Tag: City Council

  • Everett Critical Areas Update: Approved April 15, Effective June 1, 2026

    Everett Critical Areas Update: Approved April 15, Effective June 1, 2026

    What is this? Everett has updated its Critical Areas Regulations — the section of the Everett Municipal Code that governs how close anything new can be built to a wetland, a stream, a steep landslide-prone slope, or a designated wildlife habitat. Per the City’s 2025 Critical Area Ordinance Update Status Update (April 16, 2026), the City Council approved the periodic update ordinance on April 15, 2026, and the updated regulations are effective June 1, 2026. The new rules adjust buffer widths, mitigation requirements, and the technical standards developers must meet on parcels that touch any of those features. If you own land, are looking to buy, or live near Forest Park, the Snohomish River corridor, Howarth, Pigeon Creek, or the city’s bluff edges, the update affects what can — and cannot — be built around you.

    If you have ever wondered why a vacant Everett lot has stayed vacant for years even when home prices were climbing, the answer is often hidden in a single section of city code: Chapter 19.37, the Critical Areas Regulations.

    That chapter — which protects wetlands, streams, frequently flooded areas, landslide-prone slopes, and important wildlife habitat — sets the buffer widths, building setbacks, mitigation requirements, and technical-study requirements every Everett property owner has to follow before disturbing those features. It is also one of the most frequently misunderstood parts of the municipal code, because it cuts across so many properties. Lots near Howarth Park, Pigeon Creek, Forest Park, the Snohomish River edge, and the city’s many ravine-cut blocks all carry critical-area overlays.

    The ordinance is now adopted. Here’s what the approved update changes for residents and developers, how the comment record shaped it, and what the June 1, 2026 effective date means for new permit applications.

    What the City Is Required to Do

    Critical Areas Regulations updates are not optional. Under Washington’s Growth Management Act, every city in the state has to periodically review and update its critical-area rules to incorporate Best Available Science — the current scientific consensus on what actually protects sensitive habitat.

    Everett’s last comprehensive update was in 2007. The state’s deadline for the current periodic update was December 31, 2025, which the city has been working toward for several cycles. The city published a first review draft on October 31, 2025 and a second review draft on February 13, 2026, the latter of which is the version under active council consideration.

    In other words: the council does not have the option of leaving the rules alone. The only choice is what version to adopt and on what schedule.

    What Critical Areas Are Covered

    The Everett Municipal Code defines five categories of critical areas:

    • Wetlands — areas saturated long enough to support hydrophytic vegetation
    • Streams and other Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas — including riparian corridors and habitat for state-listed species
    • Frequently flooded areas — typically the regulatory floodplain
    • Geologically hazardous areas — landslide-prone slopes, erosion zones, and seismic hazard areas
    • Critical aquifer recharge areas — zones where surface activity affects groundwater used for drinking water

    Each category has its own buffer requirement and its own mitigation standard, and a single parcel can be touched by more than one. A property near a wetland on a steep slope is subject to both wetland and geologic-hazard rules, with the more restrictive prevailing.

    What’s Changing in the February 13 Draft

    The February 13 draft preserves the basic five-category framework but updates several technical components that determine how the rules apply on a given lot. Among the most consequential:

    • Wetland buffer widths. The draft updates Tables 37.2 and 37.3 — the wetland buffer width tables — to reflect current Best Available Science. In practice, that adjusts how many feet of undisturbed land must remain between a wetland edge and a building, fence, or hard surface. For some wetland categories, the draft buffers are wider than the rules currently in place.
    • Stream buffer standards. The draft revises stream classifications and the corresponding buffer widths. Stream buffers were one of the most-discussed elements at the planning commission’s February 17 hearing.
    • Mitigation sequencing. The draft tightens the standard sequence applicants have to follow when an impact to a critical area is unavoidable: first avoid, then minimize, then compensate, in that order.
    • No-net-loss standard. The draft preserves the existing short-term goal of no net loss of critical-area functions and values, and adds a long-term goal of a net gain.

    The city’s posted public document — Everett Critical Area Regulations Periodic Update REVIEW DRAFT February 13 2026 — runs to several hundred pages. Comments and responses through April 1, 2026 are also published on the city’s website.

    What Stakeholders Have Said

    The hearings and comment record show a familiar split on critical-area rules.

    • The Port of Everett submitted comments dated January 8, 2026 raising concerns about how the proposed buffers and mitigation requirements would interact with redevelopment of port-owned waterfront parcels.
    • The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) submitted comments at the January 28 planning commission meeting raising concerns about the cost and feasibility implications of wider buffers on infill parcels.
    • The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife submitted comments dated March 2, 2026 supporting science-based buffers and asking for additional protections for habitat-conservation areas.

    Each set of comments is published on the city’s website at everettwa.gov. The council saw all of them before the April 15 public hearing.

    Adoption Status

    The procedural path completed as follows:

    1. Planning commission recommendation — issued February 17, 2026
    2. Council briefings and discussions — held in March and April 2026
    3. Council public hearing — held April 15, 2026
    4. Council action — ordinance approved April 15, 2026; regulations effective June 1, 2026 (city Status Update, April 16, 2026)

    The new ordinance applies to any new permit application after the June 1, 2026 effective date. Pending applications already in the pipeline are typically processed under the rules in place when they were filed (a “vested rights” question that applicants and city staff handle on a case-by-case basis).

    Why This Matters for Regular Residents

    The Critical Areas Regulations update is not the kind of city-hall story that lights up social media. It does not have a dollar figure attached, and the most consequential changes are technical adjustments in tables of buffer widths.

    But for an Everett resident, the practical reach is broad:

    • If you own a vacant or underbuilt lot anywhere near a wetland, stream, slope edge, or known habitat area, the buffer and mitigation rules in the new ordinance will determine what you can do with it.
    • If you live in a neighborhood with sensitive features — Pigeon Creek, the Snohomish River edge, the bluff that drops off Bayside, the wooded ravines that run between Forest Park and the south end — the rules determine what your neighbors can build.
    • If you are watching environmental quality on the Snohomish River and Port Gardner Bay, buffer standards on contributing streams are one of the few city-level levers that materially affect what runs into the bay over time.

    This is also one of the few regulatory updates Everett does where the technical content matters far more than the political framing. The buffers either reflect current science or they don’t. The mitigation sequence is either tight or it isn’t. Two parcels with identical zoning can have very different development potential depending on what the critical-areas overlay says.

    What to Do Next

    If you want to engage:

    • Read the documents. The City of Everett’s 2025 Critical Area Ordinance Update page hosts the February 13 review draft, the comment-and-response document, and all stakeholder letters at everettwa.gov/3354/2025-Critical-Area-Ordinance-Update.
    • Email comments to staff. The city has accepted written comments at cao@everettwa.gov.
    • Attend a council meeting. The City Council meets at 3002 Wetmore Avenue. Regular meetings are at 6:30 p.m. on most Wednesdays; fourth Wednesdays start at 12:30 p.m. Agendas are posted at everettwa.gov/AgendaCenter. The council’s next action on the critical-areas ordinance will be on a regular meeting agenda.
    • Check your parcel. If you own land in Everett and want to know whether a critical-area overlay touches your parcel, the city’s GIS map and the Permit Center can both tell you. The Permit Center is at City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Avenue.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Will my house become non-conforming if the rules change?
    For an existing legally permitted structure, no. Critical-areas rules apply to new development and to expansions of existing development. An existing house in a buffer is generally treated as a legal nonconforming use, with limited rules around expansion and replacement.

    If buffers get wider, can the city take part of my yard?
    No. The buffer is a regulatory setback that limits what new construction or land disturbance can happen there. It is not a property taking. The land remains yours.

    Does this affect routine yard work?
    Generally no for ordinary maintenance. Significant tree removal, grading, structures, or land disturbance within a critical area or its buffer typically requires a permit and may require an environmental review.

    How does this connect to the Comprehensive Plan?
    The Critical Areas Regulations are one of the implementing tools of the city’s Comprehensive Plan. The plan sets the policy direction; the critical-areas chapter is where the specific land-use rules live.

    When does the new ordinance take effect?
    June 1, 2026, per the City of Everett Critical Area Ordinance Update Status Update (April 16, 2026). Council approved the ordinance on April 15, 2026.

    Are there exemptions?
    Yes — the code includes a list of activities that are exempt from full review (certain routine maintenance, emergency repairs, some agricultural activity). The exemption list is part of the chapter and is being reviewed in the update.

    Will this change be appealed?
    Critical-areas updates are sometimes appealed to the Growth Management Hearings Board. Whether anyone files an appeal will depend on the final adopted text and which stakeholders feel their issues weren’t resolved.

    Sources: City of Everett 2025 Critical Area Ordinance Update project page (everettwa.gov); Everett Critical Area Regulations Periodic Update REVIEW DRAFT, February 13, 2026; Planning Commission record, February 17, 2026; comments-and-responses document dated April 1, 2026; Port of Everett comment letter, January 8, 2026; MBAKS comment letter, January 28, 2026; WDFW comment letter, March 2, 2026; City Council public hearing, April 15, 2026; Washington State Growth Management Act; Everett Municipal Code Chapter 19.37.

