A draft plan that includes proposed zoning changes for the Mountlake Terrace Town Center was delivered to the City Council Monday, July 22. Now the council wants to hear what the public thinks about plan, which could bring taller buildings and more density to the downtown core.

About a dozen community members attended the July 22 special meeting set specifically for the council to receive the plan, although no public testimony was taken. However, council members stressed the importance of having as much engagement as possible with citizens about the plan between now and when they take a vote, which is set to occur on Sept. 26.

Introduction of the draft plan and 2018 Comprehensive Plan amendments to the council followed a recommendation from the MLT Planning Commission, which has been reviewing the draft plan since January.

Christy Osborn, the city’s Community and Economic Development Director, summarized the history of the plan’s development, starting with the council’s appointment in spring 2018 of an 11-member Economic Vitality and Town Center Task Force.

The task force was directed to assist consultant SCJ Alliance in updating the city’s 2007 Town Center Plan and its Economic Vitality Strategy, development codes and standards. It held 11 public meetings, two open houses and a public Economic Opportunities Panel Discussion meeting, and also conducted an in-person visual preference survey, Osborn noted.

The task force presented its recommended Town Center Subarea Plan during a Dec. 17 special joint meeting that included the city council and planning commission.

From there, the planning commission began to review the task force’s recommendations. After 12 meetings and a public hearing, the commission on July 16 moved to recommend several documents to the city council including a draft Town Center Subarea Plan, a new city zoning code and design standards, and an amended Economic Vitality Element.

Consultant Bill Trimm, who has been working with the city on developing the plan, took over the microphone to present 100-plus slides in a presentation summarizing the plan for the council and the public. You can review that presentation here,

Trimm explained that the city’s creation of the draft Town Center Plan and related documents stemmed from goals and policies that were based on the task force recommendations. Items like land use patterns, streets/circulation and parking, urban design and development incentives were reviewed, and economics and demographics data were also analyzed, together with market trends and vacancy rate, he said.

“Within the designated area of the Town Center we have a lot of capacity for new growth,” Trimm said, noting that involves both vacant lots as well as existing single-family homes.

It’s important to remember that when it comes to development, “the residential drives the retail,” Trimm said. “Retail doesn’t really occur until you create enough catalysts for that. And that catalyst comes from the development of existing residential uses.”

As has been reported in previous MLTnews stories, the Town Center Plan is meant to concentrate growth and development in Town Center to protect outlying single-family residential areas. It includes simplifying the number of land use districts and their associated zoning, with the tallest buildings (up to 12 stories under the draft plan) adjacent to I-5 and the transit center. Heights would be reduced as the zoning gets closer to single-family residential uses.

At the July 22 meeting, councilmembers thanked city staff for their efforts to develop the plan, and also stressed the importance of community engagement as they begin working their way through the hefty set of documents presented to them.

They also expressed a desire to learn more about proposed changes to the plan that were recommended by the planning commission during its July 16 meeting.

“This is a plan that has been in the works now for a year and a half and it’s something that is desperately needed for Mountlake Terrace as we anticipate light rail coming in and the changes that that station will bring,” said Mayor Pro Tem Doug McCardle. “It’s nice to see that we are proactively engaged in getting ready for that growth because it will happen.”

Councilmember Bryan Wahl added that staff has “done a great job of putting some valuable concepts forward for us to consider at this point, and I think we’re really close.”

However, Wahl said he has concerns that the current timeline may not give the council enough time to hear from the public and respond to their feedback.

Osborn noted that public comment opportunities have been provided at all of the past task force and planning commission meetings, and that staff has documented all public comments they have received “throughout this whole process.”

The council can certainly add other ways to include incorporate comments during its meetings on the issue, she added.

As part of its public outreach effort, the city will have a booth at the Tour de Terrace street fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday where the community can ask questions. Citizens are also welcome to attend future council meetings to provide public comment, write a letter to the City Council or email cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us.

The public is also invited to offer comments during the city’s National Night Out Against Crime event Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Evergreen Playfield, and at the Aug. 14 Coffee with the City event from 6 – 7 p.m. at the Recreation Pavilion.

A Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) has been prepared as part of the plan. The Draft SEIS can be reviewed at City Hall and on the city website www.cityofmlt.com/338.  The 30-day comment period on the Draft SEIS runs from July 19 — Aug. 19, 2019. The EIS will supplement the Mountlake Terrace Town Center Planned Action and Zoning Regulations Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS), published in August 2007, and the Town Center Planned Action Final EIS Addendum, published in April 2013.

Tentative meeting dates for city council discussion include a study session with the Planning Commission on the SEIS on Thursday, Aug. 1 and a public hearing on the SEIS Monday, Aug. 5, 2019, both beginning at 7 p.m. at interim City Hall. Public comment on the SEIS will be taken at both meetings.

The council will be reviewing and discussing the plan for the next nine weeks before anticipated final action. Additional meetings to discuss the plan and gather public input from the community are tentatively scheduled for Aug. 15 (City Council work/study session), Sept. 16 (public hearing for Comprehensive Plan and development regulations) and Sept. 26 (public hearing and city council action.)

Meeting dates are tentative and subject to change, but MLTnews will provide updates. Or citizens can confirm with the City Clerk’s Office at 425-744-6206 or cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us. The meetings will begin at 7 p.m. in the interim City Hall Council Chambers, 6100 219th St. S.W. #220, Mountlake Terrace.

For more information or to provide comments on the Draft SEIS or Town Center Subarea Plan, contact Christy Osborn, Community and Economic Development Director, at the above address, via email at cosborn@ci.mlt.wa.us or by phone at 425-744-6207.