Executive/Council Action Form (ECAF)
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Ordinance 25-078, relating to Growth Management; concerning Urban Zone development regulations; amending Chapters 30.22, 30.31A, and 30.34A of the Snohomish County Code
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DEPARTMENT: Planning and Development Services
ORIGINATOR: Jennifer Cao
EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDATION: Approved by Ken Klein 11/10/25
PURPOSE: To adopt code amendments to Chapters 30.22, 30.31A, and 30.34A of the Snohomish County Code (SCC) relating to development regulations in the Urban Center (UC) zone. The code amendments will promote clarity, consistency, and compliance with both state law and the Growth Management Act Comprehensive Plan (GMACP), while ensuring that development regulations continue to effectively implement adopted policies.
BACKGROUND: These amendments stem from the recent addition of the Urban Core Subarea Element (the “Element”) to the GMACP. The Urban Core Subarea encompasses several highways and arterial corridors currently dominated by car-oriented commercial developments. The element envisions transforming these corridors into mixed-use hubs that integrate commercial, service, and residential spaces, catering to nearby neighborhoods and commuters. Townhouses are proposed to be removed as a permitted use in favor of high-density housing development to maximize land use efficiency and better support transit-oriented growth to meet the 2044 growth targets in the GMACP. Additional amendments to design regulations will work in tandem to be consistent with design goals of the GMACP. Currently, all UC development projects are required for review by the Urban Center Design Review Board (UCDRB). To better streamline the permitting process, this ordinance recommends the elimination of the UCDRB. This will increase the speed and consistency of permitting, which will promote more development, thereby increasing density that will align with the goals of the GMACP. Streamlining the permitting process will also maintain consistency with the Local Project Review Act, chapter 36.70B RCW.
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OTHER DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW/COMMENTS: Reviewed/approved by Finance - Nathan Kennedy 11/7/25. AATF: Christina Richmond 11/4/25