SNOHOMISH — Small neighborhood coffeeshops, restaurants, markets, gyms and other commerce can now open a space on the ground floor of all apartment and condominium buildings around town.
The rule change allows small commerce in the city’s “general” multifamily zones, which according to the city’s 2022 zoning map, are:
• The area where Maple Avenue intersects Pine Avenue,
• The southernmost area around Lincoln Avenue,
• A multi-block area bordered by avenues A and C between Sixth and Tenth streets, as well as
• Along the west end of Second Street west of Avenue D
The intent is to create walkable neighborhoods, city planning director Brooke Eidem said last month.
“Small services like this build neighborhoods,” City Council President Tom Merrill said. The whole council said yes to the idea last month. This will help add a mix to Snohomish, Councilwoman Karen Guzak said.
Up until now, small neighborhood businesses were only generally allowed in the city’s commercial zones, in the Midtown District zone focused along Avenue D and a section of the
Pilchuck District zone focused along part of Maple Avenue.
Most likely these kinds of shops would come about in areas that haven’t yet redeveloped, Eidem said.
Adding a business into a multi-family building carries no additional parking restrictions.
The rule change disallows drive-throughs or live entertainment spaces with amplified sound.
About half of the city’s footprint is zoned for single-family residential housing in the 2022 map.
You can find an interactive zoning map of the city at this shortlink: http://www.tinyurl.com/snohozoningmap or see static maps at https://www.snohomishwa.gov/177/Mapping