    Continue Reading: Critical Areas Update Cluster

    Two persona-targeted deeper reads on the 2026 Critical Areas Regulations update:

  • Everett Sports Calendar: Stadium Vote & WHL Playoffs

    Everett Sports Calendar: Stadium Vote & WHL Playoffs

    Q: What’s happening in Everett sports the week of April 27-May 3, 2026?
    A: A Western Conference Final road swing, a stadium funding vote, the Wolfpack’s 2026 home opener against the defending Arena Crown champions, and the start of an AquaSox road trip — five things to watch all in one week.

    Some weeks the Everett sports calendar trickles. Then there are weeks like this one, where you’ve got Silvertips playoff hockey trying to close out a Conference Final, a stadium-funding council vote that decides what the next decade of pro sports in Everett looks like, and a Saturday afternoon football kickoff against the team that just won the championship. It’s the kind of week you build a calendar around.

    Here are the five things on the Everett sports calendar between Monday April 27 and Sunday May 3 — what time, what venue, and why it matters.

    1. Silvertips at Penticton Vees — Game 3, Monday April 27

    The Tips fly north up 2-0 in the Western Conference Final after Rylan Gould’s double-OT winner Saturday. Game 3 is at 7:05 PM PT at South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, BC. Win, and they’re a Tuesday win away from sweeping into the WHL final for the second time in three seasons. Lose, and the Vees finally get the lifeline they’ve been chasing.

    Anders Miller has been a wall in net (8-0, 1.55 GAA, .948 save percentage). Penticton’s only WHL Draft pick of consequence, Jacob Kvasnicka, is the guy who can flip a series — he leads the Vees with 13 playoff points and scored the OT winner that beat Wenatchee in Round 2. WHL Live is the streaming option for fans staying home.

    2. Silvertips at Penticton Vees — Game 4, Tuesday April 28

    Back-to-back. Same time, same place: 7:05 PM PT at South Okanagan Events Centre. If the Tips win Game 3, this is the sweep night. If they lose, this is the chance to take the series back to Everett with a 3-1 lead. Either way, this is the swing game.

    Game 5, if necessary, would be back at Angel of the Winds Arena on Friday, May 1.

    3. Stadium Funding Vote — Wednesday April 29 at City Hall

    This one isn’t on a scoreboard, but it might be the most consequential thing on the Everett sports calendar this year. Wednesday at 12:30 PM, the Everett City Council votes on a $10.6 million package — $5.6 million for property acquisition plus $4.8 million in contractor amendments via interfund loan — that keeps the new downtown stadium project moving toward its late-2027 opening.

    The stadium is the future home of the AquaSox (whose Funko Field doesn’t meet post-2021 MLB facility standards, meaning the team loses affiliation if a new park isn’t built) and two USL professional soccer teams (one men’s, one women’s) starting in 2028. Total project cost is now $120 million, up from $82 million in June 2025, with about $25 million in funding still unidentified.

    The vote happens at Everett City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Ave. The meeting is livestreamed on the city’s website. Fan voice take: this is the kind of vote you call your council member about beforehand.

    4. AquaSox at Hillsboro Hops — Series Opener, Tuesday April 29

    The AquaSox close their homestand against Spokane on Sunday April 26, then hit the road for Hillsboro, Oregon. The Tuesday April 28 series opener at Ron Tonkin Field is the start of a six-game set against the Diamondbacks’ High-A affiliate. After that homestand against Spokane (3-2 heading into Sunday’s finale, with Bryce Miller’s rehab assignment as the standout headline), the Frogs need road wins to keep building momentum.

    Watch list: Felnin Celesten still searching for his power stroke, Josh Caron’s catcher-power profile starting to show up, Carlos Jimenez riding momentum after a 6-RBI Thursday. Eike’s bat (the 418-foot bomb on Wednesday) is the one to track if you’re watching for breakout candidates.

    5. Washington Wolfpack vs. Albany Firebirds — Saturday May 2

    The Wolfpack play their 2026 home opener Saturday May 2 at 3:00 PM PT at Angel of the Winds Arena, hosting the defending Arena Crown champion Albany Firebirds. This is the rematch nobody asked for and everybody should watch.

    Albany finished 2025 at 10-0 in the regular season and beat Nashville 60-57 to win the championship. The Wolfpack lost their road opener to Nashville earlier this month and fell to Oregon Lightning in their first 2026 home matchup, so this is a chance to set the season’s tone against the league’s biggest measuring stick.

    The game is on Fox 13+ in the Seattle market and is “A is for Applebee’s — Teacher’s Night” at the arena, with a drawstring bag giveaway. Doors open early. Tickets are still available at washingtonwolfpack.com/tickets.

    Bonus: AquaSox Sunday Fun Day Series Finale (April 26)

    Before the week officially starts, the AquaSox close out the Spokane series Sunday April 26 with a 4:05 PM first pitch at Funko Field. Kids run the bases postgame. The Frogs lead the homestand 3-2 — a Sunday win locks the series.

    The Big Picture

    This is what makes Everett sports work right now: a WHL playoff team chasing a championship sweep, a baseball club whose new stadium future hangs on a Wednesday city council vote, a pro football team trying to find its 2026 footing against the league’s reigning champion, and a minor league baseball team building toward bigger things. All of it within a 10-block walk of downtown.

    It’s the kind of week that reminds you why you live here.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What’s the biggest Everett sports event this week?
    The Silvertips Western Conference Final road games at Penticton — Monday April 27 and Tuesday April 28 — and the Wednesday April 29 stadium funding vote. Both have major implications for the next season.

    Where can I watch the Silvertips Game 3 in Penticton?
    WHL Live streaming or you can drive up — South Okanagan Events Centre is in downtown Penticton, BC, about a 6.5-hour drive from Everett (border crossing required). Tickets via the Vees’ box office.

    What time is the Wolfpack home opener?
    Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 3:00 PM PT at Angel of the Winds Arena. Tickets at washingtonwolfpack.com/tickets.

    Where is the Everett City Council stadium vote?
    Everett City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Avenue, on Wednesday April 29 at 12:30 PM. The meeting is livestreamed via the city’s website.

    When do the AquaSox come back home after this week?
    The AquaSox open a six-game road series at Hillsboro on April 28 and don’t return to Funko Field until early May. Check milb.com/everett for the full schedule.

    Will Game 5 of the Western Conference Final be in Everett?
    Yes, if it’s needed. Game 5 (if necessary) would be Friday, May 1, 2026, at Angel of the Winds Arena.

    How is the AquaSox season going?
    The AquaSox are riding a strong homestand against Spokane (3-2 heading into Sunday) with prospect performances from Celesten, Caron, Jimenez, and Eike, plus the headline Bryce Miller rehab assignment that wrapped Friday at Funko Field.

  • Everett Mobile Home Zoning: New NR-MHC Zone Details

    Everett Mobile Home Zoning: New NR-MHC Zone Details

    What is the NR-MHC zone Everett is proposing? The Neighborhood Residential – Manufactured Home Community (NR-MHC) zone is a new land use category the City of Everett is creating to protect seven existing manufactured home parks from being redeveloped into other uses. The proposal amends Sections 15.02 and 19.03–19.13 of the Everett Municipal Code and repeals Title 17 (Mobile Home Parks). The Everett City Council holds a public hearing on the ordinance on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers at 3002 Wetmore Ave.

    If you live at Creekside, Fairway Estates, Lago De Plata Villa, Loganberry, Mobile Country Club, Silver Shores Senior, or Westridge, the City of Everett is about to put your community on the zoning map in a way it has never been before — and the public hearing is May 6.

    The proposal creates a new zoning designation called Neighborhood Residential – Manufactured Home Community (NR-MHC). In plain language, that means the underlying land where these seven parks sit can no longer be quietly rezoned for apartments, retail, or anything else without the city explicitly saying so. The new zone is a fence around the use itself, not just the buildings.

    For people who own the home but rent the lot, that’s the difference between knowing where you live in five years and not.

    What this ordinance actually does

    The proposed code amendment, posted by Everett Planning – Public Notices on April 10, 2026, would do four things at once:

    • Create the new NR-MHC zoning category in Title 19 EMC (Sections 15.02, 19.03, 19.04, 19.05, and 19.13).
    • Apply the new NR-MHC zone to seven specific manufactured housing communities (the addresses are below).
    • Repeal Title 17 of the Everett Municipal Code — the older “Mobile Home Parks” chapter — folding that regulation into the unified development code.
    • Implement two specific policies from Everett’s adopted Comprehensive Plan:
      • HO-10: Protect manufactured/mobile home communities from redevelopment into other uses.
      • HO-19: Collaborate with local partners to preserve and maintain affordable housing units.

    Goal 4 of the Comprehensive Plan, which the city is invoking here, reads: “Ensure equitable access to opportunity and housing choice throughout the city’s neighborhoods so that all residents may choose their neighborhood.”

    The seven communities being put on the map

    Per the city’s public notice, the new NR-MHC designation would apply to:

    • Creekside Mobile Home Park — 5810 Fleming St.
    • Fairway Estates Mobile Home Park — 1427 100th St.
    • Lago De Plata Villa — 620 112th St.
    • Loganberry Mobile Home Park — 9931 18th Ave. W.
    • Mobile Country Club — 1415 84th St.
    • Silver Shores Senior Mobile Home Park — 11622 Silver Lake Road
    • Westridge Mobile Home Park — 7701 Hardeson Rd.

