Subarea Studies
North Lake, North Corner, & Central West Subareas Study
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The Project
City leaders want to know if housing opportunities can be increased and fiscal sustainability enhanced by rezoning portions of three subareas where the current predominate designation is Single-Family.
A portion of each of the three subareas – North Lake, North Corner, and Central West – include unincorporated areas that potentially could be annexed into the city.
Request for Proposals
To begin this project, the City has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire a professional consultant to perform a land use and economic analyses of each subarea. The results of these analyses will be used by decision-makers, along with public input, when considering possible Comprehensive Plan amendments and rezones towards the end of the year.
Click here to download the RFP. All RFP applications must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10, 2022 to be considered. The intent is to have a consultant selected and already working on the project by February 2022.
Answers to Questions Asked
Does the City have a budget in mind for this project and/or for each of the plans?
No. However, because the RFP is straight-forward without a lot of variables we believe we have a good idea of the approximate cost to do the work and are confident we have enough budget available to ensure the project is done thoroughly and properly. Estimated costs will be one element considered when we evaluate proposals but will not be the deciding factor.
Is there a page limit for the proposal?
No, although applicants should keep in mind one criterion that will be used in evaluating proposals is the applicant’s ability to convey information in a clear and efficient manner.
Since it is an electronic submittal, does the City have an email file size limit we need to adhere to?
Attachments to emails should not exceed 25MB. If an applicant’s submittal is larger than that, an email providing a link to a site from which the application can be downloaded is acceptable.
Schedule
In November 2021, the City Council adopted the 2022 Comprehensive Plan Amendments Final Docket that included three City-initiated proposals to study each subarea and to consider the feasibility and impact of rezoning to encourage the creation of more housing options and to broaden the city’s tax base.
The first step in the process is to issue a RFP and hire a consultant to begin a land use and economic analysis of each subarea. Until a consultant is hired, how long it will take for the work to be completed is not known but the expectation is for it to be concluded by June 2022. The results of the consultant’s work will then be shared with the Planning Commission and City Council at a public meeting and will be made available on this web page.
In fall 2022, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Comprehensive Plan amendments, which could include proposals to rezone all or parts of each subarea. The City Council will use the Planning Commission recommendation and public input to make a final decision by the end of 2022.
The results of this project will also be used to develop an annexation strategy for the unincorporated areas within each subarea. No annexation is currently being proposed, nor has a timeline been discussed for adopting an annexation strategy or to annex any areas into the city.
Public Outreach
Public involvement in this project is necessary for it to be successful, as some of the potential rezones would have a significant impact on how Snohomish grows. That growth must reflect the community’s vision. An active outreach campaign will begin once the consultants finish their work.
To comment on this project, contact Planning Director Glen Pickus.