Introduction
The Port of Edmonds has submitted a request to the City of Edmonds to incorporate the Port’s Harbor Square Master Plan into the City’s Comprehensive Plan. While the Harbor Square Master Plan contains some language on the types of uses to be allowed and building heights, the request is not for a rezone and is not a project level proposal. However, incorporating the Port’s Harbor Square Master Plan into the Comprehensive Plan would lay the foundation for a future rezone and/or development agreement for the Harbor Square property to support a mixed-use transit oriented development.
The Harbor Square property is currently zoned General Commercial (CG) which was done through a contract rezone in 1980 (The contract rezone is available at this link). Through the contract rezone, uses at Harbor Square were limited to commercial uses (residential use is not allowed) and a height limit of 35 feet was established.
The Harbor Square Master Plan submitted to the City for inclusion in the Comprehensive Plan envisions a mixed-use transit oriented development. The mixed use nature of the Master Plan will allow for retail, commercial, office, public uses and residential housing. The SEPA checklist indicates a redeveloped Harbor Square consistent with the Master Plan could provide 340 to 358 residential units, 50,400 square feet of retail, 9,784 square feet of office, 123,410 square feet of recreational health club uses (including tennis courts), 3.8 acres of public open space and 1,091 spaces of off-street parking. The Master Plan also envisions buildings up to 55 feet in height. Buildings of 35 feet are proposed for the SR-104/Dayton Street intersection while buildings of 45 feet are proposed along Dayton Street (with step back provisions for portions above 35 feet). Five story buildings (55 feet) would be located at the far southern edge of the site.
To find out more about the Port of Edmonds Harbor Square Master Plan, see the information contained within each of the tabs below.
For more information, please feel free to contact Kernen Lien via
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or by phone at 425-771-0220.
Master Plan Application Materials
The five letters at the bottom of the list are letters of support the Port of Edmonds included with their application materials. All comment letters received by the City of Edmonds will be included in the record (forwarded to the Planning Board and City Council), but will not be posted at this location since they are not part of the Port's application materials.
Review Process
Process
Pursuant to ECDC 20.01.003, Comprehensive Plan amendments are Type V actions. Type V actions are legislative decisions made by the City Council under its authority to establish policies and regulations regarding future private and public developments, and management of public lands. ECDC 20.01.001.C provides the framework for Type V actions as:
1. Planning Board. The Planning Board shall hold a public hearing and make recommendations to the City Council on Type V actions, except the City Council may hold a public hearing itself on area-wide rezones to implement city policies, or amendments to zoning code text, development regulations or zoing map. The public hearing shall be held in accordance with the requirments of Chapter 20.06 ECDC, RCW 36.70A.035 and all other applicable laws.
3. Public Notice. Notice of the public hearing or public meeting shall be provided to the public as set forth in Chapter 20.03 ECDC.
4. Implementation. City Council Type V decision shall be by ordinance or resolution and shall become effective on the effective date of the ordinance or resolution.
Required Findings
Pursuant to ECDC 20.00.050, an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan may be adopted only if the following findings are made:
1. The proposed amendment is consistent with the provisions of the Edmonds Comprehensive Plan and is in the public interest;
2. The proposed amendment would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety or welfare of the City;
3. The proposed amendment would maintain the appropriate balance of land uses within the City; and
4. In the case of an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan map, the subject parcels are physically suitable for the requested land use designations(s) and the anticipated land use developments(s), including, but not limited to, access, provisions of utilities, compatibility with adjoining land uses and absence of physical constraints.
State Environmental Policy Act
The Port of Edmonds, acting as lead agency for the Port Commision's adoption of the Master Plan, issued a Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance (MDNS) for the Master Plan. The mitigation required in the Port’s MDNS is:
Preparation of a transportation impact analysis report that documents existing conditions, estimates project related changes to local traffic, and describes related impacts and mitigation measures.
The City of Edmonds must conduct its own SEPA review for inclusion of the Harbor Square Master Plan into the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The City of Edmonds solicited comments priort to issuing the threshold determination for the Harbor Square Master Plan. In the Public Notice for the Planning Board's public hearing, the City indicated it intended to issue a Mitigated Determination of Nonsignficance for the Harbor Square master Plan's incorporation into the City's Comprehensive Plan.
