Resolution 408X,r W
RESOLUTION NO. 408
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON,
DECLARING A MORATORIUM ON ISSUANCE OF BUILDING
PERMITS FOR CERTAIN MULTI- FAMILY STRUCTURES WITH-
IN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS.
WHEREAS, the City of Edmonds initially adopted a compre-
hensive land use plan by Ordinance No. 812 adopted in 1960, adopted
a new Official Zoning Map and Zoning Code in 1964 by Ordinance No.
1074, and thereafter through continuous study and revision adopted
amendments and updated comprehensive land use plans, amendments,
and revisions, together with further refinement and implementation
on a continuing basis, including, but not limited to, a comprehen-
sive park and recreation plan, comprehensive sewage plan, compre-
hensive street and thoroughfare plan, comprehensive downtown parking
plan, Amenities Design Board, revised subdivision code, comprehen-
sive water drainage plan, implementation of a shorelines management
system, environmental and economic policy and SEPA implementation
plan, and is continuing research and projection for the planned
betterment of the City of Edmonds and the health, safety, welfare,
morals and esthetic well -being of the residents of the City of
Edmonds and the Edmonds comprehensive planning area, and
WHEREAS, throughout the period of planning and research
the Edmonds City Council in conjunction with the Edmonds planning
and engineering staff, Planning Commission, Board of Adjustment,
Amenities Design Board, Park Board, Shorelines Management Citizens'
Advisory Committee, and various other advisory committees and
professional consultants, has been alert to the environmental
sensitivity and uniqueness of the City of Edmonds and its greater
planning area. Tree - cutting restrictions, building height limita-
tions and other similar regulations have been imposed to preserve
the rural, natural and open environment desired by the residents
of the area, including Ordinance No. 1936 passed in 1977 adopting
a Comprehensive Policy Plan setting forth the long -range goals and
policies of the City including the encouragement of smaller homelike
multi- family structures and discouraging large mass, multi - family
structures that tend to damage by obstruction existing and future
view sites, decrease light and air and other environmental considera-
tions, increase density beyond City - .service capacity, and otherwise
inhibit and frustrate the long -term goals and planning policies for
the City and its greater planning area, and
WHEREAS, notwithstanding maximum efforts within the staff
and financial capacities of the City of Edmonds, recent unforeseen
and unavoidable conflicting impacts have taken place and /or will
shortly occur that significantly impact the City and its greater
planning area, and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission and its ad hoc Density
Review Committee very recently conducted studies and public hearings
on how best to implement the long -term goals and policies by amending
the Official Zoning Ordinance and reduction of the size and mass of
multiple residential buildings and having made recommendations to the
City Council which requested further consideration and City -wide
application, and
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WHEREAS, the City Council scheduled and held a public
hearing on the establishment of a moratorium in relation to the
desired density and further multiple - family building in the imme-
diate future. An overflow gathering of residents from the City,
its greater planning area and beyond, appeared at said hearing
and set forth extensive and highly conflicting desires and recom-
mended highly conflicting emergency measures by way of a morator-
ium on multi- family structure building until such time the further
and more detailed comprehensive study and public participation
could be undertaken, now therefore
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON,
hereby Resolves, Finds, and Declares as follows:
1. Unavoidable impacts and unforeseen trends, In
terms of short -term and long -term research and planning, unfore-
seeable and unavoidable circumstances have occurred, and /or will
occur, which cause immediate concern and uncertainty as to the
viability of existing zoning and building regulations for multiple
residential dwellings. Said unforeseeable circumstances, in terms
of present and future research and planning, include, but are not
limited to, the following:
a. Recent acceleration in multi - family unit
construction has exceeded reasonably antici-
pated projections which if left unchecked
will saturate the Edmonds area density beyond
the capacity to provide orderly growth and
comprehensively planned development, In the
five -year period of 1970 - 1974 building
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permits were issued for 102 multi - family units
for an average of 20.4 units per year. This
compares to the three year period of 1975 - 1977.
of 842 units, for an average of over 280 units
per year, an acceleration of over 1,375 % per
year average.
b. Notwithstanding this accelerated multiple
family structure building rate over the last
three calendar years, in 1977 only 57% of the
area zoned Multiple Residential (RML and RMH)
was then currently developed as multiple family
units, leaving considerable area available for
new construction and reconstruction or conver-
sion into multiple residential units.
c. The accelerated multiple- family unit construc-
tion rate exceeds the projected and anticipated
rate necessary to assure orderly development and
reasoned comprehensive planning, and is a
clear and present threat to open air, light, view
and environment, traffic. control and other con-
siderations referenced herein. As such,the ac-
celerated growth clearly and presently threatens
to exceed the existing time -table of development
currently reflected in the Official Zoning Map
for RML and RMH designated areas and other zones
in which multiple- family building are permitted.
