Snohomish County raises roof on urban development

Buildings up to 18 stories high could rise in Snohomish County over the next few decades, part of a plan for dense, urban development in unincorporated areas that are now largely low-rise strip malls and other commercial development.

The County Council on Tuesday approved development rules for seven urban centers, mostly along Interstate 5 and Highway 99 between Lynnwood and Everett, that could become pedestrian-friendly hubs of apartments, condominiums and shops.

The new design rules were adopted despite concerns that 18-story buildings were too tall for a county where the tallest now tops out at nine stories and where many cities next to the urban centers have adopted maximum building heights that are significantly lower.

"Do I think we're going to see 180-foot buildings in Snohomish County anytime soon? No," said Councilman Dave Somers, who supported the changes. "This is for the future."

The most controversial of the urban-center designations is Point Wells on Puget Sound, where the cities of Shoreline and Woodway, as well as residents of the Richmond Beach neighborhood, have opposed plans to replace an aging asphalt plant with an upscale development of condominium towers, shops and restaurants.

Local leaders have argued that the site, currently reached only by a two-lane road through Shoreline, is poorly suited to a dense, urban-scale development and, unlike the other six urban centers, isn't located along a major transit corridor.

The new ordinances will allow the property owner, Paramount Northwest, to go forward with planning and design of the 61-acre waterfront site. With environmental cleanup, road improvements and high-end construction, the developer estimates that the total project could cost more than $1 billion.

But the new rules also direct the developer to work with the surrounding jurisdictions to come up with a development plan.

"Our hope is we can find something that works for both sides, but the 18-story (height) remains a concern," said Woodway Administrator Eric Faison.

In adopting the urban-center development rules, county leaders said they were directing future growth to those areas most suited for high-density development and close to public transportation. County projections show the current population of about 704,300 growing to 909,500 by 2025 and to more than 1 million by 2040.

"It will be a long time before we see anything resembling a downtown (in these urban centers), but this is one way the county can accommodate growth," said Everett Planning Director Allan Giffen, who supported the changes.

A last-minute attempt by County Councilman Mike Cooper to set the maximum building height at 125 feet or about 12 stories, failed on a 3-2 vote. Councilman Brian Sullivan agreed with Cooper that the new development guidelines could be out of scale with what adjacent cities now allow. Currently, Edmonds permits buildings up to 75 feet and Lynnwood 80 feet along Highway 99, Cooper said.

Councilmen Dave Gossett and John Koster joined Somers in supporting the taller heights in the new development rules.

Last year the council approved the urban-center zoning for Point Wells and six other sites: along I-5 at 128th Street Southeast in South Everett, 164th Street Southwest near Lynnwood, and at 44th Avenue West between Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace; along Highway 99 at 152nd Street Southwest north of Lynnwood and at the Mukilteo Speedway in South Everett; and at Highway 527 at 196th Street Southeast near Bothell. The Point Wells project is a bit of an anomaly because the developer proposed that the site be zoned an urban center to maximize its development potential.

The new rules create a two-track process to involve adjacent cities in planning the new urban centers. The ordinance directs developers to work with city officials and neighbors on the scale, density, building design and other features of the proposed development.

But if the developer and the city can't reach an agreement within 45 days, the rules allow the builder to submit plans to a county design review board whose recommendation is subject to a hearing examiner's approval.

Woodway, Shoreline and Richmond Beach residents last year appealed the urban-center designation of Point Wells to the Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board. They agreed to put that appeal on hold in order to try to reach a mutual agreement on the project with the developer.

Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305 or lthompson@seattletimes.com