>> GO AHEAD, CHAIR.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
THE FEBRUARY 7, 2024 REGULARLY
SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE LAND
USE COMMITTEE WILL COME TO
ORDER. IT IS TO: ZERO 1 PM. OF
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS STRAUSS IS
EXCUSED FOR TODAY. IF THERE IS
NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NONE IT IS
ADOPTED. BEFORE WE MOVE TO
PUBLIC COMMENT I WANT TO
WELCOME EVERYBODY AND SAY I AM
EXCITED FOR ALL OF YOU TO BE
HERE. THIS IS THE FIRST COUNCIL
MEETING , LAND USE COMMITTEE
MEETING OF THE YEAR. IS MY
FIRST COUNCIL MEETING AS CHAIR.
MEETING AS CHAIR. SO, I KNOW
HE IS ABSENT BUT I WANT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
FOR HIS PAST LEADERSHIP OF THIS
COMMITTEE. I'M EXCITED TO BE
SERVING AS CHAIR, AS A TRAINED
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNER I AM EAGER
FOR US TO SET A VISION FOR HOW
SEATTLE CAN CHANGE AND GROW.
HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE
ACCOMMODATE AND SUPPORT THE
CREATION OF HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF UNITS OF HOUSING
WE KNOW WE NEED. BUT NOT REALLY
JUST TO FOCUS ON UNITS OF
PRODUCTION PER SE, I THINK FOR
US THE QUESTION IS HOW WE SET
THE INTENTION OF BUILDING
HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS, WITH
THRIVING SMALL BUSINESSES AND
AN ARRAY OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES
FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. WE KNOW
SEATTLE IS CHANGING RAPIDLY .
AND WHILE OUR ECONOMY IS
BOOMING RIGHT NOW, WE ALSO KNOW
THERE ARE LOTS OF FOLKS WERE
STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE IN OUR
CITY. YOU DON'T NEED A FORMAL
PLANNING EDUCATION TO SEE WHAT
WE ALL KNOW, WHICH IS THAT WE
ARE SEVERELY SHORT OF THE
NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
UNITS WE NEED. OUR PERMITTING
PROCESSES CAN REALLY HAMSTRING
THE EXPANSION OF OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES. AND THERE'S A LOT
OF WORK TO DO TO HEAL FROM THE
SCARS OF REDLINING AND RACIAL
EXCLUSION ACROSS THE CITY. SO,
WE ARE LIVING IN A CITY WERE
ACCESS TO MANY OF OUR DAILY
ESSENTIALS ARE OUT OF REACH FOR
FOLKS. AND IN MY ROLE AS CHAIR
OF THE LAND USE COMMITTEE, I DO
WANT TO CONTINUE WORKING ON
THESE ISSUES THAT ARE GRIPPING
THE CITY, AFFORDABILITY,
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS, FINDING LAND-USE
SOLUTIONS TO OUR HOMELESSNESS.
I KNOW MY DISTRICT IS
SUFFERING FROM THESE ISSUES AND
I KNOW FOLKS ACROSS THE CITY
ARE DEALING WITH THESE AS WELL.
I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATIONS AND COALITION
BUILDING THAT WE STARTED IN MY
FIRST TERM TO REALLY FOCUS ON
SOLUTIONS FOR OUR FAMILIES.
SEATTLE, WHERE EVERYONE HAS
ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL GOODS AND
SERVICES, TO PUBLIC SPACE, TO
EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE , TO
REALLY THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES
THAT THEY NEED THAT ARE ALL
WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OR
ROLLING DISTANCE FOR SOME FROM
THEIR HOME. THIS AFTERNOON I
WILL SAY, COUNCILMEMBER MOORE
AND I WERE AT EL CENTRO
MIKASA THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDING. IT
WAS GREAT TO HEAR FROM THE
AWARDEES ABOUT THEIR
INTENTIONS AND INTENTIONS AND
THE WORK THEY
SO, WITH THAT, I WILL GO AHEAD
AND OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC
COMMENT. I WANT TO SAY I WILL
MODERATE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE
FOLLOWING WAY. WE WILL HAVE UP
TO 20 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. WE DO HAVE IT LOOKS
LIKE ABOUT 15 PEOPLE SIGNED UP
ONLINE AND I THINK FIVE OR SIX,
SIX PURPLE -- PEOPLE HERE IN
CHAMBER. WE WILL GIVE EVERYONE
TWO MINUTES EACH AND CFR WE
GET. I WILL ASK DEVON TO CALL
ON FOLKS WHO ARE IN CHAMBERS
FIRST. LET'S DO THEM AND THEN
MOVED TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE
SIGNED UP FOR CHILLY. JUST AS A
REMINDER, YOU WILL HEAR A 10
SECOND CHIME WHEN YOU HAVE 10
SECONDS LEFT, PLEASE WRAP UP
YOUR COMMENT SO WE CAN MOVE TO
THE NEXT SPEAKER. ONCE WE MOVED
TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE VIRTUAL ,
IF YOU WILL PUSH STAR SIX TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF YOU CAN STATE
YOUR NAME AND BEGIN. OKAY,
DEVON, CAN YOU START WITH HER
FIRST SPEAKER?
>> THE FIRST SPEAKER IS RON
HORNING FOLLOWED BY ALEX
TSIMERMAN AND DAVID.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
NEW COUNCIL, DIFFERENT
DIRECTION MAYBE, HOPEFULLY.
FOR THE LAST 23 YEARS MY
NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO
ACQUIRE PROPERTY. THIS
LEGISLATION WILL HELP THEM DO
THAT. I'M HERE TO ASK THE
COUNCIL, NOT REALLY ASKING THE
COUNCIL, I'M HERE TO DECLARE
MY RIGHT UNDER THE FIFTH
AMENDMENT TO RETAIN MY HOME. I
HOPE NO PROPERTIES TAKEN
THROUGH ANY OF THIS SOCIAL
HOUSING OR THIS EQUITABLE
HOUSING. I THINK IT IS NEEDED,
I HOPE IT IS BUILT. I JUST
DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP MY HOME
FOR IT. I HAVE WORKED REAL HARD
FOR IT. THIS LEGISLATION WILL
ALLOW THE EXPANSION OF BUSINESS
ZONES INTO WHAT WAS
SINGLE-FAMILY . THAT IS WHERE
I LIVE, JUST OFF AURORA. THEY
WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD AN 85
FOOT BUILDING 10 FEET FROM MY
HOUSE. UNDER THIS LEGISLATION.
I BELIEVE, ANYWAY. MAYBE I AM
WRONG. BUT, I WOULD JUST LIKE
TO SAY, THIS IS NOT AS EASY AS
IT LOOKS ON THIS PAGE. THEY
HAVE CLEAN THIS UP QUITE A BIT
FROM SEPTEMBER. THERE WAS A
LOT OF OLD LANGUAGE IN IT AND
STUFF. IT'S A LOT BETTER THAN
IT WAS. BUT IT STILL LEAVES THE
DOOR OPEN I THINK. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS ALEX
TSIMERMAN FOLLOWED BY DAVID.
>> MY NAME IS ALEX TSIMERMAN
AND I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
AGENDA. AND PROFESSIONAL
BUSINESS AND GIVE ADVICE TO
MANY CORPORATIONS, SMALL AND
BIG, IT DOESN'T MATTER. THIS
WORKPLAN IS IDIOT SITUATION WE
HAVE. THIS WORKPLAN APPROVED
BY THE MAYOR , MAYOR HARRELL .
MAYOR HARRELL, FOR MY
UNDERSTANDING FOR TWO YEARS
DOESN'T HAVE ONE -- I AM
TOTALLY CONFUSED ABOUT HIS
MENTAL CONDITION RIGHT NOW. SO
WHEN HIS MENTAL CONDITION IS
NOT SO GOOD, HOW IS THIS PLAN
THAT INVOLVES 750,000
SHAREHOLDER, DO YOU KNOW WHAT
THIS MEANS? CAN WE BELIEVE
HIM? MY PROPOSITION IS VERY
SIMPLE. I DEMAND, THIS HAPPENED
BEFORE WITH MANY , MAYOR, YOU
KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS BECAUSE I
COME ALMOST EVERY DAY TO THIS
PLACE. WE NEED TO BRING HIM
HERE OR IN ANOTHER LOCATION
AND YOU REPRESENT US. POSE HIM
A QUESTION. HERE OR TO THE
PUBLIC, BECAUSE I AM TOTALLY
CONFUSED. WE HAVE RIGHT NOW A
DICTATOR, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS
MEANS? WHAT HIS MENTAL IS
SICK. IS ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS
EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW.
YOU'RE VERY QUIET ABOUT THIS.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND. REPRESENT
THE SHAREHOLDER. YOU'RE
SUPPOSED ASKING QUESTIONS, 1000
QUESTIONS. YOU HAVE TOO MANY
PROBLEMS FOR TOO MANY YEARS.
WHY? BECAUSE ONLY AN IDIOT CAN
APPROVE THIS PLAN EVERY YEAR
THE SAME, AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND
NOT BETTER. I DEMAND WHAT IS
CALLED, DO KNOW WHAT THIS
MEANS? OPEN THE SEVENTH
FLOOR. ONLY MENTALLY SICK
KEEP FOR TWO YEARS THE SEVENTH
FLOOR CLOSED. EVEN AMERICAN
PRESIDENT DON'T HAVE THIS.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS DAVID
FOLLOWED BY KIERNAN MARTIN
AND STEVE .
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVE, I
LIVE IN DISTRICT 5. I'M HERE
TO STATEMENT OPPOSITION TO THE
CONNECT CONNECTIONS, CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES LEGISLATION. FOR
TWO REASONS I OPPOSE THIS. ONE,
FOR THE 80% MINIMUM INCOME
LEVEL , MEDIUM INCOME LEVEL
WHICH IS NOT NEARLY LOW ENOUGH.
AND ALSO THE OPPOSITION TO THE
5% SETBACK WHICH WILL ALLOW
DEVELOPMENT FOR GREATER
DENSITY, FOR REMOVAL OF TREES
WHICH WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER
OF HEAT ISLANDS IN OUR CITY
AND MAKE THE AREAS MUCH MORE --
I THINK WE SHOULD DO MORE TO
MAKE THESE AREAS MORE LIVABLE.
PARTICULARLY FOR THE INCOME
LEVEL, I WOULD THINK THAT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WOULD BE
SOMETHING THE TEACHERS AND
SEATTLE SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD
AFFORD. 80% OF THE INCOME,
MEDIAN INCOME, IF THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD HAVE, IS WAY
OVER THE SALARY, THE AVERAGE
SALARY OF SEATTLE TEACHERS IS
$39,000 PER YEAR. THAT STILL
DOESN'T QUALIFY THEM. THE
VERY PEOPLE WE ASKED TO EDUCATE
OUR CHILDREN CANNOT AFFORD TO
LIVE IN OUR CITY. AND NOW YOU
OFFER LEGISLATION THAT WILL NOT
HELP THEM. ON TOP OF THAT,
THIS LEGISLATION ONLY APPLIES
TO 30% OF THE UNITS. ARE WE
GOING TO BUILD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING OR ARE WE GOING TO
PRETEND TO BUILD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING WHERE WE CUT DOWN MORE
OF OUR TREES, CREATE MORE HEAT
ISLANDS AND MAKE OUR PROPERTY
LESS LIVABLE, LESS PALATIAL,
LESS DIVERSE AND ACCEPTABLE TO
OUR CITY. AGAIN, I OPPOSE THIS
LEGISLATION AND ASK YOU TO DO
THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS
KIERNAN MARTIN FOLLOWED BY
STEVE AND THEN LAST ON THE
LIST IS JESSE SIMPSON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
KIERNAN MARTIN, I'M HERE TO
SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT
PROGRAM. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF
RESEARCH OF FUTURE -WISE, A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT
WORKS ON LAND-USE POLICY AND
LAW ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE.
ONE OF MY ROLES IS TO SUPPORT
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
IN SHAPING LAND-USE POLICY.
WITH THE GOAL OF GROWING
AFFORDABLE, WALKABLE AND
COMPLETE COMMUNITIES. SO
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY
CHALLENGING WORK. BUT, IT IS
CRUCIAL FOR THE CULTURAL AND
ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND
COMMUNITY SERVICES TO GROW AND
THRIVE. FUTURE WISE URGES THE
COUNCIL TO DO EVERYTHING IT CAN
TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF THE
CITY'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATIONS. AND ALIGNING
OUR ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT
REGULATIONS WITH THE GOALS OF
THE SEATTLE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WOULD BE A
SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARD
ACHIEVING THAT OUTCOME. DURING
MY REVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL, I
WAS REALLY STRUCK BY THE
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT INVOLVED
IN ITS CREATION. OVER TWO YEARS
OF TEAMWORK BETWEEN THE CITY
EDI PARTNERS, OPCD STAFF,
CENTRAL COUNCIL STAFF AND
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES'S TEAM.
THAT IS IMPRESSIVE. ALTHOUGH I
EXPECT MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
TO ASK TOUGH AND THOUGHTFUL
QUESTIONS TODAY, I HOPE YOU
WILL RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF
THIS PROPOSAL AND WHAT IT WOULD
BRING TO THE CITY. I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION AND
BRIEFING AND HOPE THAT TOGETHER
YOU WILL SWIFTLY ENACT THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
INTO LAW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS STEVE
FOLLOWED BY JESSE SIMPSON.
>> HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE
SOME CHANGES . THE COURSE OF
THE CITY ON LAND-USE HAS BEEN
DESTRUCTION OF THE MIDDLE
HOUSING. YOU HAVE DONE REAL
WELL FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A
LOT OF MONEY. AND YOU HAVE
GIVEN SOME TO PEOPLE WITH
VIRTUALLY NOTHING. BUT ALL OF
THOSE PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE ,
AND I DON'T MEAN THE SMALL
MIDDLE, THE LARGE MIDDLE, IS
WHO IS SUFFERING THE MOST.
AND, RAISE YOUR MHA FEES IS
PROBABLY THE FIRST THING YOU
COULD DO TO DO THAT. THERE WAS
TALK OF IF THE FEES WERE TOO
LOW, WHEN IT WAS PASSED, THAT
THAT COULD BE DONE. THE CITY
DOESN'T WANT TO SEEM TO REVIEW
THAT. I THINK THAT IT'S
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DONE
SO THAT WE HAVE MORE HOUSING
FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. HOW FAR
DOES THE TRAIN HAVE TO GO FOR
THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WORK IN
THE CITY WHO HAVE JOBS THAT
DON'T PAY 150 K OR $100,000
OR MORE. SOME PEOPLE ARE
TELLING ME NOT TO BUY A HOUSE,
YOU BETTER HAVE A COUPLE
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN
SEATTLE FOR YOUR INCOME TO
QUALIFY IN A LOT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS. I THINK IT IS
TIME TO START TAKING A LOOK AT
NOT DESTROYING THE HOUSING THAT
WE HAVE THAT IS PAID FOR. IS
LESS EXPENSIVE. IT MAY NOT BE
NEW, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE
NEWEST FEATURES IN IT, BUT IT
IS MORE THAN ACCEPTABLE TO A
LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE.
THE OTHER THING IS, BE CAREFUL
ABOUT USING EMINENT DOMAIN AND
AUTOMATIC EXPANSION ZONES. WE
HAVE TOO LITTLE REVIEW BY THE
PUBLIC OF LAND-USE ACTUALS. I
CAN REMEMBER WHEN PEOPLE
BUILDING THINGS HAD TO TALK
ABOUT THINGS LIKE PARKING AND
IMPACT ON THEIR NEIGHBORS. NOW
IT IS A VERY PRIVATE MATTER.
IT'S LIKE DEALING WITH YOUR
PRIEST, YOU GO TO THE CITY, YOU
GET YOUR PERMIT. AND YOU LIVE
WITH IT. AND YOUR NEIGHBORS
LIVE WITH IT.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE
JESSE SIMPSON. THAT IS WHAT WE
HAVE FOR IN PERSON SPEAKERS.
>> POLICY MANAGER FOR THE
HOLLOWED -- WE ARE
MEMBER-BASED ORGANIZATION
REPRESENTING 200 MEMBERS ACROSS
KING COUNTY INCLUDING ALL OF
THE NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING DEVELOPERS ARCHITECTS,
CONTRACTORS AND MORE , WHO ARE
WORKING TO BUILD THE AFFORDABLE
HOMES ARE CITY DISPLAY NEEDS.
AM ALSO HERE TODAY SPEAKING AS
A LIFELONG SEATTLEITE. SOMEONE
WHO WAS BORN IN A CRAFTSMAN
BUNGALOW IN WEST SEATTLE THAT
MY PARENTS BOUGHT FOR
$150,000. IT IS NOW WORTH WELL
OVER $900,000. THE GROWTH AND
APPRECIATION HAS BEEN PUT
PEOPLE AWAY FROM HOMEOWNERSHIP
AND OUT OF THE CITY AND IT IS
EXACERBATING EVERY PROBLEM WE
SEE IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE FROM
THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS TO THE
DIFFICULTIES THE BUSINESSES ARE
FACING IN TERMS OF HIRING AND
RETAINING SKILLED WORKERS.
REVERSING THESE TRENDS AND
MAKING OUR CITY MORE
AFFORDABLE AND INCLUSIVE IS
GOING TO REQUIRE BOLD LAND-USE
REFORM. TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO
BUILD MORE HOMES IN MORE PLACES
ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY. I THINK
THIS CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
PILATE IS A GREAT STEP TOWARD
ENSURING A MORE EQUITABLE
FUTURE. IT'S GOING TO ALLOW
OUR MEMBERS AND OTHER SMALL
COMMITTEE BASED ORGANIZATIONS
BUILD NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ACROSS MORE OF THE CITY
UTILIZING THE DENSITY BONUSES,
THE AREA RATIO HYPE BONUSES TO
MAKE ALL OF THESE PROJECTS. I
URGE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR
THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION ON
THIS POLICY. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY.