    That’s roughly the manufactured-housing population of Everett’s south end, plus a chunk of the Silver Lake area. Several of these are 55+ communities. Several have been in place for decades. None of them, until now, have had a zoning designation that says “this is a manufactured home community and that’s the use we’re protecting.”

    Why this matters more than a typical code update

    Manufactured home parks are one of the only forms of unsubsidized affordable homeownership left in Snohomish County. The standard pattern in Puget Sound over the last 20 years has been straightforward and unkind: a park sells, residents get notice to relocate, and the land is redeveloped into apartments or townhomes. Households that owned their manufactured home but rented the lot lose the home equity they had — moving a manufactured home is often more expensive than the home is worth, and many older units can’t legally be relocated under current code at all.

    The NR-MHC zone doesn’t make a sale impossible. It does make redeveloping the land into a different use a slow, public, and explicit process — one that requires the city to actively rezone the parcel out of the protected category, with the corresponding hearings and political visibility.

    That’s the tradeoff the city is asking residents and property owners to weigh. A landowner gives up the ability to swap to a higher-value use without a zoning fight. The community gains time, predictability, and a place at the table.

    The HO-10 policy, in plain English

    HO-10 — “Protect manufactured/mobile home communities from redevelopment into other uses” — has been on the books in the Everett Comprehensive Plan as adopted policy. The NR-MHC zone is the implementation tool. Comprehensive plans are aspirational; zoning ordinances are how they actually bind. This is the city moving an aspiration into the ordinance code.

    HO-19 — “Collaborate with local partners to preserve and maintain affordable housing units” — sets the broader frame. The state Housing Trust Fund, nonprofit park-acquisition models like ROC USA, and Snohomish County’s preservation programs all become more effective when the underlying land use is locked in. Without a zone, those programs are buying parks that could still be rezoned. With a zone, they’re buying parks the city has formally committed to keeping as housing.

    What residents and owners can actually do before May 6

    The public hearing is the formal step. The council has already taken first action; earlier procedural votes occurred in January 2026. The May 6 hearing is the council’s last formal opportunity to take public testimony before voting.

    If you live in or own one of the seven parks:

    • Read the public hearing notice and the proposed ordinance language at the city’s posted PDF.
    • Submit written comment to the city before the hearing — written comment becomes part of the record and is read by council members ahead of the vote.
    • Show up at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in council chambers (3002 Wetmore Ave., 3rd floor), or join the hybrid video link the city posts on the meeting agenda.
    • Sign up for public comment at the meeting if you want to speak. Each commenter typically gets two to three minutes.

    If you have a related comprehensive plan or zoning map change you want considered alongside this: the city is also accepting specific amendment requests — applications to change the comprehensive plan text, the land use map, or Title 19 EMC — until 5 p.m. Monday, May 4, 2026. Pre-screening meetings are available; contact Planning at (425) 257-8810 or Everett2044@everettwa.gov.

    The bigger picture for Everett’s housing inventory

    Manufactured housing parks aren’t huge inventory in absolute terms — the seven communities together represent a few hundred to perhaps a thousand homes — but they punch well above their weight in unsubsidized affordability. A manufactured home in Snohomish County typically lists below $200,000 even in an environment where the median single-family list price is multiple times that. Every household kept in a manufactured home is a household not absorbing rental supply elsewhere in Everett.

    The city’s 2044 Comprehensive Plan target for total housing units is in the tens of thousands. Compared to that, NR-MHC is a small piece. But it is one of the clearest pieces — a discrete decision the city can make once that compounds for decades.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Does the NR-MHC zone freeze rents at the affected parks?
    No. Land use zoning controls what can be built or operated on a parcel. It does not control lot rents, which are governed separately. A separate body of state law — and any private lease — governs the rent paid by manufactured home owners to park owners.

    Does NR-MHC stop a park owner from selling?
    No. Owners retain the right to sell. What changes is what a future buyer can use the land for. Without a zoning amendment, the buyer is purchasing a manufactured home community — that’s what NR-MHC permits. A future owner who wanted a different use would need to apply to rezone, which is a public process.

    Why is the city repealing Title 17?
    Title 17 EMC is the older “Mobile Home Parks” chapter that predates Everett’s unified development code. The city is consolidating that regulation into Title 19 EMC and the new NR-MHC zone, so all land-use rules live in one place.

    Can the new zone be undone later?
    A future council could amend zoning code, just like any council can. But the NR-MHC zone moves the default from “park can be redeveloped unless someone fights it” to “park stays unless the city actively rezones it.” The political cost of removing the protection is meaningfully higher than the cost of never adopting it.

    What happens at the May 6 hearing if the council approves the ordinance?
    The ordinance takes effect after the council vote (typically with a short waiting period for publication). The new NR-MHC designation appears on the zoning map. Existing parks continue to operate as they do now; the zoning simply matches the use that’s already there.

    I don’t live at one of the seven parks. Why should I care?
    Two reasons. First, the same redevelopment pressure that affects manufactured home parks affects other older, more affordable housing across Everett — apartment complexes, older single-family neighborhoods. How the city handles this ordinance signals how it’ll handle the next one. Second, displaced households don’t disappear; they move into the rest of the rental market and the rest of the city’s housing inventory.

    The bottom line for Everett

    The NR-MHC zone is one of those quiet, technical, slow-moving ordinances that disappears into a code book and then quietly does its job for thirty years. May 6 is the day to weigh in if you have a stake in any of the seven parks, or in how Everett protects its remaining unsubsidized affordable housing.

    Sources

  • Broadway Pedestrian Bridge: Everett Approves $3.1M Design

    Broadway Pedestrian Bridge: Everett Approves $3.1M Design

    What did Everett approve for the Broadway pedestrian bridge? On April 23, 2026, the Everett City Council approved a $3.1 million contract with engineering and planning consultancy Kimley-Horn to design a pedestrian bridge over Broadway in north Everett. The bridge will connect Everett Community College’s main campus to the Learning Resource Center on the east side of Broadway, with a connection that also serves the WSU Everett campus. The design is expected to be complete by the end of 2028. The bridge will likely be located just north of 10th Street.

    There is a six-lane road in north Everett called Broadway that thousands of college students cross every weekday — most of them on foot, most of them on a tight schedule between classes, almost all of them at street level with cars. On April 23, the Everett City Council took the first step toward fixing that.

    The council approved a $3.1 million contract with engineering firm Kimley-Horn to design a pedestrian bridge over Broadway connecting Everett Community College’s main campus to the Learning Resource Center, the campus library and study building that sits across the road on the east side. The same bridge will also tie into the WSU Everett campus, which shares the same general area on Broadway just north of downtown.

    This is one of those projects that does not get covered the way a stadium vote or a waterfront groundbreaking gets covered, but that quietly shapes daily life for thousands of Everett residents. We watched the contract approval and dug into the scope to figure out what is actually being built and on what timeline.

    What the $3.1 million does, and what it does not do

    The first thing to understand about the April 23 vote is that it does not build a bridge. It pays for the design of a bridge.

    The $3.1 million contract with Kimley-Horn — a national engineering and planning firm with a Northwest office — covers the design phase only. That includes the structural engineering, the architecture, the geotechnical work, the traffic analysis, the utility coordination, the permitting work, the public outreach process, and the construction documents that a future contractor will need to actually build the structure.

    A pedestrian bridge over a six-lane arterial like Broadway is not a small piece of engineering. It has to clear traffic with adequate vertical clearance, accommodate emergency vehicle heights, meet ADA accessibility requirements end to end, handle Pacific Northwest weather and seismic loading, and connect cleanly to existing pedestrian paths on both campuses. Kimley-Horn’s contract covers all of that work.

    The design phase is expected to wrap up at the end of 2028. That is the realistic timeline for a piece of infrastructure of this complexity, and it accounts for the public engagement, environmental review, and permit process that has to happen before construction can be put out to bid.

    Once the design is complete, a separate council vote will approve the construction contract. That is a different ordinance, a different price tag, and a different timeline — and right now the city has not announced a target construction start date or estimated total cost for the build.

    Why a bridge here, specifically

    Everett Community College is one of the larger institutions in the city by daily population. The main campus sits on the west side of Broadway between roughly 22nd Street and Tower Street. The Learning Resource Center — which houses much of the library, study, and student services functions — is on the east side of Broadway. The WSU Everett campus sits in the same area, sharing facilities and a daily student population with EvCC.

    Today, students moving between buildings cross Broadway at street-level signalized intersections. Broadway in this stretch is a six-lane arterial that carries significant car traffic between north Everett and downtown, and the at-grade crossings introduce real conflicts between pedestrian flow and vehicle movement. During class change times — the 10-minute windows when several thousand students simultaneously try to get from one building to the next — the crossings get crowded, the wait times for cars stack up, and pedestrians and drivers end up in the same intersections under time pressure.

    A grade-separated pedestrian bridge eliminates the conflict. Students walk over the road. Cars do not stop. Class change becomes faster, safer, and more predictable for everybody.

    The likely location north of 10th Street puts the bridge close to the natural foot traffic between the main campus and the Learning Resource Center. The exact siting will be one of the design phase decisions over the next two and a half years.

