Neighborhood Commercial Districts

Update Process
Project Events
District Locations

Update Process

Help Lacey update its Neighborhood Commercial Districts.

We hosted a series of online and in-person community events to review our Neighborhood Commercial Districts (Districts).

These events offered opportunities to meet with neighbors, talk with City staff, learn about existing zoning standards, ask questions, and provide thoughts and ideas on how to update these Districts to better reflect the needs of the Lacey community. On July 16th, 2024 – the Lacey City Council unanimously voted to adopt a new code for these neighborhood zones.

Lacey Neighborhood Commercial Districts

As identified within the 2016 Lacey Comprehensive Plan, these Neighborhood Commercial Districts are intended to:

Land Use – Goal 3: Provide convenient access to neighborhood commercial zones throughout the planning area with emphasis on pedestrian opportunities.

Policy A: Retain strategic sites for neighborhood commercial activities, providing neighborhood commercial activities within walking distance of all neighborhood areas.

Policy B: Pay particular attention to integration of neighborhood commercial sites to ensure the site is compatible with and complements and serves local neighborhood uses.

Policy C: Neighborhood Commercial zones should be designed and sited to serve neighborhood needs, as opposed to serving a larger community base or capturing the motoring public.

The 2016 Comprehensive Plan goes on to identify these districts as strategic features within the community, serving neighborhoods as informal gathering spaces and activity hubs that should be maintained in anticipation of density increases and heightened commercial demands in the future.

Project Timeline

Project Events

Download the Updated Code

Past Events

Code Adoption July 16th (2024)

On July 16th, 2024 – the Lacey City Council unanimously voted to adopt a new code for these neighborhood zones. The updated code is linked to this page.

City Council Worksession Review – May to June (2024)

Following the Planning Commission’s recommendation of the draft code, the Lacey City Council conducted additional review of the proposed draft at two Council Worksessions – the first being held on May 14th, 2024 followed up by additional review on June 11th, 2024. At the end of each of these worksessions, City Council provided Lacey staff with additional guidance on the requirements of the draft code and their visions for these districts moving forward.

Primary discussion topics included ground floor commercial building heights, affordability requirements for residential units, and tree protection standards. Following these worksessions, staff updated the draft code to reflect City Council direction.

Planning Commission Recommendation to City Council – Wednesday, April 10th (2024)

On April 10th, 2024, the Lacey Planning Commission unanimously proposed draft code changes to the Neighborhood Commercial Zoning Districts for consideration by the Lacey City Council. The draft code as recommended by the Planning Commission can be found here:

Draft Code as Recommended by the Planning Commission

Community Review of Draft Code Changes – Wednesday, March 13th (2024)

The Lacey Planning Commission hosted a Hybrid Public Hearing on the draft Neighborhood Commercial District Updates on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 6 p.m. At this hearing, the Planning Commission voted to extend the Public Hearing component of this process for another week, concluding on Wednesday, March 20th, 2024.

Following this Public Hearing (and extended public comment period), the draft code will undergo additional review before being passed along to the Lacey City Council for additional review and potential adoption in the Spring/Summer of 2024. A recording of the Public Hearing and submitted public comment are included on this page.

Review Public Comments

Lacey City Council Worksession – Tuesday, January 9th (2024)

City Council Worksession Slides

Staff provided a briefing on concepts and supporting visualizations for future amendments to the Neighborhood Commercial Code. A council discussion of district elements and design treatments followed the presentation with high-level guidance being provided to city staff on next steps.

Example Districts Design Review (online) – August to November (2023)

Guided by community feedback, project staff reviewed example districts for population and economic similarities based on Lacey’s growth forecasts over the next 20 years. Participants were asked to provide feedback on these example districts and their design elements as a way of achieving our community’s vision of the future.

Hybrid Community Open House – Wednesday, August 9th (2023)

At this event, City staff shared project findings and information collected through community events, public surveys, site analysis, and the review of similar districts located within other communities. Event participants were asked to provide feedback on district elements and potential code amendments. Meeting materials and additional ways to share ideas with the project team have been uploaded to the project page.

NCD Businesses Outreach – March to May (2023)

City staff from the Community and Economic Development Department reached out to Neighborhood Commercial District businesses located in or conducting business within these districts. During this outreach, a total of 36 businesses were identified within these districts. Of the businesses contacted, 42% provided feedback on their experiences operating within the districts and shared insights on what it takes to run a successful business. A summary of these findings has been added to the project site.

Winter Community Survey – November (2022) to January (2023)

The survey consisted of multiple-choice (MC) and open-ended (OE) questions focusing on community characteristics and the role of Neighborhood Commercial Districts within the community. A total of 849 people participated in the survey. Full survey results, a Summary Report, and the Open House Posters are linked to this page and available for public review.

Hybrid Community Open House – November 15th (2022)

To ensure we hear from as many individuals as possible, this event was offered in a hybrid format, with in-person and online opportunities to review content and share ideas. All exhibits and information provided at the in-person event are also available on the City website. Participants could review exhibits and share ideas about what they like, what they don’t like, and what they want to see in their neighborhoods through a survey. Exhibits cover the history of Neighborhood Commercial Districts, how they got to be what they are today, how an application turns into a project, existing codes, and future opportunities to share ideas and connect with City staff.

District Locations