Planning Commission Studying Growth Alternatives For Everett, Washington

Tuesday night the Planning Commission for the City of Everett, Washington will meet to continue considering Growth Alternatives for the city. Everett 2044 is the City’s Comprehensive Plan that maps the next 20 years of growth and will be released next year.

According to the City, the plan includes goals, policies and objectives guiding public policy decisions affecting quality of life including how land is used for housing, economic growth, transportation systems, utilities, parks, and environmental sustainability; how development regulations are interpreted by planning staff when options are available; and how public projects are designed, financed, and implemented.

You can learn more about the Comprehensive Plan on the City’s Everett 2044 webpage.

There are three alternatives for dealing with growth and the Planning Commission is looking at all three.

Alternatives are different ways of achieving the project’s purpose and need, and are the basis for environmental analysis, which is the process of studying each alternative and forecasting impacts to different elements of the environment such as water quality, noise, or historic resources. Analyzing different alternatives, and the differences between them, allows decision-makers and the public to compare the effects of different options and ultimately to select a preferred alternative.

Potential Growth Alternative 1 – Adopted Plans (No Action)
The No Action Alternative is based on an extension of current plans, policies, and regulations, and is a benchmark against which the other alternatives can be measured. This alternative assumes no changes to the designations on the Land Use Map and there would be no policy, zoning, or regulation changes associated with this alternative.

Potential Growth Alternative 2:
In addition to the growth in the no action alternative: concentrate additional housing growth along arterial corridors, transit station areas, and in downtown Everett.

Potential Growth Alternative 3:
In addition to the growth in the no action alternative: provide for dispersed housing choices throughout the city.

The Planning Commission’s meeting is set for Tuesday April 18th at 6:30 PM in the Everett City Council Chambers at 3002 Wetmore in downtown Everett. Click here for how to participate remotely.