>> MEETING OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS
9:34 A.M. I AM JOEY
HOLLINGSWORTH. I'M CHAIR OF
THE SELECT WOULD BE. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.'S BEEN A
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> HERE. IT'S BEEN A
COUNCILMEMBER MORIN.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILPERSON NELSON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL PERSON RIVERA .
>> COUNCILMEMBER SECOND.
>> HERE.
>> AND CHAIR OF HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> EIGHT PRESENT .
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU. IT IS
REALLY GREAT TO SEE A LOT OF MY
COLLEAGUES. I KNOW THAT THIS IS
MY FIRST MEETING BACK FROM THE
RECESS THAT WE HEAD SO I JUST
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
JOINING US HERE FOR THE FIRST
MEETING OF 2025 AT 9:30 A.M. WE
WILL NOW CONSIDER THE AGENDA.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTIONS, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. WITH THAT, WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR
OPEN HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD
BE RELATED TO THE ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
PURVIEW OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE. CLERK, HOW MANY
SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> WE HAVE 17 IN PERSON AND 11
REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> AWESOME. PERFECT. EVERYONE
WILL GET TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK
FOR THEIR COMMENTS. I WANT TO
THANK THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME
DOWN TODAY IN PERSON AND THINK
THE PEOPLE ONLINE FOR COMING
DOWN AND ENGAGING WITH US
TODAY. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND WILL
THE CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT? TWO MINUTES.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE
MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER. I WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS
BY NAME IN ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTER. BOOTH ON THE
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE AND FROM THE
SENATE SEATS AVAILABLE HERE IN
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AND WE'LL
START WITH IN PERSON SPEAKER
FIRST AND ALTERNATE WITH 10
SPEAKERS, I SHOULD SAY WE'LL
COMPLETE IN PERSON SPEAKERS AND
THEN REMOVED TO REMOTE
SPEAKERS. IF YOU'RE NOT
REGISTERED TO SPEAK AND WOULD
LIKE TO YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THE
END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. JUST GO TO THE
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE OR SIGN UP
ON THE SIGN-UP SHEETS NEAR THE
MICROPHONE. THE ONLY LINK ON
TODAY'S AGENDA, WHEN SPEAKING,
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM WHICH YOU ARE
ADDRESSING. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR
A TIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT
OF THEIR ALLOTTED TIME.
SPEAKERS DO NOT AND THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME PERIOD PROVIDED
THE SPEAKERS MICROPHONES WILL
BE MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE NEXT PERSON. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKERS. AND GOING TO CALL THE
FIRST 10 NUMBERS, NUMBERS ONE
THROUGH 10, AND WE HAVE TWO
MICROPHONES HERE AND ONE ON THE
OTHER SIDE SO IF YOU PLEASE
ALTERNATE THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SPEAKERS ONE THROUGH 10
STARTING WITH NUMBER ONE, WHO
IS SPEAKER SUSAN McCORMICK.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M SUSAN McCORMICK SPEAKING
TO THE COP PLAN AS IT APPLIES
TO MADRONA. I'M SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF A LARGE GROUP OF
MADRONA NEIGHBORS. ON A 24 YOUR
HOMEOWNER IN MADRONA AND LET
SCHEID BEFORE THAT. WE NEED
MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH
THE CITY'S PLANS FOR A NEW
MADRONA NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND
DESIGNATING MADRONA DRIVE AS A
FREQUENT TRANSIT ZONE ARE
DEEPLY FLAWED. THE CITY PLAN
GOES FAR BEYOND WHAT THE STATE
REQUIRES WITH INCREASED ZONING
CAPACITY FOR OVER 330,000
UNITS, MORE THAN DOUBLING THE
CITY'S HOUSING CAPACITY AND
FAR EXCEEDING THE SET GROWTH
TARGETS. DRASTIC ZONING CHANGES
ARE NOT NEEDED. MADRONA IS
SLATED TO ALLOW FIVE STORY
BUILDINGS SPINNING OUT SEVERAL
SLEEP FROM ITS CENTER PLUS A
LONG MADRONA DRIVE DOWN TO LAKE
WASHINGTON. MADRONA IS A SMALL,
OUT-OF-THE-WAY NEIGHBORHOOD. IT
DOES NOT HAVE THE AMENITIES
LISTED AS CRITERIA FOR AN UP
ZONE AND IT DOES NOT HAVE EASY
ACCESS TO RAPID TRANSIT. WHAT
DOES IT HAVE? ENVIRONMENTALLY
CRITICAL AREAS WITH STEEP
SLOPES AND PAST LANDSLIDES.
EVEN WITH THE CURRENT NUMBER OF
RESIDENTS, WE HAD SEWER
OVERFLOW EVENTS INTO LAKE
WASHINGTON. WE HAVE A UNIQUE
TREE CANOPY, THE HIGHEST DEGREE
THE CITY RECORDS AT 40% TO 68%,
HELPING CLIMATE CHANGE AND TREE
CANOPY GOALS . WITH THE 2023
TREE ORDINANCE, EVEN GIANT
TREES CAN BE REMOVED FOR
DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROPOSED
FIVE FOOT SETBACKS IN THIS PLAN
ALSO WILL DESTROY TREES. WE
WORRY ABOUT DISPLACEMENT OF
LONG-TERM RESIDENTS AND
BUSINESSES WHEN THEIR PROPERTY
TAXES INCREASE WITH THE UP
ZONE. LESLIE, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING STARTS WITH AFFORDABLE
LAND. THE LAND IN MADRONA IS
EXPENSIVE. STABILIZING STEEP
SLOPES IS EXPENSIVE, IF
FEASIBLE AT ALL. THESE UNITS
WILL NOT BE AFFORDABLE.
