New data from the Employment Security Department show continued modest improvement in the jobs picture for our state and region. The unemployment rate for Seattle/Bellevue/Everett fell from 5.5 in February to 5.4 in March. Meanwhile, construction employment in Washington increased by 1,400 between February and March.

Snohomish County Planning and Development Services has released its new final plat checklist. It will go into effect on May 10, 2021.

The city of Kirkland is proposing a three-year phased in fee increase on park and transportation impact fees, while introducing a new fire impact fee to be simultaneously phased in. The fees would apply to new single family and multifamily residential construction with the potential to apply to new commercial construction.

Sammamish Deputy Mayor Christie Malchow and three city councilmembers have proposed amending the city’s school impact fee formula, reducing the credit developers receive from 50% to 25%.

On Monday, April 5, the Issaquah City Council adopted the Electric Vehicle (EV) readiness proposal that requires EV prewiring and Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) in new development. The adopted ordinance becomes effective on April 13.