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d. To the converse, Duplex zoned areas have
demonstrated an irregular and unanticipated
pattern of development.
e. Demographic changes have recently occurred
with school closures and an expansion of the
Senior Center demonstrating a Kl further un-
expected trend which needs ' iminediat = ;`
evaluation.
f. A recently announced Boeing expansion, the
development of 2,341 acres of the Chevron -
Winmar property, including a 450 acre industrial
park designation, the dedication of 460 acres in
public park by Chevron, sales of large school
sites (both improved and unimproved), Depart-
ment of Fisheries construction of a public
fishing pier to serve a regional public area,
the Trident base development, have and will signi-
ficantly impact traffic flows, routing, quantity
and parking.
g. While population growth was anticipated and
expected, the suddenness of the growth rate, demo-
graphic changes, large land mass area development
in the general and peripheral Edmonds planning
area could not reasonably have been foreseen or
anticipated at this time.
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2. Threatened impact. The emergent situation.
clearly and presently threatens to adversely impact immediately,
and in the future, the environment not only in areas presently
zoned for multiple family dwellings but as well the entire Edmonds
planning area by reason of immediate density increase, and parti-
cularly construction of large structures walling off access to
light,view and air and adversely impacting the overall environment
of the City.
3. Declaration of emergency. An emergency is hereby
found and declared to exist in the event new and /or further con-
struction of large multi - family units takes place under the existing
regulatory scheme in view of the said occurring and threatened un-
avoidable and unforeseen impacts in those areas zoned for multiple
residential buildings.
4. Building moratorium. To provide the City of Edmonds
time to further consider the present and long -range effects of such
immediately- occurring circumstances, and those that will occur
shortly, the public health, safety, welfare, morals, environment,
and esthetic well -being of the City of Edmonds and its planning area
require that a moratorium be declared. By motion and order of the
City Council, June 27, 1976, now formalized by this Resolution, the
City Council of the City of Edmonds declared a building moratorium
on the processing and /or issuance of any further building permits
for which full and complete application had not been made before--
June 28, 1978, in areas zoned for multiple residential buildings
until October 17, 1978, at which time the City Council will review
said moratorium in view of additional study and evaluation of
these matters as follows:
a. The Building Department will not process
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any application or issue any building permits
for structures referred to below in subsection
b, for which the completed application is made
on or after June 28, 1978, until the City Council
further considers this moratorium on October 11,
1978. Building applications may be made, and
will be filed of record.',i. but will not be pro-
cessed nor permits issued during said period, nor
will rights be vested in the underlying zoning
for construction of said multiple family units.
b. The moratorium is limited to only those struc-
tures designed for eleven or more units in a
single building structure. The moratorium shall
not be applicable to structuresof ten units or
less in a single structure irrespective of the
number of such 10 units or fewer buildings that
might be designed for a particular building site.
C. The moratorium is applicable City -wide,
irrespective of the underlying zoning.
d. The moratorium is applicable to all types of
multi - family residential units whether vertically
or horizontally owned, rental units, condominium
units, or otherwise.
e. The City Clerk is directed to place on the
agenda of the City Council at its regular public
meeting on the 17th day of October, 1978, the
expiration, reconsideration, and /or extension of
this Resolution.
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5. Staff planning priority. All department heads
of the City of Edmonds having expertise and administrative re-
sponsibility for regulation of planning, development and building
shall give immediate priority to the implementation and purpose
of this Resolution along with Resolution No. 394.
6. Effective date. This Resolution further formal-
izes and records in the City. Ordinance and Resolution Book that
motion and order of the City Council made and entered following
the conclusion of the public input at its regular public meeting
of June 27, 1978 which is the effective date of the moratorium
set forth herein above.
APPROVED:
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MAYOR, HARVE H. HARRISON
AUTHENTICATED:
CITY CLERK, IRENE&TARNEY MORAN
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: July 6, 1978
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: July 11, 1978
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