>> THANK YOU. CHAIR, WE CAN
MOVE ON TO OUR VIRTUAL
SPEAKERS AND THEN IF WE HAVE
ANYBODY BACK IN CHAMBERS WE CAN
GO BACK TO THEM. ALL RIGHT,
THE FIRST SPEAKER I HAVE HERE
TODAY IS ANGELA GERALD. I
WILL GO AHEAD AND UNMUTE
ANGELA.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ANGIE AND
I'M A MEMBER OF SEATTLE
GRASSROOTS LANDLORDS. MY
HUSBAND AND I HAVE A FEW SINGLE
HOUSE FAMILY RENTALS AND I'M
REGULARLY IN TOUCH WITH THE
VARIETY OF SATELLITES WHO OWN
AND OPERATE LOCAL SMALL-SCALE
RENTAL HOUSING INCLUDING
DUPLEXES AND TRIPLEX, ADUS,
SMALL APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND
ROOMS WITH SHARED HOUSES. WE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE MANY MORE
SEATTLEITES HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HOUSING
PROVIDERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
WHETHER THAT IS VIA PROPERTIES
THEY PERSONALLY RESIDE AT OR
OTHER LOCAL INVESTMENTS.
REGARDING EQUITABLE BUILDING
LEGISLATION THAT IS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA, I WANTED TO RAISE
AWARENESS THAT THERE SEEMS TO
BE NO EVIDENCE OF OPCD OR CITY
COUNCIL WORKING WITH SMALL
HOUSING PROVIDERS OR RENTAL
HOUSING ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS.
DESPITE CLAIMS OF BROAD
OUTREACH. THIS IS A BLIND SPOT
AND A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. THE
GOALS LIKE PREVENTING
DISPLACEMENT AND PREDATORY HOME
BUYING AND ENCOURAGING
EQUITABLE ELEMENT AND ACCESS TO
FINANCING AND OWNERSHIP , IT
WOULD BE REALLY HEALTHY FOR
COUNCIL AND CITY DEPARTMENTS TO
TALK TO SMALL LANDLORDS AND
ASPIRING RENTAL OWNERS. I HOPE
THAT AND ENCOURAGING ARRAY OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING , CL TAKES A
SIGNIFICANT LOSS IN RECENT
YEARS IN REGISTRATIONS OF
SMALL-SCALE RENTAL PROPERTIES
AS MOTIVATION TO TURN THAT
AROUND BY SUPPORTING MORE
PEOPLE REMAIN SMALL RENTAL
OWNER OPERATOR. MISSING MIDDLE
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SHOULD
INCLUDE EFFICACY FOR INDIVIDUAL
SEATTLEITES IN SEATTLE FAMILIES
TO DIRECTLY OWN AND OPERATE
RENTAL HOUSING IN LOCAL
COMMUNITIES. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO
MAKE THAT PART OF THE
DISCUSSION OF CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE WILL
HAVE MARTIN FOLLOWED BY SANDY
AND THEN HAROLD.
>> PUSH STAR SIX TWO UNMUTE.
>> ALL RIGHT, I APOLOGIZE. MY
NAME IS LOIS MARTIN. A LEGACY
RESIDENT OF SEATTLE CENTRAL
DISTRICT. AM ASKING THAT YOU
NOT PASS THE CONNECTED
COMMUNITY LEGISLATION. USING
THE LANGUAGE OF JUSTICE TO ADD
MORE DENSITY DE SMET ZIP CODES
-- AS PROPOSED IN THIS
LEGISLATION IS PROBLEMATIC. IT
SHOULD NOT BE ASKED BECAUSE IT
BRINGS UP POINTS WHICH NEED TO
BE INCLUDED IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS. AND
TO ALSO INCLUDE -- WHO WILL BE
DIRECTLY IMPACTED. WE'VE SEEN
IN PIT -- INPUT ONLY FROM
ORGANIZATIONS [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
INCLUSIVE. THE ANALYSIS IS
NONSPECIFIC WHICH DOES NOT TAKE
NEIGHBORHOOD INFRASTRUCTURE
INTO CONSIDERATION. BLANKET
LEGISLATION HAS INCREASED
TAXES FOR MANY OF US. PLEASE
DON'T DO THAT TO US IN
GENTRIFIED AREAS WERE BARELY
HANGING ON AND PASS LEGISLATION
THE DOESN'T HELP MANY FORMER
LEGACY RESIDENTS BY THE AMA
YOU HAVE SET IN PLACE. I ASK
THAT YOU NOT PASS THIS. IT
SHOULD BE PART OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AND, THAT
OTHER GROUPS LIKE URBAN
FORESTRY COMMISSION AND OTHER
COMMUNITY MEMBERS BE REACHED
OUT TO , NOT JUST THOSE WHO
WILL PROFIT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE
SANDY FOLLOWED BY HAROLD. AND
, I'M SORRY. APOLOGIES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS
SANDY, THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES FOR SHARING THE VISION
OF HELPING NEIGHBORHOODS. I'M
SPEAKING TO THIS PROPOSAL AND
ASKING THAT IT NOT BE PASSED AS
LEGISLATION AS IT CONTAINS
PROVISIONS WHICH NEED TO BE
INCLUDED IN OUR UPCOMING
APPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS.
ALSO, IN SEATTLE AND IN EVERY
YOU A CITY, THERE IS A
STRAIGHT-LINE CORRELATION
BETWEEN HEALTH , WEALTH, AND
HAVING TREES RIGHT WHERE YOU
LIVE. THIS PROPOSAL , WHICH
INCREASES HEART SCAPES, WOULD
INSTEAD EXPAND URBAN HEAT
ISLANDS AND EXACERBATE THE
TREE DESERT WE ALREADY HAVE IN
BEACON HILL AND SOUTH PARK.
PLEASE REJECT THIS PROPOSAL.
BUT UNITE SOME OF THE IDEAS
WITH TREE EQUITY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. IN THE
UPCOMING COMP PLAN PROCESS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE
HAROLD.
>> YOU CAN PUSH STAR 62
UNMUTE.
>> WE HAVE LOST THE COLOR. --
CALLER .
>> WHEN WE MOVE ON.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES PILOT PROGRAM. I'M
HERE TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM. I
HAVE BEEN IN SEATTLE FOR MORE
THAN 40 YEARS. I HAVE WITNESSED
THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OF
POPULATION AND DEMAND OF
HOUSING. I WORK WITH A
COMMUNITY OF MORE THAN 4000
MEMBERS, ACROSS MULTIPLE
COMMITTEES THAT ARE IN NEED ,
HAVE BEEN DISPLACED, DUE TO THE
DEMAND OF HOUSING. I SEE THIS
IS A GREAT PROGRAM I'M HERE TO
SUPPORT BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN IN
THE LAST 15 YEARS THAT MY
COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN
FACING A STRUGGLE WITH HOUSING
AND SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN
DISPLACED AND MOVED OUT OF THE
CITY AND THEN FIND CHEAPER
HOUSING. BUT HERE, THIS
PROGRAM, ENABLES US TO DEVELOP
HOUSING THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE
MOST OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS
LIVING IN THE SEATTLE AREA AND
RETAIN OUR MEMBERS AND BE ABLE
TO BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM.
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT
CONTINUES TO THRIVE AND BENEFIT
MANY DIFFERENT SERVICES
PROGRAMS LIKE THE PROGRAM THAT
WILL ALLOW US QUICK ACCESS TO A
LIGHT RAIL INTO THE HEALTH
CLINICS. THEY CARE. AS IN
WITHIN REACH, WITHOUT DRIVING
ALONG DISTANCE. DEFINITELY
THIS IS A PROGRAM WE STRONGLY
SUPPORT AND THIS WILL HELP OUR
COMMUNITY AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES BEING MARGINALIZED
IN THIS SPACE. I AM 100% HERE
TO SUPPORT THAT. I HAVE 3000
OR 4000 MEMBERS WHO ARE ALIGNED
BEHIND ON THIS. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE
RICHARD ELLISON.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU. MY NAME
IS RICHARD ELLISON, I LIVE IN
DISTRICT 4. CONGRATULATIONS
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA IS MY NEW
REPRESENTED TO. AM A RETIRED
COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADJUNCT
PROFESSOR AND HAVE BEEN AN
ADVOCATE FOR SAVING TREES SINCE
THE 1990S WHEN THE URBAN
FOREST TASK FORCE ON THE CITY
COUNCIL. THE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES PROPOSAL IN THE
CURRENT FORM ALLOWS FOR 5'0"
SETBACKS. IT WOULD THEREFORE BE
IMPOSSIBLE TO SAVE ANY LARGER
MEDIUM-SIZE TREE ON THE LOT.
WILL WE HAVE A TERRIBLE NEED
FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
EVERYONE NEEDS A LIVABLE
COMMUNITY INCLUDING OPEN SPACE
FOR FAMILIES, TREES, AND NATIVE
BIRDS. THAT BIG TREE, THAT
OPEN SPACE, WHERE ARE THE KIDS
GOING TO PLAY IN DREAM AND GET
OFF THEIR CELL PHONES? HOUSING
JUSTICE AND JUSTICE GO
HAND-IN-HAND. PEOPLE HAVE TO
LIVE ON PROPERTIES THE REST OF
THEIR LIFE. THE SOLUTION, BUILD
TALLER. NOT LOT LINE TO LOT
LINE. REGARDLESS OF WHICH
HOUSING ZONE, SAVE THE TREE
AND BUILD AROUND THEM. GIVE
EXTRA HEIGHT BONUSES. THE
COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE LIMITED
EXPERIMENT. LET'S SEE IF WE
CAN GAIN OF FOUR HOUSING AND
SAVE THE FAMILIES ENTRIES THAT
SEATTLE CAN BREATHE EASIER
WITH. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WILL
CONNECT CLEAR LOTS TO MORE
CLEARED LOTS. IT WILL SPREAD
TREE DESERTS AND URBAN ISLANDS.
A FIVE FOOT SETBACK, ONLY TRY
TINY TREES OR BUSHES MAY
SURVIVE. SUMMER DROUGHTS --
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT INCLUDES
SHADE TREES. AS WE BUILD MORE
MULTIPLEXES AND HAVE WINDOWS
THAT OPEN AND BALCONIES, WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT
? THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE
JESSICA DIXON.
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> GREAT. GOOD AFTERNOON.
NUMBERS OF THE LAND USE
COMMITTEE, I AM WITH THE LOT
6000 CAMPAIGN TO FIND AND MAP
THE TREES IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. I'M COMMENTING ON THE
CONNECTED UNITIES PILOT PROJECT
BILL. THIS BILL WOULD
ELIMINATE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS AND RELAX EXISTING
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS IN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
EMERGING YOU TO LOOK CAREFULLY
AT THE CHANGES PROPOSED TO THE
STANDARDS AND INCLUDE, AND
INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD OF
LOT AREA COVERAGE WHICH
ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS FOR LOT TO
LOT COVERAGE IN BUILDINGS AND
HEART SCAPES WITHOUT ROOM FOR
TREES. AND THE ELIMINATION OF
SETBACKS WHICH REDUCE TO 5
FEET IN MOST CASES. AGAIN
ELIMINATING TREES AND PLANTS
CAN GROW. WELL WE DESPERATELY
NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN
SEATTLE, WE MUST NOT SACRIFICE
GOOD DESIGN WHICH INTEGRATES
TREES, PLANTS, INTO HER HOUSING
PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY ON THE
SOUTH AND WEST SIDES OF
BUILDINGS. THESE ARE NATURAL
ELEMENTS THAT ARE PROVEN TO
REDUCE COOLING COSTS, STORM
WATER, CLEANER AIR AND SUPPORT
MENTAL HEALTH AND CAN MAKE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND
DEATH IN HEAT WAVE. IN
ADDITION, THESE CHANGES IN THIS
BILL CIRCUMVENT THE WORK WE ARE
DOING IS A CITY THAT IS
DETAILED AND INCLUSIVE TO
UPDATE THE COMP PLAN. AS WE
MOVE FORWARD, PUBLICLY
SUPPORTED HOUSING , PEOPLE AND
THE LAND MATTER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE
SIMON.
>> HI, I WANT TO TAKE , THINK
THE COMMITTEE FOR ALLOWING ME
TO VOICE MY SUPPORT. THE
PROPOSED LEGISLATION IS A HUGE
STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE MANY
EQUITABLE BOWLS -- GOALS AND
PRIORITIES OF SEATTLE. IT
EMPOWERS THE COMMUNITIES AND
NEIGHBORHOOD ANCHORS TO BE
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA WHERE
THEY LIVE AND WORK, PRAY AND
PLAY. UNITIES IN NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE
IMPORTANT ON-SITE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
THAT ARE NEEDED TO THRIVE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS
CONNECTED COMMUNITY PROJECT IS
A RESULT OF OVER TWO YEARS OF
EFFORT LED BY COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES WITH THE PARTICIPATION
OF MANY UNITIES, INDIVIDUALS
AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHARED
THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES OF
BEING DISPLACED, MARGINALIZED
AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF
HISTORICAL DISINVESTMENT OF THE
AREA. THEREFORE, I URGE THE
COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL TO PASS
AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION. ENSURE SEATTLE
CONTINUES TO RAPIDLY GROW, THAT
EVERYONE SHARES AND BENEFITS
FROM THE GROWTH OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS RATHER THAN BEING
SIDELINED AND DISPLACED. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. CHAIR, JUST FOR
YOUR AWARENESS, WE HAVE THE
NEXT TWO COLORS, MICHELLE AND
TIFFANY BOTH MARKED IS NOT
PRESENT. WE WILL MOVE ONTO THE
COLOR AFTER THAT. JUNE.
>> JUNE, GO AHEAD AND PRESS
STAR SIX. JUNE, I SEE YOUR
NAME. BUT I SEE YOU MUTED.
PUSH STAR SIX AND YOU CAN
BEGIN.
>> I AM SO SORRY. HELLO, MY
NAME IS JUNE THE BLUE SPRUCE
AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2 IN
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT COULD BE
AFFECTED BY THIS LEGISLATION. I
APPLAUD ITS INTENT AND ITS
CREATIVE IDEAS. BUT AM VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT .
THE PILOT PROJECT WOULD BE
CARRIED OUT IN NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT HAVE LONG BEEN SUBJECTED
TO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION,
NEGLECT, DEFORESTATION AND
RAMPANT JET VACATION. WILL THIS
LEGISLATION REVERSE OR
EXACERBATE THIS PROBLEM? I
FEAR IT IS THE LATTER. I ECHO
THE CONCERNS OTHERS HAVE SAID
ABOUT REDUCING SETBACKS TO 5
FEET WHICH WOULD ALLOW NO ROOM
FOR TREES AND WOULD LIKELY
ENDANGER TREES ON THE PERIMETER
OF NEIGHBOR PROPERTIES. AM
GREATLY CONCERNED THAT THE PIE
THINK -- PILOT HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT BE TRULY
AFFORDABLE AND WILL ACCELERATE
GENTRIFICATION. THE SEATTLE
MEDIAN INCOME IS $115,000, 80%
OF THAT IS $92,000. MEDIAN
INCOME FOR HOUSEHOLDS BY BLACK
PEOPLE IN SEATTLE IS $52,000.
THAT IS 45% OF THE SEATTLE
MEDIAN INCOME. HOUSING UPPER
INCOME LIMIT OF 80% OR 100%
GOING TO PRODUCE HOUSING
AFFORDABLE FOR BLACK FAMILIES
AND OTHER FAMILIES OF COLOR
WHO BORE THE BRUNT OF
REDLINING. IS MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT THE PEOPLE OF THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEM
HAVE NOT HAD ADEQUATE INPUT
INTO THE DESIGN OF THIS PILOT
PROJECT. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO
LOOK CAREFULLY AT WHAT IMPACT
THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE A
NEIGHBORHOODS AND PEOPLE IT
AIMS TO BENEFIT. AS WAS SAID
SO ELOQUENTLY, PLEASE INCLUDE
THE CREATIVE IDEAS IN THIS
PILOT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
WHICH IS WHERE IT BELONGS, SO
WE CAN HAVE A THRIVING,
HEALTHY, TRULY AFFORDABLE,
DIVERSE, ACCESSIBLE
NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JUNE. NEXT WE
HAVE JENNIFER GODFREY
FOLLOWED BY JAKE LAUNDRY AND
KATIE.
>> HELLO?
>> HELLO.
>> OKAY. MY NAME IS JENNIFER
GODFREY, I AM IN COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS'S DISTRICT. I WOULD
LOVE TO ECHO WHAT SANDY, JUNE,
JESSICA AND LOIS HAVE SAID
ABOUT PLEASE INCLUDE THIS IN
THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN AND DO
NOT PASS THIS IS LEGISLATION.
MANY PEOPLE KNOW WE ARE FIFTH
IN THE NATION FOR URBAN HEAT
ISLANDS. WE CAN RETAIN HEALTHY
TREES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND
THEY LOWER THE INTERNAL AMATEUR
DWELLING WHICH CAN SAVE LIVES
DURING HEAT WAVE. 35% ANNUAL
SAVINGS IN HEATING AND COOLING
COSTS. THEY ALSO CAN HELP OUR
SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES
WHICH ARE DYING OF STARVATION
AND POLLUTION. MATURE TREES
PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS, RETAIN
STORM WATER WHICH PREVENTS
UNTREATED OVERFLOW WHICH
POLLUTES THE WATER. I THINK
THE MOST INCLUSIVE CHOICE FOR
EVERYONE IS TO SAVE AS MANY
TREES AS POSSIBLE AND FIND
MORE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO
DEVELOPMENTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT WE HAVE
JAKE LAUNDRY, FOLLOWED BY KT
NAC TIFFANY HAS REJOINED US. GO
AHEAD, JAKE.
>> JAKE APPEARS TO HAVE
DROPPED OFF.
>> LET'S HEAD OVER TO KATIE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS KATIE AND I
WORK WITH THE DISTRICT
PARTNERSHIP, A COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATION IN DISTRICT 4. WE
ARE SUPPORTIVE OF LEGISLATION
LIKE THE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
PILOT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING GROWTH IN
NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY
INCLUDING THE U-DISTRICT.
