Maple Valley: City Approves Standards and Guidelines for New Downtown

After 4 years of planning and deliberation, the Maple Valley City Council has voted to adopt Design Standards and Guidelines for a new “Downtown” on one of the last two remaining large parcels of land in the city. City officials say the new “Downtown Maple Valley will reflect the area’s heritage and deliver exceptional access to local businesses, residential neighborhoods, the Legacy Site, and regional attractions.”

On July 5 the city also lifted a multi-year moratorium on development that was in place while the city sought and received recommendations from a Downtown work group, received hundreds of public comments, and had the Planning Commission deliberate and make recommendations on development standards and guidelines. The moratorium also remained in place during 14 City Council meetings and 5 City Council study session meetings.

According to city officials, the standards and guidelines developed over the last four years will help to create a new Downtown Maple Valley “with its own sense of place, welcoming the entire community and providing a vibrant mixed-use destination that connects citizens and visitors of all ages.” According to the city, the new Downtown neighborhood will be “a walkable and bikeable Downtown mix of public space and mid-rise buildings, including businesses that promote the artistic, cultural and entrepreneurial spirit of the city’s residents. Additionally, Downtown will offer retail, commercial, housing, civic uses and public open space supported by unrivaled trail connectedness.”