The City Acting as lead agency for the Comprehensive Plan Amendment, issued a Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance on October 4, 2012 with three mitigation measures:
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Preparation of a transportation impact analysis report that documents existing conditions, estimates project related changes to local traffic, and describes related impacts and mitigation measures. |
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2. |
The average building height of all buildings on the Harbor Square site taken as a whole shall be less than 45 feet. |
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3. |
Specific building and site design shall consider potential impacts of climate change such as sea level rise and increased potential for flooding. A range of techniques should be considered in meeting this goal, such as low impact development (LID) techniques; enhanced buffers and appropriate building setbacks to protect and enhance Edmonds Marsh; and/or employing other alternative systems and techniques to reduce maintenance and facilities costs. |
Planning Board Review
Comprehensive plan amendments are Type V legislative actions. The Planning Board reviews requests for comprehensive plan amendments and makes a recommendation to the City Council. See the Review Process tab above for more information on the process and required findings.
To view the agenda memorandums, presentation, and other items presented to the Planning Board at a given meeting, click on the "Agenda Item" next to the dates below. To view the minutes of the meeting, click on "Minutes" next to the dates below. The Harbor Square Master Plan was discussed at the following meetings:
| July 25, 2012 | Agenda Item | Minutes | |||
| August 22, 2012 | Agenda Item | Minutes | |||
| September 12, 2012 | Agenda Item | Minutes | |||
| September 26, 2012 (Public Hearing) | Agenda Item | Minutes | |||
| October 10, 2012 | Agenda Item | Minutes | |||
| October 24. 2012 | Agenda Item | Minutes |
The Planning Board's recommendation to the City Council on the Harbor Square Master Plan is available here.
City Council Review
Comprehensive plan amendments are Type V legislative actions. The Planning Board reviews requests for comprehensive plan amendments and makes a recommendation to the City Council. The City Council will consider the Planning Board recommendation in a public hearing(s). See the Review Process tab above for more information on the process and required findings.
The City Council's review of the Harbor Square Master Plan began with a presetnation on November 20, 2012. Public hearings on the Harbor Square Master Plan were held on December 4 and December 18, 2012. The public hearing was continued to January 29, 2013. Following discussion of the Harbor Square Master Plan at the February 5, 2013, the City Council directed staff to draft modifications to the Harbor Square Master Plan based on Council input and other input received during the public hearing process. Staff is scheduled to present options for a revised Harbor Square Master Plan at the March 19, 2013 City Council meeting.
To view the agenda memorandums, presentations, and other items presented to the City Council, click on the "Agenda Item" next to the dates below. Other items that were not part of the agenda memorandum but presented at the Council meeting are included in the fourth column below.
| Meeting Date | Agenda Item | Minutes | Other Items | |||
| November 20, 2012 | Agenda Item | Minutes | Port of Edmonds PowerPoint Presentation | |||
| December 4, 2012 (Public Hearing) | Agenda Item | Minutes | ||||
| December 18, 2012 (Public Hearing) | Agenda Item | Minutes | ||||
| January 29, 2013 (Public Hearing) | Agenda Item | Minutes | Staff's PowerPoint Presentation | |||
| February 5, 2013 | Agenda Item | Minutes | ||||
| Next Meeting March 19, 2013 |
At the November 20, 2012 Council meeting, Council members indicated they had a number of questions on the Port's request to incorporate the Harbor Square Master Plan into the City's Comprehensive Plan. In order to facilitate review, the City Council decided to submit questions to staff and give the Port of Edmonds and staff time to respond to the questions at upcoming meetings. The questions submitted by Council members are provided at the links below.
Development Services
Planning News
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Harbor Square Master Plan
The Planning Board has begun its review of the Harbor Square Master Plan. Find out more here.
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AWC Award
The City of Edmonds won an Association of Washington Cities Municipal Excellence Award for its Sustaining Edmonds program. Find out more here.
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Strategic Planning
The City's strategic planning initiative is nearing completion. Find out more here!
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Shoreline Master Program Update
Find out about the new Shoreline Master Program update, affecting planning and regulation city shorelines (including Edmonds Marsh and Lake Ballinger).
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Five Corners / Westgate
Click here for information on the Neighborhood Plans for Westgate and Five Corners.