[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6152517,"mediaKeyId","5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199","parentId",5498165,"title","Planning board presents permanent Neighborhoods, Centers and Hubs code; council schedules public hearing July 22","audioSeconds",3428,"startMs",2772000,"endMs",6200000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199&start=2772&end=6200","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199/thumbnail_2772000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6152517/Edmonds/Snohomish-County/Washington/Planning-board-presents-permanent-Neighborhoods-Centers-and-Hubs-code-council-schedules-public-hearing-July-22","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152517-4a6ea4cf886321f9ddd90e08c8d8f189/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453095&Signature=jnxYt0wO1w56-yvDuY7M1J5yjmx~MIRuw1Mrp9nqPPoVmLcDXAQuXDbwKpXSETqtwHh9oJoi7-sCBuqxC3AHqgTx5Zxx2gl5L4Bv4uoYLP7UGjsdpHFY8sVbhqEvam4wA082jVzeeZR-KO8U3HwJp~OCyc9uzvpKUGQZEATZHDmGVIn9s0~bBnbaQL87dLmAjy2g41FiZzqsducA0SSpV3fBsiyu34f0p1ci8-o1NDDy7kVdgHUcMh0bkk9zjdcvCAjhwOX6KIs9oh5xinUOX0qtS3bYwCmvs3VJ3mWOK3D9GhFR3AiTsYvhAnHO0J7ZqRc23OyUOFlG-rlCZTmzRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Edmonds, WA","date","2025-07-15T00:00:00Z","article","The Planning Board presented a recommended permanent Neighborhoods, Centers and Hubs (NCH) code to the Committee of the Whole, proposing new design standards, ground-floor commercial overlays, open-space and amenity-space requirements, and a limited program for bonus floor area in return for defined community benefits. The committee scheduled a public hearing on the draft for July 22 and set an adoption target for Aug. 12.

Planning staff and board members said the permanent ordinance replaces an interim zoning rule that came into force during the comp-plan update. Navushya (staff) and Planning Board Chair Lee Hankins explained the approach: orient commercial overlays where street-facing ground-floor retail supports walkability, require a 15% minimum open space on lots, require private amenity space equal to 5% of residential floor area, and require at least 10% of a building footprint as public amenity space for qualifying sites. The planning board recommended a seven-foot street setback with build-to expectations and zero or 10-foot side/rear setbacks where adjacent to low-density residential (LDR) zones; the board also recommended preserving existing single-family rights by removing interim prohibitions on expansion or new single-family development in specified NCH areas.

Why it matters: The code governs where and how the city allows denser, mixed-use development outside of downtown. It affects building height, ground-floor commercial presence, open-space commitments, and incentives intended to capture community benefits (indoor community rooms, plazas, public art, or affordable housing) in exchange for additional floor area.

Key policy elements discussed:
- Ground-floor commercial overlay: In four subareas (including parts of Westgate, 5-Corners, the Medical District and Seaview), the draft requires active ground-floor commercial uses for roughly the first 45 feet of building façades on key streets, applying to at least 60% of the street-facing façade to support pedestrian activity. Planning staff noted this is a minimum requirement; developers could still provide more commercial space if economically viable.
- Amenity and open-space rules: The proposal requires a minimum of 15% open space per lot. Private amenity space is set at 5% of total residential floor area; public amenity space must be at least 10% of building footprint where required. The planning board recommended bonus floor area of 5 square feet for each qualifying square foot of outdoor public amenity space and 10 square feet for each qualifying square foot of indoor public community amenity, subject to location and design standards.
- Bonus floor incentives and MFTE: The bonus incentives apply in MU-4 and MU-5 areas (marked NCH-4 and NCH-5 overlays in the draft). The draft sits alongside the city's existing Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) program, which already requires a portion of units to be affordable. Councilmembers raised the affordability metric and suggested the MFTE thresholds (80% AMI) may not provide deep enough affordability given Snohomish County AMI levels; staff said MFTE details could be revisited separately.
- Steep-slope protections: The planning board recommended retaining a protected steep-slope line in the Westgate area and made a technical adjustment to the map where the slope designation conflicted with parcel boundaries.