DEVELOPERS WILL BUILD MORE
FIVE-STORY, HIGH-END, HIGH
PROFIT LUXURY BUILDINGS WITH
VIEWS OF LAKE WASHINGTON AND
MT. RAINIER, BLOCKING THE SAME
VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC AND FROM
PROWTREEBE GONE. THE MADRONA
NEIGHBORHOOD WILL BE FOREVER
ALTERED AND THE CITY WILL NOT
GET ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I
VOTED FOR MANY OF YOU HAVE A. I
INVITE OUR COUNCILMEMBER JOEY
HOLLINGSWORTH TO WALK OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD WITH US. THANK
YOU.
>> SPEAKER NUMBER TWO, THEN
FOLLOWING SPEAKER NUMBER TWO,
LILY CHURCH, WILL BE DENNY,
SPEAKER NUMBER THREE.
>> WE ALSO HAVE, BEFORE YOU
START, I'M SO SORRY, WE ALSO
HAVE TWO MICROPHONES SO IF THE
NEXT SPEAKER, IF YOU WANT TO
COME UP AND STAND WITH THE
MICROPHONE, JUST TO PREP, THAT
WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS LOUIS CHURCH. I
LIVED ON CAPITOL HILL IN
MADRONA FOR FOUR YEARS,
SUPPORTED EVERY TAX INCREASE
AND VOTED FOR MANY OF YOU. I'VE
FOUR POINTS TO BRING. NUMBER
ONE, THE PROPOSED PLAN DOESN'T
ACTUALLY SOLVE AFFORDABILITY
BECAUSE DENSITY IN ITSELF
DOESN'T TRANSLATE TO LOWER
HOUSING COSTS. THERE'S MUCH
SEATTLE DATA TO SUPPORT THAT.
NUMBER TWO, WE WERE BLINDSIDED
BY THE LACK OF OUTREACH AND
SHORT DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS.
DETAILS WEREN'T IDENTIFIED
UNTIL OCTOBER 16th AND WE ONLY
LEARNED ABOUT IT WEEKS LATER,
BECAUSE SOME RESIDENT
DISTRIBUTED FLYERS. AS
CONSTITUENTS, WE NEED TO BE
ENGAGED AND VALUED AS MUCH AS
DEVELOPERS AND SPECIAL GROUPS
HAVE BEEN. NUMBER THREE, AND
THIS IS MY MOST IMPORTANT POINT
-- THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.
MANY RESIDENTS, IN RESPONSE TO
THE ANNOUNCEMENT, HAVE SPENT A
WHOLE LOT OF THEIR TIME ON A
VERY SHORT TIMELINE TO SUBMIT
TO YOU HIGH-LEVEL RESEARCH,
DATA, SMART SOLUTIONS. THE
EXTENSIVE COMMENTS WILL
ACTUALLY HELP YOU A LOT .
THEY'VE DONE MUCH OF THE WORK
FOR YOU. PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE.
BUT YOU NEED TO READ THE
DETAILS, NOT JUST SOME SUMMARY.
NUMBER FOUR IS AN INVITATION.
JOY, OUR DISTRICT HASN'T HEARD
ANYTHING FROM YOU GET ON THIS
ISSUE. I LOVE YOU, LIKE SUSAN
INVITED, TO VISIT US IN
MADRONA. WE CAN WALK AROUND.
YOU CAN LEARN WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT STEEP SLOPES AND WE CAN
HELP ADDRESS CONCERNS AND
RESERVATIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER NUMBER THREE, THANK
YOU.
>> AND WE HERE OKAY? WORKS?
GOOD MORNING , COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DENNY BECK
MAYER. MY FAMILY AND I CHOSE TO
LIVE IN MADRONA OVER 55 YEARS
AGO. WE ARE STILL COMMITTED TO
OUR HISTORICAL AND VIBRANT
NEIGHBORHOOD. I WILL NOT REPEAT
THE DETAILED COMMENTS REGARDING
THE PROPOSED ZONING PLAN THAT A
NUMBER OF MY NEIGHBORS HAD
SUBMITTED, BUT THEY ARE
IMPORTANT. AND YOU AND YOUR
STAFF OUGHT TO -- OWE IT TO
YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO READ AND
TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY. YOU HAVE
NO DOUBT HEARD OF A SOLUTION IN
SEARCH OF A PROBLEM. NOT QUITE
THE CASE HERE. MORE LIKE AN
INAPPROPRIATE PROPOSED SOLUTION
FOR A MISPERCEIVED PROBLEM, OR
WORST CASE, A CRAVEN CONCESSION
TO COMMERCIAL DEVELOPERS AT THE
EXPENSE OF SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
HOMELESSNESS AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING ARE REAL PROBLEMS.
ADDRESS THEM. BUT ALLOWING
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF
REDUNDANT NEW HOUSING THAT DOES
NOT ADDRESS THESE ISSUES IS NOT
ONLY UNNECESSARY, IT
FACILITATES GRATUITOUS DAMAGE
TO SOME OF SEATTLE'S MOST
VALUABLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSETS.
MY REQUEST, SLOW DOWN. REASSESS
ALL PARTS OF THE PROPOSED PLAN
THAT EXCEED WHAT IS MANDATED BY
HB 1110. THE TEMPLATE USED BY
THE PLANNING COMMITTEE IS NOT
ONE SIZE FITS ALL. CONSIDERED
THE EFFECT OF ITS PRACTICAL
APPLICATION IN SPECIFIC CASES,
INCREASING PERMISSIBLE
NEIGHBORHOOD DENSITY ACROSS
SEATTLE BY MORE THAN FOURFOLD
IN ONE FELL SWOOP IS NOT ONLY
UNNECESSARY, IT'S FOOLISH AND
DESTRUCTIVE. REMEMBER, NEITHER
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPERS NOR
SPOKESPERSONS AND ADVISORS WHO
STAND TO GAIN BY THEIR ACTIONS
ARE YOUR LEGAL CONSTITUENCY. WE
THE RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE.
