Neighborhood Commercial Districts

Help Lacey update its Neighborhood Commercial Districts.

We are hosting a series of on-line and in-person community events to review our Neighborhood Commercial Districts (Districts).

These events offer 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.

Lacey Neighborhood Commercial Districts

The City of Lacey Municipal Code (Chapter 16.36) describes Lacey’s existing Neighborhood Commercial Districts in greater detail. The intent of these Districts is to:

• Provide the opportunity for the development of small commercial facilities in residential areas catering to the day to day needs of consumers for a limited range of convenience goods and services;
• Limit such commercial facilities as to size of site, bulk of structures, and to such locations as to serve a relatively large number of persons in a relatively small geographic area. To that end, pedestrian accessibility shall be a major criterion in the location of neighborhood commercial facilities;
• Provide neighborhood commercial zones near residential areas to provide opportunities for neighborhood shopping and services with pedestrian accessibility.

Past Events

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 businesses in the five Neighborhood Commercial Districts located within the City. 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 is 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.