Developing in Bothell

Bothell’s leaders understand that the pre-development process can be challenging, lengthy and as a result, expensive. They took two important steps to assure an efficient and predictable permitting process to ensure the downtown vision would become reality.

First, the city completed an area-wide Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to prepare downtown for development. Developers will not be required to execute separate environmental studies if their project is in compliance with the Downtown Revitalization Plan.

Second, to assure the process was fair and reasonable, the city also hired an outside consultant to take a hard look at the city’s permitting process and make recommendations to improve city performance. Following this exhaustive study, the city executed the Development Services Initiative (DSI) to implement the suggested changes and improve the permit process.

The DSI team solicits feedback from developers on an ongoing basis to identify and implement improvements in review times, internal coordination, city/applicant communications, quality of staff reviews, electronic permit tracking and filing — even the remodeling of the lobby to make it more customer friendly.

In addition, the city has taken the opportunity to make further enhancements:

• Improved transparency and the removal of bottlenecks through an interdepartmental project review process and weekly team coordination meetings.
• Enhanced technical knowledge through specialized training for permit technicians in each discipline: building, planning, engineering, fire and transportation.
• Improved customer service through training for all development staff.
• Improved convenience through an on-line inspection scheduling tool.
• Streamlined customer interactions by identifying a single go-to person for each customer who is accountable for development services process issues.

The result is a renewed and improved process that ensures an efficient and predictable development timeline. New multi-family permits have been reviewed and returned in under 2 weeks. New commercial development permits have been completed in less than 3 weeks.

Finally, the City is investing a million dollars over the next year to further enhance permit review through new technology enhancements. These improvements promise to save more customer time and improve access and convenience.

To further support developers working in Bothell Landing, the city has launched a comprehensive marketing and communications effort to engage consumer interest in living, shopping, dining and working in the downtown district.