PLEASE LISTEN AND ACT
RESPONSIBLY. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> NEXT SPEAKER NUMBER FIVE,
CAROLYN, FOLLOWED BY SPEAKER
NUMBER SIX.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING. I'M CAROLINE
ALLMAN. THIS IS MY NEIGHBOR,
DEB LISTER. WE ARE HERE TO TALK
ABOUT THE PLAN. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH
YOU TODAY. WE LIVE IN MAPLE
LEAF, IN THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED
CENTERED AREA THAT ALLOWS
FIVE-STORY APARTMENT BUILDINGS
ON NARROW SIDE STREETS. WE
BRING A PETITION TODAY SIGNED
BY 743 PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE THAT
DESIGNATION, MOST OF WHOM LIVE
IN MAPLE LEAF AND NEARBY. OUR
COMMUNITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE
NEED FOR WELL CITED, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, BUT WE HAVE GRAVE
CONCERNS THAT THE MAYOR'S PLAN
DOES NOT COME IN FACT, HELP THE
PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST. MAPLE
LEAF IS THE WRONG SPOT FOR A
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER --
A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
DISSENTERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
CITED AROUND COMMERCIAL CORES,
WHERE YOU HAVE EASY ACCESS TO
BIKE OR CYCLE, OR HOP A BUS TO
GET TO THE GROCERY STORE, THE
BANK, OR THE PHARMACY. NO, WE
DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT. WE
DON'T HAVE A COMMERCIAL COURT.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE EVERYDAY
SERVICES AND WE DON'T HAVE
GOOD PUBLIC TRANSIT. WE ALSO
ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECT
OF HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT ON
THE CITY'S RECENTLY DESIGNATED
12th AVENUE GREENWAY, AND WE
WILL BE BACK AT A LATER MEETING
TO TALK ABOUT THAT. AND WE ALSO
ARE CONCERNED AS OTHERS ARE,
ABOUT THE EFFECT OF MATURE
TREES. WE, TOO, HAVE A MODERATE
TREE CANOPY AND THE CITY'S OWN
EIS SAID THAT DEVELOPMENT IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AREA
WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT REACHING
THE CITY'S TREE CANOPY GOAL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DONNA, I
BELIEVE, AND THEN SPEAKER
NUMBER SEVEN IS WILLIAM.
>> GOOD MORNING, MISS DONNA.
WELCOME. IF YOU CAN -- OUR
CLERK WILL TAKE IT. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS DONNA
GRETZKY. I'M A LICENSED
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER. I'M
HERE TODAY TO POINT OUT A
REAL-TIME, ONGOING, SOCIAL
INEQUITY CRISIS THAT IS
CROSSING NEW HOUSING OUTCOMES
WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS OF
HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED
POPULATIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. GROUPED WITHIN A TWO
BLOCK AREA ON 21st AVENUE SOUTH
ARE FIVE LOTS IN WHICH A TOTAL
OF 60 NEW DWELLING UNITS HAVE
GONE ON DELTA THROUGH THE
INABILITY TO OBTAIN NEW WATER
SERVICE. THIS IS JUST A SMALL
SAMPLING OF HOUSING PERMITS
CRUSHED DUE TO THE ASSURANCE OF
OVER 1600 NOT APPROVED WATER
AVAILABILITY OF THE
CERTIFICATES FROM THE LAST 10
YEARS. I AM HOLDING THE WATER
SUPPLY LINE. THESE INCLUDE
ASIAN WATER SUPPLY LINES AND
FEEDER REMAINS THAT RUN IN A
NORTH/SOUTH DIRECTION THROUGH
BIP OC COMMUNITIES. SPO HAS
DETERMINED THESE PIPES HAVE NO
RESTRICTIONS. THERE ARE OVER 25
MILES OF THESE PIPES IN THE
CITY. THE 16 POTENTIAL DWELLING
UNITS ON 21st AVENUE SOUTH FELL
VICTIM TO THE RESTRICTION.
SBU'S KNOWN TAP POLICY CAN BE
FOUND WITHIN DIRECTORS RULE WTR
440. BY VIRTUE OF THE LOCATION
OF THE SUPPLY LINES,
PREDOMINANTLY AND HISTORICALLY
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, THERE
IS AN INHERENT SOCIAL INJUSTICE
COMPONENT WITHIN SPU'S NO NEW
TAPS POLICY. I TRUST COUNCIL
WILL TAKE ACTION TO CORRECT
THIS ALARMING ECHO OF REDLINING
AND ENSURE THE FULL POTENTIAL
FOR NEW HOUSING WITHIN BIPOC
COMMUNITIES CAN BE ACHIEVED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU MS. DONNA.
>> FOLLOWING SPEAKER SEVEN WILL
BE SPEAKER EIGHT, JANET.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> HI.
>> YOU CAN START ANYTIME.
>> MY NAME IS WILL McNEIL. I'M
A SEATTLE RESIDENT AND ONE OF
HUNDREDS OF HOUSE BUILDERS WHO
HAS BEEN BLINDSIDED BY DENIED
WATER AVAILABILITY CERTIFICATE
AND THUS BUILDING PERMITS FROM
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES.
