Bothell Sound

Development · Jul 15, 2025

Snohomish County's 378-acre UGA expansion near Maltby Road was scheduled for a Bothell Council briefing

At the July 15, 2025 special meeting, Bothell's City Council was scheduled to hear a staff briefing on Snohomish County's request for the city's support to fold a 378-acre Urban Growth Area expansion into Bothell's municipal growth area. 1

What the records say

An Urban Growth Area (UGA) is a boundary marking where urban growth is encouraged under Washington's Growth Management Act. In December 2024, the Snohomish County Council adopted Ordinance 24-030, expanding the 'Southwest' UGA by approximately 378 acres near 43rd Avenue SE and Maltby Road, effective April 2025. The county is now asking Bothell to concur and support formally including that expanded area in the city's Municipal Urban Growth Area (MUGA). County planning staff were scheduled to present the request at the July 15, 2025 Bothell City Council meeting. 1

  • The Snohomish County Council adopted Ordinance 24-030 in December 2024, expanding the Southwest UGA by approximately 378 acres near 43rd Avenue SE and Maltby Road; the county rezoned the area to Low Density Multiple Residential, R-7,200, and R-9,600. 1
  • The county says the expansion was necessary to address a shortfall of 821 housing units in Bothell's MUGA and now seeks Bothell's concurrence to include the area in the city's MUGA. 1
  • Bothell's Community Development Department opposed the expansion in October 2023 comments on the county's draft EIS, urging growth within the existing UGA instead, and staff later stated they were unable to verify that the county consulted Bothell or gave its position substantial weight before the December 2024 expansion. 1
  • The briefing packet included expansion maps, future land use designations, Bothell's 2023 EIR comment, and Resolution No. 1149 (2003), which established the city's existing MUGA boundary. 1
  • County staff's proposed next steps, contingent on Bothell's support, included a Snohomish County Tomorrow Planning Advisory Committee item in fall 2025 and potential Steering Committee and County Council action by year-end. 1

Why it matters

Under the countywide planning policies, the county must consult affected cities and give substantial weight to a city's position before a UGA boundary change, so Bothell's stance could shape how this proceeds. The area has been rezoned by the county to residential uses, and the county says the capacity is needed to address a shortfall of 821 housing units in Bothell's MUGA — developments that could affect future annexation, services, and neighborhood character near the city's eastern edge. 1 Analysis: The agenda packet does not describe specific project proposals or service plans for the site; city staff listed open questions about infrastructure, zoning, environment, and equity for the Council to raise.

What changed / what's next

  • The Snohomish County Council has already expanded the Southwest UGA by about 378 acres (Ordinance 24-030, adopted December 2024, effective April 2025); what remains pending is Bothell's concurrence to include that area in the Bothell MUGA. 1
  • The available records do not establish what feedback the Council gave or any outcome of the July 15 briefing. 1
  • The county's proposed timeline (PAC action September 11, Steering Committee action October 22, potential County Council hearing and action in mid-December) is a county proposal, not a committed schedule. 1
  • The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.