    Why this fits Everett’s broader pattern

    The Broadway pedestrian bridge is part of a noticeable shift in how Everett is thinking about its right-of-way. The city has spent the last several years putting more weight on pedestrian and bike infrastructure as a deliberate policy choice — the new Edgewater Bridge that opens to traffic April 28 includes wide sidewalks and 5-foot bike lanes on each side, the Pacific Avenue Gateway project includes a public art installation at the Pacific entrance from I-5, and the multi-year work on downtown streetscapes has prioritized pedestrian-friendly design over pure vehicle throughput.

    The Broadway bridge fits the same pattern. North Everett is one of the densest pedestrian environments in the city — between EvCC, WSU Everett, the residential neighborhoods around them, and the commercial strips on either side of Broadway, this is a part of the city that is genuinely walked. Investing $3.1 million in design now signals that the city is willing to put real capital into making that walkability safer.

    It is also a partnership story worth noting. The bridge serves the EvCC and WSU Everett campuses primarily. The design and construction are being led by the city. That kind of city-and-institution coordination is the only way a piece of infrastructure like this gets built — campuses cannot construct in city right-of-way on their own, and the city cannot prioritize a single-purpose pedestrian crossing without a clear partner. The fact that the project moved from concept to a $3.1 million design contract suggests that all the parties involved have aligned on what they want and how to pay for it.

    What to watch over the next two and a half years

    A few specific things will tell us how this project actually evolves between now and the end of 2028.

    Watch the public engagement process. The city and Kimley-Horn will run multiple rounds of public input on the bridge design — siting, aesthetics, lighting, public art elements, how it connects to existing pedestrian paths, how it handles weather. Students, faculty, neighbors, and broader Everett residents will all have a chance to weigh in. The dates and meeting formats will be posted on the city’s project page as they firm up.

    Watch the alignment selection. Kimley-Horn will likely produce two to four candidate alignment options early in the design process. The exact location north of 10th Street, the angle of the bridge, the column placement and the connection points to existing campus paths are all decisions that will be made publicly. Each option has trade-offs around cost, traffic disruption during construction, sightlines, and how cleanly it ties into existing buildings.

    Watch the construction cost estimate when it lands. The $3.1 million is design only. The construction estimate will not be public until the design phase produces a real, biddable scope — likely in late 2027 or 2028. When it does land, it will be the number that determines whether the bridge actually moves to construction or whether the project stalls for funding reasons. Pedestrian bridges over six-lane arterials are not cheap, and the city will need to decide where the construction money comes from.

    Watch what happens to the on-the-ground experience for EvCC and WSU Everett students between now and the end of 2028. The bridge does not exist yet, and will not for several more years. In the meantime, signal timing improvements, crosswalk markings, and other interim safety measures at the existing at-grade crossings are within the city’s reach right now. The Broadway pedestrian bridge is the long-term answer. Better at-grade crossings are the bridge between now and the bridge.

    The honest read

    This is the kind of city-shaping decision that does not move the news cycle but moves a piece of the city. By the end of 2028, north Everett will have a fully designed pedestrian bridge over one of its busiest arterials, ready to put out to bid. By some point in the early 2030s, depending on construction funding and timing, that bridge will be carrying students between EvCC’s two main building groups every weekday.

    For a $3.1 million design vote that did not make a single regional headline, that is a meaningful piece of how the city actually changes over the next decade.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What did the Everett City Council approve on April 23, 2026?

    The Everett City Council approved a $3.1 million contract with engineering consultancy Kimley-Horn to design a pedestrian bridge over Broadway in north Everett. The contract covers the design phase only — including engineering, permitting, public engagement, and construction documents. A separate future council vote will be needed to approve the construction contract.

    Where will the Broadway pedestrian bridge be located?

    The bridge will likely be located just north of 10th Street on Broadway, connecting Everett Community College’s main campus on the west side of Broadway to the Learning Resource Center on the east side. The bridge will also connect to the WSU Everett campus, which shares the same area. The exact siting will be determined during the design phase.

    When will the Broadway pedestrian bridge be built?

    The design phase is expected to be complete by the end of 2028. After design is finalized, the city will need to put the construction phase out to bid and approve a separate construction contract. A specific construction start date and overall project completion date have not yet been announced.

    Who is designing the bridge?

    Kimley-Horn, a national engineering and planning consultancy, was awarded the $3.1 million design contract by the Everett City Council on April 23, 2026.

    Why does Everett need a pedestrian bridge over Broadway?

    Broadway in this stretch is a six-lane arterial carrying significant traffic between north Everett and downtown. Today, students moving between Everett Community College’s main campus and the Learning Resource Center on the east side of the road cross at street-level signalized intersections. A grade-separated pedestrian bridge eliminates the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles and improves safety and flow during class change times.

    How much will the Broadway pedestrian bridge cost in total?

    The $3.1 million approved on April 23 covers only the design phase. The construction cost estimate will not be public until the design phase produces a biddable scope, likely in late 2027 or 2028. Pedestrian bridges over multi-lane arterials are significant infrastructure projects and the construction cost will be set by the design once it is complete.

    What about students who need to cross Broadway right now?

    The bridge will not exist for several years. In the meantime, EvCC and WSU Everett students continue to cross Broadway at the existing signalized intersections. The city has tools for improving safety at those at-grade crossings — signal timing, crosswalk markings, signage — that are within reach in the near term while the bridge design and construction process plays out.

  • Everett Pipeline Project: $113M West Marine View Upgrade

    Everett Pipeline Project: $113M West Marine View Upgrade

    What is the $113 million Everett pipeline project? On April 2, 2026, the Everett City Council approved a $113 million ordinance funding the construction phase of new combined stormwater and sewer pipes plus a 48-inch water main replacement along West Marine View Drive, from the Grand Avenue Bridge in the north down to Hewitt Avenue in the south. The pipes will feed the planned $200 million-plus Port Gardner Storage Facility, a state-mandated combined sewer overflow project that will temporarily hold excess stormwater so it can be treated rather than dumped into Port Gardner Bay or the Snohomish River.

    There is a kind of Everett project that does not get a ribbon cutting and does not show up on most people’s mental map of the city, but that quietly determines what the waterfront looks like, smells like, and is allowed to be used for. Combined sewer overflows are at the top of that list. And on April 2, the Everett City Council voted to spend $113 million on the largest single piece of infrastructure addressing them in years.

    We have been watching this one for months because the dollar figure is enormous, the construction footprint runs along one of the most-driven roads in the city, and the underlying problem — sewage and stormwater dumping into Port Gardner Bay during heavy rains — is something the state has ordered Everett to fix on a schedule that does not move.

    Here is what the council actually approved, and what it means for the city.

    What the $113 million buys

    The ordinance allocates $113 million to the construction phase of new water, stormwater, and sewer pipelines along West Marine View Drive. The route runs from the Grand Avenue Bridge at the north end of the corridor down to Hewitt Avenue in the south — that is the entire length of the waterfront frontage road that connects the north end of the city to the downtown waterfront, the marina, and the port.

    Inside that corridor, the project includes:

    • A new combined stormwater and sewer pipe sized to carry significantly more flow than the existing system
    • Replacement of an existing 48-inch water main that runs along the same corridor
    • The connections needed to tie the new pipes into the upstream Port Gardner Storage Facility, which is the catchment basin the new pipes feed

    The pipe work itself is the visible part. The whole point of the pipe work is to feed the Port Gardner Storage Facility, which is a separate, much larger project — currently estimated at more than $200 million — that will hold excess flows during heavy rain events and meter them out for treatment instead of letting them overflow into the bay.

    The $113 million pipeline is the connective tissue. Without it, the storage facility is a giant tank with no way to fill it.

    Why the state is making Everett build this

    Combined sewer systems are an artifact of the way American cities built their underground infrastructure between roughly 1880 and 1950. In a combined system, stormwater and sanitary sewer share the same pipe. On a normal day that works fine. During a heavy rain, the system gets overwhelmed, and the pipes do what they were designed to do as a safety valve — they overflow at designated points, sending a mix of rainwater and untreated wastewater into the nearest body of water.

    In Everett, those nearest bodies of water are Port Gardner Bay and the Snohomish River.

    The Washington Department of Ecology has been requiring cities with combined sewer systems to reduce their overflow events for decades. Everett’s combined sewer overflow reduction program has been ratcheting down the number of allowed overflow events year by year. The Port Gardner Storage Facility — and the pipes that feed it — is the city’s response to the most recent compliance requirements.

    This is not an optional project. The state has ordered it. The schedule is enforceable. The $113 million spend is the price of that compliance.

    Where the money is coming from

    This is the part that often gets lost in the headline. The $113 million does not come out of Everett’s general fund. It cannot be used for parks, police, libraries, or anything else the city’s general budget covers.

    The money comes from the city’s water and sewer utility fund. That fund is fed by what residents and businesses pay on their water and sewer bills. It is legally restricted to water and sewer system uses, which is exactly what this project is.

    What that means in practice is that the pressure point for ratepayers is not now — the funds for this construction phase are being drawn from existing utility reserves and previously authorized borrowing — but over the long term as the utility recapitalizes those reserves through future rate decisions. Everett residents have already seen incremental increases in their water and sewer bills tied to the broader combined sewer overflow program over the last several years. This $113 million approval is consistent with the trajectory the utility has been on.