RATHER THAN PROVIDE PUBLIC
WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY
FOR CITY GROWTH, SEATTLE IS
TRYING TO FORCE HOMEOWNERS AND
DEVELOPERS TO PAY FOR WHAT
SHOULD BE CITY FUNDED AND
MAINTAINED PUBLIC UTILITY
SYSTEMS. BUILDING OFF OF WHAT
DONNA SAID EARLIER, I PURCHASED
A VACANT LOT ON CONCORD STREET
IN SOUTHPARK, SHOWN ON THIS MAP
HERE. IS A HISTORICAL AREA OF
SOCIAL INEQUALITY WITHIN THE
CITY, HOME TO MANY LOWER INCOME
RESIDENTS THAT DESPERATELY NEED
NEW, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. MYSELF
AND TWO OF MY NEIGHBORS WERE
PLANNING TO DEVELOP OUR VACANT
LOTS WITH SIMILAR HOMES TO THE
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT
WE WERE DENIED WATER
AVAILABILITY CERTIFICATES, AND
THUS BUILDING PERMITS. SPU
MANDATED IN ORDER TO DEVELOP
THE PROPERTY WITHIN A
SINGLE-FAMILY HOME THAT I
INSTALL AN EIGHT INCH DUCTILE
IRON PIPE WATER MAIN FOR THE
ENTIRE STREET, A CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT COSTING OVER
$800,000 AND A BUBBLE OF
SERVING HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL
HOMES, ALL FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WHICH
COULD'VE EASILY BEEN SERVED BY
A $20,000, ONE INCH WATER LINE,
SIMILAR TO HOW ALL THE OTHER
HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
CONNECT TO WATER. THIS $800,000
MANDATED WATER MAIN UP RATE IS
NOT NECESSARY. IT STOPS
DEVELOPMENT IN LOW
SOCIOECONOMIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND
IS CONTRARY TO SEATTLE'S GOALS
OF PROVIDING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. MY STORY IS NOT AN
UNCOMMON ONE. AFTER LOOKING
INTO SIMILAR CASES, SPU'S
DENIAL OF WATER AVAILABILITY
CERTIFICATES HAVE RESULTED IN
OVER 5000 UNREALIZED HOUSING
UNITS IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS
ALONE. THIS STATISTIC COMES
FROM A PUBLISHED SOURCE IN THE
URBANIST FROM OCTOBER 14th,
2024 POINT AS SEATTLE CONSIDERS
IT TRANSIT PLAN MOVING FORWARD,
I URGE COUNCILMEMBERS TO
CONSIDER HOW AFFORDABLE,
PUBLICLY FUNDED WATER SERVICE
CONNECTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL
TOWARDS ACHIEVING THESE GOALS
OF INCREASING AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN OUR CITY, AS WELL AS
THE REQUIREMENTS OF
WASHINGTON'S GROWTH
MANAGEMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, SANDY.
>> GOOD MORNING, I'M SANDY
SHEPLER WITH THREE ACTION
SEATTLE. I'M ASKING YOU TO
PLEASE REQUIRE SHARED WALLS IN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
SHARED WALLS SAVE TREES AND
SPACE FOR FUTURE TREES. THIS
PLAN WON'T GIVE US STACKED
FLATS SURROUNDED BY TREES OR
FRIENDLY COTTAGES AROUND THE
COMMON GREEN SPACE. IF IT DID,
WE WOULD ALREADY -- EXCUSE ME,
I GET NERVOUS UP HERE. IF IT
DID, WE WOULD ALREADY BE SEEING
THESE IN SOUTHPARK, WHICH IS
HAD THIS ZONING FOR 5 YEARS.
INSTEAD, ALL SOUTHPARK HAS
GOTTEN ON NEW PROJECTS IS LOT
SPRAWL. THE TREES ARE CUT AND
THE LAND IS CUT UP INTO SINGLE
FAMILY HOMES SURROUNDED BY
PAVEMENT. THE HOUSES COST MORE
THAN SHARED WALL UNITS AND
THERE IS NO SPACE FOR TREES.
THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED
IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
PRIORITY COMMUNITY. PLEASE END
THIS PRACTICE THERE AND STOP IT
FROM SPREADING TO THE REST OF
SEATTLE. AND I BROUGHT YOU A
PICTURE OF A SOUTHPARK PROJECT
THAT IS BUILT TO THE CURRENT
SPECIFICATIONS. I'LL LEAVE IT
FOR YOU AND I'LL TAKE YOU
THERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO.
>> THANK YOU, SANDY.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER, SPEAKERS
NINE AND 10, SANDY AND DAVID.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, DAVID. YOU CAN
DO ANY MIC YOU CHOOSE. YOUR
CHOICE.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
DAVE PFLUEGER AND I LIVE IN
DISTRICT 5. I WILL BE
COMMENTING ABOUT THE DRAFT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FOR THE ONE SEATTLE PLAN AND
THE CONNECTION TO THE KILLER
WHALES OF PUGET SOUND. I
SEARCHED THROUGH THE EIS, WHICH
IS OVER 1000 PAGES LONG, AND I
COULD NOT FIND THE WORD WHALE
EVEN ONCE. THESE WHALES ARE
DEFINED AS A CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED SPECIES BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUT THERE IS
NOTHING IN THE EIS THAT DEFINES
HOW THE ONE SEATTLE PLAN WOULD
AFFECT THE WHALES OR THEIR
RECOVERY PLAN. THE PROPOSED
INCREASE IN HOUSING DENSITY ,
WITH A CORRESPONDING INCREASE
IN HARD SCAPE AND A REDUCTION
IN TREES, WOULD SURELY RESULT
IN INCREASED RUNOFF AND
INCREASED WATER TEMPERATURE AND
THUS AN IMPACT ON THE WHALES.
