greater use of its public transportation investment and other alternative modes of transportation. 11. Concerns about air and water quality, as well as other environmental issues, will continue and likely will intensify, generating changes to federal and state laws, which will also impact local land use planning requirements and development regulations. 12. The Port of Everett will expand its waterfront development and trade activity and become a more significant part of the regional economy. The Port will also continue to focus attention on public shoreline access and recreation improvements. 11