    It is also separate from the proposed utility tax increase that has been moving through council on a different track. That is general fund money. This is restricted utility fund money. Two different conversations, both important, easy to confuse.

    What construction looks like on the ground

    If you drive West Marine View Drive — the frontage road that connects the north end of the city, past the Naval Station gates, down past Legion Park and toward downtown — you are going to spend a lot of time over the next two years driving past construction.

    The pipe corridor runs underneath that road. Trenching a 42-inch combined pipe and replacing a 48-inch water main means digging significant sections of the right-of-way, staging materials, and managing traffic through a corridor that already carries Naval Station traffic, marina traffic, downtown commuters, and freight to the port.

    The city’s public works department has not yet released the full lane closure schedule for the West Marine View work tied to this approval, but the size of the spend and the length of the corridor make it almost certain that residents in north Everett, port users, and Naval Station personnel will see real impacts on their commutes once construction mobilizes.

    The Pacific Avenue pipeline work — a separate but related $1,000 linear foot, 42-inch pipe project between Pine Street and Chestnut Street that is scheduled to begin in summer 2026 — adds to the picture downtown. Together, these are the largest underground infrastructure projects the city has had in motion at one time in years.

    Why this matters beyond plumbing

    A few reasons this is worth paying attention to even if the words “combined sewer overflow” make your eyes glaze over.

    First, water quality. Every overflow event that does not happen is wastewater that does not enter Port Gardner Bay. The Port Gardner shoreline is the single most-used recreation corridor in the city — Howarth Park, Jetty Island, the marina promenade, the swimming and paddling that families do at the waterfront. Cleaner water there is a public health and quality-of-life issue, not just a regulatory checkbox.

    Second, the waterfront economy. The Port of Everett’s $1 billion Waterfront Place redevelopment, the Millwright District buildout, the new restaurants and apartments and the planned hotel expansion — all of it depends on Port Gardner Bay being a clean, swimmable, fishable waterfront. Combined sewer overflows are the single biggest threat to that economic story. The state knows it. The port knows it. The city knows it. The $113 million pipeline is part of the long unsexy work of protecting the asset that everything else is built around.

    Third, regulatory exposure. If Everett misses the state’s compliance schedule on combined sewer overflow reduction, the consequences are not abstract. Cities that fall behind on Ecology’s CSO orders face escalating enforcement actions, mandated additional spending under tighter timelines, and in extreme cases consent decrees that take spending decisions out of local hands entirely. Spending $113 million on a pipeline now is much less expensive than the alternatives a few years down the road.

    What to watch

    Three things to keep an eye on as this project moves into construction.

    Watch the construction schedule and lane closure announcements for West Marine View Drive. The city will publish them on its public works project page as they firm up. North Everett residents and Naval Station commuters in particular will want to plan around them.

    Watch the Port Gardner Storage Facility procurement and construction milestones. The pipe project is feeding a much larger storage facility, and the two have to land on a coordinated timeline for either to function. The storage facility is the bigger spend, the longer construction window, and the project that will most determine when Everett actually achieves its compliance targets.

    Watch the long-term utility rate trajectory. This $113 million is funded from existing utility reserves and authorized debt, but the cumulative cost of the city’s combined sewer overflow program — across this project, the storage facility, the Pacific Avenue work, and other planned upgrades — will eventually show up in water and sewer rates in the years ahead.

    The pipeline goes in the ground. The water gets cleaner. The waterfront keeps growing. That is the deal Everett is signing up for, and on April 2 the council put $113 million behind it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What did the Everett City Council approve on April 2, 2026?

    The Everett City Council voted to allocate $113 million to the construction phase of new combined stormwater and sewer pipes, along with the replacement of an existing 48-inch water main, running along West Marine View Drive from the Grand Avenue Bridge in the north to Hewitt Avenue in the south.

    What is the Port Gardner Storage Facility?

    The Port Gardner Storage Facility is a planned, more than $200 million city-built underground tank designed to temporarily hold excess flows from Everett’s combined sewer system during heavy rain events, so the wastewater can be treated rather than overflow into Port Gardner Bay. The $113 million pipeline project will carry flows to the storage facility.

    Why does Everett have combined sewer overflows?

    Like many older American cities, Everett’s underground infrastructure includes a combined sewer system where stormwater and sanitary sewer flow through the same pipes. During heavy rain events, the pipes can be overwhelmed and overflow at designated points into the nearest body of water — in Everett’s case, Port Gardner Bay and the Snohomish River. The Washington Department of Ecology requires cities with combined sewer systems to reduce these overflow events on a state-enforced compliance schedule.

    Who pays for the $113 million pipeline project?

    The $113 million comes from the city’s water and sewer utility fund, which is funded by what residents and businesses pay on their water and sewer bills. Utility funds are legally restricted to water and sewer system uses and cannot be redirected to general government services like parks, police, or libraries.

    Will this project affect my commute?

    Construction will require significant trenching along West Marine View Drive, which is the frontage road between north Everett and the downtown waterfront. The city has not yet released the full lane closure schedule, but the size and length of the corridor make traffic impacts likely for north Everett residents, marina and port users, and Naval Station commuters once construction mobilizes.

    Is this related to the Pacific Avenue pipeline project?

    The two projects are part of the same broader combined sewer overflow program but are technically separate. The Pacific Avenue Pipeline Improvements project is a roughly 1,000 linear foot, 42-inch pipe between Pine Street and Chestnut Street downtown, with construction scheduled to begin in summer 2026. The West Marine View pipeline approved April 2 is a much larger, much longer corridor project on the waterfront frontage road.

    When will construction start?

    The April 2 approval funded the construction phase of the project. Specific groundbreaking and mobilization timing will be set as the city completes contractor procurement and finalizes lane closure and traffic plans for West Marine View Drive.

  • Everett Stadium Vote: $10.6M for AquaSox & USL Soccer

    Everett Stadium Vote: $10.6M for AquaSox & USL Soccer

    What’s at stake: On Wednesday, April 29 at 12:30 PM, Everett City Council will vote on whether to approve another $10.6 million for the downtown Outdoor Event Center — the future home of the AquaSox and two new United Soccer League teams (men’s and women’s). The vote covers $5.6M for property acquisition and $4.8M in contractor amendments. If approved, design hits 100% complete and the path opens toward a possible August project go-ahead vote, ground-breaking in September, and a late-2027 opening. If it doesn’t pass cleanly, the timeline starts to wobble.

    If you care about the AquaSox staying in Everett — and the city’s two incoming USL professional soccer teams actually having a place to play — Wednesday afternoon’s council vote matters more than any single game on the schedule this spring.

    Everett City Council is set to vote April 29 on a package of four items tied to the future Outdoor Event Center: an additional $10.6 million in spending, contract amendments with four project contractors worth $4.8 million, acceptance of a $7.4 million state Department of Commerce grant, and the addition of one more land parcel to the project’s acquisition list.

    The fan-perspective version of all that procedural language: Everett is one council vote away from finishing the design phase of a stadium that determines whether minor-league baseball stays here and whether professional soccer ever gets here at all.

    What the $10.6 Million Actually Buys

    The breakdown, per City of Everett project documents and reporting from the Snohomish County Tribune and HeraldNet:

    About $5.6 million is allocated to the costs of acquiring the properties needed to clear the stadium block — bounded by Hewitt Avenue, Pacific Avenue, Broadway, and the railroad tracks, one block east of Angel of the Winds Arena.

    About $4.8 million is for contract amendments with the four firms working on stadium design and pre-construction.

    The funding mechanism is an interfund loan — Everett borrows the money from its own general fund balance, then issues municipal bond debt to repay the loan. Long-term bonds backed against city tax revenues handle repayment. This is a way to move quickly on cash flow without holding up design while waiting for outside grants and bond markets.

    Counting earlier spending, the city has already invested about $7.2 million in capital funds into the project since site selection in late 2024. That money has gone toward environmental studies, conceptual design, and putting properties under purchase-and-sale agreements.

    The Real Number You Should Know

    The total project cost is now estimated at $120 million, up from the $82 million estimate the city used when it asked for $4.8 million in funding back in June 2025.

    The funding stack so far: roughly $17 million committed by the AquaSox and incoming USL ownership groups in exchange for 30-year leases (with operations and maintenance handled on-site and ticket and parking revenue shared with the city); $30+ million from other bonds repaid through lease and ticket revenue; and roughly 21% of the funding pie that, as of last week’s council presentation, is not yet identified.

    That 21% gap is the one to watch. City project staff said they intend to return to council in summer with more financial models, with possible sources including state, regional, and private dollars. “We are pursuing all possible options,” the project representative told the council.

    Why This Matters for the AquaSox

    Major League Baseball changed minor-league facility requirements in 2021. Funko Field, which has been the AquaSox’s home for decades, doesn’t meet the new standards. If Everett doesn’t build a compliant stadium, the AquaSox lose their MLB affiliation. They go away. The economic, cultural, and identity hit to the city would be real.

    Mayor Cassie Franklin has called the project a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” prompted by the league’s facility-standard changes. She framed Everett’s decision to put the stadium downtown — in late 2024 — as the city already making “tangible progress.” Wednesday’s vote keeps that progress moving.

