Bothell to permit neighborhood businesses and lift parking mandates

The Bothell city council reviewed code changes on June 3 that would permit neighborhood businesses and lift parking mandates citywide.

screenshot from a city presentation shows a neighborhood scale business

By Oliver J. Moffat

Neighborhood Businesses: Bothell's proposed updates would permit small businesses (like corner stores, cafes, and indoor pet care) in residential neighborhoods. 

The proposal adds a new definition for "Neighborhood Scale Commercial" defined as "small-scale retail, service, and office uses that primarily serve the daily needs of nearby residents" by offering essential goods, professional and personal services, and neighborhood gathering places. 

The intent is to complement residential areas, promote walkability, reduce long-distance trips, and minimize parking demand. Examples include corner stores, cafes, and other convenience-oriented businesses.

The businesses will have size limits, generally capped at 2,500 square feet. Hours of operation would be limited to daytime hours and existing noise ordinances would still apply. Some kinds of businesses would be prohibited including drive-throughs, outdoor storage, taxis, large vehicles, and weapons sales. 

A screenshot from a city presentation shows a parking lot 

Parking Mandates: Bothell is moving towards eliminating minimum off-street parking requirements citywide. 

This goes beyond the new statewide standards set by Senate Bill 5184 (which the Governor signed on May 7, 2025), establishes limitations on how many parking spaces cities can require for residential and commercial developments, capping them at certain ratios. Bothell will eliminate all off-street parking minimums across the city, going beyond the state's mandates.

Currently, Bothell requires parking spaces for residential, retail, restaurants, and other new developments. The new code deletes all those mandates and instead simply says “no required minimum number of off-street parking spaces” are required. 

Parking spaces cost money and require more land. Experts say removing parking requirements reduces development costs, thereby stimulating more affordable housing.

These code changes (including parking reform and neighborhood businesses) are being made now to align Bothell’s municipal code with the city's Comprehensive Plan, adopted by the City Council in December 2024. 

Nearby, Shoreline legalized neighborhood commercial businesses earlier this year and also plans to lift citywide parking mandates soon.