by Nick Ng
Posted: March 27, 2025
Link to My Edmonds News Article
Speeding, unsafe sidewalks and lack of crosswalks along 100th Avenue West were some of the concerns Edmonds residents voiced during the first day of the Edmonds Walk & Talk tour Thursday morning at the Westgate neighborhood center.
The city sponsored 90-minute Walk & Talk tours at both Westgate and Firdale Village Thursday and will host two more days of tours at designated neighborhood centers and hubs Friday, March 27 and Monday, March 31. (See details below.)
The tours, which focus on the unique characteristics of each area, are designed to allow residents to discuss their concerns and observations.
Edmonds Acting Planning and Development Director Shane Hope, Senior Planner Brad Shipley and Urban Design Planner Navyusha Pentakota led the tour from the parking lot of PCC Community Market to the corner of the North American Martyrs Catholic Church. The tour ended at the Hattrup & Associates accounting firm west of McDonald’s.
When the group stopped near the corner of 100th Avenue West and 227th Place Southwest, one attendee suggested creating a buffer zone between the sidewalks and the road along 100th Avenue West, such as planting shrubs and trees like the one at the Starbucks on Edmonds Way.
Shipley nodded in agreement. “It gives the feeling of safety,” he said. “And it makes the street much more pretty and has more green space.”
After the group crossed Edmonds Way and stopped at 232nd Street Southwest, Shipley pointed to the three single-family homes across from the church and said that they are included as part of the designated Westgate neighborhood center. “And it goes up to that building,” he said, pointing to the church and a small house just south of the church.
At the Village at Westgate apartment complex, Planning Director Hope said that cities can’t dictate whether a chain store can be built, but they can regulate the building’s size.
“We can regulate whether they’re small or large or what [other] options are, and that by itself helps determine what the market is able to do,” she said, adding that all land where QFC and PCC are located are zoned the same. “If [the city] wants to stay commercial, they can do that. But if they want to do something different, they have that option. Some of the big chains do have Safeways that have housing on top, too.”
According to the Edmonds Comprehensive Plan, the City of Edmonds must revise its Community Development Code by July 2025 to align with new Washington state laws aimed at enhancing housing diversity, affordability and equity. The updates will focus on two key areas: neighborhood centers and hubs, as well as middle housing.
The four newly designated neighborhood centers and five neighborhood hubs outlined in the Comprehensive Plan are intended to feature small-scale multifamily housing and neighborhood commercial spaces. Their establishment supports the city’s growth targets, ensuring compliance with state housing legislation, mandatory Comprehensive Plan elements and broader regional and countywide planning policies.
In response to HB 1110, the city is updating its zoning codes to allow more diverse housing options, including duplexes and triplexes in residential areas. The new regulations will permit at least two units per lot, with up to four allowed under certain conditions. If the city does not implement its own ordinances by July 1, the State Model Ordinance will automatically override any conflicting local regulations.
The remainder of the Walk & Talk tour includes:
Friday, March 28
Five Corners: Meet at the street corner near BARC parking lot at 10 a.m.
Medical District expansion: Meet at the southeast corner of 212th Street Southwest and 80th Avenue West at noon.
South Lake Ballinger: Meet at the southwest corner at 76th Avenue West and 242nd Street Southwest at 2 p.m.
Monday, March 31
Maplewood: Meet on 86th Avenue West near Edmonds Adventist Church at 10 a.m.
East Seaview: Meet at the northeast corner of 76th Avenue West and 196th Street Southwest at noon.
North Bowl: Meet on the sidewalk adjacent to the Shell Station at 2 p.m.
Other ways to participate
For those unable to attend in person, comments can be submitted and project information is posted online at www.edmondswa.gov/centersandhubs. Some businesses in each area will also have printed flyers available. Participating businesses will be listed on the project webpage under each neighborhood center and hub.
For more information, visit www.edmondswa.gov/2025codeupdates. Questions can be directed to Navyusha Pentakota or Brad Shipley at 425-771-0220 or via email at 2025codeupdates@edmondswa.gov.