Everett to review effects in advance

Published 10:18 pm Saturday, December 1, 2007

EVERETT — The piecemeal approach to following the state’s environmental protection rules in downtown Everett could be about to change.

Rather than decide on a case-by-case basis what will be required of downtown projects to win environmental approval, the city is paying for an environmental impact statement for the entire downtown.

The study will analyze in advance the likely impact of anticipated types of developments on air and water quality, traffic, noise and other elements.

Streamlining the permitting process serves as a strong incentive for projects that are consistent with the city’s vision for downtown and can give Everett a competitive advantage over other cities trying to attract development, officials say.

That’s because doing environmental work up front can shave months off of a project and eliminate surprises for property owners and developers.

“It’s hugely important for a developer,” City Councilman Paul Roberts said. “If you’ve got three or four options and Everett can show you the predictability and say, ‘We’re going to show you up front and tell you exactly what you need,’ now that’s a selling point.”

The Everett City Council on Wednesday approved a $219,000 contract with Perteet Engineering of Everett to complete an environmental impact study for downtown Everett. A similar study in southwest Everett more than a decade ago has been a successful tool for fostering development and marketing the area to businesses, officials say.

Everett received a $75,000 grant from the state Department of Trade and Economic Development to help pay for the study.

Roberts was the city’s planning director in 1996 when Everett became the first city to expedite environmental review under the state program.

The city and the Snohomish County Economic Development Council selected a 4,000-acre industrial belt in southwest Everett near Paine Field to study. More than 3 million square feet of industrial development has been constructed in the area since then, including businesses such as Valley Electric, Panattoni Development Co. and StockPot Soup. Roberts said the prospective environmental studies also helped smooth the process for Boeing Co. to move forward with production of the 787 Dreamliner.

While the program eases the environmental permitting process, Roberts said no one escapes environmental rules or impact fees. Rather, instead of having to wait for a separate environmental impact statement for an individual project, developers know in advance what will be required, such as buffers and setbacks from streams and other sensitive locations.

“Corners aren’t cut,” Roberts said. “There’s no wink and a nod in a back room.”

This kind of approach likely wouldn’t work for an entire city, because of the complexity of forecasting impacts outside of a narrowly defined area.

Bill Mandeville, a planner with the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, said cities typically use the program to encourage development in downtowns and commercial areas.

In Snohomish County, Mill Creek used the project to promote its Town Center. Marysville also uses the program for its Smokey Point plan to encourage development north of 152nd Street NE.

Everett had taken steps to implement such a program in its downtown in 1998, but the initiative was pushed to the back burner.

The 2006 Everett Downtown Plan, the city’s blueprint for a downtown renaissance, calls for reviving the push.

In a volatile economy, it could make the difference whether a project goes forward.

“Recently, we’ve all seen how credit markets, financing costs and consumer confidence can swing dramatically in a short period of time,” said Craig Skotdal, president of Skotdal Real Estate, whose company is building a 200-unit condominium and apartment building next to the Everett Public Library. “If a project comes out of the permitting process on the wrong side of those swings, it may have to wait until the next economic cycle to begin construction.”

Skotdal said a streamlined process also is an incentive for developers to consider building a project in Everett. While construction costs are nearly the same as Seattle or Bellevue, excluding the cost of land, the return on investment is typically lower in Everett. Anything that reduces the initial costs and permitting time helps make Everett more appealing relative to other cities that are competing for the same kind of development, he said.

Everett planning director Allan Giffen said consolidating environmental review in downtown Everett will eliminate some public notification requirements and cut down on the public’s opportunity to comment on proposed projects. But it is also expected to help attract the type of quality urban developments that are spelled out in the downtown plan.

“It’s a trade-off,” he said.

Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com.