2005 Year in Review

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  • Monday, March 3, 2008 6:46am

Perhaps the biggest Edmonds story of 2005 is the City Council’s continuing journey toward a a building-height ordinance for the downtown core.

The issue polarized the Council and was key in changing the balance of power on the council in the November elections. Here’s a recap of stories on the issue:

January 7

Building height

ordinance expires

A building-height ordinance whose October expiration date went unnoticed by city staff was the first topic of discussion at the Jan. 4 Edmonds City Council Meeting.

February 11

Public hearing to address building heights

The Edmonds City Council is scheduled to host a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15 in Council Chambers on what could be considered the number one topic on everyone’s mind: downtown building heights.

February 18

Council hears building height concerns

When it comes to building heights, there is a time for talking, and a time for deciding.

The Edmonds City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 15, settled in for a long night of listening at a public hearing for changes proposed by the Planning Board to the comprehensive plan.

February 25

Council continues downtown discussion

By the end of the Tuesday, Feb. 22 Edmonds City Council meeting, the only thing that was decided was that there would be some more talk. “At this point, I don’t even know if we can take a vote next week,” Council member Michael Plunkett said.

March 4

Council still deliberating downtown height limit

The Edmonds City Council managed to take care of almost all their concerns over proposed changes to the Downtown Waterfront Plan.

Unfortunately, the one item that remained before the Council on Tuesday, March 1, is the size of an elephant.

“It’s time to take a vote on this,” Council member Deanna Dawson said “Twenty-five or 33, we’ve got to get it done.”

Plunkett said he agreed with Dawson. “There’s an elephant in the room,” he said.

March 11

Council takes out

numbers from plan;

No height is the right height for the Edmonds City Council when it comes to the city’s comprehensive plan.

After weeks of hotly contested debate and public comment, the Council on Tuesday, March 8, approved amendments that removed all references to specific overall building heights in the downtown area.

March 18

City council takes

height issue to retreat

The next step in determining building-height limits in downtown Edmonds is possibly being taken today, at the annual Edmonds City Council retreat. The council is scheduled to meet Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19 at LaConnor, in Skagit County.

March 25

Height process delayed

The Edmonds City Council has again delayed setting a process that would likely result in setting building height limits in the downtown core.

Citing a discussion at the council’s March 18-19 retreat in LaConnor, Council President Richard Marin proposed at the Tuesday, March 22 meeting that the council take on the task of reviewing and establishing design guidelines called for in comprehensive plan .

April 8

Consultant will assist

council on height issue

The Edmonds City Council at the Tuesday, May 5 meeting, approved a $7,000 contract with Mark Hinshaw, an architecture consultant with LMN Architects in Seattle.

April 29

City Council meets

with design consultant

Edmonds City Council members listened to consultant Mark Hinshaw. “(Building heights) is a lot more complex than assigning a number. This is your town, not just a math game,” Hinshaw said.

May 13

Consultant says height

and design should vary

If Edmonds is to flourish it needs to lose its “one-size-fits-all” building code, said consultant Mark Hinshaw.

May 27

Building height

plan to council

The Edmonds City Council decided May 24 to digest yet another helping of data on downtown building heights and design considerations before taking action on changes to the city’s Comprehensive Plan.

June 7 looks to be the earliest date the council will decide what additions and revisions to act upon and send to the Planning Board for a recommendation.

June 17

Council rules on heights

Building heights in much of Edmonds’ downtown business core will be lower than they currently are if recommendations made by the city council June 14 are adopted.

July 29

Council continues work on downtown building heights

If the July 26 meeting of the Edmonds City Council could be likened to Monopoly, one player was allowed to pass “Go”, another was sent to “Jail” and missed his turn and the city’s equivalent to the gold-standard properties shrunk.

The council also decided how they wanted to play the game by voting down a public-advisory election on building heights.

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