AND AGAIN, NOT A SINGLE WORD IN
THE EIS. THE EIS IS ALSO
LACKING IN ITS ASSESSMENT OF
WHAT IT CALLS SEATTLE'S SMALL
LAKES THAT IS GREEN LAKE,
HALLER LAKE AND BITTER LAKE. IT
STATES THAT THERE IS NO WATER
QUALITY IMPAIRMENT FOR THESE
LAKES. CONTRARY TO THIS, GREEN
LAKE IS DESIGNATED BY THE
WASHINGTON STATE'S DEPARTMENT
OF ECOLOGY AS CATEGORY FIVE.
THIS IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF
IMPAIRMENT WHICH IS DUE TO
HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOMS,
PESTICIDES, PCBS, AND MORE, AND
HALLER LAKE IS LISTED IN
CATEGORY TWO. THIS INFORMATION
IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. WHY IS IT
MISSING FROM THE EIS? THESE ARE
JUST TWO SERIOUS ISSUES THAT
ARE NOT ADDRESSED BY THE DRAFT
EIS. IF THESE ITEMS ARE
MISSING, HOW CAN THE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN ADDRESS THESE
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND BE
READY TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT IT?
PLEASE CONTACT OUR ENVIRONMENT
AND KEEP SEATTLE GREEN AND
LIVABLE. THANK YOU.
>> SANDY? ARE YOU SPEAKER
NUMBER NINE?
>> 11.
>> OKAY.
>> SANDY SHEPLER?
>> SHE ALREADY.
>> SORRY, APOLOGIZE. YES, 11.
JENNIFER FOLLOWED BY SPEAKER
NUMBER 11 WILL BE NUMBER 12,
JOSH.
>> GOOD MORNING, JENNIFER.
>> HI, SO I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN
MEMORY OF J 61, WHO IS STILL
BEING CARRIED BY [ INAUDIBLE ]
AND A FOUR HOUR THREE DEAD,
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, SOUTHERN
RESIDENT KILLER WHALE BABIES
THIS PAST YEAR. I REQUEST
SEATTLE FOLLOWED THE AND OAA
RECOVERY PLAN GUIDELINES, WHICH
SAY HIGHEST POPULATION AREAS ON
PUGET SOUND MUST TAKE GREATER
MEASURES TO CONTROL POLLUTED
RUNOFF AS POLLUTION IS ONE OF
THEIR TOP THREE THREATS. J 35
IS STILL CARRYING HER DEAD CALF
AS OF YESTERDAY, WHICH MEANS
SHE'S NOT REALLY EATING.
ORCHID GESTATION IS 15 MONTHS.
THESE BELOVED GIANTS ARE
TELLING US THROUGH THEIR RISING
DEATHS THAT THEY CANNOT TAKE
MORE HUMAN OBSTACLES LIKE
POLLUTION INCREASES. THE
WORKERS ARE NOT IN THE DRAFT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FOR THE ONE SEATTLE PLAN.,
QUOTE, THE ONLY ESA LISTED OR
STATE LISTED SPECIES KNOWN ARE
EXPECTED TO USE HABITATS IN THE
CITY ARE FISH. THAT'S FROM THE
D EIS. COUNTY DNR, USDA, THE
EPA SAY TREES ABSORB AND CLEAN
STORMWATER, WHICH CAN BE
HEAVILY POLLUTED, AND HARD
SCAPE URBAN AREAS LACKING
TREES. TREES COOL THE AIR,
FIGHT URBAN HEAT ISLANDS AND
CAN LOWER SALMON WATERWAY
TEMPERATURES, EVEN WHEN THEY
ARE NOT ADJACENT TO A WATERWAY.
SALMON WATER TO THRIVE. HOT AIR
TEMPERATURES CAN CREATE AN
SURVIVABLE WATER TEMPERATURE
CONDITIONS FOR SALMON. REMOVING
SPACE FOR OUR MOST POWERFUL
FIGHT OVER MEDIATORS IS NOT THE
ANSWER, AS DEMONSTRATED BY
PORTLAND'S LARGE TREE
AMENDMENT AFTER THEIR 2019
HOUSING PROCESS. WEST POINT
CANNOT REMOVE ALL OF THE
HARMFUL CONTAMINANTS IN
WASTEWATER AND WE ALSO ARE IN A
MORE ENCLOSED BODY OF WATER
THAN A LOT OF OTHER WEST COAST
CITIES, WHICH MAKES IT MORE
DIFFICULT FOR KILLER WHALES.
ONE SEATTLE PLAN GOES WILL BE
ON THE STATE HB 1110, ALLOWING
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE HARD SCAPE
AND EXPENSIVE LOT SPRAWL, NOT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALLOWING
OUR MOST --
>> YOU CAN ALSO SEND IN THE
REST OF YOUR COMMENTS TO
COUNCIL, AS WELL. THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER NUMBER 13, SORRY, 12
IS JOSH FOLLOWED BY 13 IS JESSE
AND THEN SPEAKERS 14 THROUGH
17.
>> GOOD MORNING, JOSH.
>> GOOD MORNING.
COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS JOSH
FRIEDMAN. I'M A LAND-USE
LAWYER AT THE HILLIS CLARK LAW
FIRM AND A BORN AND RAISED
SEATTLE RESIDENT. ON THE
COMPLETE COMMUNITIES COALITION
STEERING COMMITTEE, I REPRESENT
MAY UP. TODAY UNCOMMON THING TO
ASK YOU TO BE BOLD IN
SUPPORTING AND BUILDING ON THE
MAYOR'S STRONG START TO THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS.
