Bothell City Council members unanimously voted in favor of proposed code amendments to remove the existing 20 dwelling units per acre density limit in the downtown transition district.

Mayor Joshua Freed was absent from the meeting.

City staff wanted the code to revert to the original approach proposed by staff and the consultant in the Downtown Plan and Regulations, which stated dwelling unit yield in the downtown transition district would be controlled by building envelope, parking and other development regulations. This is how it is in the Downtown Subarea in the Downtown Core, Downtown Neighborhood, SR 522 Corridor and General Downtown Corridor districts, and elsewhere in the city in areas zoned Residential – Activity Center.

These code amendments were requested by Marlin Gabbert and Dick Paylor and initiated by council as part of the city’s 2013 Docket of plan and code amendments.

“I like the fact that the members of community that were on both sides of the fence came together and found a compromise,” Deputy Mayor Del Spivey said. “That makes the decision to go ahead with these amendments a win-win.”

The Planning Commission held a study session and public hearing on this issue in March and forwarded a recommendation to council in favor of the requested amendments. At its June 17 study session, council requested that the item be brought back at a public hearing. At the Sept. 2 public hearing, council deliberated and raised a number of questions before continuing the public hearing to Oct. 7.

“Although I support this motion, I strongly believe that we need to think about the impacts of development,” Bothell City Council member Tris Samberg said. “We’ve been hearing much complaint from our residents about parking and traffic issues.”

The original Downtown Plan proposal evaluated in the Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement had no density limit in the Downtown Transition district. The special density limit of 20 units per acre was a late amendment which received very little analysis prior to adoption of the Downtown Plan and Regulations in 2009. The proponents of removing the density limit argue that the current density cap significantly limits residential development opportunities in the district, contrary to the Downtown Plan’s goal of attracting significant housing within easy walking distance of the commercial core.

“I propose that we get together in the future and try to work out a solution for the parking and traffic issues that can work for everyone,” Bothell City Council member Bill Evans said. “I think it’s important for our staff to take on a parking study to gauge what the root cause of the issue is and give us other important information for the future.”