EVERETT — City planning commissioners want more time to mull over regulatory changes a homebuilder is seeking for the Riverfront redevelopment site.
A Wednesday night Planning Commission meeting lasted about three and a half hours, with more than a dozen members of the public speaking, city spokeswoman Meghan Pembroke said.
Polygon Northwest of Bellevue is seeking to build about 230 homes on the south end of the Riverfront area, east of I-5 along the Snohomish River. City building rules would allow a maximum of 650 homes on the parcel, one of three former industrial sites that comprise most of the redevelopment area.
Polygon is seeking to change lot widths, parking configurations and to split up a central park green into smaller parks.
The cost of preparing the Riverfront for redevelopment — a decades-long process — could reach $80 million in city, state and federal dollars by the time it’s complete. The funds have helped clean up the former dump where Everett’s infamous tire fire started in 1984. Road improvements, utility upgrades and habitat restoration account for other public expenditures.
To recoup some of the investment, city leaders hope to generate business taxes from a retail area on the former landfill.
The Planning Commission’s next meeting is Jan. 21. It’s unclear whether commissioners would be prepared to make a recommendation on the Riverfront at that time. The final choice is up to the City Council.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
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