ANACORTES—The public is invited to comment on changes proposed to the city’s zoning code and development regulations at a City Council hearing 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, as a two-year effort to update the regulations nears its end.
“This is just taking a last final look at it,” said Anacortes Planning Director Ryan Larsen.
The city sent the draft to the state in July. Thirteen state agencies examined the update and returned the document to the city with only minor remarks following a mandatory review period, Larsen said.
The draft returned from the state intact with proposals for accessory dwellings in residential neighborhoods as a conditional use. The new regulations would drop a 50,000-square-foot cap on retail construction near Fidalgo Bay and permit housing over retail in commercial marine zones. Gone from the draft is a controversial ban on chain stores in the downtown core that was dropped before the document went to the state.
The council moved forward with the removal of the retail cap in the CM1 zone, hoping the change will coax bigger retailers into town. The only landowners in that zone are the Port of Anacortes and MJB Industries. Councilors have said the top concern they hear from constituents is a need for additional retail opportunities on the island, particularly for items such as clothing and shoes.
The council did include a 100,000-square-foot cap on the total retail allowed in the entire CM1 zone. The allocation of available retail space will depend on which owner builds first.
The accessory dwelling proposal came from an affordable housing task force. It would allow homeowners to build attached or detached accessory dwellings up to 900 square feet without paying impact fees. At the time it was approved, former Planning Director Ian Munce said communities that allow such construction see an average of one built per 1,000 residents each year, which would mean about 16 a year in Anacortes.
“I can’t imagine getting that many,” Larsen said. “In many places it’s an allowable use and people think it’s a great idea but they never get around to doing it.”
With the draft, the City Council moved forward a ban on subdivisions in light industrial areas along Guemes Channel and near the airport. To build a subdivision would require a zoning change.
The body moved forward a 50-foot height limit on buildings in commercial marine areas where there is currently no limit, although some councilors said such a restriction might limit project proposals, and councilors supported a proposal to reduce the maximum height of multifamily construction from 50 feet to 40 feet in R4 areas.
Not up for comment is the newly approved Old Town zoning overlay district, as well as anything that was not altered during the update process. Larsen said the city will begin accepting proposals for new zoning code changes in January. Also excluded from this round of comment are previous rezone requests for several parcels in town, which will be considered early next year. Larsen said those who made such proposals will hear from the city.
“We will be sending them letters shortly,” he said.
Once a schedule is worked out, he said notification of adjacent property owners will follow.
The draft zoning code and associated documents are posted at http://www.cityofanacortes.org/planning/DevRegulation/index.asp.