ESPECIALLY IN AREAS OF HISTORIC
REDLINING AND RACIALLY
RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS. THE
U-DISTRICT HAS A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF NEW BUILDING BUT VERY
LITTLE IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE ARE ALSO HOME TO THE 150
BUSINESSES IN OUR UNIQUE
COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. THE VAST
MAJORITY ARE BIPOC, WOMEN OWNED
SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP. IN OUR
WORK WE ARE COMMITTED TO
PREVENTING -- AS WE EXPAND
SIGNIFICANT GROWTH. TO THE AND
I ASKED THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER
HOW TO PREVENT COMMERCIAL
DISPLACEMENT WITH THIS PILOT
AND BONUSES OFFERED TO
DEVELOPERS THAT COULD INCLUDE
LANGUAGE THAT INCLUDES
EXPEDITED DESIGN REVIEW TO FOR
SO NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDELINES. IN
CERTAIN AREAS IN THE
U-DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY THOSE
DESIGNATED -- INCLUDING SOME
OF THE CROSS STREETS, I SUGGEST
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO
PRESERVE SMALL COMMERCIAL
SPACES AND OWNERS SUCH AS
GUARANTEED SPACE ON-SITE AFTER
REDEVELOPMENT OCCURS. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING A PROCESS THE
PROMOTES AFFORDABLE HOUSING
GROWTH AND PRESERVES DIVERSE
BUSINESS DISTRICTS. WE ARE
HERE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE
COUNCIL AND OPCD TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN FOR THE U-DISTRICT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS
TIFFANY FOLLOWED BY DAVID
HAYNES.
>> GOOD MORNING. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MY GOODNESS, THIS IS
TIFFANY. I AM THE POLICY AND
ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR
NEIGHBORS. I LIVE IN DISTRICT
1. IN THE ARBOR HEIGHTS
NEIGHBORHOOD. I AM CALLING IN
SUPPORT OF THE CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES PILOT. I WANT TO
BE CLEAR THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO
WAIT FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
UPDATE IN ORDER TO START
TACKLING OUR HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. THE
CONFERENCE OF PLAN IS ALREADY
MONTHS BEHIND AND IT'S
UNCERTAIN HOW WE WILL EVEN
FINISH IT WITHIN THE TIMELINE
ALLOTTED. BUILDING DENSE,
MULTIFAMILY COMMUNITIES HELPS
COMBAT HEAT ISLANDS. CO2
EMISSIONS. AND OUR RELIANCE ON
VEHICLES WHICH ALL EXACERBATE
THE CLIMATE CRISIS. WE CANNOT
RELY ON TRAINS IS OUR CARBON
MITIGATING STRATEGY. THE
MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS HERE
IN SEATTLE ARE RENTERS. NOT
EVERYONE WANTS TO BECOME A
HOMEOWNER. WE NEED TO BE
BUILDING UP OUR RENTAL HOUSING
STOCK WITH SOCIAL AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE APPRECIATE THE OVER TWO
YEARS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
IN THIS PROCESS WITH MULTIPLE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK ON
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT RAZORS AND
ARE ROOTED IN NEIGHBORHOODS
ACROSS THE CITY OF SEATTLE. WE
ASK YOU PLEASE PASS THIS AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE NEED
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UNITS
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR
AREA AND WE NEED TO BE USING
EVERY TOOL AT OUR DISPOSAL TO
CHIP AWAY AT THAT AMOUNT AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. THE LAST OF OUR
PRESENT SPEAKERS ONLINE IS
DAVID HAYNES.
>>
>> HELLO, THIS IS DAVID HAYNES.
CAN WE HEAR YOU?
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO
POINT OUT THE CONFERENCE OF
PLAN NEEDS TO BE UPDATED WHERE
YOU UNDERSTAND, WE NEED 21st
CENTURY FIRST WORLD QUALITY
HOMES, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS,
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES WITH
ROBUST FOR PLANS THAT
INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATE. THERE
ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO WANT TO
KEEP PEOPLE RENTING IN AN
OPPRESSIVE LOW-QUALITY HOUSING
SITUATION WHERE A WHOLE BUNCH
OF AFFORDABLE HOMES COULD BE
BUILT WITH DEVELOPERS IF YOU
JUST TURNED OVER THE ROAD AND
GAVE THEM A BIGGER SPACE TO
BUILD . IT'S LIKE PEOPLE WANT
TO DRIVE A ROAD TO EVERY BLOCK
AND THEN THEY WANT TO RUIN IT
FOR SOMEONE ELSE TRYING TO MAKE
A BETTER HOME SAYING YOU CAN
CUT DOWN THE TREE ON YOUR
PROPERTY. BUT YOU HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND, WE COULD SAVE A LOT
OF TREES IF YOU BUILD HIGHER.
PUT LIMITS. THERE ARE CERTAIN
CITY COUNCIL THAT WANT TO
SABOTAGE THE INTEGRITY OF THE
HOUSING EFFORTS THAT -- THEY
ARE NOT REALLY REQUIRING
FOR-PROFITS TO BUILD THE HOMES
TO HAVE SOME AFFORDABILITY.
THEY JUST SAY, PAY INTO A BANK
ACCOUNT OR A FUND AND THEN WE
ARE ONLY GOING TO ALLOW OUR
NONPROFITS REALLY AREN'T THE
BEST DEVELOPERS TO LIKE SKIM
OFF OF SOMETHING THEY ARE NOT
QUALIFIED TO BUILD. IF YOU
WANT TO SAVE THE TREES, BLOCK
OFF THE ROADS AND START
ROBUSTLY REDEVELOPING. IT'S
LIKE, YOU ARE PURPOSELY
PUTTING PEOPLE ON THE LOUD AND
NOISY STOP AND GO TRAIN
TRAFFIC AREAS AND YOU'RE
APPEASING THE SPECULATORS WHO
MOVED OUT HERE IN THE 1970S AND
1980S AND GENTRIFIED AND DENIED
THE COMMUNITY AND NOW THINKS
THEY CAN TURN AGAINST OUR NEEDS
TO PROGRESS IN THE 21st CENTURY
CLAIMING THEIR HOMES ARE STILL
THE ONLY CHOICE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD ANYTHING BUILT HAS
TO BE WORSE OFF. AND THE WORST
LOCATION. AND THEN THEY
WEAPONIZE THE TREE ORDINANCE TO
DENY OTHER PEOPLE ADDITIONAL
AMOUNTS OF HOMES. AS IF THEY
STILL WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE
DESPERATE. BECAUSE THEY ARE
MAKING MONEY OFF OF ORGANIZING
AND ACTIVISTS WHO REALLY
DON'T HAVE THE BEST INTEREST
OF THE COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID. CHAIR, IT
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE PERSON
WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY MARKED AS
ABSENT WHO HAS JUST SIGNED A.
WHO HAS JUST BECOME PRESENT.
CHRIS WALKER. FOLLOWING THAT
WE WILL MOVE BACK TO IN PERSON
WITH KIMBERLY.
>> AND THEN I'M GOING TO LET
THOSE LAST TWO SPEAKERS GO AND
WE WILL MOVE ON. CHRIS, PLEASE
GO AHEAD AND PRESS STAR SIX
TWO UNMUTE.
>> THANK YOU . MY NAME IS CHRIS
WALTER, I AM A DISTRICT 2
RESIDENT AND CLUNG TO SUPPORT
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES. I AM SO
EXCITED FOR THIS PILOT AND
PROUD OF THE WORK THE OFFICE IS
DOING TO SERIOUSLY ADDRESS THE
HOUSING CRISIS. THEY ARE SUPER
EXCITING AND WILL ACTIVATE AND
MAKE NEIGHBORHOODS MORE
WALKABLE. I REALLY WANT TO PUSH
BACK ON ALL THE COMMENTS ON
TREE PRESERVATION. WE HAVE
COMPREHENSIVE TREAT RESERVATION
THAT THE COUNCIL HAS PASSED
LAST SESSION. IT'S BEEN
DEBATED FOR YEARS. I THINK ONE
OF THE OTHER CALLERS SAID
DENSE HOUSING IS NOT IN
OPPOSITION TO TREES. IT IS
ACTUALLY SPRAWLING LOW
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES THAT ARE
IN OPPOSITION TO TREES. JUST
LIKE A FUN ANECDOTE, I LIVE ON
46 AND SDOT JUST PLANTED DOZENS
OF TREES ON MY STREET AND WE
HAVE SO MASSIVE TREES IN THE
MINOR STRIP. DENSE HOUSING
ENTRIES ARE NOT IN OPPOSITION
TO EACH OTHER. THEY GO
HAND-IN-HAND. THAT IS ONE
REASON I'M SUPER EXCITED TO
SUPPORT THIS PILOT AND I HOPE
IT GETS PAST THAT HELP YOU SEE
A LOT OF HOUSING FROM IT. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND
TIME.
>> THANK YOU. DID YOU SAY
THERE WAS ONE MORE SPEAKER?
>> IN PERSON SPEAKER, KIMBERLY
WOLF.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I ACTUALLY
WAS HERE FOR THE GIG WORKER
STUFF AND FOUND OUT THAT GOT
MOVED TO TOMORROW. SO I WILL
SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT IT. THERE
ARE SOME PEOPLE , WANTING YOU
GUYS TO REPEAL THE LAW THAT WE
WORKED SO HARD TO GET , YEARS
TO GET. BECAUSE THE APP
COMPANIES ARE BASICALLY DOING
PROPAGANDA AND TRYING TO MAKE
IT PAINFUL FOR GIG WORKERS AND
CUSTOMERS AND BASICALLY JUST
SABOTAGE THE WHOLE THING SO IT
DOESN'T WORK AND THEY CAN'T
PROPAGATED TO OTHER PLACES AND
OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER CITIES,
STATES AND WHATNOT. CAN HAVE
PROTECTIONS. SO I'M JUST
ASKING YOU TO STAND FIRM ON THE
LAW THAT HAS BEEN PASSED ,
ESPECIALLY SINCE WE NEED AT
LEAST ONE YEAR TO SEE HOW IT
REALLY IS GOING . THESE
COMPANIES, THEY CAN AFFORD TO
LOSE THE MONEY FOR THE SHORT
TIME TO STIR THE POT. SO A YEAR
IS A LITTLE LONG FOR THEM TO
HAVE TO LOSE MONEY , AND THAT
IS PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO
SAY ABOUT THAT TOMORROW I WILL
SPEAK TOMORROW A LITTLE MORE.
REGARDING THE TREES THAT I WAS
HEARING ABOUT, WE REALLY DO
NEED TO GO UP AND NOT JUST OUT.
THESE SUPER CLOSE TO THE
PROPERTY LINE REGULATIONS ,
THEY DON'T MAKE IT A LIVABLE
NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK YOU NEED
TO ENCOURAGE UP AND DOWN.
ESPECIALLY BIGGER BUILDINGS
HAVE UNDER BUILDING PARKING IN
THE . IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE
DENSE BE DENSE. HOW CAN WE CALL
IT THE EMERALD CITY IF WE
DON'T HAVE MANY TREES? WHAT
ARE WE GOING TO DO, PAINT THE
BUILDING SCREEN SO WE CAN KEEP
THE NAME? COME ON. THIS IS
SEATTLE. WE'VE GOT TREES AND
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT
LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE INTENDING
THE GIG ECONOMY TOMORROW. THAT
IS AT 2:00 TOMORROW. OKAY.
I'M GOING TO CONCLUDE THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE. WE WILL
MOVE ON TO TODAY'S AGENDA. IT
WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE
MAY NEED TO SHIFT THE ORDER, IS
THAT RIGHT? IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, COLLEAGUES,
DIRECTOR RICO QUIRINDONGO IS
GOING TO BE LATE SO I WOULD
LIKE TO MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER
TWO. THE PRESENTATION ON THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
LEGISLATION. HEARING NO
OBJECTION WE WILL BEGIN THERE.
THANK YOU. I HAVE KETIL
FREEMAN AND GEOFF WENTLANDT
COMING UP. DEVON, PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER TWO INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO,
BRIEFING ON EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT ZONING PHASE TWO,
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT
DRAFT LEGISLATION FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CLERK.
I DO WANT TO THANK --
>> CHAIR, THE APPOINTMENT, ARE
WE DOING THAT?
>> THAT WAS AN OLD VERSION OF
THE AGENDA. THE APPOINTMENT
HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF. APOLOGIES.
SO WE HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS.
THE PRESENTATION ON THE
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT ZONING
CONNECTED UNITIES LEGISLATION
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A
PRESENTATION FROM OPCD ON THEIR
WORKPLAN FOR THE YEAR.
>> SO, WE WILL BEGIN , I WANT
TO THANK KETIL FREEMAN FROM
CENTRAL STAFF AND GEOFF
WENTLANDT FROM OPCD FOR BEING
HERE. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AND
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA FOR
TAKING US UP ON THE EFFORT .
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS
BRIEFING AND MY NEW COLLEAGUES
TO HEAR ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM EACH OF OUR
LAND-USE COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE
GOAL OF BUILDING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING , WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF
CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT LAST
YEAR. WE KNOW WE NEED MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE NEED TO
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES . WE
HAVE TO REVERSE DISPLACEMENT
THAT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. AND WE HAVE SPOKEN
STRONGLY ABOUT OUR GOAL OF
WORKING TOGETHER, BOTH WITHIN
COUNCIL AND WITH THE EXECUTIVE
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE TACKLING
BIG ISSUES SEATTLE IS FACING.
THIS LEGISLATION IS AN EXAMPLE
OF WHAT CAN BE DONE WHEN WE
WORK TOGETHER AS SOME COLORS
REFERENCED . MY OFFICE HAS BEEN
WORKING ON THIS FOR A COUPLE OF
YEARS NOW WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, ORGANIZATIONS, WITH
THE DEPARTMENTS . AND, I REALLY
BELIEVE ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO
PASS THIS, WHICH IS A PILOT,
AS WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT
LATER, IT WILL GIVE US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT CAN
HAPPEN IF WE WORK TOGETHER.
SO, WE ARE REFERRING TO THIS
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
LEGISLATION AS PHASE TWO OF THE
EQUITABLE ELEMENT ZONING THAT
WE PASSED LAST YEAR. WE DID
THAT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND THAT
WAS INTENDED TO ALIGN OUR
LAND-USE POLICY MORE CLOSELY
WITH HER EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
GOALS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR
EDI STAKEHOLDERS WE WERE
IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES THAT
WOULD REMOVE BARRIERS AND CITY
REGULATIONS AND PROCESSES TO
RELEASE SUPPORT
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROJECTS
ACROSS THE CITY , IN OUR ZONING
AND LAND-USE RULES. IN 2022 MY
OFFICE STARTED AN OUTREACH
STRATEGY THAT INCLUDED
CONVERSATIONS WITH OVER 35
ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT HOW OUR
LAND-USE CODE COULD ALLOW MORE
SERVICES , MORE COMMERCE, IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT FOLKS
COULD REALLY TRY TO MEET THEIR
NEEDS WITHIN A 15 MINUTE WALK
OF THEIR HOME. I WILL SAY WE
HAVE LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN
THE CITY THAT MEET THE
OBJECTIVE, THE VISION RIGHT
NOW. THE CHINATOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD. DEACON HILL. A
FELLOW. LAKE CITY. THESE ARE
ALL PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE IT
IS EASY FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS A
PARK, A SCHOOL, A GROCERY
STORE, A BANK AND THEY DON'T
HAVE TO GET IN THEIR CARS TO DO
IT. AS SOME HAVE MENTIONED,
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY
FOR REACHING OUR CLIMATE
JUSTICE GOALS AS WELL. IF WE
GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS,
MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO
WALK TO SOME OF THE THINGS THEY
NEED TO DO OR TAKE TRANSIT,
THEN WE ARE ALSO DOING A LOT TO
REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
IN THE CITY. SO, THE GROUP OF
FOLKS WE TALKED TO, THE 35
ORGANIZATIONS, IT DID INCLUDE
DEVELOPERS. I HEARD A LITTLE
BIT OF SKEPTICISM THAT WE WERE
ONLY SPEAKING TO DEVELOPERS. SO
WE DID TALK TO FOLKS LIKE
LEHIGH AND HOMESITE IN THE
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM.
THAT GROUP ALSO INCLUDES
PARTNERS WHO WANT HOUSING IN
THEIR COMMUNITY, BUT AREN'T
NECESSARILY DEVELOPERS
THEMSELVES. SO, THE ETHIOPIAN
COMMITTEE IN SEATTLE, THE
SOMALI HEALTH BOARD, THE FIJI
ORGANIZATION WE HEARD FROM. AS
WELL AS OTHER GROUPS WHO ARE
REALLY JUST ADVOCATING FOR
HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS
THE CITY AND FOR MORE ACCESS TO
HOUSING. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
BEACON BUSINESS ALLIANCE, THE
U-DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP WE HEARD
FROM, THE TASK FORCE ON
HOMELESSNESS, LGBTQ ALLYSHIP.
THIS ABILITY RIGHTS WASHINGTON.
I SAID THE SOMALI HEALTH
BOARD. THAT GIVES YOU A FLAVOR
OF THE DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THE GET
IDEAS ON HOW THIS CAN BENEFIT
OUR NEIGHBORS. AND REALLY MAKE
IT EASIER FOR FAMILIES TO GET
ACCESS TO THE THINGS THEY NEED.
OUR GOAL IN PROPOSING THIS
PILOT IS REALLY TO START
SHIFTING SEATTLE FROM A CITY OF
ISOLATED NEIGHBORHOODS , YOU
KNOW, I WILL SAY EXPLICITLY,
REALLY TRYING TO SUPPORT
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE
SUFFERED FROM RACIAL COVENANTS
, EXCLUSIVE COVENANTS IN THE
PAST. WHO'VE SUFFERED FROM
THE REDLINING OF THE PAST. AND
REALLY MOVE US TOWARD A MORE
EQUITABLE CITY. SO, I
PERSONALLY BELIEVE THIS DRAFT
LEGISLATION WILL MOVE US IN
THAT DIRECTION. THIS PILOT
WOULD BE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE
OTHER CITY PROGRAMS THAT WE
HAVE IN THE CITY THAT COULD
SUPPORT AFFORDABILITY, COULD
SUPPORT MORE SOCIAL COHESION.
