Maltby Urban Growth Area expansion revived at County Council

The Snohomish County planning commission will consider a controversial proposal to expand Maltby's urban growth area on August 26, with local residents expressing strong opposition. The County Council endorsed the plan in July, which includes the noncontiguous Turner’s Corner area following Councilwoman Megan Dunn's amendment, which passed unanimously. Last year, County Executive Dave Somers vetoed a similar expansion, arguing it was unnecessary for meeting growth targets and could disrupt zoning plans along Highway 9. The Northshore School District is poised to build a school for 1,500 students on a 100-acre site, which complicates the situation, as the land was originally intended for a public park. A legal agreement prohibits the district from constructing a school without sewer access, which is contingent on being within an urban growth area.

Although a 2017 state law allows schools in rural areas to obtain sewer lines, it imposes considerable bureaucratic hurdles. The County Council attempted to override Somers’ veto in December but failed to achieve the necessary supermajority. The planning commission's decision will be crucial for both local development and educational infrastructure.