SNOHOMISH — A neighborhood might be growing up — literally.
City officials are discussing raising building height limits by a couple of stories in a neighborhood near Snohomish’s historic downtown.
The idea, discussed during a packed planning commission meeting Wednesday night, drew a mixed reaction from those now living and working in the neighborhood.
“It’s evident that the property owners … have not achieved consensus of what they would like,” senior planner Owen Dennison said Thursday.
The debate centers on an area the city has dubbed the Pilchuck District Neighborhood. The jigsaw piece of land is loosely bounded by the Pilchuck River, Rainier Street, Glen Avenue and Sixth Street.
Unlike the historic downtown, the Pilchuck District doesn’t have a cohesive feel. One block has a warehouse in its center, with single-family homes to either side. The Snohomish Library is a block away, next door to the Snohomish Senior Center.
“It’s a neighborhood in transition, but we’re not sure what direction it’s transitioning in,” planning commissioner Steve Dana said.
The City Council ultimately will make decisions on the plan. That group may discuss the neighborhood with city planners at its April 6 meeting.
Using a $150,000 grant from the Cascade Land Conservancy, the city wants to create a development plan for the neighborhood.
That plan, still in the draft stages, could direct development, encouraging a walkable residential community with street-level shops below homes*. City officials envision a boutique hotel or small grocery possibly moving into the neighborhood.
Changing building heights on some blocks — particularly along Second Street — could help attract developers, officials said.
Right now, the neighborhood tops out at three stories. Officials proposed letting some buildings reach up to five stories.
Not everyone supports that plan, however.
Bob McDaniel was among the two dozen people who attended Wednesday’s planning commission meeting. He owns several properties in the neighborhood, including the McDaniel’s Do-It Center.
McDaniel faulted the change in building heights and said the mix of homes and stores wasn’t achievable.
“That plan was clear out in left field,” he said Thursday.
Others support the idea, however, including Lya Badgley, a former city councilwoman.
Badgley lives in the neighborhood in a 1914 Craftsman bungalow with her husband and 12-year-old daughter. She supports the plan, so long as the city preserves its quaint, open feel.
“It is a good idea, only if it’s done carefully,” she said.
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
* This article has been corrected since it was first posted to accurately describe the proposed buildings’ configuration.
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