    Why This Matters for USL Soccer

    The Outdoor Event Center is being designed as a true dual-purpose venue: artificial turf, the ability to convert the field between baseball and soccer in the span of a few hours, soccer played on the diamond’s infield, and a retractable mound. The plan calls for hosting two USL teams — a men’s team in either USL Championship or USL League One, and a women’s team in the USL Super League.

    This is why we don’t yet have team names, colors, kits, or a confirmed league level. Without an approved stadium plan, USL won’t finalize franchise placement. Without USL franchise placement, the city can’t fully market what the soccer side will look like. Wednesday’s vote moves the design from 60% complete (where it sits today) to 100% — and that opens the door for the August funding decision and the broader project go-ahead.

    The USL teams won’t be playing in 2026. The current target is a late-2027 opening, which means a 2028 inaugural season at the earliest. But every step on the design timeline is a step closer to seeing professional soccer in Everett.

    The Take

    This stadium project has been criticized — fairly — for cost growth. $82 million in June 2025 to $120 million today is a real escalation, and the 21% unidentified funding share is a legitimate concern.

    But the alternative — losing the AquaSox, losing the chance at USL, leaving the downtown stadium block as a parking lot — is worse. The downtown location is a significantly better long-term play than rebuilding at the existing Funko Field site. The dual-purpose design that makes baseball and soccer both work in one venue is genuinely innovative for a city Everett’s size. And the public-park amenities and walking loop in the design plan turn what could be a single-use box into a downtown asset that serves the city year-round.

    The April 29 vote isn’t the final yes. It’s the vote that lets the project finish its homework before the bigger August decision on the full project. If Everett wants to be a city where minor-league baseball thrives, professional soccer arrives, and the downtown stadium becomes the anchor of a real entertainment district next to Angel of the Winds Arena — Wednesday afternoon matters.

    How to Weigh In

    The City Council meeting is Wednesday, April 29 at 12:30 PM at 3002 Wetmore Avenue. Public comment is part of the council process for items like this. If you have a take — for or against — that’s the room and that’s the meeting where it lands.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the Everett Outdoor Event Center?
    A planned 5,000-seat dual-purpose stadium in downtown Everett that will host the AquaSox baseball team and two new United Soccer League teams (one men’s, one women’s). It also includes an urban park and walking loop.

    When is the city council vote on the additional funding?
    Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 12:30 PM at Everett City Hall (3002 Wetmore Avenue). The council will vote on four items tied to the project.

    How much will the stadium cost in total?
    The current total project cost estimate is $120 million, up from $82 million in June 2025. Property acquisition and business relocation alone is estimated at $35 million.

    When will the stadium open?
    The current project timeline targets construction starting in September 2026 and the stadium opening in late 2027, with a 2028 inaugural USL season at the earliest.

    Will the AquaSox leave Everett if the stadium isn’t built?
    Funko Field doesn’t meet the post-2021 MLB facility standards for affiliated minor-league teams. Without a compliant stadium, the AquaSox would lose their MLB affiliation and likely leave the city.

    What USL teams are coming to Everett?
    The city has agreements in place to host two USL teams — one men’s professional team and one women’s professional team. Specific league level (Championship vs League One for the men, Super League for the women), team names, colors, and ownership branding have not been publicly finalized pending stadium approval.

    Where will the stadium be located?
    On the block bounded by Hewitt Avenue, Pacific Avenue, Broadway, and the railroad tracks — one block east of Angel of the Winds Arena in downtown Everett. The city is acquiring 15 properties on that block to clear the site.

    Who pays for the stadium?
    A combination of city interfund loans repaid by long-term municipal bonds, $17 million committed by the AquaSox and USL teams (in exchange for 30-year leases), state Department of Commerce grants ($7.4 million pending council acceptance), and approximately $25 million still to be identified by July.

  • Everett Charter Review: How to Shape the 2026 Ballot

    Everett Charter Review: How to Shape the 2026 Ballot

    What is Everett’s charter review, and why does it matter?
    Everett’s charter is the city’s constitution — the document that lays out how the mayor, council, and city departments work. Every decade, a 15-person volunteer committee reviews it and can send changes to the November ballot, where voters have the final say. The 2026 Charter Review Committee held its most recent public hearing on April 18 and is gathering resident input now. Any amendments Everett voters approve in November 2026 would reshape the city’s governance for the next ten years.

    Most Everett residents have never read the city’s charter. That is not unusual — most cities’ charters sit in municipal code and rarely come up in everyday conversation. But the charter is the document that decides who can be mayor, how many council members there are, whether they run by district or at-large, when residents vote on levies, and how the city manages its own finances.

    And every ten years, Everett gives voters a chance to change it.

    That process is happening right now. The 2026 Charter Review Committee — 15 volunteer residents appointed by the mayor and city council — has been meeting since earlier this year to review the charter, take public testimony, and draft recommended changes. The committee held a public hearing on April 18 at Walter E. Hall Park. Any amendments the committee recommends will need a council vote to reach the ballot, and then a majority of Everett voters to take effect.

    What the charter actually controls

    The charter is not the same as the municipal code. The municipal code is the big book of day-to-day rules — zoning, parking, noise ordinances. The charter is smaller and more structural. It answers questions like:

    • Is Everett a strong-mayor city or a council-manager city?
    • How many council members sit on the council?
    • Do they represent districts, the whole city, or both?
    • What are the term lengths for mayor and council?
    • How does the city handle its own initiative and referendum process?
    • What boards and commissions must exist?

    The last time Everett reviewed its charter was 2016. The biggest structural change residents have seen since then came from a separate voter decision in November 2018, when Everett switched from an all-at-large council to a mix of five district seats plus two at-large seats. That change did not come from a charter review — it came from an earlier ballot measure — but it is exactly the kind of question a charter review would take up.

    How the 2026 committee was put together

    Applications to serve on the committee closed in December 2025. In January 2026, the mayor and city council together designated 14 members. A 15th seat is chosen by the committee itself after it first convenes. Members are unpaid volunteers who commit to months of meetings.

    The committee works through two phases. First, members review each section of the current charter and flag potential changes. Second, they take public input, draft final recommendations, and vote on each one. An amendment only moves forward if a majority of committee members vote for it. The recommendation then goes to the Everett City Council, which can either send it to the ballot or decline.

    Only voters approve the final change. The council cannot amend the charter on its own.

    What the April 18 public hearing was for

    The hearing at Walter E. Hall Park on April 18 ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Olympic View Room. The format was a standard public comment hearing: residents sign up, the committee listens, comments become part of the official record. The committee had already scheduled an earlier hearing in late March at the Evergreen Branch of the Everett Public Library, 9512 Evergreen Way, to make sure residents in both halves of the city had a chance to speak.

    Public hearings are the most visible part of the process, but they are not the only way to submit input. The committee has also accepted written comments electronically. The city posts committee meeting agendas and minutes on the Agenda Center at everettwa.gov/AgendaCenter, and the Charter Review Committee has its own landing page at everettwa.gov/630/Charter-Review-Committee.

    What happens between now and November

    The timeline is tight. For amendments to reach the November 3, 2026 general election ballot, the committee has to finish its work, the council has to schedule and hold its own public hearings, and the county auditor’s office has to receive the ballot text on time. That typically means the committee’s final recommendations need to land with council through midsummer 2026, with council action targeted for August or early September 2026. Confirm status on the city Charter Review Committee page.

    Residents who missed the April 18 hearing could still weigh in while the committee process was open. Check the Charter Review Committee page for current meeting and ballot status. The city accepts written comments through the Charter Review Committee page. Once the committee finalizes recommendations, the council’s hearings will be separate opportunities for public testimony — another round of chances for residents to speak before the ballot is set.

    Why Everett residents should pay attention

    Charter amendments are the rare civic decision that the city council cannot make alone. Most ordinances — last month’s fair labor rules, the utility tax debate, the 2026 budget — move through council votes without ever reaching voters directly. The charter is different. Residents decide.

    That means what shows up on the November ballot is shaped by who bothers to testify right now. If a resident wants the mayor’s term shortened, the council expanded, initiative signature thresholds lowered, or a new board created to oversee a specific city function, the Charter Review Committee is the body that can put that on the ballot. If no one raises it during this window, it does not make the 2026 ballot — and the next chance is 2036.

    For a city the size of Everett — population roughly 115,000 and still growing — a decade is a long time to wait. The city that votes on this charter in November will be a different city by 2036. Boeing’s 737 North Line will be at full production. Sound Transit’s Link light rail is projected to reach Paine Field around 2037. The Millwright District and the downtown stadium will be built out. The charter that residents send forward this year will govern how Everett’s institutions respond to all of it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When was Everett’s charter last reviewed?

    The last Charter Review Committee met in 2016. Everett typically reviews its charter about once every ten years.

    Who is on the 2026 Charter Review Committee?

    The committee has 15 members. The mayor and city council designated 14 of them in January 2026 from an applicant pool. The 15th seat was chosen by the committee itself at its first meeting. Members are unpaid volunteers serving a one-time term tied to this review cycle.

    Do voters get the final say on charter changes?

    Yes. The committee recommends changes. The council can put those changes on the ballot. Only Everett voters can actually amend the charter, by majority vote in the November 2026 general election.

    How can residents submit input now?

