Published: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Stalled projects may get more time from Everett
City may extend life of land-use permits
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Mark Mulligan / The Herald
Foundations lay uncompleted across the street from vacant houses in a new, empty subdivision called Seventh Avenue along the 9000 block of Seventh Avenue SE in Everett on Wednesday.
EVERETT -- Here's yet another sign of a sagging economy: Everett may soon double the shelf life of land-use permits.
With many building projects being put indefinitely on hold, the proposed city ordinance would allow housing developers to ask for more time -- up to four years -- to start building, once they get initial permits.
Supporters of the measure say pushing off the expiration date of environmental permits would allow builders with stalled projects to avoid the expense of conducting new environmental studies and reapplying for city approval.
"It would be redundant to review the same exact project all over again," said Jennifer Jerabek with the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. "What has changed is the market, nothing has changed on the site."
The industry group is asking local governments to relax a number of building rules to help create a local "housing stimulus package."
The requested changes include reducing parking requirements, shrinking building setbacks and extending the duration of building permits, which are issued after land-use permits are secured.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon this week proposed extending preliminary permit approvals for residential subdivisions and slashing the cost of resubmitting preliminary permit applications.
Allan Giffen, director of Everett's planning department, said the proposed ordinance being considered by the Everett City Council would extend the time for developers to obtain building permits after getting the land-use OK under the state Environmental Policy Act.
The proposal is designed to aid stalled projects, such as Colby Tower, a nine-story, mixed-use building planned for the southwest corner of Colby Avenue and 26th Street.
The global credit crunch sidelined that project and several others in Everett, including the Port of Everett's 660-condo Port Gardner Wharf development.
"There are projects that would very well lose vesting without this ordinance," Giffen said.
Currently, environmental land-use permits in Everett are good for 18 months, with the possibility of one six-month extension.
Under the new rule, initial approval would be for two years, with the possibility of two one-year extensions.
The City Council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance during its March 4 meeting.
Everett City Councilman Drew Nielsen said it's reasonable to take some steps to ease the enormous pressure bearing down on the building industry. He has concerns about rolling back new building codes and standards.
For example, an 80-foot-tall condo project planned for Grand and Everett avenues gained city approval last year, weeks before the City Council lowered the maximum building height in the neighborhood to 65 feet.
"We don't want to just charge somebody again for something that's been approved," Nielsen said. "But in a situation where we've changed our code, the code has been changed as an improvement."
Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429, dchircop@heraldnet.com.
With many building projects being put indefinitely on hold, the proposed city ordinance would allow housing developers to ask for more time -- up to four years -- to start building, once they get initial permits.
Supporters of the measure say pushing off the expiration date of environmental permits would allow builders with stalled projects to avoid the expense of conducting new environmental studies and reapplying for city approval.
"It would be redundant to review the same exact project all over again," said Jennifer Jerabek with the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. "What has changed is the market, nothing has changed on the site."
The industry group is asking local governments to relax a number of building rules to help create a local "housing stimulus package."
The requested changes include reducing parking requirements, shrinking building setbacks and extending the duration of building permits, which are issued after land-use permits are secured.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon this week proposed extending preliminary permit approvals for residential subdivisions and slashing the cost of resubmitting preliminary permit applications.
Allan Giffen, director of Everett's planning department, said the proposed ordinance being considered by the Everett City Council would extend the time for developers to obtain building permits after getting the land-use OK under the state Environmental Policy Act.
The proposal is designed to aid stalled projects, such as Colby Tower, a nine-story, mixed-use building planned for the southwest corner of Colby Avenue and 26th Street.
The global credit crunch sidelined that project and several others in Everett, including the Port of Everett's 660-condo Port Gardner Wharf development.
"There are projects that would very well lose vesting without this ordinance," Giffen said.
Currently, environmental land-use permits in Everett are good for 18 months, with the possibility of one six-month extension.
Under the new rule, initial approval would be for two years, with the possibility of two one-year extensions.
The City Council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance during its March 4 meeting.
Everett City Councilman Drew Nielsen said it's reasonable to take some steps to ease the enormous pressure bearing down on the building industry. He has concerns about rolling back new building codes and standards.
For example, an 80-foot-tall condo project planned for Grand and Everett avenues gained city approval last year, weeks before the City Council lowered the maximum building height in the neighborhood to 65 feet.
"We don't want to just charge somebody again for something that's been approved," Nielsen said. "But in a situation where we've changed our code, the code has been changed as an improvement."
Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429, dchircop@heraldnet.com.
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