THE ONE SEATTLE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN CAN BE FOCUSED ON HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY AND JOB CREATION
AS WELL AS SUSTAINABLE INFILL
DEVELOPMENT THAT BRINGS THIS
HOUSING AND JOBS INTO OUR URBAN
AREAS, INSTEAD OF SENDING THAT
GROWTH AS SPRAWL INTO THE
FOOTHILLS OF THE CASCADES. AS
YOU REVIEW AND AUGMENT THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSAL, PLEASE
REMEMBER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
ZONED CAPACITY AND ACTUAL UNITS
BROUGHT TO MARKET. JUST BECAUSE
A PLAN PROVIDES ZONED CAPACITY
FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF UNITS
DOES NOT MEAN THOSE HOUSING
UNITS ACTUALLY CAN OR WILL BE
BUILT. IF THE COUNCIL IS AIMING
TO PROVIDE ACTUAL HOUSING AND
ACTUAL JOBS, THE PLAN NEEDS TO
PROVIDE MORE THAN ZONED
CAPACITY. IT NEEDS TO AIM HIGH
AND IT NEEDS TO RESOLVE CODE
AND ZONING ISSUES THAT ARE
STOPPING HOUSING FROM BEING
BUILT AND BEING AFFORDABLE IN
OUR CITY. AT THIS FIRST STAGE,
I HOPE YOU'LL PRIORITIZE
INCREASE IN HOUSING CAPACITY
ALONG EXISTING AND NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND
CORRIDORS WITH MIXED RISE
ZONING WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
PLEASE MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MULTIFAMILY AROUND MAJOR
TRANSIT HUBS AND ARTERIAL
CORRIDORS. SIMILARLY, TO
SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE DENSITY,
PLEASE RETAIN THE CRITICAL
PROPOSED HEIGHT INCREASES IN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
THIS WILL BE CRITICAL TO ALLOW
FOR SUSTAINABLE INFILL
DEVELOPMENT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU TO ADVANCE
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, JOB
CREATION, AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT ACROSS OUR CITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M JESSE SIMPSON, DIRECTOR OF
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND POLICY
FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
CONSORTIUM REPRESENTING ALL THE
MAJOR NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING DEVELOPERS AND
OPERATORS IN SEATTLE. I'M ALSO
COCHAIR OF THE COMPLETE
COMMUNITIES COALITION, THE
BROAD COALITION UNITED AND
WANTING A FULL COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN UPDATE THAT ALLOWS FOR
MORE FUNDED HOUSING ACROSS
SEATTLE. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
IS AT THE CORE OF SO MANY OF
THE CHALLENGES THAT SEATTLE
FACES. FAMILIES STRUGGLE TO
STAY HOUSED. LOW-WAGE WORKERS
ARE FORCED INTO UNITS AND
COMMUNITIES FACE CONTINUAL
DISPLACEMENT. WE NEED MORE
HOMES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES,
IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS, TO
ADDRESS OUR HOUSING SHORTAGE
AND TO BECOME A MORE
AFFORDABLE, EQUITABLE AND
SUSTAINABLE CITY. COMPLETE
COMMUNITIES COALITION PLOTS
MANY OF THE STRONG APPRAISALS
IN THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED
AMENDED ONE SEATTLE PLAN
INCLUDING ALLOWING FOR FOR
PLEXUS INTO THE MIDDLE HOUSING
TYPE CITYWIDE, CREATING 30 NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND
EXTENDING EXISTING URBAN
CENTERS NEAR TRANSIT. TO
FURTHER STRENGTHEN THIS PLAN WE
URGE YOU TO ADOPT SPECIFIC
ENHANCEMENTS, FIRST TO EXPAND
PROPOSED AFFORDABLE HOUSING
DENSITY BONUS CITYWIDE AND TO
COUPLE IT WITH THE SIMILAR
BONUS FOR LOWRISE ZONES. SECOND
TO ALLOW FOR SELECT STACKED
FLATS ON ALL LOTS NEAR FREQUENT
TRANSIT, REGARDLESS OF SIZE AND
THE CREATION OF MORE ACCESSIBLE
MIDDLE HOUSING. THIRD, TO
EXPAND MIXED-USE ZONING ALONG
TRANSIT CORRIDORS AND FOURTH,
TO ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IN HIGH
OPPORTUNITY, LOW DISPLACEMENT.
WE KNOW YOU HEARD AND WILL
CONTINUE TO HEAR PUSHBACK FROM
SOME VOICES . I URGE YOU TO
STAY ANCHORED IN YOUR VALUES
AND GUIDED BY A NORTHSTAR OF
CREATING A SEATTLE WHERE
EVERYONE CAN FEEL WELCOMED,
WHERE PEOPLE CAN LIVE NEAR
THEIR WORK, RAISE FAMILIES,
FIND STABLE HOMES WITHIN OUR
COMMUNITIES. THANKS FOR A
THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION AND
YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THESE
ISSUES. LOOK FORWARD TO
COLLABORATING MORE OVER THE
COMING MONTHS. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, JESSE.
