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Record of Proceedings

Everett City Council Meeting - April 1, 2026: Critical Areas Update, Budget Actions, and Community Reports

City Council & Committees — Wednesday, April 1, 2026
BodyEverett, Washington
SessionCity Council & Committees
DateWednesday, April 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:02:54

Original source
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0:01

Good evening, residents of Everett, Washington.

0:03

I'd like to call the order of the Everett City Council meeting of April 1st, 2026.

0:09

For information on council meetings and how to participate, please visit our website at Everett Ward.gov/slash city council.

0:17

For the record, we have Vice President Ryan.

0:20

She's attending this meeting remotely.

0:23

Clerk, please take the role.

0:24

Mayor Franklin.

0:26

Excuse.

0:27

Councilmember Weir.

0:28

Here.

0:29

Councilmember Zarlingo.

0:30

Here.

0:30

Vice President Ryan.

0:32

Here.

0:33

Councilmember Burbano.

0:35

Here.

0:35

Councilmember Twee.

0:36

Excuse.

0:37

Councilmember Pater.

0:38

Here.

0:38

President Schwab.

0:39

Here.

0:40

At this time, I would like Councilmember Zarlingo to lead in the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:02

At this time, I'd like to ask Councilmember Burbano to read the land acknowledgement.

1:09

The city council wishes the knowledge on the original inhabitants of this place, the stubborn people and their successors, the Tulalib tribes.

1:16

Since time immemorial, they have hunted fish, gathered on and taken care of these lands and waters.

1:22

We respect the sovereignty, the right to self-determination and honor the sacred spiritual connection with the land and water.

1:28

We will strive to be honest about our past mistakes and bring about a future that includes the people, stories, and voices to form a more just and equitable society.

1:40

Thank you.

1:40

On the old business, do I hear a motion for the approval of the minutes for March 25th, 2026?

1:46

Councilmember Baderson moves.

1:48

Seconded.

1:49

Motion and seconds when made.

1:50

Clerk, please take the roll.

1:51

Councilmember Weir.

1:52

Here.

1:53

Oh yes, sorry.

1:55

He's here again.

1:56

I'm here again.

1:57

Council Member Sarlingo.

1:59

Yes.

2:00

Vice President Ryan.

2:02

Councilmember Burbano.

2:04

Yes.

2:05

Councilmember Bader.

2:06

Yes.

2:06

President Schwab.

2:07

Yes.

2:08

Okay, now it's time for public comment, which includes written comment acknowledgement under our rules, written comments shall be considered in the same manner as oral comments.

2:16

Persons submitting comments must provide their name and city of residence to make to be part of the council official record.

2:23

Good evening, Angie.

2:24

Who do we have here to speak?

2:26

Good evening, President Schwab.

2:28

We have two individuals in chambers, but we do have some written comments too.

2:33

Thank you.

2:33

So the following names uh wrote in about the NRMHC zoning, and that was Linda Book Walter, Carolyn Carrar, Michael Hartman, and Walter and Roxy Jurr.

2:49

And then John Martin wrote in about the outdoor event center, and these were provided to council, legal city clerk, and administration to be part of the record.

2:58

And so we will start with Helen, if you could please come to the podium.

3:05

And please hit the button on the base of the mic.

3:08

Uh no, uh, right under the mic, the the big uh yeah, and then state your full name and your city of residence, and you have three minutes to speak.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection█████████████████████████████████████████41%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████14%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Procedural███████████11%
Public Safety███████████11%
Charter Review█████5%
Public Transportation███3%
Affordable Housing██2%
Racial Equity█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Everett City Council Meeting - April 1, 2026

The Everett City Council met on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting included a briefing on updated critical areas regulations (CB 2603-19), action on several ordinances, public comment on code enforcement and development, and council reports on community safety, pop-up food stands, and housing legislation.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimously approved (7-0, with two excused) the consent agenda consisting of:
    • Resolution authorizing claims against the city in the amount of $4,631,844.74 for the period ending March 20, 2026.
    • Authorizing a Professional Service Agreement with Botesch, Nash & Hall Architects for the Everett Police Property Room Facility Tenant Improvement (up to $273,800).
    • Authorizing a Request for Qualifications/Proposals for a General Contractor/Construction Manager for the WPCF Headworks Replacement Project.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Helen Vaugh (Everett resident) described a permitting issue regarding electrical work in her garage, noting she applied for a permit after starting work, then paused and sought demolition permits. She requested guidance on compliance with city safety requirements.
  • Russell Joe (Master Builders of King and Snohomish Counties, Bellevue) expressed general support for the critical areas regulation update and praised city staff for collaboration. He requested the council not increase buffers for NP/NS (non-fish-bearing intermittent) streams from 50 to 100 feet (or 125 feet for unvegetated banks) in urban settings, citing infill goals and existing stormwater infrastructure. He noted the expansion would affect about 50 acres and 1% of developable land. If the council adopts the expansion, he asked that flexibility mechanisms (buffer averaging, director discretion) be retained.
  • Written comments were acknowledged from five individuals regarding NRMHC zoning and one regarding an outdoor event center.

