The city of Everett has three historic overlay zones with standards and guidelines. The guidelines do not protect historic homes from demolition by developers who want to expand into these areas. The only guidelines in these standards are in reference to how big a developer can build within the zone.
The Everett Historical Commission, which is made up of volunteers and city of Everett staff, advises the city on structures of historical significance, but this does not mean the city or the planning department takes any advice from the commission.
Currently, a developer from Marysville is planning to build a very large home within the Grand/Rucker Historic Overlay. Sitting on this property at 1102 Grand is a Dutch Colonial built in 1926. The home is structurally sound and could be remodeled. Because the three Everett historical overlay standards have no wording to preserve historical homes, any developer can purchase property and develop.
In essence this means every historic home on the Grand Avenue bluff is open for new development. With property values and interest rates at their lowest, what prevents any developer from ripping out most of the homes along Historic Grand Avenue and replacing them with mammoth McMansions?
I believe it is time for the mayor and the Everett City Council to amend these standards in our three historic overlay zones with specific wording to preserve the historic homes. These three overlay zones make up a small part of Everett but they hold our history.
Shelley L. Weyer
Rucker/Grand Historical Overlay resident
Everett
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