AND WILL ALLOW US TO MEET OUR
AFFORDABILITY NEEDS AND BRING
CENTRAL SERVICES ACT WERE
NEIGHBORHOODS AFTER DECADES OF
EXCLUSION. SO, THE LAST THING I
WILL SAY IS THIS IS A PILOT,
THE IDEA IS TO ALLOW FOR SOME
NUMBER OF PROJECTS, FIVE OR SIX
PROJECTS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I SHOULD
SAY IN EVERY DISTRICT
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND THE
PILOT ITSELF WOULD BE EVALUATED
ON FOUR CRITERIA. THOSE
INCLUDE PROVIDING AFFORDABLE
WORKFORCE HOUSING COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE COST BURDENED.
PROVIDING NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY
EQUITABLE DEVELOPED USES. FOR
EXAMPLE CHILDCARE, PHARMACIES,
EVEN COMMUNITY CENTERS, OR
ACCESS TO COMMERCE. STALLING
PREVENTING ECONOMIC AND
PHYSICAL DISPLACEMENT OF HER
CURRENT RESIDENCE. THIS IS
PARTICULARLY TRUE OF OUR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES. AND,
DEMONSTRATING A VARIETY OF
MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING TYPES.
THAT WOULD BE AFFORDABLE TO
HOUSEHOLDS WITH A RANGE OF
HOUSEHOLD INCOMES. THE LAST
THING I'LL SAY IS I DO WANT TO
GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OPCD,
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH THAT OFFICE AS
WELL . AND REALLY APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
TOGETHER, TO BUILD A STRONG
BILL. AND PRESENT THE
STRONGEST POSSIBLE PILOT THAT
WE CAN . I THINK IT PROVIDES A
REALLY MEANINGFUL EXAMPLE OF
THE KIND OF COLLABORATION THAT
THE COUNCIL AND EXECUTIVE CAN
ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER. THAT IS
WHAT GOOD GOVERNANCE IT LOOKS
LIKE. THIS IS THE KIND OF
COLLABORATION THAT OUR
CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING FROM
US. AND I KNOW THIS PARTICULAR
LEGISLATION IS NEW TO MY
COLLEAGUES, SO I AM EAGER TO
HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS,
TO HEAR YOUR CONCERNS . AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A REALLY
OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE AND
UNDERSTANDING YOUR INTERESTS SO
WE CAN MAKE THIS LEGISLATION
BETTER. SO, WITH THAT, I WILL
HANDED OVER TO OUR PRESENTERS.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND
LET'S GO.
>> KETIL FREEMAN, COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> GEOFF WENTLANDT, AND USE
POLICY MANAGER WITH THE OPCD.
>> TODAY THERE IS AN INITIAL
BRIEFING CONSIDERATION OF LAND
USE COMMITTEE ON THE SAMIR AND
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES PILOT.
SOME OF THIS WILL BE A█ REPRISE
OF THE PRESENTATION WE GAVE IN
SEPTEMBER. IN TERMS OF
MATERIALS YOU HAVE IN YOUR
PACKET, THERE IS THIS
PRESENTATION, A MEMO FOR ME
DATED FEBRUARY 2, MATERIALS
FROM THE INITIAL DETERMINATION
ISSUED BACK IN JANUARY ARE
ALSO IN YOUR PACKET, JUST NOTE
THAT THE BILL WHICH IS AN
ATTACHMENT TO THE MEMO ISN'T
UPDATED VERSION OF THE DRAFT SO
THAT IS THE MOST CURRENT
VERSION. THE ONE THAT STARTS
WITH SECTIONS 23 4090 IN THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL COURT. JUST
A NOTE, THIS LEGISLATION IS NOT
BEING INTRODUCED, IT'S REALLY
A PROPOSAL AT THIS POINT. ONCE
THE BILL IS INTRODUCED IT WILL
OF COURSE BE REFERRED TO THIS
COMMITTEE AND AVAILABLE FOR
AMENDMENT. SO, I WILL WALK
THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION
QUICKLY. FEEL FREE TO
INTERRUPT AT ANY POINT WITH
QUESTIONS. A LITTLE OUTLINE OF
WHERE WE ARE GOING WITH THE
PRESENTATION. I WILL TALK ABOUT
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT ZONING,
PAST AND CURRENT PHASES.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ALREADY
DISCUSSED IN DETAIL THE
EVOLUTION OF COUNCIL WORK ON
THE PILOT. WE WILL TALK A
LITTLE ABOUT THE PURPOSES OF
THE PILOT, DESCRIBE WHAT THE
LEGISLATION WOULD DO, WHAT
WOULD BE AVAILABLE UNDER THE
LEGISLATION AND I WILL CLOSE
WITH WHERE WE ARE NOW IN TERMS
OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND
TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS. SO,
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT ZONING,
PAST AND CURRENT PHASES, SOME
OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH
THE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE FROM THE PLANNING
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPING. THE
PROBLEM WITH THAT INITIATIVE
TENDS TO SOLVE IS HOW TO FUND
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
THE EDI BUT ALSO HOW TO
REGULATE DEVELOPMENT IN WAYS
THAT DON'T HINDER, DELAY OR
COMPLICATE PROJECTS THAT ARE
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROJECTS.
THE PURPOSE OF EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT ZONING IS TO ALIGN
ZONING AND EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS CONTAINED IN
THE LAND USE CODE, NOT THE
LAND-USE BUT THE MUNICIPAL CODE
AND OTHER PLACES. INFORMED BY
WORK WITH EDI APPLICANTS AND
GRANTEES AND ALSO OPCD STAFF. A
NOTE ON WHERE WE HAVE BEEN WITH
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT ZONING,
IN JULY OF LAST YEAR THE
COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE
126858 , THAT BUILD RELAXED
SOME EARLY REQUIREMENTS FOR
INSTITUTIONS IN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES. MAYBE I
WILL ASK, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO
ADD?
>> IT IS AN ONGOING INITIATIVE
OF THE CITIES THAT HAS
RESULTED IN LAND-USE CODE
REGULATORY CHANGES IN THE
RECENT PAST. EVOLUTION OF THE
COUNCIL WORK ON CONNECTED
COMMUNITIES, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES DESCRIBED THE
STAKEHOLDER WORK DONE BY HER
OFFICE. I DON'T KNOW IF
THERE'S ANYTHING MORE I CAN
ADD TO WHAT YOU SAID,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, BUT IT
BEGAN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO
AND HAS INCLUDED A VARIETY OF
STAKEHOLDERS, SOME OF THEM HAVE
IDENTIFIED A FEW BARRIERS OF
NEED THAT COULD PROMOTE
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT USES AND
NEIGHBORHOOD SUFFERING FROM
VACATION INCLUDING REMOVAL OF
BARRIERS FOR SMALL COMMITTEE
ORGANIZATIONS TO DEVELOP
HOUSING. IN ORDER TO STOP
DISPLACEMENT, A MORE NEED FOR
BROAD RANGE OF INCOMES.
IMPROVE COMMUNITY COHESION AND
OPPORTUNITY AND LEVERAGE LOW
INCOME HOMEOWNERS TO FEND OFF
PREDATORY HOMEBUYING. SOME OF
THOSE NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED
PARTIALLY BY THE STAKEHOLDER.
BY THE PROPOSED PILOT PROGRAM.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PURPOSE
OF THE PILOT PROGRAM. IT WILL
BE A PILOT, IT WOULD LAST FOR
A PERIOD OF TIME, UP UNTIL
2029 OR 135 PROJECTS HAVE TAKEN
ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM. IS
INTENDED TO PROMOTE IN A LOT OF
WAYS PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN
ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY NOT
HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DEVELOP
AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR EQUITABLE
DEVELOPED USES AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OR
FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT
HAVE MORE DEVELOPMENT
EXPERIENCE. SO, WHERE WOULD IT
APPLY? IT WOULD APPLY IN MOST
ZONES WERE RESIDENTIAL USES ARE
ALLOWED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THAT INCLUDES NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES. RESIDENTIAL
SMALL LOT ZONES. LOW RISE
ZONES, EXCLUDING HIGH-RISES
OWNS. ANYPLACE YOU CAN BUILD A
TOWNHOUSE OR APARTMENT BUILDING
UP TO 65 FEET OR SO, OR 85
FEET. BUT NOT HIGH-RISES OWNS.
IT DOES NOT APPLY DOWNTOWN.
ANY DOWNTOWN ZONE WOULD BE
EXCLUDED FROM THE POGROM. ALSO
COMMERCIAL ZONES, NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL IN SEATTLE MIX
ZONES THROUGHOUT THE CITY ARE
PRIMARY ZONES, -- ALONG WITH
THE SHOPPING CORE AND VILLAGES.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PLACES
WHERE BONUSES WOULD APPLY AND
THAT IS WHAT IS DEPICTED ON THE
MAP CARE . IN AREAS IDENTIFIED
BY THE OFFICE OF HOUSING
COMMUNITY PREFERENCE AREAS, THE
GREEN CENSUS TRACTS SHOWN ON
THE MAP, THERE WOULD BE
ADDITIONAL AREA TO PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS. ALSO IF AN
APPLICANT CAN DEMONSTRATE THE
SITE IS LOCATED IN AN AREA WITH
HISTORICAL RACIALLY RESTRICTED
COVENANT THAT WOULD REQUIRE
SOME DEED RESEARCH BY THE
APPLICANT, THEY COULD ALSO BE
A BONUS AVAILABLE TO THAT
APPLICANT. ELIGIBILITY AND
AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS. AS
I MENTIONED, IT WOULD EXPIRE IN
2029 OR AFTER 35 PROJECTS ARE
TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. WHICHEVER
IS SOONER. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS OR
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS FOR
PROJECTS WOULD BE THOSE UNITY
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS,
REGISTERED NONPROFITS IN THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON, PUBLIC
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OTHER
ENTITY. IT COULD INCLUDE A FULL
PROFIT DEVELOPER AND ON PROFIT
DEVELOPER. THERE WOULD BE
RESIDENTIAL PORTABILITY
REQUIREMENTS THAT WOULD GO
ALONG WITH ANY DEVELOPMENT TO
THE PILOT. THAT REQUIREMENT
WOULD BE 30% OF UNITS
AFFORDABLE HOUSEHOLDS UP TO 80%
OF AMI. FOR RENTAL OR 100% OF
AMI FOR OWNERSHIP. OR SOCIAL
HOUSING WHICH HAS A SIMILAR
REQUIREMENT. THIRTY PERCENT
UNITS AFFORDABLE UP TO 80% OF
AMI BUT ALSO A CAP AT 100% AMI.
SO WHAT WOULD , HOW WOULD A
DEVELOPMENT BENEFIT FROM BEING
IN THE PROGRAM? A DEVELOPMENT
TO LOOK AT SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS. THERE WOULD BE
ADDITIONAL FLOOR AREA AVAILABLE
TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM.
EXTRA HEIGHT IN MOST ZONES.
MOST MULTIFAMILY AND COMMERCIAL
ZONES . LESS RESTRICTIVE
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
LIKE SETBACKS. THERE WOULD ALSO
BE EXEMPTIONS FROM OTHER,
OTHERWISE APPLICABLE
REGULATORY PROGRAMS LIKE
DESIGNER VIEW HAS
AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM INITIALLY
THERE WOULD BE NO PARKING
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT. PARTICIPATING IN
THE PILOT PROGRAM. THERE WOULD
BE ADDITIONAL BONUSES FOR
FUNCTIONALLY THE EQUIVALENT OF
A FUNCTIONAL ADDITIONAL BONUS
FOR AN EXEMPTION FOR HOW WE CAN
DELETE CERTAIN THINGS FOR
CERTAIN USES AND FEATURES
INCLUDING EQUITABLE DEVELOPED
USES DEFINED BY THE BILL. TO
INCLUDE USES THAT HAVE A FOCUS
ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT . IT COULD
INCLUDE THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY
SERVING INSTITUTIONAL USES,
COMMERCIAL USES LIKE A
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN. THAT IS
ONE OPTION FOR A BONUS. ANOTHER
WOULD BE LOCATION IN AN AREA
WITH RESTRICTED COVENANTS , WE
MENTIONED THAT. AND PROVISION
OF THE UNIT OR PROPERTY OWNER
WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BE
DISPLACED. IF THERE IS A
PROPERTY OWNER WHO WANTS TO
PARTNER WITH A DEVELOPER OR
NONPROFIT UNDER THE PROGRAM
THAT COULD BE SOME ADDITIONAL
FLOOR AREA AVAILABLE TO THE
DEVELOPER AND ALSO THE BENEFIT
OF THE UNIT IN THE BUILDING FOR
THE OWNER WHO CHOOSES TO
PARTNER. SO, LOOKING HERE AT
SPECIFIC DEVELOPED STANDARDS,
BIRD RESIDENTIAL AND RSL ZONES,
THE PROPOSED STANDARD IS
SHOWN. THERE WOULD BE AN
INCREASE IN FA OUR LOT
COVERAGE ALLOWED AS WELL AS
REDUCTION IN SETBACK
REQUIREMENTS THE RELATIVE
MAGNITUDE OF THE CHANGE
CONTEMPLATED HERE. IT IS
BETWEEN ALMOST A DOUBLING OF
LOT DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY IN
THE CASE OF NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES. ABOUT A 67%
INCREASE IN DEVELOPMENT
CAPACITY FOR RESIDENTIAL SMALL
LOT ZONES. SIMILARLY , FOR
COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY
COMMERCIAL ZONES, I'M NOT
SHOWING ALL OF THEM HERE, THERE
WOULD BE AN ALLOWABLE INCREASE
IN FA OUR AND HEIGHT. HEIGHT
IS NOT ALLOWABLE INCREASE IN
THE ZONES BUT IN THE ZONES
THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN
HEIGHT AND FLOOR AREA RATIO --
RATIO. OR THE APPLICANT CAN
PROVE THERE HAS BEEN A RACIALLY
RESTRICTED COVENANT APPLIED TO
THE PROPERTY AT SOME POINT IN
THE PAST. FAR EXEMPTIONS
POSSIBLE FOR EQUITABLE
DEVELOPED USES AND A BONUS THAT
WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR
INCENTIVE. ORDER OF MAGNITUDE
INCREASES, JUST THE STANDARD
PARTICIPATION. NOT AN OWNER
UNIT OR LOCATION IN A
PREFERENCE AREA, ON THE ORDER
OF 20% TO 30% INCREASE IN
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY IF ALL THE
BONUSES WERE USED IN A PROJECT
WHICH IS POSSIBLE BUT NOT
PARTICULARLY LIKELY SCENARIO
THAT WOULD BE BETWEEN A 60% AND
100% INCREASE CAPACITY IN THOSE
ZONES. SO, WHAT NEXT? OPCD
ISSUED A DETERMINATION OF NOT
SIGNIFICANCE IN JANUARY. THE
APPEAL PERIOD FOR THAT SEPA
DETERMINATION ENDS TOMORROW.
COMMENT PERIOD RAN THROUGH
FEBRUARY 1. I DIDN'T SEE ANY
COMMENTS, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU
DID EITHER , GEOFF? AS I
MENTIONED THE LEGISLATION IS
NOT IT INTRODUCED. IT'S A
PROPOSAL AT THIS POINT. THERE
IS A PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED
FOR THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING.
FEBRUARY 21. I BELIEVE THE
INTENT OF THE SPONSOR WOULD BE
TO HAVE THE BILL BE SUBJECT
FOR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
BY MARCH 6. SO, THAT IS A
PRESENTATION. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I AM SURE THERE ARE LOTS OF
QUESTIONS. BEFORE I HANDED
OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES, CAN YOU
BOTH TALK ABOUT THIS IN
LAYMAN'S TERMS? AND TALK A
LITTLE ABOUT WHAT THIS
EFFECTIVELY MEANS FOR THE
ABILITY TO CREATE HOUSING,
INCREASE HOUSING CAPACITY AND
WHAT IT REALLY MEANS IN TERMS
OF THE ABILITY TO CREATE
PARTNERSHIPS WITH FOLKS,
PARTICULARLY ORGANIZATIONS
THAT AREN'T THEMSELVES
DEVELOPERS, AND GIVE US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE HOUSING
IN A NEW WAY THROUGHOUT THE
CITY.
>> SURE. I WILL GIVE YOU SORT
OF MY OFF-THE-CUFF RESPONSE TO
THAT QUESTION. THERE ARE
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THE CITY
TRIES TO PROMOTE, TRIES TO
ACHIEVE ITS EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS. ONE IS
THROUGH GRANTMAKING. TO THE
PROVISIONS OF PROVIDING
RESOURCES TO AN ORGANIZATION
THAT WANTS TO BUILD SOME
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT USE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. A COMMUNITY
CENTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE PAIRED
WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AFFORD WILL HOUSING MANY THE
CITY MAY PUT OUT THERE CAN'T
BE USED TO DEVELOP
NONRESIDENTIAL SPACING
PROJECTS. IS CONSTRAINING THAT
WAY. ONE WAY THE CITY BUILDS
CAPACITY IS BY PROVIDING MONEY
TO ORGANIZATIONS FOR THESE
KINDS OF USES. I THINK OF THIS
BILL AS SORT OF AN ALTERNATIVE
WHERE THE CITY IS NOT PROVIDING
NECESSARILY SOME SORT OF MONEY
TO BUILD OUT SOME SORT OF
EQUABLE SPACE, BUT IS PROVIDING
A SUBSIDY IN THE FORM OF
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY. WHAT
THAT MAY DO IS INVITE OR CREATE
A SPACE WHERE THERE ARE FOLKS
WHO ARE EXPERIENCED IN THE
DEVELOPMENT FIELD TO FIND
PARTNERS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER
THIS PROGRAM AND COME UP WITH
PARTNERSHIPS THAT WAY TO
DEVELOP THAT SPACE. IS
POTENTIALLY ONE WAY TO PROVIDE
TO SORT OF FACILITATE CERTAIN
KIND OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY
WITHOUT A DOLLAR SUBSIDY .
