Snohomish County, WA: Proposed changes pit builders, residents

By Emily Heffter
Times Snohomish County bureau



EVERETT, WA -10/30/02— Five proposed changes to Snohomish County development rules mean more houses could be built on the same land.

Which is fine, neighbors say, unless it's the land next door.

The county Planning Commission heard both views during more than two hours of public testimony last week. Developers argued that the new rules, which would allow more density and reduce environmental restrictions, would help revive the county's sluggish economy.

But residents said the public would "feel betrayed" by the new rules because developers could build up to 12 houses on land zoned for six. That, residents say, could surprise people who thought the county had protected their neighborhoods from dense development.

An economic task force of county officials recommended the five changes, which are supposed to make it easier to develop land in Snohomish County.

The commission will resume deliberations on the changes and may vote at 6 p.m. Tuesday. From there, the County Council has the final say.

The proposals would:

• Charge $150 for an appeal, instead of $100.

• Require less environmental review of some commercial buildings, apartments and condominiums.

• Prevent the County Council from taking public comment on a development application at the same meeting that the council makes a decision on the proposal.

• Change the minimum lot size allowed.

• Change the rules governing planned residential developments, or PRDs.

Some residents said they were especially opposed to the proposed changes to PRD rules because less than two years ago a 13-member committee of residents, environmentalists and developers spent hours tightening them.

The proposed changes would effectively reverse their work. For example, the committee recommended the maximum number of houses per acre be reduced from 12 to seven. The latest proposal would take the maximum back to 12.

"I feel like my work's been thrown out the window," said Jody McVittie, a county resident who was part of the earlier committee.

But developers said the committee's rules, which were adopted in May 2001, were too strict. Applications for PRDs all but stopped after the new rules were enacted.

"This is probably the best set of amendments I've seen since I've been in the county," said Noel Higa of Higa-Burkheimer Associates, a land-use consulting group.

There is a "crisis" in Snohomish County, Higa said, because builders have already developed most of the best land.

Under the new rules, developers would have two options for increasing density on land zoned for four to six homes per acre. One is a PRD — trading density for open space, such as a park or play area, in a subdivision. The other is called lot-size averaging. That means developers can mix small lots with large lots on a site as long as the average lot size meets the zoning for the area.

Emily Heffter: 425-783-0624 or eheffter@seattletimes.com.