Why Update the Town Center Plan Now?

Updates to the Town Center Plan are underway in 2025

The Town Center Plan was originally adopted in 2008. Since then, Town Center growth has been slow.  As a result, housing in Sammamish continues to be out of reach for many people including those who serve the community, aging residents who want to downsize and stay in Sammamish, and younger generations. Furthermore, it has been found that without adequate density, amenities and services like community gathering spaces, public transit, restaurants, and retail establishments that the community has been asking for will not materialize.

In October 2023, staff were tasked by the City Council and Planning Commission with finding ways to promote and accelerate diverse and affordable housing in Town Center.

On July 15, 2025, the Sammamish City Council adopted “Action Alternative 1” to guide further development of the Town Center Plan. This includes:

• Planning for and accommodating up to 4,000 residential units in Town Center, including new requirements for affordable housing
• Updating the Town Center Code to a new hybrid form-based approach
• Implementing a new permit review process to reduce complexity and administrative cost
• New streets, sidewalks, and bike lanes to support density

Why now?

The original Town Center Plan that was adopted in 2008 calls for periodic re-evaluation.  Much has changed since the plan was originally adopted, including the economy, housing needs, employment patterns, and the community’s demographics.  

• State Legislation has created mandates, and regional priorities have a different focus. We need to ensure the Town Center Plan and Code aligns with the recently adopted 2024 Comprehensive Plan, ever changing state laws, and county and regional planning.
  
  
• The housing market and financial conditions have changed, construction of apartments and condos is not financially viable, and there are no remaining incentives in the Town Center code to promote the types of construction needed to produce diverse and affordable housing.

The proposed updates focus growth in the Town Center and will reduce the pressure for middle housing in other Sammamish neighborhoods. Since the original plan was adopted in 2008, only 326 housing units have been added in Town Center. Amenities and services like community gathering spaces, public transit, restaurants, and retail establishments that the community has been asking for will not materialize without Town Center density.

Changes Are Needed to Spur Housing and Amenities

The City Council and Planning Commission requested that the City find ways to promote and accelerate diverse and affordable housing in Town Center. The focus is on making mixed-use, mid-rise, and low-rise construction types feasible in the Town Center – that is how diverse and affordable housing is built.

Through careful analysis, it has been found that without changes, the majority of Town Center will continue to be built out with  townhomes with an average price of over one million dollars , and we will not see delivery of the types of housing needed in the community. Additionally, the Town Center Subarea needs adequate supportive density to make development of these construction types and associated desired amenities, such as retail and restaurants, happen.