Councilmembers asked detailed questions about how the NCH standards align with other city regulations: how open-space can or cannot include critical-area buffers, how transition setbacks to single-family neighborhoods compare to other zone rules, whether rooftop decks can count as private amenity space, and how to ensure the ground-floor commercial overlay does not unintentionally reduce commercial capacity. Planning staff and Planning Board Chair Hankins said critical-area protections remain in the city's critical-areas code (Title 23) and that the open-space minimums are intended to be additive to those protections rather than a replacement.

Planning Board Chair Hankins said the board tried to balance predictability and flexibility so new projects can respond to market conditions while still delivering public benefits. He said the board avoided overly prescriptive rules in some areas to allow design innovation.

Next steps: The committee will hold a public hearing July 22, continue discussion on Aug. 4 if needed, and target adoption Aug. 12. Staff noted comp-plan amendments and related mapping items (for example, Grandview/North Bay) may require additional code tweaks later in the year.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Council Committee of the Whole 7/15/2025 6:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Planning Board recommended a permanent Neighborhoods, Centers and Hubs zoning code to replace an interim ordinance, including ground-floor commercial overlays, open-space and amenity rules, and bonus floor incentives for public benefits.","taxTitle","Edmonds, Snohomish County, Washington","taxId",51965,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6152522,"Police present major cleanup of parking, towing and impound code; staff to return with final draft",652,2744000,3396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199&start=2744&end=3396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199/thumbnail_2744000.jpg","/articles/6152522/Edmonds/Snohomish-County/Washington/Police-present-major-cleanup-of-parking-towing-and-impound-code-staff-to-return-with-final-draft","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152522-789f48448157799b63392ab3d69fa17c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453096&Signature=W7XL8NdvE-uqJdxoOm6CNnjO7qKNsSQlmAZeoAkb7an0nmozdhJu0cxKX3OCgu0tau9fGZ1pK-mDfkhzLYHFw6bTIBUV26tLdwd2D13Qk9zvi1~~9z3n54H-tCNWh97HwFkXxO9o5PMojVVYDZThEJ6STPlZzwnwhZ4eQgoUXB4Tx2TuVlDkL4EvZn4Yg~OTkXBlvtMJXPVhWh4BgZZsGJxUP5pi33PvNMwxuTPbFso4kNAfpJCtarsvjriwtUYdNeg0mDPhSoKmQ8Vpi5dA9El8DeXIr8EWH~xUsyjkUeqevcegDywiJsXlPWNaL8lo0pyJAwefSQrI5oHcGSki6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commanding officer Holly presented a multi-section cleanup of the city's parking, towing and impoundment code that consolidates enforcement language, adopts state law (RCW) references where possible, and modernizes procedures the Police Department uses in practice.

Holly told the Committee of the Whole the existing code was drawn from several disparate sections and contained language dating to the 1970s and 1980s. She said the department worked with city prosecutor Beth Ford and parking enforcement staff to combine the towing, impoundment and parking enforcement rules into a single city code section and to \"adopt RCWs by reference where available, so that way we don't have to come back and clean up when state law changes.\" She said the goal was to make enforcement clear and workable for staff and the municipal court.

Why it matters: The rewrite affects enforcement mechanics—how parking violations are handled, how impounds and towing are processed, what evidence the city uses in hearings and which forum hears disputes. Those rules affect residents, business owners, towing companies and people who live in vehicles.

Key changes and clarifications discussed at the meeting included:
- Consolidation: Towing, impounding and enforcement language moved into a single code chapter for clarity.
- Alignment with state law: Staff recommended referencing the RCW towing and impound statutes to reduce future code maintenance.
- Modern enforcement options: Holly described how some outdated practices, such as handwritten notices, were removed and explained modern license-plate-reader and other procedures for enforcing time-limited parking. She said, \"The modern way of doing it is with license plate reader technology... and then as you drive around, after 2 hours... the system automatically updates and sends a warning and... issues a parking ticket.\"
- Hearings: The current code had inconsistent language about who conducts impound and towing hearings. Holly said the RCW permits municipal or district court hearings; Edmonds historically used the municipal court judge and will continue to rely on the court, though other jurisdictions use hearing officers when available. The judge had provided direct input while staff drafted the changes, she said.
- Abandoned and junk vehicles: The draft clarifies the city's approach to cars on private property and the administrative connection to code-enforcement processes. Holly said the city often pays to remove vehicles and that recouping towing fees is “something we don't do very often.”

