Edmonds, WA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)

090(A) caps bonus incentives in the NCH zone at one additional floor or 10 feet of additional height beyond the otherwise-allowed maximum, whichever is more restrictive where both are regulated, and incentives are not stackable: a project may use only one incentive per building. 050, contingent on achieving LEED Gold or Built Green 4-Star certification (or higher) and activating at least 60 percent of the primary street frontage with commercial uses. The Community Benefit Incentive under subsection D, available only in the NCH-4 and NCH-5 overlays, allows one additional floor, capped at 10 feet above the otherwise-allowed height, in exchange for qualifying public amenity space: for every square foot of qualifying outdoor community benefit area, the applicant may build 5 square feet of bonus gross floor area, and for every square foot of qualifying indoor community amenity area, 10 square feet of bonus floor area.

Indoor amenity space must sit on the ground floor or mezzanine with direct public access from the sidewalk, be publicly accessible at least 8 consecutive hours a day, 5 days a week including one weekend day, with the schedule posted at the entry, and be secured by a recorded public access covenant and maintenance agreement. Building frontages abutting a qualifying amenity area must activate at least 60 percent of that frontage with active uses. The planning and development director or designee reviews, conditionally approves or denies bonus incentive applications during development review and may require a performance bond or recorded covenant to guarantee delivery of the qualifying public benefit.