THAT IS MY OFF-THE-CUFF .
IDENTIFIES ANYTHING YOU WANT TO
ADD?
>> I WILL JUST ADD A FEW
COMMENTS. I THINK, AS THE
CHAIR EMPHASIZED IT'S
IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS
A PILOT. THE PURPOSE OF A PILOT
IS TO TRY TO SOMETHING AND SEE
HOW IT WORKS. IN THIS CASE, THE
PROPOSAL IS DRAFTED TRIES A
FEW THINGS THAT SEEMED
IMPORTANT. ONE OF THOSE IS TO
TEST AFFORDABLE HOUSING MIX .
IT REQUIRES A 30% OF THE
UNITS TO BE AFFORDABLE AT A
MODERATE 80% AMI LEVEL ON-SITE
. THAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT
THAN THE TYPICAL PORTABILITY
MIX REQUIRED IN DEVELOPMENT.
WE CAN TRY THAT AND SEE WHAT
THE RESULTS MIGHT BE LIKE. AND
FOR OPCD INVOLVEMENT IN THE
WORK, OUR ENTRY POINT WAS
RELATED TO THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE IN
SUPPORTING THOSE USES. ANOTHER
THING THIS BILL WILL TRY TO
ENCOURAGE MORE THAN WE DO
TODAY IS A COMBINATION OF AN
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT TYPE USE
IN A BUILDING WITH AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. I KNOW THAT HAPPENS
SOMETIMES ALREADY BUT THIS BILL
WOULD SEEK TO ENCOURAGE MORE OF
THAT. A TOTAL OF 35 PROJECTS
. IT WOULD PRESUMABLY BE
DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE CITY AS
A TEST. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE
MAJOR CHANGES IN THE FORM OR
SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE
CITY. IT'S GOING TO HAVE SOME
RESULTS ON A FEW EXAMPLE SITES
. AND IT WOULD BE A WAY TO SEE
WHAT THOSE OUTCOMES ARE AND
MEASURE THEM UP AGAINST THE
CRITERIA THAT THE CHAIR WALKED
THROUGH. AND AT THAT POINT
DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS WORTH
CONTINUING TO EXPLORE THIS TYPE
OF APPROACH.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THE
POTENTIAL FOR PRODUCTION IS?
>> I WOULD SAY THE POTENTIAL
FOR PRODUCTION OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING OR OF EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT SPACE?
>> WHATEVER YOU CAN SHARE.
>> I WOULD SAY IT IS
RELATIVELY MODEST. JUST GIVEN
THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS THE
COULD PARTICIPATE IN THIS, SOME
OF THOSE MAY NEED TO FIND
SUBSIDY ELSEWHERE IF THERE IS
SOME QUESTION ABOUT THE ABILITY
TO DELIVER . WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT WHAT THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING TENDS TO FIND IN A
GIVEN YEAR, ASSUMING, WHICH
CAN BE DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH
FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AND HOW
MANY ELIGIBLE PROJECTS ARE OUT
THERE, IT RANGES BETWEEN FIVE
AND 10 PROJECTS , THIS WOULD
ADD POTENTIALLY TO THAT,
ASSUMING THESE PROJECTS ARE
DEVELOPED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL
SUBSIDY. ABOUT THE EQUIVALENT
OF A EVERY YEAR. IT'S NOT
SIGNIFICANT BUT NOT A DRAMATIC
INCREASE IN THE CITY HOUSING
STOCK.
>> THAT IS THE INTENT OF THE
PILOT, TO TEST IT OUT. OKAY.
COLLEAGUES, OTHER QUESTIONS?
I KNOW WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF
CONVERSATIONS.
>> I WILL START. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FIRST,
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, FOR REACHING OUT TO MY
OFFICE AND OTHER OFFICES FOR A
PRE-BRIEFING. THAT WAS HELPFUL.
I DO BELIEVE IT WAS DONE IN
THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION. SO
I APPRECIATE THAT OUTREACH. I
DO HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS,
ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A FEW
QUESTIONS. LET ME BEGIN FIRST,
WITH IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE
TWO AVENUES HERE. ONE IS TO
UTILIZE FOR UNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTNER WITH
NONPROFITS. OR DEVELOPERS.
AND THEN TO PURSUE HOUSING
THROUGH THAT ROUTE. THE OTHER
IS FOR THE SOCIAL HOUSING
PUBLIC MENTAL -- AUTHORITY TO
BE THE ONE TO BUILD HOUSING.
I'M TRYING TO GET MY HEAD
WRAPPED AROUND, WALK US
THROUGH, WALK ME THROUGH THE
SOCIAL HOUSING PDA. ARE THEY
GOING TO PARTNER WITH A
PRIVATE DEVELOPER? OR ARE THEY
GOING TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY
TO PURSUE HOLDING A
DEVELOPMENT . AND IF THEY BUILD
IT WITHIN THE AREAS OF
COMMUNITY PREFERENCE WHERE
THERE HAS BEEN RACIAL
REDLINING BASICALLY, DO THEY
THEN GET TO BUILD AN APARTMENT
BUILDING ? KIND OF WALK ME
THROUGH IT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR
SOCIAL HOUSING.
>> SO, AMONG THE ELIGIBLE
ORGANIZATIONS WOULD BE PUBLIC
DWELLING AUTHORITY. THERE ARE
MULTIPLE PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITIES THAT COULD BUILD
SOCIAL HOUSING WHICH IS DEFINED
IN THE BILL IT WOULDN'T
NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE THE
SOCIAL HOUSING PDA. BUT
ASSUMING A PDA HAD THE
WHEREWITHAL TO BUILD, IT COULD
CHOOSE TO BUILD ON ITS OWN, IT
WOULD NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO
PARTNER WITH OTHER NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS. IF THE PDA
NEEDED A PARTNER FOR WHATEVER
FINANCING REASON, OR TO BEGIN
DEVELOPMENT OF PORTFOLIO OR
SOMETHING, SOME PDAS OUT THERE
SAY COMMUNITY HOUSING
AUTHORITY HAS A PORTFOLIO SO
THEY ARE A KNOWN QUANTITY BUT
COULD QUALIFY UNDER THE BILL,
HISTORIC SEATTLE MIGHT HAVE A
SIMILAR STATUS. THEY WOULDN'T
BE BUILDING SOMETHING NEW WHICH
IS WHAT THIS BUILDING
CONTEMPLATES. FOR SOMETHING
LIKE THE NEW SOCIAL HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF
THEY HAD THE FUNDING, AND
COULD OBTAIN A SITE, THEY
COULD BE A POTENTIAL APPLICANT
HERE WITHOUT A PARTNER. THEY
WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD, SAY IN
A NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ,
LET'S GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE.
IN NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL OR
RSL ZONE, THEY WOULD
NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO BUILD AN
APARTMENT. ACTUALLY THE
TRINITY PREFERENCE BONUS THAT
IS WRITTEN IN THE BILL NOW
WOULDN'T APPLY IN THE ZONES.
BUT THEY COULD BUILD SOMETHING
MORE ALONG THE SCALE OF A
TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT. IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL OR
RSL ZONE. AGAIN IN THOSE
ZONES, THE BENEFIT TO HIS OWN
-- DEVELOPER WOULD BE A BUMP
AND SOME FLEXIBILITY WHEN IT
COMES TO THINGS LIKE SETBACKS.
THAT THERE IS NOT AN HEIGHT
INCREASE IN THOSE ZONES. IN A
DIFFERENT ZONE, LET'S TAKE
LOW RISE NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL, IF THEY'RE LOCATED
IN A PLACE WITH A HISTORICALLY
RACIALLY RESTRICTED COVENANTS
THEY WOULD GET A BASE THAT
EXCEEDS THE CURRENT FAR, TAKE
A LOW RISE THREE ZONE. THE
RISE THREE IS AN APARTMENT ZONE
AND TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT
HAPPENS EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT
THE INTENT OF THE ZONE. IT'S
ACTUALLY APARTMENT DEVELOPED.
THERE ARE A RANGE OF IF ARS
AVAILABLE. IT WOULD START OUT
WITH AND FAR OF TWO CURRENT
REGULATIONS. IF YOU
PARTICIPATE IN THE BONUS YOU
GET ONE ADDITIONAL FAR IN
ADDITION TO THAT. IF YOU HAPPEN
TO BE A PLACE WHETHER IT'S A
COMMUNITY PREFERENCE AREA OR
HISTORICALLY RACIALLY
RESTRICTIVE COVENANT YOU WOULD
GET AN ADDITIONAL .3 FAR. IF
YOU WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING IN
THAT ZONE INCLUDING A
GROUND-LEVEL SPACE FOR AN
EQUITABLE USE, THAT SPACE WOULD
BE EXEMPT FROM YOUR FAR
CALCULATION. THE EFFECT IS YOU
GET ANOTHER FAR NOT CHARGED
TOWARD YOUR TOTAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO YOU GET THAT MUCH MORE TOTAL
DENSITY. I MAY BE GOING INTO
MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT YOU
ARE PERHAPS ASKING ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP. IN THAT
CIRCUMSTANCE TAKE THE SOCIAL
HOUSING PDA, TO MY KNOWLEDGE
THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
RESOURCES TO DRAW ON. BUT THEY
MAY HAVE A SITE. LET'S ASSUME
THE HAVE A SITE, THEY COULD
FIND A PARTNERING FOR-PROFIT OR
NONPROFIT DEVELOPER
POTENTIALLY ANOTHER PDA TO
PARTNER WITH THEM . THE
STRUCTURE OF THE PARTNERSHIP
AGREEMENT MIGHT NOT BE FULLY
KNOWN TO THE CITY. BUT THAT
WOULD ALLOW THEM TO QUALIFY FOR
THE PROGRAM TO GET THE
ADDITIONAL CAPACITY.
>> SO THERE WOULD BE A
NONPROFIT OR FOR-PROFIT
DEVELOPER INVOLVED IN THAT
RELATIONSHIP?
>> YEAH, THERE COULD BE.
>> WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OWNERSHIP
WITH THEY HAVE?
>> GET REALLY CLOSE.
>> SO WHAT OWNERSHIP
PERCENTAGE WITH THE PRIVATE OR
NONPROFIT DEVELOPER HAVE IN
THAT SITUATION?
>> THE PROPOSAL NOW ALLOWS FOR
A WIDE RANGE WHEN IT COMES TO
OWNERSHIP. EITHER THE LAND OF
THE PROJECT ESSENTIALLY.
TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY,
IT'S AT LEAST 51% OWNERSHIP.
THAT IS ONE CRITERIA. MORE
THAN A MAJORITY OWNERSHIP. BUT
THE BILL ALSO ALLOWS
ESSENTIALLY BENEFICIAL
OWNERSHIP ON A PIECE OF
PROPERTY AND LETTING ALLUDES,
COULD INCLUDE A LONG-TERM LEASE
OR SOMETHING ELSE. THERE IS
WIDE FLEXIBILITY AS WRITTEN TO
COME UP WITH THAT PARTNERSHIP
AGREEMENT AND PERCENT OF
OWNERSHIP.
>> THEORETICALLY A FOR-PROFIT
DEVELOPER COULD HAVE A
LONG-TERM LEASE IN THAT
PROPERTY?
>> THEORETICALLY, YES.
>> AND , ONE OF THE OTHER
QUESTIONS I HAVE IS IF YOU'RE
WORKING WITH , IF THE POINT OF
THE BILL OR ONE OF THE POINTS
OF THE BILL IS TO PREVENT
DISPLACEMENT, AND TO ALLOW FOR
THE CONTINUATION OF GROWTH OF
INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH, HOW
DOES THAT SQUARE WITH HAVING AT
LEAST A 49% OWNERSHIP INTEREST
BY A FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPER?
>> SO, I DON'T KNOW THAT I
CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION. THAT
IS MAYBE ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS
OR IT'S A QUESTION FOR THE
DECISION-MAKERS HERE ABOUT HOW
SOMETHING MAY SQUARE. I THINK
IT'S SORT OF THE OVERALL
INTENT IS TO CREATE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTNERSHIPS .
HOW THAT ACTUALLY TRANSLATES
INTO GENERATIONAL WEALTH IS
SORT OF AN OPEN QUESTION.
>> ONE MORE QUESTION? THANK
YOU. THE OTHER PIECE AM
CURIOUS ABOUT IS THE OWNERSHIP
, OWNER UNIT INCENTIVE. SO IT
SEEMS KIND OF UNCLEAR TO ME IN
THE BILL HOW THAT WORKS. IF
SOMEBODY , AN INDIVIDUAL LET'S
SAY A BLACK FAMILY OWNS A
SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AND THE
DEVELOPMENT WANTS TO GO IN AND
THEY DECIDE TO SELL, ARE THEY
REQUIRED TO BE GIVEN MARKET
RATE OF THE REPLACEMENT UNIT?
IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE A
COMPARABLE SIZE? WHAT IS THE
OWNERSHIP INTEREST? HOW DOES
THAT WORK? YOU HAVE SOME SORT
OF MIXED OWNERSHIP IN THE
BUILDING WITH RENTAL UNITS AND
CONDOS? WHO PAYS THE A? THERE
ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS RELATING
TO THAT.
>> AS DRAFTED, THOSE ASPECTS
OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT,
ONGOING AFFORDABILITY, ARE NOT
REGULATED BY THIS ORDINANCE.
IT WOULD BE UP TO THE PROPERTY
OWNER WHO MIGHT BE PARTNERING
WITH A DEVELOPER TO COME UP
WITH THE BEST DEAL THAT IS
AVAILABLE TO THEM. THERE ARE
SOME MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS WHEN
IT COMES TO HOW LONG , WOULD
QUALIFY . THE PERSON WOULD HAVE
TO RESIDE AT THEIR HOME FOR AT
LEAST 10 YEARS. AND AT THE TIME
THEY ENTERED THE PARTNERSHIP
THEIR HOUSEHOLD INCOME COULD
NOT EXCEED 100 PERSUASIVE --
120% OF MEDIAN INCOME AND THEY
CANNOT SELL FOR AN ADDITIONAL
10 YEARS OR SUBLET. THAT IS
PRIMARILY INTENDED FOR THE
SCENARIO IN WHICH THERE IS KIND
OF A STRAW PROPERTY OWNER
PARTICIPANT WHO IS NOT
NECESSARILY AT RISK OF
DISPLACEMENT BUT OTHERWISE
COULD PARTNER WITH SOMEBODY TO
PROVIDE SOME GREATER FINANCIAL
BENEFIT FOR DEVELOPING. BUT
THE ASPECTS OF THE PARTNERSHIP
AND THE PROTECTIONS FOR
PROPERTY OWNER ARE NOT
PROPOSED TO BE REGULATED BY
THIS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> AND IF I COULD RESPOND TO A
COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS. I WOULD
SAY, TO KETIL'S LAST POINT,
THAT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT IS
NOT SOMETHING WE CAN REGULATE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE OFFICE
OF HOUSING AND WITH OPCD TO
UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW WE PUT
PARAMETERS AND GUARDRAILS
AROUND THAT ELEMENT OF IT.
THAT IS A PIECE OF THE
LEGISLATION WE ARE STILL
WORKING ON. WELL, IT WILL BE
PART OF THIS LEGISLATION, IT IS
AN ELEMENT WE ARE WORKING ON.
IN TERMS OF THE OTHER QUESTION,
PART OF THE GOAL HERE IS ALSO
TO ENSURE PERMANENT
AFFORDABILITY. RIGHT? OF THE
OWNERSHIP ELEMENT OF IT IS
SOMETHING WE ARE CONTEMPLATING
IN TERMS OF THAT ONE UNIT,
THAT EIGHT SELLER MIGHT BE ABLE
TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PART OF
THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT OF THE
PROJECT. THEY ARE ASSURED A
UNIT. BUT, THE GOAL IS TO
ENSURE FOR THE OTHER TENANTS OF
THE BUILDING THAT THERE IS AN
ASSURANCE OF PERMANENT
AFFORDABILITY. THAT IS PART OF
THE GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT
WE ARE SETTING THIS UP SO
IT'S STOPPING THE
DISPLACEMENT. THAT ELEMENT OF
IT IS NOT MITIGATING AGAINST
DOUBLING OR TRIPLING RENTS ON A
REGULAR BASIS. AND THE
LONG-TERM LEASE IS INTENDED TO
HELP SUPPORT THE GOAL. DID YOU
HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER WOO, DID YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS?
>> ACTUALLY I HAD COMMENTS.
SHOULD I WAIT?
>> GO AHEAD.
>> GREAT. I GOT BRIEFED ABOUT
THIS EARLIER TODAY. AND SOME
CONCERNS I HAD OR SOME THINGS
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, FIRST OFF,
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IN ALL
THIS WORK INTO THIS
LEGISLATION. I THINK IT IS A
GOOD FIRST DRAFT AND I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE IT DEVELOP A LITTLE
MORE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
A RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT DONE ON
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. I
SAW YOU DID AMAZING WORK THAT
YOU GOT TO 35 ORGANIZATIONS. I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEIR
COMMENTS AND WHAT THEY HAD SAID
ABOUT THIS, ESPECIALLY FROM THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING, THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO
BACK AND ASK, WE CAN JUST READ
WHAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE. THERE
ARE COUPLE OF PIECES THAT I'M
KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT. THE
FACT THAT IT STATES THAT 30%
OF THAT DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE
FOR THOSE WHO MAKE 80% OF AMI.