Councilmembers asked about residential parking passes, enforcement in downtown areas (including chalking and time limits), whether the city's code automatically tracks state law changes, and how the city approaches overnight parking and car-camping enforcement. Holly said the rewrite intentionally left technical, zoning-related parking provisions to separate zoning code updates but that the enforcement chapter focuses on what police and parking staff do day to day.

No formal action was taken; councilmembers thanked staff and asked staff to provide any needed legal clarifications and to return with the final consolidated draft.","Police and city attorneys consolidated and modernized the parking, towing and impound sections of Edmonds municipal code, aligning local language with state RCWs and streamlining enforcement procedures; committee asked clarifying questions about towing hearings, abandoned vehicles and enforcement priorities.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6152526,"Council interviews Isabelle Jones for planning board seat; nomination to appear on consent agenda",1008,1690000,2698000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199&start=1690&end=2698","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199/thumbnail_1690000.jpg","/articles/6152526/Edmonds/Snohomish-County/Washington/Council-interviews-Isabelle-Jones-for-planning-board-seat-nomination-to-appear-on-consent-agenda","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152526-868e51bf69a9b0b8a2f17c5b4a77ebe8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453096&Signature=hAmx53cCwpe62vHL4nClNhOYGBzRyh8Kk1BI3dFMQ6sqJIM6Dt1yQ5QBCZVk1thNTHm46c1pAkp8eDZkOGzPwoUdhHTCM3tarvFeCbK7kZY8z1GfbmJBS5rbyho5mNtND833gM5CE5KTc9wU7akR5asMc30LYp6l3doUIckFeg7yNYo5TlxIphE374SJ2nnn6ksGAylEutMcSAu2Rh4wKUOhPVlfImyr23lRVH6fQSR5iq1yCbWuDAHBFP6BWJFdO1LUo7UOwh3CtHM2rVbfqU11JNJONaV5qHA506Qvjysa9kCwRXyWD9PKmbGwFVl17cTIZIWD9yAYvglvT3C4WA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Isabelle Jones, who described herself as a lifelong Edmonds resident and career public servant, interviewed remotely for a vacancy on the city's Planning Board and told the Committee of the Whole she wants to lend her public policy and government experience to local planning work.

Jones told the committee she's \"a long time, resident of Edmonds\" who moved back last year to raise her family, and said she has worked at the federal, state and local levels in health policy and currently serves as a deputy director for behavioral health in King County. She said she is \"action oriented\" and would bring government process experience to the volunteer board.

Why it matters: Planning board members review zoning, design standards, and other land-use matters that shape development and the city's long-range plan. Applicants with public-sector experience can help the board interpret policy and coordinate with staff.

Councilmembers asked Jones about priorities and how her background would translate to land-use work. Jones said she would focus on addressing the city's budget challenges by understanding how land-use and development can generate revenue, learning more about the comprehensive plan and the \"hub model,\" and helping advance policies to attract businesses and support livability.

Council president Tibbetts asked whether anyone objected to forwarding Jones to the council consent agenda for formal appointment; no objections were raised. Tibbetts told Jones the appointment will likely appear on the next regular council consent agenda, at which point the council will take the formal step to place her on the Planning Board.

Jones answered questions from multiple councilmembers about the Frances Anderson Center planning discussion, tree and ordinance review, and the scope of planning-board responsibilities. She said she had recently become more active in Edmonds civic affairs after following a council discussion about possible changes to the Frances Anderson Center's designation in the comp plan.

