Local Government
Local Government
Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Local Government
View MoreEverett bans e-bikes from downtown sidewalks, imposes fines in new ordinance
The Everett City Council passed Ordinance CB 2606-34 on Thursday, July 23, banning e-bikes and electric scooters from downtown sidewalks, requiring helmets for riders under 16, and setting fines from $50 to $250 as the city ranks among Washington's worst for e-bike hospitalizations.
Local Government
View MoreMarysville becomes first Snohomish County city to freeze data center development
The Marysville City Council voted unanimously July 14 to ban data center construction for six months, citing water-use concerns; the move makes Marysville the first incorporated city in the county to act, following a similar freeze on unincorporated land approved June 24.
Local Government
View MoreState sends Everett-district lawmaker, 18 firms to UK airshow to recruit aerospace investment
Washington state is spending $275,000 to send a 55-person aerospace delegation, including Sen. Marko Liias and 18 companies, to the Farnborough International Airshow starting Monday, July 21, pitching the Everett-area supply chain to global buyers less than two weeks after Boeing's $1 billion North Line opened.
Local Government
View MoreSnohomish County weighs sales tax hike to fund criminal justice system
The Snohomish County Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday, July 8, to set an August 12 public hearing on Ordinance 26-030, a 0.1% criminal justice sales tax that would raise Everett's combined sales tax rate from 9.9% to 10% without a ballot measure.
Local Government
View MoreTelecom franchise, commute-reduction overhaul on county committee agenda Tuesday
Snohomish County's Public Infrastructure and Conservation Committee will consider a telecom franchise for wireless infrastructure company Verta and a full overhaul of commute trip reduction rules affecting large Everett employers like Boeing and Providence when it meets Tuesday, July 7.
Local Government
View More167th Ave SE closes Monday for culvert replacement through September
Snohomish County will fully close 167th Ave SE starting Monday, July 6, through the end of September 2026 to replace a failing 1985 fishway and a 1927 culvert, requiring drivers to use detour routes along Trombley/Roosevelt Roads and Westwick Rd/100th St SE.
Local Government
View MoreProvidence Swedish cuts family medicine residencies as Medicaid cuts loom
Providence Swedish will eliminate 18 family medicine residency slots over four years as the system that runs Everett's largest private hospital grapples with a $244 million quarterly operating loss and looming federal Medicaid cuts.
Local Government
View MoreEverett shoppers could pay an extra dime per $100 under proposed criminal justice sales tax
The Snohomish County Council begins considering Ordinance 26-030 on Tuesday, June 30, a proposed 0.1% criminal justice sales tax that would push Everett's combined sales tax rate from 9.9% to 10% without requiring voter approval.
Local Government
View MoreSnohomish County freezes new data center permits in unincorporated areas
The Snohomish County Council unanimously passed an emergency moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated areas on June 24, 2026, freezing permits while the county develops a permanent policy.
Local Government
View MorePort of Everett signals decades-long timeline for Mukilteo Waterfront Project
The Port of Everett told the Mukilteo City Council on Monday, June 22, that its mixed-use waterfront redevelopment will take decades to complete, according to a Mukilteo Beacon report. The Port controls roughly 2.5 acres of Mukilteo waterfront land and is seeking a private development partner.
Local Government
View MoreEverett launches pre-approved backyard housing plans at $1,500 a license
The City of Everett on Wednesday, June 24 launched a pilot library of three pre-approved accessory dwelling unit designs that homeowners can license for approximately $1,500, bypassing the custom design phase. The same day, City Council accepted a $130,000 grant to pilot AI-assisted permitting tools that will cover ADU applications.
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