Mukilteo's council advanced a zoning change this week that could allow more uses on a waterfront site south of the state ferry terminal. The move is part of a broader plan for the area, though some residents want the city to focus instead on a public park.

The 1.2-acre parcel, known as Lot 5, is now a gravel lot with a few picnic tables and garbage cans. The U.S. Air Force used it to store jet fuel beginning in the 1950s. After cleanup work in the 1990s, Washington's Department of Ecology removed it from a hazardous-sites list in 2008; the city took ownership in 2016.

Mukilteo and the Port of Everett are working toward a shared vision for the waterfront. The port commissioned a plan for the 26-acre area in 2022, and both parties endorsed its vision and guiding principles. In July, the city sought qualifications from potential development partners for Lot 5.