How big do you want Sammamish to get?

Is 4000 housing units in Town Center really a cap?

Spoiler alert: No.

Except for traffic and housing expense, Sammamish is a nice place to live. It is almost certain to grow. Today there are approximately 69,000 people in Sammamish living in approximately 23,000 housing units.

The debate today appears to be about whether Sammamish should add 2000 vs 4000 housing units in the Town Center, but there is much more going on.

The proposed amendment will change the current zoning control of density to Form Based Code (FBC). FBC as proposed has no limit on density except for building height and setback. This would allow the capacity of Town Center to be much larger than has been discussed.

How much larger?

According to the 2024 Sammamish Comprehensive Plan, Town Center is labelled with a density target of 50 – 100 units per acre under the proposed amendment. The plan lists the current allowed density as 20 – 40 units per acre. This would be a big change.

It would be great if the city would tell us the developable acreage in Town Center. A conservative estimate is 120.

The Town Center cap currently is 2000 or 3000 units, depending on which part of which city document you read. Under the proposed amendment, the capacity could be an eye-opening 9000 (75 units per acre *120 acres).

The proposed amendment includes a “cap” of 4000 units for the next 20 years. But this could be increased at any time. And the code changes in the proposed amendment would support that increase.

Perhaps we should focus on building Town Center better, not bigger.

Comments

A Former Sammamish Mayor's Thoughts

Read what the former Mayor of Sammamish, Tom Odell, wrote about the changes the current City Council is considering and how far they've come since the early plans in 2007 and 2010. Rolled up Newspaper by 2happy. Do you realize how different the current considerations are from the original concepts? Republished here with permission. Opinion: let the residents vote on doubling the Town Center size By Tom Odell Former Mayor and City Council Member The 2025 Sammamish City Council is considering proposed changes to the Sammamish Town Center project that was originally approved by the 2010 City Council. I doubt if very many people got the notice regarding the changes as there is only a requirement that it be distributed to the affected and immediate “neighborhood”. The current definition of the required notice area is very geographically limited. Others living outside must request to be notified (I did). It is likely that very few Sammamish residents have d...

Town Center Expansion: A Fiscal Sustainability Crisis for Sammamish

The Red Ink Flows... Our beautiful City of Sammamish faces a serious financial challenge affecting every resident: * 2025 Budget Gap: $10,319,000 deficit ($57,287,000 in revenues vs. $67,606,000 in expenses) * 2030 Projected Overspending: $20,747,000 * 2030 Projected Funding Balance Deficit: $24,099,000 This persistent red ink has already led to new taxes for residents: * A 6% utility tax has been implemented. * A potential Metropolitan Park District tax is being considered to fund park expenses. Will Town Center Costs Exceed Revenues? The current Town Center plan (2008 Plan as Amended in 2020) allows for 2,000 housing units. The plan includes some information about the costs City taxpayers will bear: Infrastructure Cost-Sharing With Developers *The Town Center plan states infrastructure will be "funded jointly" between the City, service providers, and private developers, but the exact cost distribution remains unclear: *"Infra...

📣 The Votes Are In on the Sammamish Town Center Plan — What’s Next?

The Votes Are In on the Sammamish Town Center Plan City Council Passes Action Alternative (4,000 units, 85’ buildings) Before the final vote was accepted, Councilmember Kent Treen presented three alternative motions: 1. A hybrid option that would keep the 2,000-unit cap. Councilmember Lam seconded the motion. After discussion, the Council voted 6–1 against approving it. 2. Two additional alternatives were also introduced by Councilmember Treen but did not receive a second and therefore did not move forward. At the July 15, 2025 Sammamish City Council meeting, the Council voted on the future of the Town Center. They were asked to select one of three proposed alternatives: Proposed Options: 1. No Action Alternative Keeps the current cap of 2,000 housing units. Likely results in mostly townhomes and fewer community amenities such as retail, restaurants, and civic spaces. 2. Action Alternative Allows up to 4,000 units with a mix of apartments and condos, plus retail, restaurant, and...

Search This Blog