The city of Covington has stepped up to the edge of completing its downtown zoning and design regulations, and if the weather doesn’t change, about 18 months of work should be completed early in October.

At the Tuesday City Council meeting the members considered zoning in the town center that would allow a 24-hour emergency center. This has been one of the more controversial issues in the zoning plan update.

Valley Medical Center is proposing to build a 24-hour emergency medical department and medical plaza on a 10-acre site located behind Safeway and Fred Meyer. The public hospital is in the process of purchasing the property from Ashton Development for about $5 million.

The proposal for the plaza includes medical offices, retail and park areas on the site with the emergency department.

The Planning Commission had recommended not allowing zoning for an emergency department on a 4-3 vote June 17, but permitting medical offices. The commission did suggest conditions if the City Council decided to approve the zoning allowing an emergency department in the town center. The conditions including structured parking over one-story, allowing access only from Southeast 276th or 275th, and the facility would be located west of the proposed 171st Avenue Northeast, which is where Valley is proposing to build the emergency department

Following the commission vote, the council heard considerable public comment, much of it in favor of the emergency department and the jobs it will provide to the community.

At the Tuesday meeting, Rich Roodman, Valley president, Mike Glenn, senior vice president of business development for Valley and Jack McCullough, Valley attorney for land use issues, gave public comment stating Valley will follow through on the project and work with the city staff.

Glenn stated Valley believes healthcare is changing and with the proposed project in Covington, “we believe we are on the cutting edge…. My strong sense is in 10 or 15 years our town center (project) will not be innovative, but what everyone is doing.”

The council members asked for some clarifications in the zoning language, but there appears to be a clear majority in favor of allowing the emergency department to move forward.

Councilman Wayne Snoey said, “This is an incredible win-win and it is better than a box store with parking in front of it.”

Councilman Mark Lanza said the question was whether an emergency department belonged in the town center.

“All though an emergency department may not be the best, I’m not opposed to it. I can support it.”

Mayor Margaret Harto noted the vision is for a “pedestrian oriented town center.”

Harto did ask for the code be clarified to not permit skilled nursing facilities in the town center, which would prohibit a nursing home.

The other downtown zoning issue the council discussed was changing some zoning areas o allow smaller site size development. This concerns the Covington Firs development, which is behind Costco, and a residential area behind Walmart.

The code for Covington Firs currently requires a developer to purchase the entire site, which allows any one of the more than 50 homeowners to veto the purchase.

The residential area behind Walmart requires a minimum purchase of eight acres for redevelopment.

The council agreed with the Planning Commission recommendation for a two acre minimum in both areas.

The issue the members discussed was if the minimum is two acres, should there be a requirement be to make the sites contiguous when developed. This would prohibit a two-acres site being developed, with a residential home in between then another two acres site.

The staff will bring some alternative language for the council to consider at the next meeting.