Stricter rules on development in rural Snohomish County up for possible vote
Published 11:48 pm Monday, March 10, 2008
EVERETT — Stricter rules on future housing developments in rural Snohomish County are up for a possible vote tonight.
The county planning commission plans to debate the rules, which would limit the size and affect the look of rural cluster housing projects.
“The tenor of the commission is skepticism about the rural clusters, even though so much work has been done by (county planning and development) staff,” said Bill Diepenbrock, commission chairman. “There are a lot of unanswered questions.”
Current rules allow houses in rural cluster projects to be built close together while open space is preserved. Depending on the area, developers are allowed to build either twice as many homes by clustering houses, or seek to build 15 percent more houses.
Rural property owners, developers and groups opposed to rural cluster housing are watching for a ruling by the commission.
Builders like the projects because more houses are allowed than if the project was built as a subdivision. Rural residents in some corners of the county say they oppose the projects because they bring suburban-style housing and more traffic.
Whatever the commission’s recommendation, the county council has final say over the rules and expects a vote in coming months.
Cluster hearing
The county planning commission is scheduled to discuss and possibly vote on rural cluster housing regulations during a meeting at 6 p.m. today on the first floor of the county administration building, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett. For information, go to www.snoco.org and search using the keywords “rural clusters.”
Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.
