Council to decide housing density, setback changes

The Town Planning Commission has spent the better part of two years studying ways to alleviate La Conner’s longtime housing shortage.

And still the work goes on.

“This isn’t the end of the process. This is just part of the process,” outgoing Town Planner Marianne Manville-Ailles said after La Conner Planning Commissioners recommended last Tuesday, Feb. 16 that the Town Council approve proposed housing density and setback municipal code changes next month.

“We’ve been doing this for two years,” said Commissioner Marna Hanneman. “This has been a way to bring more housing into La Conner. We’ve had lots and lots and lots of discussions about this.”

The commission unanimously endorsed Manville-Ailles’ report calling for a reduction of minimum lot sizes for single-family residences from 5,000 square feet to 4,000 square feet. The report also proposes reducing lot sizes for multi-family dwellings to 8,000 square feet for the first two units and 3,000 square feet for each additional unit.

If approved, minimum building setbacks would be revised to 11 feet (front), five feet (side) and seven feet (rear), respectively. When alley access is available, the rear setback would be zero feet.

New Commission Chair Bruce Bradburn noted that if the Council adopts the revised guidelines, construction design and lot layout plans would still be required of applicants, part of the incremental process cited by Manville-Ailles.

Her successor, incoming Town Planner Michael Davolio, said the proposed changes are consistent with Skagit County and Washington state guidelines.

The commission action came during a Zoom public hearing that drew input from several residents, including former long-serving panel member Linda Talman.

Resident Amy McFeely spoke in favor of reduced lot sizes but expressed concern that corresponding reductions in setbacks could prove counter-productive and eliminate green space. She questioned how the three proposed setback numbers were arrived upon.

“I do support greater density and smaller lot sizes,” McFeely said. “Smaller houses will offer greater affordability (of houses) but reducing setbacks encourage the building of larger dwellings.”

McFeely, Talman and resident Mike Ritchie emphasized the need to craft a vision-driven plan that anticipates future local growth as a means of preserving the community’s quality of life.

“We all want to live in a beautiful little town and most of us want to share that beautiful little town,” McFeely said.

“Density is a tough one,” added C.J. Ebert, a former Everett planning commissioner who is developing lots atop Snapdragon Hill. “People want it, but they want to be able to look at it.”

Manville-Ailles said lot size and setback reductions are necessary to meet the Town’s goal of providing additional local housing opportunities. She said reduced setbacks would leave more lot size upon which to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

With La Conner bounded by both farmland and Swinomish Channel, in-filling vacant lots has become perhaps the most viable option for new housing.

“We can’t spread out,” Manville-Ailles said. “We have a very finite supply of land for all our uses.”

Manville-Ailles said the commission recommendations were developed over time after a series of meetings, including a pre-COVID-19 open house.

“This is the next logical step in the process,” she said. “It’s not a one-and-done thing. Everything is always evolving.”

Manville-Ailles said Council members are scheduled to address the proposed density and setback changes at its March 9 meeting.

Museum of Northwest Art representatives made a second presentation on exterior upgrades to their downtown building. Constructed in the 1980s, it has sustained water damage on its south wall. The MoNA reps unveiled preliminary project concepts consistent with Town historical design guidelines.

“I think you’re making great progress,” Manville-Ailles said. The next step for MoNA is to have architectural plans drafted and submitted to the commission.

This was Manville-Ailles final meeting. She has taken a planning post with the City of Mount Vernon. She praised commissioners for their work on behalf of the Town. “This is not easy stuff,” Manville-Ailles stressed. “You guys take this seriously. We’ve had some spirited debates about things and the Town is the better for it.”