Resolution 1510RESOLUTION NO. 1510
A RESOLUTION OF THE EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL IN
SUPPORT OF RETAINING RIGHTS TO SELF-
DETERMINATION AS IT PERTAINS TO LAND USE, ZONING,
BUILDING CODES AND ORDINANCES AND TO URGE
COUNTY AND STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO NOT TAKE
THESE RIGHTS A WAY THROUGH LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
WHEREAS, Edmonds is a code city within the State of Washington as encoded by Title 35A
RCW; and
WHEREAS , code cities were created by the State Legislature in order to grant the greatest
degree of local control to municipalities possible under the state constitution and general law;
and
WHEREAS, code cities are authorized to perform any function not specifically denied them in
the State Constitution or by state law and may perform any function granted to any other city
classification under Title 35 RCW; and
WHEREAS, Edmonds' Comprehensive Plan recognizes and adheres to Growth Management
Act (GMA) requirements and contains a wide variety of housing options in addition to specific
sub-area plans and Edmonds is comfortably exceeding current and projected GMA targets for
housing capacity; and
WHEREAS, Edmonds has an engaged volunteer Planning Board of citizens to guide growth; and
WHEREAS, in 2019, a 23-volunteer Citizens' Housing Commission met for 18 months and
provided 15 recommendations to the City Council that included robust and flexible zoning and
building codes to meet a changing environment; and
WHEREAS , Edmonds has a land area of 8.9 square miles and has consistently met GMA growth
targets with 2035 population projected to be 45,550; and
WHEREAS, Edmonds is a waterfront community with a built-out city that has a unique
topography with large watersheds and public spaces which limits our land capacity for new
structures; and
WHEREAS, our buildable lands report reflected 23 years of constant growth and current
permitting projections are exceeding all prior forecasts; and
WHEREAS, residents have clearly spoken that we value neighborhood character and are
increasingly protective of watersheds, critical areas and our environment and;
WHEREAS, a survey conducted by our Citizens' Housing Commission, showed 78% of
respondents strongly desire to retain single family zoning as currently codified; now therefore,
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THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, HEREBY
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Edmonds City Council adopts this resolution to express its official
position in support of retaining local control of our zoning and building codes without
modification by County or State legislation.
Section 2. The Edmonds City Council opposes legislation, or other outside mandates,
which changes or attempts to influence local zoning or building codes or any definitions
associated with them.
Section 3. The Edmonds City Council further resolves that, by its legislative policy,
single family zoning will continue to be a component of our zoning codes.
Section 4. The City of Edmonds accepts responsibility for our land use and zoning codes
to be in compliance with all current federal, state and county laws.
Section 5. The Edmonds City Council directs that copies of this Resolution shall be sent
to our Snohomish County representatives, Governor Inslee, and our State representatives
as a means of affirming our City's support of our right to self-determination of our land
use, zoning and building codes and ordinances.
Section 6. The Edmonds City Council reaffirms our commitment to our citizens to reject
any intervention by County and State Legislators to dilute any of City Council's authority
in all land use matters.
RESOLVED this 6th day of December 2022.
ATTEST:
~ASSEY
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
RESOLUTION NO.
CITY OF EDMONDS
December 2, 2022
December 6, 2022
1510
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