STANWOOD — When Stanwood’s land-use laws were written, tattoo parlors and doggie day care centers weren’t typical businesses.
In an effort to encourage business development in the city, the Stanwood City Council recently revised regulations to allow city staff to interpret city codes to make things easier for those looking to start a new business.
Until this month, if a proposed business activity wasn’t listed in the code, it wasn’t allowed.
With changes in culture, the economy and technology, an unclassified-use category now allows city staff to make the zoning code more flexible, said community development director Rebecca Lind.
The changes should improve the permit process in Stanwood, she said. As long as the proposed property use is consistent with other allowed uses in the zone, it has a chance of becoming a reality.
Property owners or permit applicants often ask Lind to make a judgment call about their ideas and want her to determine how she might apply the city’s zoning and subdivision rules to these ideas.
Since this sort of work is time consuming, the City Council also has established a flat $60 fee for Lind’s time.
“Before these changes, our code was very mainstream,” Lind said. “Day care for pets wasn’t something that was needed when the rules were written. Business people are always thinking of new things, and we need to be creative and flexible in order to help them.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
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