Design Review

The City currently has two special districts with their own set of design standards, in addition to a more general design standards document that applies to the rest of the city.  Those special districts are the Historic District and the Pilchuck District.  All design standards documents can be accessed at the links below.


Design review is conducted by the Design Review Board for all projects in the Historic District. Elsewhere, design review is done administratively by staff (unless the proponent is a public agency). The design review process is generally in coordination with a building permit. There is no additional cost associated with design review, but there are usually special submittal materials that are necessary.

Adopted Design Standards

  1. Historic District Design Standards 2017
  2. Pilchuck District Design Standards
  3. Design Standards Outside the Historic District - OLD

Design Standards Update

The Design Review Board has been working on an ongoing project to update the design standards that apply to areas of town outside the Historic District and Pilchuck District.  The standards, currently called the "Design Standards (outside the Historic District)" were adopted in 2004.  The document will be renamed to "General Design Standards".  Draft sections can be accessed below as they are reviewed by the Board.

Draft Standards

1   Introduction

2   Commercial & Mixed Use Development

2.1.  Site Design

2.2.  Building Design

2.3.  Alterations

3   Multi-Family Development

3.1.  Site Design

3.2.  Building Design

3.3.  Alterations

4   Single-Family Development

4.1.  Site Design

4.2.  Building Design

4.3.  Alterations

5   Glossary

Public Input

Send your written comments via email to Planner Brooke Eidem.  The Design Review Board meets monthly on the second Wednesday of the month.  Check the Agenda Center to see if this topic is on the upcoming agenda. Meetings are open to the public.