>> SPEAKER NUMBER 14, DON,
FOLLOWED BY RUTH, NUMBER 15.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> HI, I'M DON SILER. I LIVE
-- I'VE LIVED IN NORTH QUEEN
AND FOR OVER 40 YEARS. THANK
YOU FOR INVOLVING PUBLIC
COMMENT. I REPRESENT OVER 400
NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE SIGNED A
PETITION AND LETTER TO
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE OPPOSING
PROPOSED LR THREE UP NORTH
QUEEN ANNE THAT WOULD ALLOW
FIVE-STORY UNITS, APARTMENTS
WITH SCANT PARKING. WE SUPPORT
COMMON SENSE GROWTH WHERE
COMMUNITY CENTERS AND THE
RESIDENTS ARE INVOLVED IN
PLANNING, HOWEVER, WE WERE SHUT
OUT OF THIS PROCESS. OUR
COMMENTS TO THIS DRAMATIC UP
ZONING ARE THE GOAL OF OSP UP
ZONING IS TO LINK PEOPLE
BETWEEN CENTERS TO
TRANSPORTATION BUT THE NUMBER
ONE BUS ONLY LINKS PEOPLE
BETWEEN UPPER AND LOWER QUEEN
ANNE AND DOWNTOWN. OUR CONCERNS
COVER ONLY THIRD TEEN HILLY
BLOCKS ON NORTH QUEEN AND PUT
IN THAT AREA INCLUDES 111
RESTORED HOMES OVER 100 YEARS
OLD. THE AVENUE THAT RUNS
THROUGH OUR LITTLE
NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HISTORIC
QUEEN AND BOULEVARD, IS THE
ORIGINAL STREET SEATTLE'S
PROBABLY RAN ON. WITHIN THAT
AREA ARE 40 60 YEAR OLD LARGE
TREES WHOSE CANOPIES PROVIDE
SHADE THAT WILL BE DESTROYED.
WHEN THE OPC UP ZONED OUR
HISTORIC QUEEN ANNE BOULEVARD,
IT DID NOT CONSIDER THE
INFRASTRUCTURE OF OLD SEWER
LINES, NARROW STREETS, LIMITED
PARKING, ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC
DILUTION AND DESTROYING
SEATTLE'S HISTORY. THE
PROPOSED PLAN HAS NO COMMUNITY
BUY-IN. PCD PLANNERS EXCLUDED
COMMUNITY COUNCILS AT THE
EXHIBITION HALL PLANNERS LACKED
KNOWLEDGE AND HAD VAGUE
UNDERSTANDING OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE WANT GROWTH
AND WE ARE ASKING THE CITY TO
PAUSE IN THE PLANNING TO GET
BUY-IN FROM COMMUNITY COUNCILS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
EACH OF YOU. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER NUMBER 15, RUTH.
FOLLOWED BY RUTH WILL BE
SPEAKER NUMBER 16, HENRY, AND
17.
>> GOOD MORNING. WELCOME.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS RUTH. I
LIVE ON QUEEN ANNE. NONE OF MY
NEIGHBORS AND ALMOST NONE OF
THE 400 PEOPLE WHO OUR
POSITION ABOUT REZONING ON 10th
AVENUE ABOUT ZONING CHANGES
BEING PROPOSED. THEY WERE
SHOCKED AND CONCERNED. MANY OF
US WHO ATTENDED ONE OF THE
PLANNING OPEN HOUSES CAME AWAY
DISAPPOINTED. WE THOUGHT THERE
WOULD BE A PRESENTATION TO
SITTING PROUT WITH QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS, ALL WE'D BE ABLE
TO HEAR. INSTEAD WE HAD PRIVATE
CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF WHERE
NO ONE ELSE BENEFITED FROM WHAT
WE LEARNED. I CAME AWAY WITH
MANY QUESTIONS EVEN AFTER
READING MY OWN DOCUMENTS. AS
HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, ONE
OF MY QUESTIONS IS WHY 330,000
UNITS, 300% OR 400% MORE THAN
WE ARE BEING REQUIRED TO PLAN
FOR, ESPECIALLY GIVEN A RECENT
SEATTLE TIMES REPORT THAT A
RECORD NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS
WERE BUILT IN 2024 AND THE 20
YEAR GOAL OF 70,000 NEW UNITS
WAS RECENTLY MET 11 YEARS
EARLY. I HAVE SOME MORE
QUESTIONS AND I COULD TALK A
LOT ABOUT THE HIGH DENSITY
PROPOSED ON QUEEN ANNE COPPER,
AN AREA THAT ALREADY CAN TAKE
40 MINUTES TO GET OFF NOW IT'S
VERY RESTRICTED BY [ INAUDIBLE
] BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK
PEOPLE REALIZE. WHEN DOCUMENTS
WERE HANDED OUT BY STAFF AT THE
OPEN HOUSE, THEY DID NOT SHOW
WHERE SIX UNIT MIDDLE HOUSING
WILL BE ALLOWED IN NEIGHBORHOOD
ZONES. NOT ON ANY OF THE
DOCUMENTS I HAD HERE. I ONLY
FOUND OUT BY ASKING STAFF. WHY
DID THEY NOT MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
NEARLY ALL OF QUEEN ANNE WILL
BE ELIGIBLE FOR SIX UNITS? WHY
DO THEY NOT MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
THESE UNITS WILL BE 40 FEET
HIGH PLUS PITCHED ROOF? ALSO,
IT IS VERY UNCLEAR WHAT THE
CITY CONSIDERS TO BE BUS RAPID
TRANSIT OR MAJOR TRANSIT STOPS.
APPARENTLY ANY BUS ROUTE IN
QUEEN ANNE -- WE NEED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. NO ONE IN
MY NEIGHBORHOOD -- WE NEED THIS
PROCESS. WE WELCOME ANY OF YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER NUMBER 16, HENRY,
FOLLOWED BY WHAT NUMBER?
>> SPEAKER NUMBER 13.
>> I HAVE NUMBER 13, I HAVE
JESSE SIMPSON. WHAT WAS YOUR
NAME?
>> MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING. HAPPY NEW
YEAR. MY NAME IS HENRY SAWYER.
I'M HERE TO COMMENT ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS.
I'VE LIVED IN MONTLAKE SINCE
1996 WITH MY FAMILY AND I'VE
JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS
PROPOSAL WITHIN THE LAST WEEK.
