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Long Range Planning
With the input from you the public, the Planning Commission, Parks Board, and City Council, this team of planners look to the future to prepare the city’s land use plans and municipal code amendments for future development. See the 2020 Work Plan here.
Special Plans | Subarea Plans |
Code Development
The city is currently in the process of developing or has recently completed several codes to implement the comprehensive plan, related special plans, and state law. Click on the projects below to learn more about them.
City Council to continue discussion of updated short-term rental regulations on October 4
The city adopted supplementary use regulations for tourist homes in 1998 (LSMC 14.44.064), which have remained unchanged even as the popularity of short term rentals (STRs) has increased exponentially. The city is currently considering amendments to LSMC 14.44.064 and associated chapters to modernize the code language and respond to community concerns.
On April 20, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to review the proposed amendment (LUA2022-0046) and take public comment. Five members of the public provided oral testimony before the Commission deliberated on the proposal and voted to recommend approval of the draft amendment included in the April 20 meeting packet.
The City Council held work sessions on May 3 and June 7 to review the Planning Commission's recommended code language. At the conclusion of the June 7 work session, the Council opted to form a subcommittee to consider revisions to the draft code language. Following approximately three months of work, the City Council held a public hearing on Tuesday, September 13 to consider the adoption or Ordinance 1139, which would make amendments to LSMC 14.44.064 and associated chapters as shown in the "Draft Regulations" below. The full meeting packet for the September 13 meeting can be found on the Agendas and Packets page.
The City Council approved a motion to continue the public hearing to allow for an additional workshop on October 4. Additional materials for that workshop will be available on the above Agendas and Packets page by Friday, September 30.
To submit comments in advance of the public hearing, please send an email to deputyclerk@lakestevenswa.gov.
| Code Development Process | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft Regulations | State Environmental Policy Act | Public Notice | |
| Proposed amendments in Ordinance 1139 | Categorically exempt under WAC 197-11-800(19)(b) | September 13 City Council Notice of Public Hearing | |
City exploring potential amendments to storage facility regulations
The city adopted supplementary use regulations for storage facilities (LSMC 14.44.044) in January 2018. After considering several changes to the regulations as part of the Permissible Uses code amendment process, the city is now exploring a standalone code amendment as part of its 2022 Long Range work program. The amendment aims to create clear and objective standards for storage facilities that consider the city's supply of commercial land and its employment growth targets. City staff held an initial work session with the Planning Commission on June 1 and expects to have additional meetings later in Summer 2022 before moving on to public hearings.
For more information, please contact Jill Needham at jdneedham@lakestevenswa.gov..
| Code Development Process (Permit # LUA2022-0079) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulations | State Environmental Policy Act | Public Notice | |
| LSMC 14.44.044 (Existing Regulations) | TBD | TBD | |
City undertaking "code clean-up" code amendment
As part of its 2022 Long Range work program, the city is undertaking a "code clean-up" that aims to resolve unclear or conflicting code sections. City staff has identified a preliminary list of code sections that would be amended, which were shared with the Planning Commission during a June 1 work session. Staff anticipates holding additional work sessions with the Planning Commission and City Council later this summer before moving on to public hearings.
| Code Development Process | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulations | State Environmental Policy Act | Public Notice | |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | |
Permissible Use Table Update adopted by City Council on November 9, 2021
With commercial land uses in Lake Stevens continuing to expand and the city exploring ways to facilitate greater economic development, staff worked with the Planning Commission and City Council to simplify and improve the permissible use table in LSMC 14.40, which previously included overly detailed uses and antiquated terminology that has required many code interpretations over the years.
Staff held a number of work sessions with the Planning Commission and City Council between December 2020 and August 2021. The Planning Commission held a final work session on August 18 before holding a public hearing on the proposed amendment (LUA2021-0136) on September 15, 2021 (meeting packet). The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the code amendment, and the City Council held a public hearing on October 12, 2021 (continued to November 9, 2021) before adopting Ordinance 1124 (see below).
For additional information on this project, please contact Jill Needham at 425-622-9428 or jneedham@lakestevenswa.gov.
| Code Development Process | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Regulations | State Environmental Policy Act | Public Notice | |
| Ordinance 1124 | Determination of Nonsignificance | October 12 CC Public Hearing | |