OR LESS. I KNOW GIVEN THAT
CHOICE, SOMETIMES THEY MAY PICK
80% ACROSS THE BOARD. I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE, LOOKING INTO WHAT
IT MAY LOOK LIKE IF THEY
LOWERED THAT, 80% AMI
DEPENDING ON YOUR INCOME LEVEL
OR HOUSEHOLD NUMBERS IS ABOUT
$70,000 PER YEAR. MAYBE
LOOKING AT A PERCENTAGE OF
40% OR 60% TO MAKE SURE IT
WORKS WITH THE FEASIBILITY OF
THE DEVELOPMENT. I WOULD ALSO
LIKE TO EXAMINE PROJECT
OWNERSHIP. 51% OF THE LAND IS
OWNED BY THE NONPROFIT OR
PERSON PARTNERING IN THE
PROJECT. I WOULD LIKE TO , I
KNOW THAT IS JUST THE LAND AND
THE LAND USE COULD BE IS THERE
A WAY TO BE MORE PROJECT
OWNERSHIP. IF THEY DO BUILD THE
DEVELOPMENT THERE, ALL THAT
REVENUE WOULD THAT GO TO THE
DEVELOPER OR THE PERSON, THE
NONPROFIT THAT OWNS THE LANDS
TO BUILD THE GENERATIONAL
WEALTH THAT'S AN IMPORTANT
ASPECT. OWNING THE LAND IS NOT
ENOUGH. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
MAYBE 51% FOR THE NONPROFIT SO
THEY HAVE MORE DIRECTION ON
HOW THIS PROJECT WILL LOOK. THE
TYPE OF PEOPLE THEY CAN HELP.
ESPECIALLY . I WOULD LIKE TO
SEE MORE MEASUREMENTS OF
EFFECTIVENESS. WE KNOW THERE
30 PROJECTS THAT ARE ALLOWED,
CAN WE HAVE FIVE OR 10? IS A
LEGISLATION WORKING? ARE WE
HELPING PEOPLE BUILD IT
GENERATIONAL WEALTH? ARE WE
HELPING PEOPLE AGE IN PLACE?
ABLE TO STAY? FAMILIES,
PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO
BENEFIT FROM A LOWER AMI THAN
80%. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS
EVEN LEGAL, WE DISCUSSED THIS
EARLIER. MAYBE PERHAPS THE
RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL. IF THE
DEVELOPER, SOMETIMES THEY STAY
ON FOR 10 OR 15 YEARS AND THEN
THEY WILL SELL THEIR RIGHTS. IS
THERE A WAY THAT TO SELL IT TO
THE NONPROFIT OR PERSON IN THE
PARTNERSHIP SO THEY CAN HAVE
FULL OWNERSHIP TO BUILD THE
GENERATIONAL WEALTH VERSUS
HAVING A DEVELOPER FLIP AND
MAKE AN BY ANOTHER PROJECT.
OWNERSHIP TO THE COMMUNITY.
ALSO, LIKE SPEAKING EARLIER,
IF THAT PERSON WHO HAS THAT
LAND HAS A UNIT, WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN IF THAT PERSON WANTED TO
SELL OR WANTED TO PASS IT DOWN
TO THEIR HEIRS, WHAT WOULD
THAT LOOK LIKE IF THEY WANTED
TO SELL, WOULD IT GO TO THE
DEVELOPER? HOW WOULD WE RETAIN
IT IN THE COMMUNITY, BASICALLY?
I WOULD WANT TO, YOU KNOW, GO
TO ORGANIZATIONS TO SEE WHAT
THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS. I KNOW
YOU PROBABLY HAVE DONE THAT
WORK. BUT I WANT TO SEE WHAT
THEY HAD TO SAY AS WELL AS
PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT WHO SPOKE
EARLIER. ALSO SMALL LANDOWNERS
TO SEE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT
THIS AND SEE IF THERE IS A WAY
WE CAN WORK IT SO WE HAVE A
REALLY GOOD PIECE OF
LEGISLATION. BASICALLY, I
WOULD WANT TO SEE AND MAKE SURE
THERE AREN'T ANY LOOPHOLES
THAT CAN BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF
WITH THIS. I THINK I WOULD
NEED MORE TIME TO EXAMINE THIS.
BUT I THINK IT IS A GREAT
STARTING POINT. BUT, EXAMINING
THOSE COUPLE OF POINTS WOULD BE
REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL SAY, WE
HAVE ALSO BEEN WORKING
SEPARATELY ON THE INTENT TO
SELL AND THE REVOCATIONS AND
TOPA. THAT IS ANOTHER PIECE OF
THE WORK WE ARE DOING . I AM
TAKING EXTENSIVE NOTES SO WE
CAN CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION
AND REALLY MAKE SURE WE ARE
ADDRESSING THE QUESTIONS
PEOPLE HAVE. COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES. I WANT TO FIRST
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE YOUR OFFICE
REACHING OUT TO US TO GIVE US A
BRIEFING ON THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION. I ALSO WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LAND-USE AND
ZONING ISSUES ARE VERY COMPLEX.
AND SO, I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS
PARTICULAR PROPOSAL HAS TAKEN
ABOUT TWO YEARS TO PUT
TOGETHER. WE HAVE HAD ABOUT
ONE WEEK WITH IT. I WILL SAY,
I ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S
QUESTION AND CONCERNS , WE
DEFINITELY NEED MORE TIME WITH
THIS PROPOSAL. I KNOW WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH CENTRAL STAFF
ON SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS THIS
PAST WEEK AND WE WILL CONTINUE
TO DO SO. IN ADDITION TO THE
SIMILAR CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS
THE BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE AND
COUNCILMEMBER WOO HAVE, I'M
ALSO THINKING , AND THIS WAS
BRIEFLY TOUCHED UPON, BUT OPCD
DOES HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT
ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS EQUITY
AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT LIKE
THE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE AND ALSO STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT FUND. I'D LIKE TO
HEAR MORE ABOUT THE
INTERSECTIONALITY OF THOSE
PROGRAMS WITH THIS NOW THIRD
PROPOSAL THAT IS VERY SIMILAR,
AT LEAST IN INTENT AND
INTENTION, TO THE OTHER
PROGRAMS. THEN I HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT THE FACT THE
CURRENTLY WE HAVE SOME OTHER
ZONING AND LAND-USE LAWS ON
THE BOOKS, LIKE MHA AND MFT,
AND I'M WONDERING, THIS IS
GIVEN AS AN EXAMPLE EARLIER IN
THE WEEK, IF A COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION OWNS A PIECE OF
LAND, THEY WANT TO DEVELOP
HOUSING, AND THEN THEY WOULD
PARTNER WITH A NOT-FOR-PROFIT
OR PRO- -- FOR-PROFIT . THERE
IS NOTHING CURRENTLY THAT WOULD
PROHIBIT THAT ORGANIZATION
FROM LEASING THE LAND SINCE
THEY CURRENTLY OWN IT, TO A
DEVELOPER TO DEVELOP IT. AND
THE DEVELOPER HAS ACCESS TO MF
TE I BELIEVE. KETIL, CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT WHETHER THAT IS A
POSSIBILITY? I ACTUALLY
ADMITTEDLY DON'T KNOW HOW MFT
WORKS. I KNOW THE POST --
MOST BASIC WAY IT WORKS AND IS
AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY
FOR INSTANCE?
>> YOU WILL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE POLICY
DECISIONS ABOUT THE NEXT
ITERATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM
THIS YEAR. COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE'S COMMITTEE I BELIEVE.
GENERALLY THE WAY THE MULTI-
FAMILY TAX EXEMPTION WORKS IS
IN EXCHANGE FOR PROVIDING A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF UNITS AT
DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
AFFORDABILITY, A DEVELOPER GETS
OR PROPERTY OWNER GETS A 12
YEAR EXEMPTION ON THE
RESIDENTIAL IMPROVEMENT VALUE
OF A NEW BUILDING. SO, IF IT IS
A NEW MIXED-USE BUILDING,
PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION APPLIES
TO ALL THE -- IT WOULDN'T
APPLY IT WITH THE RESTAURANT
ON THE GROUND FLOOR, THAT WOULD
BE EXEMPT. IT IS AN OPT OUT
PROGRAM. IF THE DEVELOPER USES
-- CHOOSES IN YEAR THREE TO OPT
OUT. THEY CANNOT PAY TAXES AT
THAT POINT. IT IS IN SOME WAYS
A SEPARATE PROGRAM. YOU ASKED
WHERE IT APPLIES. MOST AREAS OF
THE CITY WERE RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT IS ALLOWED. IT'S
MORE TARGETED BUT NOW APPLIES
MORE BROADLY. IN TERMS OF THE
INTERSECTION OF THE MFTE
PROGRAM AND LAND-USE CODE,
DEFINITELY THE AVAILABILITY FOR
TAX EXEMPTIONS IS SOMETHING
DEVELOPERS CONSIDER WHEN MAKING
DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS. IT IS IN
SOME WAYS A WAY TO MITIGATE
AGAINST THE RISK OF FUTURE
PROPERTY TAX INCREASES. THINGS
LIKE THAT. BUT, THERE ARE
SOME SPECIFIC INTERSECTIONS ON
THE CODE, ONE IS WITH AUDITORY
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM.
WE DON'T LET MFTE UNITS IF
THEY ARE PERFORMANCE UNITS,
COUNT AS YOUR MFTE UNITS. THERE
CAN'T BE ANY OTHER SUBSIDY
INVOLVED. THEY HAVE TO BE
STANDALONE UNITS. IS ONE OF THE
PLACES WHERE THERE IS KIND OF
INTERSECTION WITH MHA AND MFTE
AND WE DON'T ALLOW THAT CROSS
SUBSIDY.
>> BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR
PROJECT , IF I AM A COMMITTEE
ORGANIZATION, I HAVE, LET'S
SAY TREND -- SIFF, I KNOW AT
LEAST ONE COMMITTEE
ORGANIZATION GOT FUNDS TO BUY A
PIECE OF LAND AND NOW
PRESUMABLY THIS ORGANIZATION
COULD WORK WITH A FOR-PROFIT
OR NONPROFIT DEVELOPER IS THE
EXAMPLE YOU GAVE US EARLIER IN
THE WEEK , KETIL. COULD THEY
NOT, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO
CREATE THIS NEW PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, COULD THEY NOT
CURRENTLY , NOW THAT THEY ON
THE PROPERTY, LEASE IT TO A
DEVELOPER WHO WILL DEVELOP THE
PROPERTY AND THEREBY THEY WOULD
GET BENEFIT. THEY BEING THE
COMMITTEE ORGANIZATION?
>> NOT KNOWING THE SORT OF
PARTICULARS ABOUT THE
TRANSACTION, I DON'T KNOW IF
IT WAS A CITY PROPERTY OR WHEN
IT WAS CONVEYED THERE WAS SOME
SORT OF RESTRICTION AND THAT'S
HOW IT MAY BE USED IN THE
FUTURE. ASSUMING THERE IS NOT,
THEY COULD POTENTIALLY LEASE
THAT LAND TO A FOR-PROFIT
DEVELOPER. THERE WOULD BE SOME
KIND OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
WITH THE FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPER.
AND THAT DEVELOPER COULD
DEVELOP THE PROPERTY SUBJECT
TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF
AFFORDABILITY IN PROPOSAL NOW
AND HOWEVER IT MAY CHANGE.
THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF A
POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP. I THINK
WAS GENERALLY ENVISIONED IS
WHEN THAT DEVELOPMENT IS
HAPPENING IF IT'S AN
ORGANIZATION THAT IS A
QUALIFYING ORGANIZATION THAT
DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE WITH DEVELOPMENT
AND WANTS TO BUILD THAT
CAPACITY WITHIN THE
ORGANIZATION, THEN PRESUMABLY
THEY WOULD STRUCTURE THE
PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT SO THEY
GAIN THAT CAPACITY THROUGH THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
DEVELOPER.
>> THE DIFFERENCE BEING THEY
OWN PART OF THE WHATEVER IS
BUILT VERSUS , IN MY EXAMPLE
THEY ARE LEASING THE PROPERTY
TO DEVELOPERS. SO THEY WOULD
STILL ON THE LAND. SO THEY
COULD DO THAT NOW. YOU DON'T
NEED THIS LEGISLATION FOR THAT
SCENARIO. IN THIS PARTICULAR
LEGISLATION, THEY WOULD TO OWN
WHATEVER DEVELOPMENT GOT PUT
UP?
>> THE ADVANTAGE TO DEVELOPING
UNDER THE PILOT WOULD BE
YOU'D BE ABLE TO BUILD MORE.
THERE WOULD BE MORE OF AN
INCENTIVE FOR A FOR-PROFIT
DEVELOPER TO TRY TO COME UP
WITH THE OWNERSHIP AGREEMENT
WITH SIFF SO IT BENEFITS SIFF
BECAUSE SIFF WOULD HAVE
LEVERAGE A VIRTUE OF THE PILOT
PROGRAM TO PARTICIPATE IN IT.
POTENTIALLY BETTER PARTNERSHIP
AGREEMENTS AND THEY WOULD
OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO GET.
>> ALTHOUGH WE CAN'T CONTROL
THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
BECAUSE WE DON'T PROVIDE ANY
HELP TO THE PROPERTY COMMUNITY,
PROPERTY OWNER -- ONE OF MY
CONCERNS, THE PROPERTY OWNER,
WE ARE NOT PROVIDING LEGAL
ASSISTANCE IN HOW THEY
STRUCTURE THEIR AGREEMENT WITH
THE FOR-PROFIT OR NONPROFIT
DEVELOPER. WE CAN CONTROL FOR
WHAT KIND OF DEAL THEY GET.
>> YEAH.
>> THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON
HOW FRUITFUL IT IS FOR THAT
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. OR
LANDOWNER.
>> CORRECT. AS WITH THE OWNER
UNIT INCENTIVE, THERE IS NOT,
THE BILL DOES NOT PURPORT TO
REGULATE WHAT THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS LOOK LIKE IT
WOULD BE UP TO THOSE
CONTRACTING PARTIES TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT WORKS BEST FOR THEM.
>> I GUESS I WILL JUST SAY, A
COMMENT, THAT IS OF CONCERN,
JUST BECAUSE THESE ARE PROPERTY
OWNERS THE DON'T HAVE THE
EXPERIENCE , THAT IS WHY THE
LEGISLATION IS BEING DEPLETED
TO BEGIN WITH. I GUESS I WILL
JUST FLAG UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES IF WE DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITHOUT
ACCOUNTING FOR IT ON THE BACK
END. HAD WE HELP ENSURE IT IS
VERY MUCH WHAT IT IS INTENDED
TO BE WHICH IS LONG-TERM
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING AND
BENEFITS FOR THE UNDERSERVED
LANDOWNER. IF YOU WILL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> VERY FRUITFUL CONVERSATION.
THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE
DISCUSSION. AS KETIL
MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE A HEARING
SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 21 .
YOU KNOW, IN THE MEANTIME,
HAPPY TO CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION AND CONTINUE
DIGGING INTO THE CONCERNS THAT
WERE RAISED TODAY. AS WELL AS
REACHING OUT TO OTHER PARTNERS
AND COMMITTEE ORGANIZATIONS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
INCLUDING THE PERSPECTIVES THAT
WERE RAISED HERE. AND, I WANT
TO THANK OUR PARTNERS HERE FOR
SHARING. WE WILL CONTINUE THE
DISCUSSION. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. OKAY, DEVON, PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO THE
AGENDA.
>> 2024 OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKPLAN
PRESENTATION. FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE DIRECTOR
RICO QUIRINDONGO FROM THE
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. GOOD
AFTERNOON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> THANK YOU. YOU ARE HERE TO
SHARE YOUR 2024 WORKPLAN WITH
US AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE DISCUSSION. VERY MUCH.
>> EXCELLENT. THERE ARE SOME
SLIDES, I SAW MY INTRO SLIDE
FOR A SECOND.
>> WE WILL BRING THAT UP.
EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO
THAT AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON
THE AGENDA, I KNOW I HAD THE
CHANCE TO BRIEF A FEW OF YOU
ALREADY. I APPRECIATE YOU
HEARING THIS FOR A SECOND TIME.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL HEAR SOMETHING
NEW YOU DIDN'T HEAR THE FIRST
TIME. COUNCILMEMBER WOO, I
THINK WE ARE ON YOUR CALENDAR
OR TRYING TO GET ON YOUR
CALENDAR TO DO A BRIEFING AS
WELL. KIND OF CRAZY.
>> THANK YOU, DEVON.
>> TAKE IT AWAY.
>> WHAT WE SEE ON THE BOTTOM
OF THE SLIDE, AND AGAIN, RICO
QUIRINDONGO, DIRECTOR OF
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. OUR
MISSION IS TO LEAD
COLLABORATIVE PLANNING ADVANCED
AND CREATE GREAT PLACES. NEXT
SLIDE. AND I CONTROL THE
SLIDES FROM HERE? OKAY. THAT
MISSION, WE EXECUTE THROUGH
FOUR EXISTING DIVISIONS . WHAT
WE DID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS
YEAR WAS TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF
A REORGANIZATION OF OUR OFFICE
TO CREATE A POLICY AND
PLANNING GROUP EMBEDDED IN
THAT GROUP IS OUR LONG RAGE
PLANNING DIVISION AND OUR
LAND-USE POLICY AND STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES DIVISION. AND THEN
A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP
WHICH IS HEADED BY MY DEPUTY
DIRECTOR, AMY. THAT GROUP
INCLUDES OUR COMMUNITY PLANNING
DIVISION. ARE EQUITABLE
ELEMENT DIVISION AND OUR
INDIGENOUS PLANNING LEAD. WE
ALSO HAVE THE DESIGN COMMISSION
AND PLANNING COMMISSION THAT IS
PART OF OUR PORTFOLIO. THEY
OPERATE WITHIN THEIR OWN
JURISDICTION . THEY ARE
BRINGING THEIR OWN
PRESENTATIONS TO COUNCIL
SEPARATELY. NEXT SLIDE. SO,
OPCD HAS FIVE PRIORITIES THIS
YEAR. FRANKLY, THEY ARE THE
SAME AS THE FIVE PRIORITIES WE
HAD LAST YEAR. THE ONE THING
THAT DROPPED OFF THE LIST WAS
THE INDUSTRIAL MARITIME
STRATEGY WHICH WE PASSED MAJOR
BUDGET LEGISLATION LED BY JEFF
IN MY OFFICE LAST YEAR. SO,
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO TALK WITH
YOU ABOUT TODAY IS OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING UPDATE
WORK, OUR ADI PROGRAM, OUR
PLANNING WORK, THE WEST
SEATTLE EXTENSION, STATIONARY
PLANNING AND DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION PLAN, THE PIECE OF
THAT PROGRAM WE WERE INVOLVED
IN. NEXT SLIDE. SO, OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN . AS YOU
ALL KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW ON
UPDATING OUR CURRENT PLAN ,
CURRENTLY IF YOU GO ONLINE YOU
CAN DRAW DOWN A COPY OF THE
SEATTLE 2035 PLAN. WE ARE
WORKING ON IS A STATE
REQUIREMENT AND REQUIREMENT
PUGET SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL.