Council Comments & Reports

  • Councilmember Zarlingo reported on the Snohomish County Tomorrow meeting, highlighting Everett’s successful enforcement against unpermitted pop-up food stands. He noted that after initial outreach by bilingual officers, the number of stands dropped from six or seven to zero, and the city’s approach serves as a model for other county jurisdictions.
  • Councilmember Ryan reported from the Community Health and Safety Committee meeting: emphasis patrols for traffic safety increased staffing from one to three officers, with goals for continued patrols including speed on West Marine View Drive. She requested future patrols also target modified mufflers and excessive vehicle noise. She also thanked participants in a Charter Review Commission public hearing, celebrated housing bill signings at Housing HopeWorks, and promoted the Late Shift Everett events.
  • Councilmember Burbano noted complaints about speeding and loud cars on several South Everett streets, expressed desire for speed calming devices and a pump track for bicycles, and raised concerns about the proposed utility tax, hoping funds would be used for quality-of-life improvements like parks and community centers.
  • Councilmember Bader emphasized that red-light camera revenue in Everett is dedicated to public street safety (not a general fund), and that police use data-driven patrols. He announced the Edgewater Bridge reopening is expected May 1 (correcting an earlier April Fools mention), an April 16 neighborhood meeting, and the opening of a women and children’s facility on Suver’s Ducey Road. He also honored outgoing WSU Chancellor Dr. Paul Pitre for his role in establishing the medical school and research campus in Everett.
  • City Attorney David Hall reported no executive session.

Discussion Items

  • Briefing: Critical Areas Regulations Update (CB 2603-19) — Planning Director Yorick Stevens Waja and Environmental Planner Teddy Holbrook presented a comprehensive overview of the proposed ordinance to update Chapter 19.37 of the Everett Municipal Code, the periodic update required every 10 years. The ordinance would repeal and replace the chapter to improve clarity, organization, and alignment with best available science. Key changes include restructuring into five or six articles, updated definitions, expanded exemptions and allowed uses, increased stream buffers for non-fish-bearing streams from 50 to 100 feet (and 125 feet for sparsely vegetated areas), a new section on non-conforming structures in critical areas, and provisions for daylighting piped streams. Staff estimated the buffer expansion would affect about 50 acres (half a percent of city land) and a tenth of a percent of residential capacity due to overlapping steep slope and wetland buffers. The council received the briefing; a public hearing and final reading are scheduled for April 15, 2026.
  • Briefing: 2026 Annual Action Plan (Item 11) — Community Development Manager Kimber Landry presented the resolution authorizing the mayor to execute the 2026 CDBG, HOME, and AHTF grant agreements with HUD. The city receives direct CDBG allocations and participates in a consortium with Snohomish County for HOME and AHTF funds. The 2026 program year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) is the second year of the 2025–2029 consolidated plan. A public hearing was held by the Community Development Advisory Committee on February 3. Action on the resolution is set for the April 8 council meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent items (claims, PSA, RFQ/RFP) approved unanimously (7-0).
  • CB 2603-14 (PGSF WMVD Storm and Combined Sewer Improvements special improvement project) passed on third reading unanimously (7-0).
  • Item 10 (License Agreement with Port of Everett for construction access at Norton Terminal) authorized the mayor to sign, passed unanimously (7-0).
  • Items 4–7 (Evergreen Way Overlay, Dorn Ave Drainage, 2026 Budget revision, North Broadway Pedestrian Bridge) were on second reading; third and final readings are scheduled for April 8, 2026.
  • Item 8 (CB 2603-19) was on first reading; a public hearing and final reading are set for April 15, 2026.
  • Item 11 (2026 Annual Action Plan resolution) will be voted on at the April 8 meeting.
  • The meeting adjourned at an unspecified time.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, residents of Everett, Washington. I'd like to call the order of the Everett City Council meeting of April 1st, 2026. For information on council meetings and how to participate, please visit our website at Everett Ward.gov/slash city council. For the record, we have Vice President Ryan. She's attending this meeting remotely. Clerk, please take the role. Mayor Franklin. Excuse. Councilmember Weir. Here. Councilmember Zarlingo. Here. Vice President Ryan. Here. Councilmember Burbano. Here. Councilmember Twee. Excuse. Councilmember Pater. Here. President Schwab. Here. At this time, I would like Councilmember Zarlingo to lead in the Pledge of Allegiance. At this time, I'd like to ask Councilmember Burbano to read the land acknowledgement. The city council wishes the knowledge on the original inhabitants of this place, the stubborn people and their successors, the Tulalib tribes. Since time immemorial, they have hunted fish, gathered on and taken care of these lands and waters. We respect the sovereignty, the right to self-determination and honor the sacred spiritual connection with the land and water. We will strive to be honest about our past mistakes and bring about a future that includes the people, stories, and voices to form a more just and equitable society. Thank you. On the old business, do I hear a motion for the approval of the minutes for March 25th, 2026? Councilmember Baderson moves. Seconded. Motion and seconds when made. Clerk, please take the roll. Councilmember Weir. Here. Oh yes, sorry. He's here again. I'm here again. Council Member Sarlingo. Yes. Vice President Ryan. Councilmember Burbano. Yes. Councilmember Bader. Yes. President Schwab. Yes. Okay, now it's time for public comment, which includes written comment acknowledgement under our rules, written comments shall be considered in the same manner as oral comments. Persons submitting comments must provide their name and city of residence to make to be part of the council official record.

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