Evans Vista Neighborhood Master Plan

Evans Vista Neighborhood Development Solicitation

The City of Port Townsend is moving into the next stage of its search for a development partner for the Evans Vista Neighborhood, with proposals from Related Northwest and Edlen & Co. now under review by the Evans Vista Evaluation Committee.

The two firms were shortlisted through the City’s competitive development solicitation and invited to prepare more detailed proposals for Evans Vista, a City-owned site envisioned as a new mixed-income neighborhood serving households across a range of incomes.

The City extends its sincere appreciation to both development teams for the considerable time, expertise, and thoughtfulness reflected in their proposals. Each presents a distinct approach to the opportunity at Evans Vista and reflects substantial work to address the complexities of creating housing that is financially feasible, enduringly affordable, and responsive to the character and needs of Port Townsend.

The Evans Vista Evaluation Committee is reviewing both proposals with attention to financial feasibility, affordability, design, infrastructure, long-term stewardship, and the ability of each development team to successfully deliver the project. The Committee has identified additional questions for both firms, and the City is seeking further information before completing its evaluation. The City’s solicitation was intentionally structured to allow development concepts, funding strategies, phasing, affordability commitments, and long-term operational plans to become more refined as the process advances.

That deeper financial review is particularly important because creating affordable housing is rarely as simple as lowering rent. The cost of land preparation, streets and utilities, construction, financing, long-term maintenance, and replacement of major building systems remains substantial regardless of what a household can afford to pay each month. Closing the distance between the cost of creating and sustaining a home and the rent or purchase price a household can afford often requires a combination of public investment, private capital, development efficiencies, cross-subsidy, and long-term affordability tools.

Evans Vista is one piece of the City’s broader effort to respond to Port Townsend’s housing challenges. The City has described housing as fundamental to a strong local economy, community resilience, and an inclusive community, and Evans Vista is envisioned as an opportunity to expand mixed-income housing while creating a neighborhood connected to jobs, schools, transportation, trails, open space, and community amenities.

At the same time, no single development can resolve the broader question of housing affordability. The City’s workplan includes a housing affordability study tailored to the Port Townsend market, intended to examine potential tools and better understand how local policy can address the gap between housing costs and what residents can afford. That work will complement projects such as Evans Vista by helping the City evaluate the larger policy, funding, and regulatory landscape surrounding housing affordability.

What Happens Next

City representatives and the City’s financial consultants will meet with each development team to explore their proposals in greater detail and seek answers to the Evaluation Committee’s outstanding questions. Following those interviews and additional analysis, staff will prepare a thorough report for the Committee and ultimately for the Port Townsend City Council’s consideration.

The Evaluation Committee will reconvene to complete its review and provide a recommendation regarding developer selection. The final selection will be made by City Council.

Council selection of a development partner will mark an important milestone—but not the end of the process. Following Council action, City staff and the selected development team will begin negotiating the detailed terms of the project. Those negotiations are expected to address issues including financing, phasing, affordability commitments, infrastructure, property arrangements, public investment, long-term operations, and other development obligations. Given the scale and complexity of Evans Vista, that work may extend over several months before final agreements are ready for consideration.

The City’s goal throughout this process is not simply to select a proposal, but to establish a partnership capable of turning the community’s vision for Evans Vista into a neighborhood that is financially sound, thoughtfully designed, and built to last.

Evans Vista represents a rare opportunity. The decisions made now will shape not only what is built on this site, but how this community approaches the difficult work of creating housing that more people can afford.

Evans Vista Neighborhood: A Gateway Opportunity

The City of Port Townsend has acquired approximately 14 acres at Evans Vista to catalyze the creation of a vibrant, mixed-income neighborhood at one of the community’s most prominent and highly visible gateways. Located just south of the Rainier Street roundabout along Sims Way, the site occupies a strategic position within the city’s emerging commercial and residential district. Evans Vista represents a rare opportunity to shape a new neighborhood that will welcome residents and visitors alike while setting the tone for thoughtful growth at the edge of town.

The City’s vision for Evans Vista is a well-designed, mixed-use neighborhood that offers a diverse range of housing options and meaningfully expands Port Townsend’s limited supply of affordable and workforce homes. Development at Evans Vista is intended to reflect the community’s long-standing commitment to livability, sustainability, and inclusive design—balancing increased housing capacity with high aesthetic standards, environmental stewardship, and a strong sense of place.

Evans Vista is envisioned as a complete and connected neighborhood that supports residents across a broad spectrum of income levels, from extremely low-income households to moderate-income workforce earners. The site plan anticipates housing integrated with shared amenities such as community gardens, a playground, pavilions, and thoughtfully incorporated public art, all of which are designed to foster daily wellbeing, social connection, and community identity. Adjacency to schools, employment centers, transit, and active transportation routes—including regional trail connections—positions Evans Vista as a neighborhood where residents can live, work, and engage locally.

Through the development solicitation, the City seeks a qualified and experienced development team, capable of delivering a feasible, financially responsible project that advances long-term affordability goals while honoring Port Townsend’s ”funk factor.“ The City is looking for a partner that brings creativity, technical expertise, and a commitment to inclusive, sustainable neighborhood design—one that can transform Evans Vista into a welcoming, resilient community that strengthens the local economy and contributes lasting public benefit.