    The committee accepts public testimony at its scheduled hearings and also accepts written comments. The Charter Review Committee page at everettwa.gov/630/Charter-Review-Committee has the most current contact information, meeting schedule, and links to submit comments electronically.

    Is Everett’s charter review the same as Snohomish County’s?

    No. Snohomish County has its own Charter Review Commission with its own elected commissioners, reviewing the county charter. That body is separate from Everett’s city committee and considers different proposals — including, this cycle, whether county executive and council seats should be nonpartisan. Everett voters will see both sets of questions on the November ballot if both bodies send recommendations forward.

    When is the next chance to amend the charter after 2026?

    Not until the next decennial review, which would be expected around 2036. Individual council members can theoretically propose charter amendments outside of a review cycle, but the organized, public, committee-driven review only happens about once a decade.

    Deeper Coverage in the Exploring Everett Series

    For a more comprehensive treatment of the issues raised in this article, see:

  • Everett EMS Levy: What the August 2026 Lid Lift Means

    Everett EMS Levy: What the August 2026 Lid Lift Means

    What is Everett’s August 2026 EMS levy ballot measure? On April 22, 2026, the Everett City Council voted to send a property tax levy lid lift to the August 4 primary ballot. If voters approve, the city’s emergency medical services (EMS) levy rate would rise from $0.36 per $1,000 of assessed value back to $0.50 per $1,000 — the rate voters originally approved in 2000. The typical Everett homeowner would pay about $80 more per year. The levy funds roughly 78 firefighter-paramedic positions inside the Everett Fire Department.

    What the Everett City Council actually did on April 22

    On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the Everett City Council voted to place a property tax levy lid lift for emergency medical services on the August 4 primary ballot. The measure would restore the city’s EMS levy rate from its current $0.36 per $1,000 of assessed value back to the $0.50 per $1,000 cap that Everett voters first approved in 2000.

    This is not a new tax. Washington state law limits how fast regular property tax collections can grow — no more than 1% per year, regardless of how fast property values rise. Over time, that 1% ceiling has pushed Everett’s effective EMS rate well below the ceiling voters originally said yes to. A levy lid lift asks voters for permission to reset the rate back up to the original cap.

    How much it costs a typical Everett household

    According to the city, the average Everett homeowner would pay approximately $80 more per year if the measure passes. The exact dollar impact depends on a home’s assessed value, because the rate is applied per $1,000 of assessed value. A home assessed at $500,000, for example, would pay roughly $70 more annually — $250 at the new rate versus $180 at the current rate.

    Renters don’t pay property tax directly, but the cost is typically reflected in rents over time. Commercial property owners also pay the levy and may pass costs along to tenants.

    What the EMS levy actually funds

    The EMS levy is one of the primary funding sources for Everett’s emergency medical services — the ambulance, paramedic, and first-response medical calls handled by the Everett Fire Department. The levy currently supports about 78 positions inside the department, according to city documents presented at the April 22 meeting.

    When residents call 911 for a heart attack, a car crash, a fall, or an overdose, the people who arrive are paid largely through this levy. Everett Fire Department responds to thousands of medical calls per year — the overwhelming majority of its total call volume is medical, not fire.

    Why the levy is on the ballot again

    Everett Fire Chief Dave DeMarco addressed the City Council on April 22 in support of the measure. According to his statement, the EMS fund has remained solvent but call volume has grown and the cost of labor and medical supplies has risen since the last lid lift.

    “The fund has remained solvent throughout this period of extraordinary growth, also a global pandemic and increasing demands for service,” DeMarco told the council. “However, to remain stable and meet the growing emergency medical services needs of our community, the restoration of the levy is necessary.”

    The city notes that call volume at the Everett Fire Department is higher today than it was in 2018, when voters last restored the $0.50 rate. Labor and medical supply costs have also increased in that period.

    Everett’s levy history: 2000, 2010, 2018, 2026

    Everett voters have approved EMS levy lid lifts multiple times over the past 25 years, each time restoring the rate to the $0.50 per $1,000 cap that was originally authorized in 2000. The pattern is consistent:

    • 2000: Everett voters approved a permanent EMS levy at $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed value.
    • 2010: Voters approved a lid lift restoring the rate to $0.50 after state law had allowed it to drift downward.
    • 2018: Voters approved another lid lift restoring the rate to $0.50.
    • 2026: The current measure, scheduled for the August 4 primary ballot.

    The recurring nature of these votes is a direct consequence of Washington’s 1% property tax cap, which applies to most regular levies statewide and was established by Initiative 747 in 2001.

    What “levy lid lift” means in plain English

    A levy lid lift is a ballot measure that asks voters for permission to raise a regular property tax levy back up to a previously authorized cap. It does not create a new tax. It also does not authorize a rate higher than what voters previously approved.

    Without a lid lift, state law caps year-over-year growth in a regular property tax levy at 1%, even when property values and service costs rise faster than that. For a service like EMS — where labor costs, medical supplies, and call volume all outpace 1% inflation in most years — that ceiling gradually erodes purchasing power. A lid lift is the reset button.

    What happens next

    The measure now heads to the Snohomish County Auditor for placement on the August 4, 2026 primary ballot. Ballots typically mail to registered voters roughly three weeks before election day. A simple majority (50% plus one) of voters in the City of Everett is required for the lid lift to pass.

    If the measure passes, the higher rate would take effect in the 2027 property tax year. If it fails, the current $0.36 rate would remain in place, and the city would face a funding gap inside the EMS fund — a gap that would need to be closed either by reducing EMS service levels, shifting costs to Everett’s general fund (which is already projecting a $14 million gap in 2027), or returning to the ballot with a revised measure.

    How this fits into Everett’s larger 2027 budget picture

    The EMS levy vote does not directly close the city’s projected $14 million 2027 general fund gap, which was outlined at Mayor Cassie Franklin’s 2026 State of the City address. EMS is a separate, voter-approved fund. But the two pictures are connected: if the EMS levy fails, rising medical-response costs could eventually spill over into the general fund, compounding the gap.

    This is the second major voter-facing budget decision Everett has surfaced in 2026. The first was the regional fire authority and library regionalization discussion raised as part of the 2027 budget conversation. The EMS levy is the first of these budget levers to actually reach a ballot.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When will Everett voters decide on the EMS levy?

    The measure is scheduled for the August 4, 2026 primary ballot. Ballots typically mail to registered voters roughly three weeks before election day. A simple majority is required for the measure to pass.

    How much more will I pay if the EMS levy passes?

    The city estimates an average homeowner would pay approximately $80 more per year. The exact amount depends on your home’s assessed value, because the rate is charged per $1,000 of assessed value. The rate would rise from $0.36 to $0.50 per $1,000.

    Is the EMS levy a new tax?

    No. The EMS levy was originally approved by Everett voters in 2000. The 2026 measure is a levy lid lift, which restores the rate back to the cap voters already authorized. It does not create a new tax and does not raise the rate above $0.50 per $1,000.

    What does the EMS levy pay for?

    The levy funds emergency medical services provided by the Everett Fire Department — ambulance, paramedic, and medical first-response calls. The levy currently supports approximately 78 positions inside the department.

    Why is this the third time Everett has voted on the $0.50 rate?

    Washington state law limits regular property tax levy growth to 1% per year, even when costs and property values rise faster. Over time, that cap pushes the effective levy rate below what voters originally approved. A lid lift is required to reset the rate back up to the authorized cap. Everett voters previously approved lid lifts in 2010 and 2018.

    What happens if the EMS levy fails in August?

    The current $0.36 rate would remain in place. The city would face a funding gap inside the EMS fund, which would need to be closed by reducing service levels, shifting costs to the general fund, or returning to the ballot with a revised measure.

    Does this affect the stadium vote or the 2027 budget gap?

    Not directly. EMS is a separate, voter-approved fund and does not close the projected $14 million 2027 general fund gap. But rising medical-response costs could eventually spill over into the general fund if the EMS levy fails.

    Who can vote on the Everett EMS levy?

    Registered voters who live inside the City of Everett are eligible. Voters outside Everett city limits — even elsewhere in Snohomish County — do not vote on this measure.

  • Everett Stadium Vote: What the $10.6M Loan Means for You

    Everett Stadium Vote: What the $10.6M Loan Means for You

    On April 29, 2026, the Everett City Council votes on $10.6 million of stadium funding. The headlines will focus on the teams and the project timeline. If you live in Everett, the question worth asking is narrower and more personal: what does this vote actually do to your city services, your future tax bill, and the ballot measure that eventually decides the whole thing?

    Here’s the resident’s version.

    The vote is about a loan, not a bond

    The $10.6 million on the April 29 agenda is structured as an interfund loan — the city moving money from its general fund (the same account that pays for police, fire, parks, and libraries) into the stadium project fund. The plan is to pay the general fund back when a future stadium bond measure passes.

    There is no new tax on April 29. There is no ballot measure on April 29. There is no outside borrowing on April 29. There is an internal transfer of city cash, with a repayment plan pinned to a later public vote.

    What this means for your property tax bill right now

    Zero change. The interfund loan is not a property tax action. Your 2026 and 2027 property tax bill, as currently structured, is unaffected by the April 29 vote itself.