AN UPDATE TO THE PLAN WHICH WE
ARE REQUIRED TO DO EVERY 10
YEARS. IT USED TO BE EVERY
EIGHT YEARS. IN THAT PLAN , I
SHOULD SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WE HAVE ALREADY DONE A GOOD
AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
, PART OF THAT WAS FOCUSED
AROUND SCOPING FOR THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT,
HEARD OF THAT HAS JUST BEEN
LISTENING SESSIONS WITH
INDIVIDUALS, STAKEHOLDERS,
INNOVATIONS, TO HEAR FROM
COMMUNITY WHAT THEY ALL WANTED
TO SEE THE CITY DO BETTER AND
WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IS
CONTENT IN THIS PLAN. PART OF
THE OUTREACH HAS BEEN EDUCATING
PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN CAN
DO. AND WHAT IT CANNOT. WE ARE
PLANNING TO RELEASE THE DRAFT
PLAN AND DIS IN THE FIRST WEEK
OF MARK FOLLOWING THAT
RELEASE, SO IN THE MONTHS OF
MARCH AND APRIL OUR INTENT IS
TO DO SEVEN OPEN HOUSES. ONE
IN EACH DISTRICT. AND ALSO AN
ONLINE OPEN HOUSE ENGAGEMENT.
THERE IS ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
WORKSHOPS WE'RE GOING TO DO
WITH STAKEHOLDERS. CONTINUED
OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY GROUPS
AND STAKEHOLDERS BASED ON THIS
LARGE NEW BODY OF INFORMATION
WE ARE PUTTING OUT INTO THE
PUBLIC REALM. THERE IS THE
ONLINE ENGAGEMENT HUB THAT IS
CONTINUES TO BE LIVE AND
ONLINE. THAT WILL BE A VERY
ROBUST ENGINE FOR ONLINE
ENGAGEMENT ONCE THE DRAFT PLAN
IS RELEASED. AND THEN OF
COURSE WE WILL HAVE A 60 DAY
COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE TV --
DEIS. IF WE'RE DOING
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIFIC
TO THE RELEASE OF THE DRAFT
PLAN AND THE DEIS REQUIRED
COMMENT PERIOD, IN THE SECOND
HALF OF THE YEAR, WE WILL DO A
RENEWED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
THAT IS SPECIFIC TO ZONING
IMPLEMENTATION . WHAT THAT
MEANS IS IF YOU THINK ABOUT
THE PLAN AND GROWTH STRATEGY
ALSO REQUIREMENT, IF YOU THINK
OF THAT AS OPERATING AT A
50,000 FOOT LEVEL, THE ZONING
IMPLEMENTATION IS MORE AT A
10,000 FOOT LEVEL WHERE WE
TALK TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW
ZONING WILL BE APPLIED .
>> WHEN DID YOU SAY THE EIS
COMMENT PERIOD STARTS?
>> IT WILL START CONCURRENT
WITH RELEASE OF THE DRAFT PLAN,
FIRST WEEK OF MARCH. NEXT
SLIDE. EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE. I THINK YOU
MENTIONED IN YOUR PREVIOUS
COMMENTS, THIS IS A PROGRAM WE
HAVE BEEN OPERATING FOR THE
LAST SEVEN YEARS. BEGAN AS A
$5 MILLION PROGRAM IN YEAR ONE.
IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE BUDGET
FOR $25 MILLION THIS YEAR. HER
PLAN WITH THE EDI ADVISORY
BOARD IS TO DO SOME VISION
AND PLANNING ACTIVITIES IN THE
FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR. WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT WHAT EDI 2.0
LOOKS LIKE. WHAT THAT MEANS FOR
US LOOKING AT THE SUCCESS OF
THE PROGRAM TO DATE, WHAT CAN
WE DO TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL
ABOUT OUR INVESTMENTS, HOW CAN
THOSE INVESTMENTS BE CROSSCOURT
NEEDED WITH OTHER INVESTMENTS
AT THE CITY, INCLUDING OFFICE
OF HOUSING, INCLUDING OUR
UTILITIES AND INCLUDING SDOT?
AND THEN, ALSO HOW CAN OUR
EDI WORK INFLUENCE MORE OF OUR
POLICY WORK AT THE CITY? SO
THE PROPOSAL YOU JUST OR IN
CONVERSATION ABOUT, THAT IS AN
EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ARE PUTTING
THAT INTO ACTION CURRENTLY. THE
ABC LEGISLATION WE PASSED LAST
YEAR AND WHAT IS BEING
COMPLETED CURRENTLY, WE WANT TO
DO THAT IN OTHER AREAS IN
COLLABORATION WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS. NEXT SLIDE.
SUBAREA PLANNING. IN 2018 THE
REQUIRED THAT ANY CITIES
DESIGNATED URBAN VILLAGES,
WHICH WE WILL BE CALLING URBAN
CENTERS IN THE NEW PLAN, THOSE
AS HIGHER GROWTH AREAS AND
LARGER ENGINES OF OUR ECONOMIC
VITALITY FOR THE CITY, WE ARE
NOW REQUIRED TO DO A MORE
DETAILED PLANNING TO SHOW HOW
WE ARE DELIVERING JOBS AND
HOUSING IN EACH OF THOSE
AREAS. CURRENTLY HAVE SIX
URBAN VILLAGES ACROSS THE
CITY. WE ARE WORKING ON THREE
OF THOSE SUBAREAS CURRENTLY.
THAT IS THE DOWNTOWN SUB AREA
PLAN, NORTHGATE AND CAPITOL
HILL /FIRST HILL AND WE WILL BE
WORKING ON SOUTH LAKE UNION,
UPTOWN AND UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
AS PART OF OUR WORK PLAN IN
2025 AND 2026. NEXT SLIDE. AS
YOU ALL KNOW, AS A CITY, AND
MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, WE ARE
WORKING ON THE LARGEST
INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM THIS
CITY HAS EVER SEEN. IT IS
AROUND $12 MILLION ESTIMATED
CURRENTLY. THE ROLE THAT OPCD
HAS IS WORKING WITH SDOT AND
SOUND TRANSIT IN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE RELATED TO OUR
STATIONARY PLANNING AND THOSE
INVESTMENTS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS
AND COMMUNITIES WHERE LIGHT
RAIL TOUCHES DOWN AT A
STATION. WHAT IS THAT TRANSIT
ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITY, HOW CAN WE PLAN
THOSE AREAS SO WE CAN HAVE
NOT-FOR-PROFIT COMMUNITY BIPOC
PARTNERS THAT ARE PART OF THE
DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAPPEN IN
EACH OF THOSE SITE LOCATIONS,
BOTH ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE AND
HOUSING AND PUBLIC REALM. IN
2024 WE WILL CONTINUE THAT
PROGRAM AND WORK WITH SOUND
TRANSIT, BOTH ON THE BALLARD
LINE WHICH IS MOVING AHEAD
CURRENTLY, AND ON THE WEST
SEATTLE LINE WHICH WE ARE
STILL IN THAT DES PHASE. NEXT
SLIDE. THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION
PLAN AS YOU KNOW, IS LOOKING
AT THE HEAVY LIFT OF HOW DO WE
CREATE A MORE VIBRANT AND
VITAL DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT ?
FOR OFFICE, WE SIT AS A
MEMBER OFFICE ON THE
SUBCABINET WHICH IS HALF A
DOZEN DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE
CROSS COORDINATING OUR EFFORTS
TOWARD THAT IN THE MISSION OF
THE SUBCABINET. A BUNCH OF
THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT
NOW, THIS IS BEING , THIS WORK
YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN ON THE
RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE PAGE IS
BEING LED BY OUR LAND-USE
AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
DIVISION. THE NAUSICAA SITE
AND . OH 48, IT REPRESENTS THE
FIVE BLOCKS OF CURRENTLY
UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY NEATLY
ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE
STADIUMS. THIS WAS THE LAYDOWN
SITE WILL THE TUNNELS BEING
CONSTRUCTED BY WSDOT. WE SET
ASIDE THAT LAND AREA TO DO A
MASTER PLAN AT A LATER DATE
AFTER THE INDUSTRIAL MARITIME
STRATEGY WORK. WE ARE LEANING
INTO THAT WORK NOW. IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH WSDOT AND
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND
ENVIRONMENT, WITH C 40 WHICH
IS AN INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON
REDUCTION OF CLIMATE FOOTPRINT
IN CITIES ACROSS THE WORLD.
THEY ARE DOING AN INTERNATIONAL
COMPETITION EVERY OTHER YEAR
TO IDENTIFY SITES WHERE THERE
ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WITH
PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS A
SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT CARBON
NEUTRAL IT LOOKS LIKE, WE
IDENTIFIED THE WOSCA SITE IS
ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND
WE ARE SEEING THAT IN
PARTNERSHIP RIGHT NOW.
>> THE PROJECT HAS BEGUN AS
PART OF THE C 40?
>> THE SITE IS OWNED BY WSDOT,
THIS EFFORT IS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO WORK WITH WSDOT TO DEVELOP
AN RFP THE DEVELOPERS BOTH
LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY AND
INTERNATIONALLY WOULD RESPOND
TO TO PUT FORTH DEVELOPMENT
IDEAS TO BE PART OF A PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT LAND,
WHICH WSDOT WILL CONTINUE TO
HOLD.
>> GOT IT. PIER 48, WE ARE IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM TALKING
ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE OF THAT
PIER LOOKS LIKE, PARTICULARLY
AS A HINGE POINT FROM THE
WATERFRONT TO THE STADIUMS AND
PART OF THAT CONSIDERATION IS
ALSO AROUND THE CITY'S
PREPARATION FOR THE MEN'S
WORLD CUP IN 2026. THE SECOND
BULLET POINT DOWN, OFFICE AND
RESIDENTIAL CONVERSIONS, LAST
MAY WE HELD , THE MAYOR HELD A
RECEPTION FOR 12 DEVELOPMENT
PROPOSALS , REAL SITES ACROSS
THE CITY THAT EXISTING
BUILDING OWNERS AND
DEVELOPMENT TEAMS WERE
PROPOSING IF WE WERE TO CONVERT
THIS EXISTING DOWNTOWN OFFICE
INTO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY,
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? WHAT IS
THE ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE
COST? AND THEN, WHAT ARE THE
IMPEDIMENTS THAT WERE IN THE
WAY OF THAT BEING A SUCCESSFUL
PROJECT , AND WHAT COULD THE
CITY DO TO HELP? A REALLY
GREAT CONVERSATION. GREAT
PROPOSALS. WE ARE CURRENTLY
WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF THOSE
DEVELOPMENT TEAMS TO TRY TO
TAKE THE NEXT STEP FORWARD IN
GETTING FROM CONCEPT TO PERMIT
APPLICATION. VERY EXCITED
ABOUT THAT WORK. KING COUNTY
CIVIC MASTER PLAN, JEFF
CONSTANTINE DID A GREAT
PRESENTATION AT THE U-DUB
CAMPUS AT THE HUB TALKING ABOUT
KING COUNTY'S VISION FOR THE
EXISTING CAMPUS WHICH IS AN
EIGHT BLOCK AREA, EIGHT
BUILDINGS. IMMEDIATELY
ADJACENT TO US HERE NOW . AND
THEN ALSO THEIR VISION FOR
EIGHT SOUTH CAMPUS AND A NEW
JAIL IN SODO AND SOUTH
DOWNTOWN. WE ARE JUST BEGINNING
CONVERSATIONS OF WHAT THE
OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR
DEVELOPMENT. FOR MIXED-USE,
FOR HOUSING, A LOT FOR US TO
TALK ABOUT. SOUTH DOWNTOWN
VISION PLANNING AND CORONATION,
THE KING COUNTY MASTER PLAN IS
ONE OF 11 PROJECTS THAT OPCD
IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF
IDENTIFIED AS OF INTEREST IN
SOUTH DOWNTOWN THAT WE WANT TO
KIND OF BE PART OF WEAVING
TOGETHER FOR A GREATER PUBLIC
BENEFIT. SO, MORE ON THAT AS
WE DEVELOP THAT PLAN AND
VISION , THE STATIONARY
PLANNING AND THE TWO STATIONS
NORTH AND SOUTH CID BEING
CONTEMPLATED ALSO AS PART OF
THAT WORK . AND THAT
CONSIDERATION. 3rd AVENUE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL,
WHICH WE CHANGED FROM EIGHT
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL TO A
FORUM, THAT IS WHERE I JUST
CAME FROM RIGHT BEFORE THIS
COUNCIL SESSION TODAY. WE
PULLED TOGETHER COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDERS , KING COUNTY
METRO, THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
ASSOCIATION. SDOT, OPCD,
OED, TO HAVE A CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW DO WE TAKE WHAT
REALLY, IN A LOT OF WAYS IS THE
FRONT DOOR OF THE CITY, IF YOU
ARE COMING FROM THE AIRPORT,
GETTING ON LIGHT RAIL, YOU COME
DOWNTOWN, WHEN YOU COME UP TO
GET A CONNECTION ON THE BUS OR
GO TO YOUR HOTEL, OFTEN TIMES
THE FIRST THING YOU EXPERIENCE
IS 3rd AVENUE. WE NEED TO MAKE
THAT ENVIRONMENT BETTER . AND
SO WE ARE STARTING A
CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW ABOUT
WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES WE NEED
TO BRING TO BEAR
INTERDEPARTMENTAL HE AND HER
AGENCY AND IN PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP TO REALIZE A
GREATER VISION FOR THAT SPACE.
BOTH AS A KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD
DISTRICT, BUT ALSO A
TRANSPORTATION FACILITY.
DOWNTOWN SUBAREA PLAN, I
MENTIONED THAT IN THE PREVIOUS
SLIDE. THIS IS PART OF OUR
SUBAREA PLAN WORK . IT IS WORK
THAT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
END OF THIS YEAR. STADIUM
AREA AND THE FIBA WOLRD CUP
OPERATION, IN THE SHORT TERM
INTERIM USE ON THE WOSCA SITE,
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN
BE IN PARTNERSHIP POTENTIALLY
WITH THE STADIUMS TO ACTIVATE
THAT SPACE PRIOR TO AND DURING
FIFA . AND THEN LID I-5, WE
COMPLETED A $1 MILLION STUDY
ON LID I-5 WHICH I THINK WAS
TWO AND HALF YEARS AGO NOW. WE
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE LID
I-5 GROUP ON THAT NEW PLANNING
TO SEE THAT VISION FORWARD FOR
THE CITY AND KIND OF BRING
DOWNTOWN AND FIRST HILL AND
CAPITOL HILL AND WEAVE THEM
BACK TOGETHER. WE ARE LOOKING
AT NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
AND WORKING WITH WSDOT ON
THEIR LONG-RANGE PLANNING .
NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS JUST A
REMINDER OF WHAT OUR TWO
GROUPS ARE, PLANNING AND POLICY
AS WELL AS COMMITTEE
DEVELOPMENT GROUP AND THEN THE
DIVISIONS IN EACH. NEXT SLIDE.
CITYWIDE AND REGIONAL PLANNING
, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR REGIONAL
PLANNING COORDINATION , THE
HEAVY LIFT OF THE COMP PLAN
MAJOR UPDATE WORK WE ARE DOING.
WE ALSO HAVE COMP PLAN ANNUAL
AMENDMENTS THAT WE EXECUTE
EVERY YEAR. AND THEN WE ARE
ALSO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
AND ENVIRONMENT ON CLIMATE
CHANGE AND RESILIENCE PLANNING
FOR THE CITY. UNDER OUR
LAND-USE POLICY AND STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES, WE HAVE DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION PLAN. COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN ZONING IMPLEMENTATION.
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT ZONING
WORK AS WELL AS OUR STRATEGIC
HOUSING ACTIONS POLICY
DEVELOPMENT. NEXT SLIDE. OUR
AREA PLANNING WORK , WE HAVE
THE SUBAREA PLAN PORTFOLIO. AS
WELL AS STATION AREA PLANNING ,
RECONNECT SOUTH PARK. WE HAVE
OUR FEDERAL FUNDING WE ARE
CONTINUING TO EFFORT THERE AS
WELL AS THE WARMISH VALLEY
PROGRAM. AND OUR ONGOING
COLLABORATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ON
THE CID CORE TEAM. AND
COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS , THE EDI
PROGRAM WHICH I ALREADY
DISCUSSED. WE ALSO HAVE A
GROUP LOOKING AT EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT AND COMMITTEE
PARTNERSHIPS RELATED TO
EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT. WE CO-LEAD WITH
THE CAPITAL BUDGET OFFICE , THE
CAPITAL SUBCABINET AND OUR
ROLE THERE IS TO HELP LOOK AT
HOW WE REACH GREATER OUTCOMES
ACROSS CORD AND OUR
INVESTMENTS ACROSS ALL OF OUR
CAPITAL DEPARTMENTS. WE
CONTINUE TO SHEPHERD OUR
INDIGENOUS SEATTLE PROGRAM
THROUGH OPCD. AS WELL AS THE
LEADERSHIP THAT IS PROVIDED BY
OUR INDIGENOUS PLANNER IN THE
OFFICE. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE
COORDINATION WITH THE COUNTY
THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE AS WELL
AS PHILANTHROPY. AND I THINK
THAT IS MY LAST SLIDE.