The interview concluded with the committee indicating consensus to forward Jones's nomination to the next consent agenda for formal appointment.","Isabelle Jones, an Edmonds resident with a public policy and government background, interviewed for a planning board vacancy; the council indicated no objections and will place her nomination on the next consent agenda.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6152532,"Council sends interim park impact fee ordinance to consent; public hearing set for Aug. 19",409,76000,485000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199&start=76&end=485","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5498165-bd88c6314ef57d5bb86153af348d8199/thumbnail_76000.jpg","/articles/6152532/Edmonds/Snohomish-County/Washington/Council-sends-interim-park-impact-fee-ordinance-to-consent-public-hearing-set-for-Aug-19","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6152532-032b5937357a4222d997879ed729c576/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453096&Signature=jppg6a~HDT~eesFq7XAPSMGbXPwIgAN7fH~P7RyySQ3mPK7MXvH02FkT~g1CyP-X9kZPbhGU3ZwdX2gi7RSlrwsEu-7B3ChGPdTza3TgFp-rmNXIkqJFwusb2LvMaZMyJ2gpQS2jlKef4wRQOJ~GbcupfFSTc5QRamZPwvYkDhUXigCGJf6ukmZCWiJCZ-otKdDaSLBJZ0ARssO2dDoPM9DTXf6mkicDBJPSCNt6LZIPAo4gzpVH6Gm6yvgtM95W2u5H5NVlePuQm18xfXzyAfNJFW3NYHhhdh230LVpjxOYhKQXbdOKgplPHo1zkMy5r~9kDcTtQSj7VUxCU2GreQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee of the Whole voted to place an interim ordinance updating the city's park impact fees on the next consent agenda and to hold a public hearing on the proposal Aug. 19. The interim ordinance would shift park impact fee calculations from a per-dwelling-unit model to a square-foot basis to align with 2023 changes to the Revised Code of Washington (RCW).

City Planning Director Fessor told the committee the city currently collects separate impact fees for traffic and parks and that the proposed changes focus on parks, formally called \"parks, open space and recreation facilities impact fees.\" The planning director said the fees fund capacity-building capital projects such as land acquisition and adding lights to athletic fields, and that under state law the city must expend impact fees within 10 years or return them.

Why it matters: The state RCW revision requires residential impact fees to be based on square footage, number of bedrooms or trips generated rather than a flat per-unit charge. Director Fessor and staff said converting to a square-foot fee will make fees more equitable across unit sizes and housing types, and the interim ordinance allows the city to meet the state deadline while staff complete a fee study.

Council members and staff discussed the mechanics and timing of implementation. Jeff Terady, who assisted on the technical analysis, summarized the draft approach: convert existing residential rates to a per-square-foot rate using median unit sizes and adjust for inflation. The draft sets residential park impact fees at $1.35 per square foot and nonresidential fees at $0.97 per square foot. Terady said, \"The whole philosophy behind these fees is to have growth pay for growth so that, existing residents aren't having to be taxed extra to fund growth.\" The draft also reflects the state's 50% cap on impact fees for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and retains an exemption framework for qualifying low-income housing and early learning centers.

Councilmembers asked for clarifications about effective dates, administrative burden for recording affordability covenants, and whether the city could use an in-house or low-cost consultant to perform the required impact-fee study. Director Fessor said the draft used Oct. 1 as an effective date because that date appeared in the existing code; staff recommended the attorney be given leeway to adjust the effective date after consulting building staff and suggested September 1 could be administratively feasible. Councilmember Vivian moved an amendment directing the city attorney to adjust the effective date after staff conversations; the committee approved the amendment. Councilmember Jenna moved to forward the interim ordinance with the attached work plan to the next consent agenda; the motion was seconded and carried. The committee recorded unanimous support to send the interim ordinance to the consent agenda for formal adoption and to proceed with the Aug. 19 public hearing.

The ordinance draft also proposes that the city continue to allow exemptions for qualifying low-income housing units (the draft conditions the exemption on a recorded covenant) and for early learning centers; staff said the low-income exemption has been used rarely in Edmonds to date but would create some additional administrative tracking if used more frequently. Staff estimated an update to the park impact fee study could cost in the low thousands if the city can use an update approach rather than a full new study, but a full new impact-fee study from scratch could cost tens of thousands.

The committee's action sends the interim ordinance to the council consent agenda for adoption and sets the public hearing for Aug. 19 where staff will present the study scope and final recommended rates.","City staff recommended an interim ordinance to change park impact fees from per-unit to square-foot basis to comply with 2023 RCW changes; council directed minor edits and moved the ordinance to the next consent agenda with a scheduled public hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning board presents permanent Neighborhoods, Centers and Hubs code; council schedules public hearing July 22

Police present major cleanup of parking, towing and impound code; staff to return with final draft

Council interviews Isabelle Jones for planning board seat; nomination to appear on consent agenda

Council sends interim park impact fee ordinance to consent; public hearing set for Aug. 19