Everett City Council Meeting – July 16, 2026

The Everett City Council met to act on consent items, hear public comment, take readings on housing and capital project ordinances, approve charter amendment ballot measures, approve property purchases for the Everett Outdoor Events Center, and adopt the 2027-2032 Transportation Improvement Program. The agenda and raw transcript are dated July 15, 2026, while the meeting metadata date is July 16, 2026, 16:15 UTC; this summary uses the metadata date in the title and otherwise reflects the source transcript.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the July 1, 2026 minutes and the eight-item consent calendar unanimously.
• Authorized claims totaling $6,697,681.02 for June 20–26, 2026; $1,167,468.36 for June 27–July 2, 2026; and payroll claims totaling $6,526,077.44.
• Authorized the mayor to sign the Snohomish County subaward agreement for a route study, cost-benefit analysis, and basis-of-design report to relocate Water Transmission Line No. 5.
• Declared a 2007 Doosan BC32S-5 forklift surplus and authorized its sale at public auction.
• Authorized a call for bids for the Security Fence Improvements Project.
• Authorized the BNSF Pipeline License for the Lift Station #1 Valve Replacement Project.
• Authorized up to approximately $600,000 annually with Pacific Glass, Inc. for architectural glass repair and replacement services under King County Contract #KC000662_1_16245/COE #2023-149.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ishmael Mohammed, a local housing developer and 35-year Everett participant, expressed full support for the MFTE updates, specifically lowering the minimum threshold from 16 to 4 units and expanding eligibility citywide. He said MFTE does not require city funding and would help small-scale builders.
• Melanie Young, a figure skating coach at the Everett Community Rink since 2003, raised concerns about bullying and harassment from rink leadership, new coaching hour limits, unrealistic Saturday camp and learn-to-skate expectations, and compensation dropping to about $10 for a 30-minute class. She asked the board to review policies and work toward a positive environment and a contract.
• Mason, identified as a Charter Review Commission member, thanked the council, said the commission trusts the council with refinement, and commented on residency requirements, fiscal impact statement links, and the need for a stronger leadership pipeline.
• William Parent, a Silver Lake resident, commented on the electric foot scooter ordinance, noting stock Lime scooters can reach 20 mph, and raised concerns about the 15 mph limit, sidewalk riding, glass in bike lanes, and safer bike lane infrastructure in Vancouver, Washington.
• Brock Howell, executive director of Snohomish County Transportation Coalition/Snow Track and Stations Unidos, submitted a letter on the proposed transit merger, supported the MFTE changes and the stadium project, and supported the e-bike ordinance. He noted concerns about sidewalk riding rules affecting ambassadors but was pleased with the west-of-Broadway limitation.
• Christine, an Everett resident, opposed a potential Everett Transit/Community Transit merger, praising Everett Transit's printed schedules, friendly drivers, and accessibility for older, low-income, and vulnerable riders. She said if the system works, keep it.
• René Bayro, an Everett taxpayer and voter, opposed the transit merger, describing a $30 million per year additional tax burden over roughly 30 years and comparing the cost to a 37.5% interest-rate mortgage. He urged reconsideration.
• June Schober, District 3 resident, suggested that the interlocal agreement reserve a right of first refusal for current Everett Transit operators on routes spending most of their running time in the city, noting that labor issues would need union approval.
• Steve Schmider, an Everett resident and taxpayer, opposed the transit merger, saying it is a bad time to raise taxes without a vote of the people, that the system is not broken, and that the process felt rushed.
• Christopher O'Neill, an Everett Transit bus operator and former Community Transit employee, opposed the merger, saying a 0.6% sales tax increase to 10.5% is unacceptable and that he would shop and eat outside Everett. He also raised concerns about the fire levy and fire department; the council president clarified that the city is not trying to disband the fire department.
• Written comment from John Peoples was acknowledged for the record.

Discussion Items

• Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) Program – CB 2606-35 (1st Reading): Housing policy development lead Frank Hong presented a proposal to lower the minimum eligibility from 16 to 4 units and expand the residential target area into NR and UR4 zones, excluding constrained NRC areas. The program has existed since 1999 and has supported more than 3,700 units and $850 million in construction activity. Staff projected 15–100 additional units per year, with a tax shift of roughly 30 cents to $2 per taxpayer annually, about 0.05% of a typical $4,700 property tax bill. The ordinance also incorporates state House Bill 1494 changes. Council discussion focused on affordability definitions, ownership opportunities, and whether expansion would mostly benefit rental developers. Staff, the Planning Commission, and the Washington State Department of Commerce supported the ordinance. The public hearing was closed; final reading is July 29, 2026.
• Electric-Assisted Bicycles and Scooters – CB 2606-34 (2nd Reading): No questions were raised; final reading and action are scheduled for July 22, 2026.
• Capital Project Fund Amendments – CB 2607-36, CB 2607-37, and CB 2607-38: First readings were held for the Everett Outdoor Event Center Fund 342/Program 052 amendment, the Main Library Building Envelope Improvement Project amendment, and the South Police Precinct HVAC Controls Replacement Project amendment. The library item was also given a second reading and will have action July 22, 2026; the other final readings are July 29, 2026.
• Charter Amendments – CB 2606-33 (3rd & Final Reading): The council reviewed consolidated charter review propositions. It voted 7-0 to amend the eligibility language so the one-year voter registration and residency clock is measured from the last day of candidate filing week rather than the general election. It voted 7-0 to add language designating who presides when both council president and vice president are absent. It voted 7-0 to add fiscal impact statement preparation and reference language to the initiative/referendum proposition. It voted 6-1 to remove the proposition creating a charter review commission every five years. A motion to add four-consecutive-term limits passed its amendment vote 6-1, but the amended motion to include term limits in the package failed 2-5. The council then adopted CB 2606-33 as amended 7-0, placing five charter amendment measures on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot and requesting the Snohomish County Auditor to place them on the ballot. Staff also announced the process for appointing pro and con committees for ballot pamphlet language, with appointments expected to be confirmed July 29.
• Everett Outdoor Events Center Property Purchase – Resolution: Scott Paterson and consultant Ben Franz presented property acquisition status. The council had authorized the mayor to access a $7.4 million state Department of Commerce grant and property acquisition funding on April 29, 2026. The resolution approved purchasing parcels 1, 2, 3, and 5; parcel 1 uses already-approved city funds, parcels 2, 3, and 5 use state grant funds, and a remaining grant balance will help purchase parcel 4 later after returning to council. The council also received the earlier first reading of a related funding ordinance for parcel 12, adding $1.9 million to close the purchase before due diligence expires; a repayment/loan resolution will be brought later. Construction is targeted for late fall or early winter. The resolution passed 7-0.
• Transportation Improvement Program 2027-2032 – Resolution: The council opened and closed a public hearing with no speakers and adopted the 2027-2032 TIP update unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent calendar, claims, contracts, and routine authorizations 7-0.
• Advanced the MFTE ordinance with final reading set for July 29, 2026.
• Advanced the e-bike ordinance with final reading and action July 22, 2026.
• Advanced Outdoor Event Center, Main Library, and South Police Precinct HVAC fund amendments.
• Approved five charter amendment ballot measures for November 3, 2026; removed the five-year periodic review proposition and declined term limits.
• Approved Everett Outdoor Events Center property purchases 7-0.
• Adopted the 2027-2032 Transportation Improvement Program 7-0.