    What could change your future tax picture is the stadium bond measure that would eventually come to voters. A bond to fund stadium construction would be repaid over time through a dedicated property tax levy. That is a future ballot decision; April 29 is a prerequisite to it, not the same thing.

    What this means for your city services

    This is where it gets real. The general fund pays for the things you notice day-to-day — Everett police response times, fire coverage, park maintenance, library hours, permitting, street work. The city is simultaneously publicly discussing a $14 million structural gap in the 2027 general fund.

    Loaning $10.6 million out of general fund balance in April 2026 does two things at once: it reduces the cushion available against the 2027 gap, and it creates an expectation that a bond sale will repay the loan on a specific future timeline. If the bond passes, the money comes back. If the bond fails or never gets sent to the ballot, the services-side budget absorbs the loss.

    The specific number to keep in mind: $4.8 million

    Council materials identify $4.8 million as the floor loss if the interfund loan is approved but the subsequent bond measure fails. That is general fund money that cannot be recovered, in a year the city is also asking residents to consider new revenue options to close the $14 million gap.

    Whether that risk is acceptable depends on how confident you are that a stadium bond will pass at the ballot box. There is no published polling on the Everett stadium bond yet.

    What Everett residents actually get if the project completes

    A 5,000-seat outdoor event center downtown at Wall Street and Broadway. The Everett AquaSox relocated from Funko Field. Two professional soccer franchises — a men’s team and a women’s team — in the United Soccer League. Year-round concerts and events. Teams are committing $17 million upfront and roughly $100 million in 30-year lease payments. The city would staff one stadium-operations employee; the teams run day-to-day operations.

    Mayor Cassie Franklin has framed this as a lean operating model that uses private operating capability to monetize city-owned real estate.

    The future ballot timing, as best we know it

    The city has not yet scheduled the bond measure that would repay the interfund loan. Based on the project timeline, a bond measure at a 2026 or 2027 general election is a realistic window. Residents can watch for the specific ballot language and timing to be set by council resolution.

    If you want to know when your vote actually counts for this project, it’s on that bond measure, not on April 29. The April 29 vote is a council-only decision.

    How to participate before the April 29 vote

    Public comment at Everett City Council meetings is open to residents. The council meets at 6:30 p.m. at Everett City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Avenue. You can sign up to speak, submit written comment, or watch the livestream on the city website.

    If you care about this vote, the most useful use of three minutes at the microphone is on the specific question in front of the council: is the $10.6 million interfund loan an acceptable general-fund risk given the 2027 budget gap?

    Related Exploring Everett coverage

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Will my Everett property taxes go up because of the April 29 stadium vote?

    Not from the April 29 vote itself. It is an interfund loan, not a tax action. Your tax picture could change if a future stadium bond measure passes — but that is a separate, later ballot decision.

    Can I vote on the April 29 stadium decision?

    No. The April 29 decision is a City Council vote, not a ballot measure. You can provide public comment at the council meeting.

    What happens to the $10.6 million if the stadium doesn’t get built?

    If the subsequent bond measure fails, the city loses at least $4.8 million of general fund money that cannot be recovered, per council materials.

    Does the interfund loan affect the 2027 budget gap?

    It reduces the general fund balance available as a cushion against the $14 million 2027 structural gap. It does not directly cause the gap — that is a revenue-versus-expenses structural issue — but it changes the city’s reserve position.

    How do I comment on the stadium vote?

    Attend the April 29 council meeting at Everett City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Avenue, 6:30 p.m., or submit written public comment through the city’s website before the meeting.


  • Everett Stadium Interfund Loan: $10.6M Vote & Key Risks

    Everett Stadium Interfund Loan: $10.6M Vote & Key Risks

    Quick answer: On April 29, 2026, the Everett City Council votes on a $10.6 million funding package for downtown stadium design completion and property acquisition, structured as an interfund loan from the city’s general fund balance. The loan is planned to be repaid when the city passes a future stadium bond measure — projected north of $40 million — to fund construction. If the council approves the loan but voters later reject the bond, the city would face the loss of at least $4.8 million in general fund dollars that cannot be recovered.

    The interfund loan is the least-understood part of the Everett stadium conversation, but it is the mechanism that ties every other piece together: the $7.2 million already spent, the $120 million total projected cost, the teams’ $17 million upfront commitment, and the city’s ongoing $14 million 2027 budget gap.

    Here is the plain-language breakdown.

    What an interfund loan is, in one paragraph

    An interfund loan moves cash between accounts the city already owns. Everett’s general fund — the main operating account that pays for police, fire, parks, and general government — is one account. The stadium project fund is another. When the council authorizes an interfund loan, it transfers cash from the general fund balance to the stadium fund with the expectation that a specific future revenue source (in this case, a bond sale) will pay the general fund back.

    What the money is not: not a grant, not a new tax, not external borrowing from the public bond market. It is existing city cash being lent from one pocket to another, with a plan for repayment.

    The April 29 vote, in structure

    The $10.6 million would fund two activities:

    Stadium design completion. The Outdoor Event Center — the formal name of the project — requires a completed design package before construction bidding can begin. The design translates the 5,000-seat concept, artificial turf field, clubhouse/event space, and walking perimeter into construction documents detailed enough to price and build.

    Property acquisition. The site requires 15 parcels. Council materials indicate the city has signed purchase agreements on two parcels, has pending agreements on four more, and is in active negotiations with the owners of eight others. The main entrance to the completed facility is planned at Wall Street and Broadway.

    How the loan gets repaid

    Repayment is tied to a future stadium bond measure. The project’s total projected cost has risen from $82 million in June 2025 to $120 million as of January 2026. The city has telegraphed a general obligation bond in the range of $40 million or more as the primary construction funding vehicle. When that bond sells, the general fund gets paid back.

    The team-side revenue commitments sit on top of that structure. The three teams expected to call the stadium home — the Everett AquaSox, plus men’s and women’s United Soccer League franchises — have committed $17 million upfront and roughly $100 million in 30-year lease payments. Under the lease structure, the city would need to staff only one employee to oversee stadium operations.

    The risk no one is talking about loudly

    If the council approves the $10.6 million interfund loan and the city later fails to pass the bond that repays it — either because the council doesn’t send a bond to the ballot, or voters reject it — the city loses the general fund dollars that have already been spent.

    The specific number being cited in council materials as the floor loss is $4.8 million. That figure represents a meaningful portion of general fund reserves in a year when the city is also publicly discussing a $14 million 2027 budget gap.

    How the stadium connects to the $14M 2027 budget gap

    The city’s four-lever 2027 budget decision and the stadium interfund loan are not the same conversation, but they draw from the same fund. General fund balance that is loaned to the stadium fund is balance that cannot simultaneously sit as cushion against the 2027 structural gap.

    Council members asking questions at the April 29 hearing are expected to press this point: is the city comfortable lending $10.6 million from the general fund in the same calendar year it is also telling residents the general fund structurally under-collects by $14 million?

    What the city has spent to date

    Approximately $7.2 million in capital funds has already been spent on the stadium project. Adding the $10.6 million request would bring cumulative pre-construction city spending to roughly $17.8 million. The cumulative tally matters because it sets the floor for any future “what did we spend and what did we get for it” conversation if the bond measure fails.

    Who’s on the other side of the table

    The three sports tenants — AquaSox, men’s USL, women’s USL — bring $17 million in upfront commitments and roughly $100 million in 30-year lease payments. Mayor Cassie Franklin has publicly framed the one-employee city staffing structure as a lean-operation advantage: the teams run day-to-day operations; the city holds the real estate and collects lease revenue.

    For residents evaluating the deal, the key question is whether the combined team commitments, bond proceeds, and lease stream cover the $120 million projected total cost on a timeline the city can responsibly absorb.

    How to watch the April 29 vote

    The Everett City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. at Everett City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Avenue. Meetings are livestreamed on the city website. The April 29 agenda item is the $10.6 million interfund loan authorization; the broader stadium bond measure is a separate, later decision.

    Related Exploring Everett coverage

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is an interfund loan in simple terms?

    It is the city moving cash between accounts it already owns. General fund balance is transferred to the stadium project fund, with the expectation that a future revenue source — typically a bond sale — repays it.

    Is an interfund loan the same as borrowing money from the public?

    No. It is internal to the city. No external bond buyers are involved in the interfund transfer itself. A later public bond sale is what repays the interfund loan.

    What happens if the council approves the loan but voters reject the stadium bond?

    The city would lose at least $4.8 million in general fund dollars that cannot be recovered. That is the floor loss cited in council materials.

    How much has Everett already spent on the stadium?

    Approximately $7.2 million in capital funds as of the April 29, 2026 vote. Approving the $10.6 million loan would bring cumulative pre-construction spending to roughly $17.8 million.

    What is the total projected cost of the Everett stadium?

    $120 million as of January 2026, up from $82 million in June 2025.

    Who are the stadium tenants?

    The Everett AquaSox, a men’s United Soccer League franchise, and a women’s USL franchise have committed $17 million upfront and roughly $100 million in 30-year lease payments.

    Where is the stadium being built?

    Downtown Everett. The main entrance is planned at Wall Street and Broadway, requiring acquisition of 15 parcels.

    When does Everett vote on the interfund loan?

    April 29, 2026, at the regular Everett City Council meeting, 6:30 p.m. at Everett City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Avenue.