The City's Evans Vista Planning Efforts

Housing is one of five focus areas in the City’s Strategic Plan, calling on the City to, “establish systems to support diverse housing options with perpetual affordability.”

The City of Port Townsend has acquired 14-acres at Evans Vista to support development of a new neighborhood. Before acquisition, the City performed initial outreach to housing providers and other housing advocates to gauge interest in the property for a range of housing types and affordability. Subsequently, the City performed due diligence to determine zoning and infrastructure requirements and completed a cultural resources survey (no significant findings).

The City has obtained financial assistance for planning and development of the property. $3.1 million from the Washington State Legislature supported land acquisition and will assist with required infrastructure for development. Jefferson County has awarded American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the City which will assist in the master planning and entitlement of the project. These ARPA funds will be used to pay for services to the firm(s) selected through this RFQ process.

Evans Vista is just south of the Rainier Street roundabout on Sims Way. The property is located inside the Rainier and Upper Sims Way Subarea and is supported by the accompanying plan adopted by City Council in 2019. The development of a mix of 100-150 housing units, at a minimum, is meant to deliver urgently-needed supply and to support affordability needs currently lacking in Port Townsend and to activate the Evans Vista neighborhood as part of the area’s emerging commercial and business environment.

Background and Vision

Diverse, quality, affordable and stable housing in Port Townsend is a critical underpinning success factor for our strong local economy, local sustainability and resilience, and our collective social well-being and quality of life. Housing is paramount to an equitable, healthy and inclusive community, and getting it right helps sustain and strengthen Port Townsend’s unique identity with strong historical roots and a creative and intentional approach to the future.

The Evans Vista Neighborhood can be a true forerunner in that vision, while harmonizing with the existing vision described in the Rainier Subarea Plan and helping to catalyze momentum at a regional scale.

Evans Vista aims to be a place where people live, work and play – a home for young families who can walk or ride to school or individuals who can walk to local employment in the Rainier Subarea, the Port or the Hospital; a destination for those seeking a coffee with friends, services, or childcare; and a community asset that nests into the existing trail and parks network for all to enjoy and be proud of.

Read Planning and Community Development Director, Emma Bolin's, Google Review from the Future: Evans Vista 2030.

Click Here to view the Press Release

Click Here to watch the Housing Video.

Evans Vista Project Milestones

February 17, 2026 – Evans Vista RFEI City Council Presentation
October 29, 2026 – Housing Solutions Network's Housing Happy Hour
August 21, 2025 – Brewocracy Now Podcast
August 18, 2025 – Evans Vista Update City Council Presentation
November 20, 2023 – City Council approved the Evans Vista Master Plan.
October 9, 2023 – Joint Planning Commission and City Council work session; final presentation to City Council and Planning Commission at City Council Chambers (6:00 p.m.).
August 7, 2023 – City Council public meeting at City Council Chambers regarding financial analysis, outreach summary, and two design options (6:00 p.m.).
July 27, 2023 – Public outreach virtual event via Zoom (6:00 p.m.).
July 20, 2023 – Public outreach booth at Concerts on the Dock at City Pier (booth at 3:00 p.m.; music at 5:00 p.m.).
July 19, 2023 – Special Planning Commission public meeting at City Council Chambers focused on financial analysis of design options.
July 5–7, 2023 – Trash and encampment cleanup of the Evans Vista site conducted by staff.
July 2023 – Brush mowing and civil survey completed by staff.
June 22, 2023 – Planning Commission outreach session on Neighborhood Conceptual Site Plan; public meeting at Council Chambers (6:30 p.m.).
May 2023 – Wetland delineation completed by staff.
May 20, 2023 – Public engagement at the Rhody Festival Cake Picnic at Pope Marine Park (3:00 p.m.).
April 17, 2023 – Resource and education event and cleanup kick-off with staff and community members experiencing homelessness (12:00 noon, west of the DSHS building at 2507 Evans Vista).
February 21, 2023 – Evans Vista Master Plan kick-off presentation to City Council by staff.
November 7, 2022 – City Council selected Thomas Architecture Studios (TAS) as the Master Plan firm.
October 27–28, 2022 – Selected firm interviews conducted by staff.
October 21, 2022 – Statements of Qualifications due.
October 18, 2022 – Q&A publication released by staff.
August 2022 – Jefferson County committed ARPA funding to the Evans Vista Master Plan.
July 2022 – House Appropriations Committee and House supported congressionally directed spending; presidential signing anticipated.
May–June 2022 – Evans Vista ranked top priority by Rep. Kilmer’s panel for appropriations support.
March 2022 – Application submitted for $2.5 million in support from Congressman Kilmer’s congressionally directed spending fund.
December 1, 2021 – Grant agreement completed and initial cultural resources survey findings provided by consultant.
November 1, 2021 – City Council authorized a cultural resources survey for the Evans Vista property.
October–November 2021 – Due diligence conducted by City staff to determine zoning and infrastructure requirements.
October–November 2021 – Outreach conducted to Housing Solutions Network and housing providers to gauge interest in the property.
September 1, 2021 – City staff presented an overview of the Evans Vista property to the City Council Infrastructure and Development Committee.
August 2021 – City entered into a purchase and sale contract for property at the end of Evans Vista Street.
June 2021 – City notified of receipt of approximately $3.1 million in housing and infrastructure grants supporting Evans Vista planning.