Comprehensive Plan GMA Compliance

The Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB) order requires the City to address four issues:

1. Land Capacity Analysis: Identify residential land capacity at each housing affordability level and close any identified gaps.
2. Adequate Provisions: Adopt incentives, mandatory provisions, and planned actions (“aka adequate provisions”) that will remove barriers to the production affordable housing.
3. Station Area Subarea Plan: Adopt a subarea plan for the area around the transit station.
4. Anti-Displacement Measures: Adopt anti-displacement measures to address the potential displacement that can occur with changes in zoning.

More information about the four requirements can be read about on a previous Let’s Talk article, Understanding the Growth Management Hearings Board Order and Appeal Outcome.

The City is on track to comply with the Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB) order by the July 31, 2026, deadline set by the GMHB Order.

Failure to comply with the GMHB order can result in sanctions per RCW 36.70A.340. These sanctions can affect funding accrued through the sales and use tax, motor vehicle fuel tax, transportation improvement, the rural arterial trust account, the liquor profit tax, and the real estate excise tax. Overall, these sanctions would greatly affect the ability of the City to provide basic services to citizens such as road maintenance, park maintenance, fire service, police service, and more. 

No, the Modified Station Area Boundary approved by the City Council does not include any part of Luther Burbank Park.

The Growth Management Act (GMA) defines the station planning area as the lots that are partially or fully located within a half-mile walking distance from light rail station entrances (RCW 36.70A.030(36)). A Modified Station Subarea Boundary may be adopted, subject to Department of Commerce approval. On January 16, 2026, the City Council approved the four guidelines for developing the Modified Station Subarea Boundary:

Guideline 1: Exclude City parks, open space, and the Interstate 90 corridor from the half-mile walking distance area. The areas excluded by Guideline 1 are shown in green on figures 1 and 2. The area excluded by Guideline 1 includes all of Luther Burbank Park and Upper Luther Burbank Park.

Guideline 2: Exclude additional areas that would be non-contiguous after removing city parks, open space, and the I-90 corridor.

Guideline 3: Align the remaining walking distance area with City streets.

Guideline 4: Follow existing zoning boundaries if City streets do not make a logical boundary.

Per Guideline 1 above, all City parks and open space are excluded from the Modified Station Area Boundary. City Council approved the Modified Station Subarea Boundary for the purposes of GMA Compliance on March 17, 2026.

Figure 1: Station Area Boundary Analysis (below) summarizes the step-by-step application of the guidelines as described above.

Figure 2: Guideline 1 excludes City parks, open space, and the Interstate 90 corridor from the proposed station area.

Thank you for the suggestion. The City of Mercer Island does not currently have regulations establishing a Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) program, nor any properties benefiting from MFTE. The implementation of MFTE will be explored in Phase 2 of the Station Area Subarea Plan as part of the City's compliance with House Bill (HB) 1491. It is possible that an MFTE map may be assembled following HB 1491 compliance.

-Madelyn Nelson, Assistant Planner

The video can be accessed via the recent Let's Talk post Community Information Session - Recording and Slides or through the City Council Community Information Session on GMHB Order webpage.

If the links continue to be blocked by the internet browser’s security system, the recording can be navigated to through the City Council webpage or can be accessed on YouTube by searching “3/10/2026 - Mercer Island - Community Information Session” posted by the Mercer Island Council account.

-Madelyn Nelson, Assistant Planner