Zoning map corrections public hearing was scheduled for May 20 Planning Commission meeting

What the records say

The May 20, 2026 Planning Commission meeting agenda placed a public hearing under item 4A, 'Zoning Map Refinements,' on a staff proposal to amend Bothell Municipal Code Title 12 zoning maps to correct errors and inconsistencies that remained after the 2024 Comprehensive Plan's new land-use map was implemented ¹. The staff report identifies seven refinement areas, including southeast Bothell near NE 145th Street and Juanita Woodinville Way NE, northern Bothell along the Bothell-Everett Highway at 234th Street SE, northwest Bothell at Meridian Avenue S and 228th Street SW, northeast Bothell adjacent to 20th Avenue SE, and the North Creek subarea — with proposed additions of residential or commercial zones where mixed-use overlay intent was not being met, restoration of prior zoning in one area, and a subdistrict map simplification in North Creek ¹. The commission was asked to approve, approve with revisions, or deny the proposed findings, conclusions, and recommendation, and staff recommended approval ¹.

• The hybrid Planning Commission meeting was scheduled for 6:00 PM at Bothell City Hall, with the zoning map refinements public hearing as agenda item 4A; written comments could be submitted by email before 3:00 PM on the day of the meeting ¹.
• The proposed amendments would revise several zoning code sections, including the city-wide map adoption provision (BMC 12.04.140) and subarea regulations for Queensborough/Brentwood/Crystal Springs, Shelton View/Meridian/3rd Avenue SE, Midtown, Canyon Park, North Creek, Brickyard Road/Queensgate, and Waynita/Simonds/Norway Hill ¹.
• Staff identified seven map areas needing correction, from a missing residential zone pairing in southeast Bothell to a subdistricts map cleanup in the North Creek subarea ¹.
• The hearing notice was published on April 28, 2026 in the Seattle Times, on the city's website, and at City Hall ¹.
• The supplied packet does not include minutes or an action summary from the May 20 hearing, so the commission's decision is not established by these records ¹.

Why it matters

Zoning designations determine what uses — such as housing types, retail, or offices — are permitted on a property, so correcting map inconsistencies can change what development is allowed in the affected neighborhoods. The hearing was the public's opportunity to weigh in before the proposal moved forward ¹.

What changed / what's next

• The May 20, 2026 Planning Commission meeting agenda added a public hearing on zoning map refinements, with a staff recommendation that the commission adopt the proposed findings and code amendments ¹.
• The packet does not record the May 20 hearing's outcome; the commission could have approved, approved with revisions, or denied the proposal ¹.
• The commission's recommendation, if adopted, is directed to the City Council for final action ¹.
• The refinements stem from corrections to the 2024 Imagine Bothell Comprehensive Plan implementation, so residents in the named neighborhoods may want to track the proposal for effects on local development ¹.
• The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.