City of Sammamish

The Sammamish Town Center Plan, adopted in 2008, created a vision of a centralized gathering place that would offer a variety of housing types and local services. While the Plan depicts a compelling vision, it does not adequately meet the challenges facing the City today. Over the last several years, the pressures of the state and regional housing crisis have been felt in Sammamish. Home prices are at an all-time high, and the City lacks diverse and affordable housing options. The community is also eager for more local retail, services, and amenities.

The Town Center presents an opportunity to address these concerns. In 2023, the City Council directed staff to begin the Town Center Plan and Code Amendment Project to analyze what barriers may exist to providing more diverse and affordable housing in the Town Center and provide options for developing more local services and amenities. This work is responsive to goals and policies established by the City’s recently adopted 2024 Comprehensive Plan and aligns with regional and state planning requirements.

The work also follows the Town Center Plan’s recommendation of revisiting the plan and development cap when approximately one-third of the planned residential development is reached, which is where things are today. What’s Next? Last year, the project began by examining the Town Center’s existing conditions, understanding the effectiveness of the Town Center Plan and development regulations, and identifying areas that need refinement. The project has shifted to a new phase, where amendments to the Town Center Plan and development regulations will be drafted for further review and refinement. A Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) will also be completed to provide an updated environmental impact analysis for the Town Center, which was last completed in 2007.

Stay on the look out on our social media channels for announcements about community workshops.