>> IS THAT IT? THAT IS ALL
YOU ARE DOING? THAT IS ALL
YOU ARE DOING IN THE CITY?
OKAY. DIRECTOR RICO
QUIRINDONGO, MY APOLOGIES.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO
FLAG A COUPLE OF THINGS WE ARE
TRACKING. OBVIOUSLY THE
CONFERENCE OF PLAN IS A HUGE
BODY OF WORK WE WILL HAVE TO DO
THIS YEAR. WE ARE BEHIND, AS
EVERYONE HAS NOTED. AND SO, TO
THE EXTENT THAT THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT SORT OF AROUND TWO ,
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S HAPPENING
THIS SUMMER.
>> MARCH.
>> AND THEN , WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE PROVIDING AS MUCH
OPPORTUNITY AS POSSIBLE , FOR
ME IN MY DISTRICT, TO MAKE SURE
FOLKS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WEIGH IN AND UNDERSTAND WITH
THIS PROCESS IS. AND TO ENGAGE.
AND UNDERSTAND IT. AND, THOSE
OPEN HOUSES WILL BE THE
INFORMATION WILL BE MADE
AVAILABLE.
>> YES. WE WILL COORDINATE WITH
EACH OF YOUR OFFICES TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE OPEN HOUSES
HAPPEN AT A TIME THAT WORKS
FOR YOUR CALENDARS.
>> IN TERMS OF THE
REORGANIZATION, I THINK IT
MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME
THAT YOU HAVE SORT OF A POLICY
GROUP AND THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT GROUP. OBVIOUSLY
IS A NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNER, THE
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND EDI WORK
IS REALLY IMPORTANT . FOR THOSE
WHO DON'T KNOW, THAT REALLY
CAME OUT OF COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR ORGANIZING TANNISH YEARS
AGO TO REALLY HAVE A PLACE FOR
COMMITTEE LED DEVELOPMENT, TO
TAKE PLACE AND HAVE THE
CAPACITY BUILDING TOOLS AND
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM.
>> EXACTLY. AND IT WAS A DIRECT
OUTCOME OF THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT THE LAST TIME WE
WERE DOING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
MAJOR UPDATE AND STRATEGY FOR
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.
>> IF YOU DON'T KNOW ALREADY,
THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART
OF MY PRIORITIES FOR THE WORK
THAT THIS DEPARTMENT DOES. SO
MUCH OF THE WORK THAT HAPPENS
IN THAT DIVISION IS DIRECTLY
CONNECTED TO OUR
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES.
THOSE REALLY AFFECT,
PARTICULARLY DISTRICT TWO AND
DISTRICT 3. I'M HAPPY TO
CONTINUE WORKING ON THAT. THE
LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY, AND
THEN OF COLLEAGUES HAVE
QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING I'M
HAPPY TO HAND IT OFF, MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE DEIS
FOR THE SOUND TRANSIT PROPOSALS
WILL BE OUT AT THE END OF THIS
YEAR .
>> THAT SOUNDS RIGHT. THAT
SOUNDS RIGHT.
>> I WILL CONFIRM THAT. MY
OFFICE HAS QUARTERLY MEETINGS
WITH SOUND TRANSIT ABOUND --
ABOUT EVERYTHING LIGHT RAIL
RELATED IN THE DISTRICT. AND
THIS IS A PRIORITY THAT WE ARE
DEALING WITH THAT AND GETTING
ANOTHER ROUND OF COMMITTEE
ENGAGEMENT ON THAT.
>> JUST A POINT OF
CLARIFICATION, THAT IS WEST
SEATTLE.
>> RIGHT. SORRY. AND THEN THE
LAST THING I WILL SAY IS, I
WILL QUIBBLE WITH YOU ABOUT 3rd
AVENUE BEING THE FRONT DOOR TO
THE CITY. IF YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT LIGHT RAIL AND YOU ARE
COMING FROM THE AIRPORT,
RAINIER BEACH IS THE FRONT DOOR
TO THE CITY, CRITICALLY SINCE
THAT'S GROUND-LEVEL AND YOU
COULD SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS
YOU COME INTO TOWN. BUT THAT
NOTWITHSTANDING, I AM GLAD THE
WORK IS PROCEEDING AND YOU
HAVE GOT A VERY FULL PLATE THIS
YEAR. WHICH MEANS WE WILL BE
VERY BUSY IN THIS COMMITTEE .
AND, AS WE ARE MOVING THROUGH
THE YEAR, I REALLY ENCOURAGE
MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF OUR CENTRAL STAFF WHO ARE
THE POLICY EXPERTS THAT HAVE
AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF
INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY FOR US.
AND THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF WILL
ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LOT
OF SUPPORT AS WE ARE GRAPPLING
WITH THESE ISSUES. ANY
QUESTIONS FOR MY COLLEAGUES?
>> JUST A COMMENT ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE COMP PLAN.
THIS IS THE 20 YOUR COMP PLAN.
THERE ARE TIMES THROUGHOUT AND
IN BETWEEN THOSE 20 YEARS WE
LOOK AT COMP PLAN AND DO MINOR
AMENDMENTS. IT IS BY LAW THAT
WE HAVE TO DO THIS EVERY 20
YEARS. AND SO TO THAT POINT, I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE
THE ROBUST ENGAGEMENT. BECAUSE
THE ENTIRE CITY CARES ABOUT THE
COMP PLAN. EVERY SINGLE
DISTRICT, EVERY SINGLE
NEIGHBORHOOD IN EVERY SINGLE
DISTRICT. EVERY SINGLE
COMMUNITY MEMBER. I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE NEEDS OF
COMMUNITY ARE INCORPORATED
INTO THE COMP PLAN. THIS IS
REALLY, I THINK, ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT PIECES BECAUSE
OF ITS LONGEVITY.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT
EVERY SO OFTEN WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN
AMENDMENT, THIS IS LIKE, THE
BIG ONE. JUST UNDERSCORING THE
IMPORTANCE OF THAT AND THEN
JUST SAYING, OUR OFFICE IS
AVAILABLE TO WORK WITH OPCD,
CENTRAL STAFF OBVIOUSLY, AND
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE DOING THIS WELL.
AND THAT WE GET THAT CONTRACT
TIMEWISE. AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
WE ARE HERE TO ASSIST.
>> WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO
ENSURE THAT ALL THE COMMENTS
WE RECEIVE FROM COMMUNITY,
THAT WE ARE DOING THE RUBRIC
WORK TO TAKE COMMENT INPUT AND
HAVE THAT DIRECTLY INFORM
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND
COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN. AS YOU
KNOW, THE PLAN IS EXTREMELY
THICK, SO THAT IS VERY
COMPLICATED PROCESS.
>> AND UNDERSCORING THE
EQUITABLE COMPONENTS .
DEVELOPMENT AND OTHERWISE, TO
REALLY BE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN.
BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE DO THINGS
OUTSIDE OF THE PLAN AND I THINK
WE OWE IT TO COMMUNITY AND FOR
THE SAKE OF EQUITY, TO MAKE
SURE IT IS IN THE PLAN. WE KNOW
THIS IS, LIKE I SAID EARLIER,
THE BIG PLAN. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE OUR COMMUNITIES , OUR
DIVERSE COMMITTEES ARE NOT
BEING LEFT OUT, IF YOU WILL.
>> I THINK THAT IS A REALLY
GOOD POINT. I THINK AS A POINT
OF CLARIFICATION, I WOULD ADD,
AND I THINK YOU PLACED A GOOD
FRAMEWORK AROUND THIS, WE ARE
REQUIRED TO DO THIS UPDATE, THE
MAJOR UPDATE ONCE EVERY 10
YEARS. AND THEN WE DO THESE
SMALLER POLICY REVISIONS AND
ADJUSTMENTS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT AS A
MESSAGE TO COMMUNITY TO SAY,
YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE RIGHT OF
THE APPLE. AND IF THE COMP
PLAN PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK AT
A HIGH LEVEL, THE SUBAREA
PLANNING WORK WE DO AND THEN
THE MORE SPECIFIC COMMUNITY
PLAN AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING
WORK WE DO WILL BE MORE
IMPLEMENTATION LEVEL AND
STRATEGY WORK WITH THE
COMMUNITY. WE CAN'T PACK THAT
LEVEL OF DETAIL ALL INTO THE
COMP PLAN BUT WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE, IN TERMS OF
POLICY FRAMEWORK, WE DON'T
LEAVE OUT ANY LARGE
CONSIDERATIONS THAT PREVENT US
FROM DOING THINGS AT A
TECHNICAL LEVEL AND TRYING TO
EXECUTE PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OF COURSE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ASK A
BRIEF UPDATE, YOU NOTED THE
2024 PRIORITIES LIST, THE
NORTHGATE SUBAREA PLANNING AND
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. I'M
WONDERING IF YOU HAVE AN UPDATE
ON THAT?
>> ON HOW WE ARE DOING
ENGAGEMENT IN NORTHGATE?
>> YES.
>> WELL, SO, I THINK THERE
PROBABLY TWO DIFFERENT ANSWERS
TO YOUR QUESTION. ONE WE ARE
PLANNING SPECIFIC ENGAGEMENT
AROUND THE COMP PLAN , WHICH I
DON'T HAVE A DATE FOR IT YET.
IT WILL BE PRESUMABLY SOME TIME
IN LATE MARCH. I KNOW THAT
OUR STAFF WILL BE WORKING WITH
YOUR STAFF TO MAKE SURE WE LINE
UP A DATE THAT WORKS FOR YOUR
CALENDAR. I THINK WE SENT A
PACKAGE OF INFORMATION TO YOUR
OFFICE JUST ABOUT A BUNCH OF
OTHER WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE
PLANNING RELATED IN NORTHGATE.
AND THEN, THERE HAS ALSO BEEN
A SPECIFIC CONVERSATION
AROUND INDIGENOUS
NEIGHBORHOODS AS AN OPPORTUNITY
IN NORTHGATE. SO TIM IN OUR
OFFICE HAS BEEN ENGAGED ALONG
WITH THE PLANNING WORK WE HAVE
DONE AROUND NORTHGATE SUBAREA
PLANNING. I'M NOT SURE IF
THAT GETS THE ANSWER TO YOUR
QUESTION. THERE IS A BUNCH OF
STUFF WE ARE WORKING ON IN YOUR
DISTRICT.
>> OKAY. IF WE COULD JUST BE
SURE THE PEOPLE ARE REACHING
OUT TO MY OFFICE , AS YOU SAID
THEY ARE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE STAYING IN CONVERSATION,
THINK YOU SO MUCH.
>> DEFINITELY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE TWO
QUESTIONS. THE FIRST INVOLVING
THE COMPANY AND SO PLAN. WHEN
YOU DO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH,
WHAT REPORT BACK AT YOU HAVE
TOWARDS COUNCIL , WILL YOU
LIST THE ORGANIZATIONS ?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. I
BELIEVE WE ARE COMING BACK TO
THIS COMMITTEE IN A COUPLE OF
WEEKS , OR NEXT MONTH TO DO A
COMP PLAN 101 PRESENTATION.
AND, IN THAT PRESENTATION WE
WILL PROVIDE YOU A LIST OF ALL
THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE
REACHED OUT TO SO FAR . I WOULD
ALSO SAY THAT IF YOU GO ONLINE
TO OUR OPCD CITY WEBSITE ,
YOU CAN GO TO THE COMP PLAN
UPDATE LINK AND GO TO A LINK
THAT HAS A LIST OF ALL OF OUR
DELIVERABLES SO FAR. WHAT THAT
WILL INCLUDE IS A PHASE ONE
REPORT THAT TALKS ABOUT THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WE DID
DURING THE SCOPING PHASE FOR
THE EIS AND THEN SOME OF OUR
MORE GENERAL ENGAGEMENT WE HAD
DONE AT THE TIME. THIS WAS
LAST YEAR, WE HAD A SERIES OF
OPEN HOUSES. IT WILL ALSO
DOCUMENT OUR STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT AND THEN, WE ALSO
ENTERED INTO CONTRACTS WITH
SEVEN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ,
PARTNERS. AND 10 COMMITTEE
LIAISONS THAT ARE PART OF THE
DEAL AND PROGRAM. TO HELP US
DO EMBEDDED COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY
THAT WOULD INFORM DIFFERENT
OUTCOMES THAN CITY LET
ENGAGEMENT. THAT YOU ALSO SEE
ONLINE. WE CAN SEND YOU LINKS
DIRECTLY VIA EMAIL AS WELL.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS SEVEN
REPORTS FROM EACH OF THE CDS
REGARDING THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS DONE. THAT
WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD FEEL FOR
THE BREADTH OF THE WORK WE HAVE
DONE ALREADY. WE CAN ALSO SEND
YOU A LINK TO THE ONLINE
ENGAGEMENT HUB WHERE WE HAVE
BEEN COLLECTING , I THINK WE
HAVE, I'M GOING TO GET THE
NUMBER WRONG, OVER 3000 , I
THINK IT'S HIGHER THAN THAT,
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS
FROM COMMUNITY ALREADY
REGARDING THE WORK WE HAVE
DONE ON THE PLAN SO FAR. THAT
IS JUST ANOTHER GOOD RESOURCE
THAT IS CONSTANT IN REAL TIME
BEING UPDATED.
>> THAT WILL CONTINUE GOING
FORWARD FOR THIS UPDATE?
>> YES. AND I SHOULD SAY WE
WILL ALSO BE BRINGING TO THE
COMMITTEE AND ALSO TO FULL
COUNCIL A MORE DETAILED
WRITE-DOWN OF WHAT THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WILL LOOK
LIKE FOR THE FIRST HALF AND
SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR.
>> THANK YOU. MY SECOND
QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH SOUND
TRANSIT. I KNOW THERE IS A LOT
OF CONNECTIONS TO OTHER
COMMITTEES, BUT SPECIFICALLY
FOR THIS COMMITTEE, WHAT IS THE
PURVIEW REGARDING SOUND
TRANSIT?
>> WHEN YOU SEE THE PURVIEW,
WHAT YOU MEAN?
>> WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES DOES
THE COMMITTEE HAVE OVER SOUND
TRANSIT?
>> WE DON'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY
OVER SOUND TRANSIT.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHO OUR BOARD
APPOINTEES ARE, I BELIEVE
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND THE
MAYOR SIT ON THE BOARD.
>> YES.
>> SO, WE HAVE THE CONNECTION
THROUGH OPCD IN THE ENGAGEMENT
THAT HAPPENS AROUND THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. BUT THIS
COMMITTEE DOESN'T OVERSEE
ANY OF THAT WORK. ANY SOUND
TRANSIT WORK. BUT YOU ARE FREE
TO CALL THEM YOURSELF AND HAVE
CONVERSATIONS AND GET YOUR
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
>> I WOULD SAY, AT LEAST AS IT
RELATES TO OPCD WORK, BEING
ENGAGED IN KIND OF A PUBLIC
REALM AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE ON
PRIVATE PROPERTIES,
PARTICULARLY RELATED TO TRANSIT
ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ,
EMBEDDED IN SDOT'S TEAM
WHICH IS DIRECTLY ENGAGED IN
THE CONVERSATION WITH SOUND
TRANSIT, YOU KNOW, I THINK
THERE WILL BE TIMES, WHETHER WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN OR
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING , WHERE
WE WILL BE GETTING DIRECTLY
INVOLVED IN, WHAT ARE THE
INVESTMENTS , ENHANCEMENTS,
VISION THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE
BRINGING TO A COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT CONVERSATION
RELATED TO STATION AREAS. WE
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ALONGSIDE
SDOT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
THAT THEN MAYOR HARRELL AND
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS WILL
BRING TO THE SOUND TRANSIT
BOARD. AND THE REPRESENTATION,
SINCE WE HAVE THE TWO SEATS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS?
>> JUST A COMMENT , IN TERMS OF
COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENT, WANTING
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
HELPING GET THE WORD OUT ,
EXTENSIVELY ACROSS OUR
DISTRICTS , AS YOU LOOK AT
MARGIN AND THE CONTINUED UNITY
ENGAGEMENT, SO THAT ANYONE WHO
WANTS TO GIVE INPUT CAN. WE
ARE HERE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT IN
GETTING THAT WORD OUT.
>> AGAIN, THAT IS A VERY GOOD
POINT. WE WILL PUT TOGETHER, WE
WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PACKET OF
INFORMATION SO YOU WILL KNOW
WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE THAT
YOU CAN USE AS STAKEHOLDERS
CONSTITUENTS REACH OUT TO YOU.
THAT WILL BE SOME ONLINE
RESOURCES WHERE THEY CAN FIND
THE PLAN, HOW THEY CAN PROVIDE
INPUT AND ALSO OF COURSE --
>> WE WILL HAVE NEWSLETTERS WE
SEND OUT WERE CONSTITUENTS FOR
INSTANCE. THERE ARE A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES TO GET THE WORD
OUT AND MAKE SURE NO ONE FEELS
LEFT BEHIND AS YOU ALL ARE
MOVING FORWARD IN THE PLANNING
PHASE OF THIS. THE NEXT
ITERATION OF THE COMP PLAN.
>> WE APPRECIATE THE HELP IN
GETTING THE WORD OUT. WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE FEELS
LIKE THEY HAVE A PLACE TO GET
INVOLVED.
>> GREAT. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR SPENDING SO MUCH TIME
WITH US. WE REALLY APPRECIATE
IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK
WE HAVE TO DO THIS YEAR. THANK
YOU. OKAY, COLLEAGUES, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR
HANGING IN THERE LATE WITH
THIS. WE HAVE NO FURTHER
BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA. THE
NEXT MEETING , LAND USE
COMMITTEE MEETING IS WEDNESDAY,
FEBRUARY 21 AT 2:00. THIS
CONCLUDES OUR FEBRUARY 7
MEETING AND WE ARE ADJOURNED AT
4:20 1 PM. THANK YOU.