Clearview business owner tells Snohomish County Council 10,000-foot buffer is costing county jobs and tax revenue

Patrick Ann, a Clearview business owner, told the Snohomish County Council on Jan. 1 that the county's 10,000-foot buffer rule has forced his store to remain closed and is costing local jobs and tax revenue. "By keeping this location closed, the county and the state are already foregoing 1,800,000.0 every single year," he said, citing performance from comparable stores he operates in the county.

Ann provided a staff-style breakdown of projected revenue and jobs, saying his lease term is five years and estimating roughly $9,000,000 in lost tax revenue under a zero-growth scenario and about $11,000,000 with a 10% annual growth assumption. He also said the closure prevents creation of 14 full-time jobs paying roughly $25 an hour with benefits and that more than 80% of the vendors he uses are located in Snohomish County, which he said amplifies the economic impact on local vendors and employees.

The business owner framed the issue as more than a land-use dispute. "This is no longer just a land use issue, it's a policy decision with a measurable economic cost," he told the council, and he asked council members to sponsor a code change to align the county's buffer policy with practices elsewhere in Snohomish County.

Council did not take action on the buffer policy during the meeting. Chair Dunne closed public comment after Mr. Ann finished his remarks and the meeting proceeded to agenda items including a ceremonial resolution and several administrative motions.

No county staff presentation on the buffer rule or formal council response was recorded in the meeting minutes; the transcript reflects this item only as public comment. Additional information about the legal basis or county staff analyses of the buffer rule were not provided in the recorded discussion and therefore are not reported here.