IT SEEMS TO ME A KIND OF CLEVER
FORM OF REDLINING THAT HAS BEEN
RAMROD IN THROUGH FOR THE
BENEFIT OF BIG DEVELOPERS,
BANKERS, FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS. I THINK IS PRETTY
HOUSEL WILL DESTROY
NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH PEOPLE
HAVE FOUGHT HARD FOR TO
PRESERVE AND GROW. IF YOU WANT
TO HAVE A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO
HAVING YOUR HOUSING CRISIS
SOLVED, WHY NOT BEEN VACATION
RENTALS BY HOME, BY OWNER?
VERBAL AND AIRBNB, THIS IS
WORKED IN OTHER CITIES AROUND
THE WORLD AND IT CAN WORK HERE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, HENRY.
>> JANET WAY , THEN FOLLOWING
JANET WAY WILL BE OUR LAST
IN-PERSON SPEAKER. IT WILL BE
JASMINE SMITH.
>> GOOD MORNING MS. JANET AND
THE ORCA.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. I'M
JANET WAY . I'M FROM
SHORELINE. WE LIVE IN THORNTON
CREEK WATERSHED. ON A FOUNDING
MEMBER OF THORNTON CREEK
ALLIANCE. I'M A MEMBER OF
TREES AND PEOPLE COALITION
ENTRY PAC. I'M HERE TO SPEAK
ABOUT THE FATE OF THE BABY
ORCA. WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE DEATH OF THIS ORCA IS
POLLUTION. SEATTLE IS NOT
PROPERLY ENFORCING THE CRITICAL
AREAS ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS SO
METICULOUSLY DRAFTED. IT
INCLUDES STEEP SLOPES,
WETLANDS, AND STREAM CORRIDORS,
AND THAT IS WHERE THE TREES
NEED TO BE PROTECTED. AND THEY
ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY
PROTECTED. SEATTLE IS SALMON
HABITAT. SALMON, STEELHEAD, AND
ORCA ARE KEY. THE EIS FOR THE
COMP PLAN WAS NOT INCLUDING
ORCA WHALES. TREES ARE THE MOST
EFFECTIVE WATER QUALITY, AIR
QUALITY CONTROL, VITAL
REMEDIATION, AND STORMWATER
IMPACT ENFORCER. YOUR
PERMITTING AGENCIES MUST BE
REQUIRED TO ENFORCE THE CIO,
INCLUDING EXISTING TREES.
PLEASE INSTRUCT STAFF TO
EFFECTIVELY ENFORCE WHEN
REVIEWING DEVELOPMENT
PROPOSALS. HOUSING CAN COEXIST
WITH OUR TREES WITH GOOD
DESIGN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HI, MY NAME IS JASMINE
SMITH. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
LOCAL ADVOCACY WITH FUTURE WISE
AND COCHAIR OF THE COMPLETE
COMMUNITIES COALITION. I WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT
YOU HAVE DONE AND WILL BE DOING
ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND
REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN
HAVE A ONE SEATTLE FOR
EVERYBODY HER GO AND IT'S JUST
A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT A
COMPLETE COMMUNITY CAN BE.
IT'S WHEN, WITH AN OF HOUSING
FOR ALL, ONE WITH BUSINESSES IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE
CITY, FOR VIBRANT, WALKABLE
COMMUNITIES. WE DESERVE A
SEATTLE THAT EVERYONE CAN CALL
HOME, FROM LAKE CITY TO
COLUMBIA CITY, FROM QUEEN ANNE
TO MADRONA. THERE'S GOING TO
BE A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT
THERE IS ALREADY A LOT OF WORK
THAT WE HAVE DONE. FOR YEARS
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS AND
WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT DONE WITH
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND WE
REALLY APPRECIATE THE REALLY
STRONG START THAT WE HAVE TO
BUILD FROM THUS FAR. AND WHILE
THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR
GROWTH, WITH CAPACITY ON
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND
CORRIDORS WHERE WE CAN EXPAND
MIXED-USE WHEREVER POSSIBLE AND
MAXIMIZE HOUSING AROUND
TRANSIT. ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT'S REALLY CLEAR TO ME IS
IT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE
A CITY FOR EVERYONE, AND THAT
WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
FOR OUR REGION AROUND US, TO
BUILD AN OF HOUSING THAT WE
AREN'T SPRAWLING OUT INTO SOME
OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES NEARBY
AND SO THAT WE CAN DO OUR PART,
AS WE ADDRESS THE HOUSING
CRISIS AND BUILD FOR WHAT WE
NEED. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, JASMINE.
>> MOVING TO REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ONCE I CALL A REMOTE
SPEAKER'S NAME, STAFF WILL
MUTE THE APPROPRIATE
MICROPHONE. IF YOU ARE UNMUTED
YOU WILL READ THE SPEAKER HIS
QUEUE THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO
SPEAK. SPEAKER MUST PRESS STAR
SIX TO BEGIN SPEAKING. OUR
FIRST SPEAKER IS ROBIN BRIGGS.
>> HELLO. I GOT THE QUEUE TO
SPEAK BUT I'M ACTUALLY RUTH
WILLIAMS. SHOULD I GO AHEAD?
>> CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME?
>> RUTH WILLIAMS.
>> I DON'T SEE YOU SIGNED UP,
RUTH. ARE YOU SIGNED UP? ON
BEHALF OF ROBIN?
>> NO, I DON'T KNOW WHO ROBIN
IS BUT I DID SIGN UP.
>> I'M ROBIN.
>> SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SIGN
RUTH UP. RUTH, JUST GIVE US A
SECOND, BUT ROBIN, YOU ARE OFF
MUTE AND YOUR TIME STARTS NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> SUPER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD MORNING COUNCILMEMBERS. MY
NAME IS ROBIN BRIGGS. I LIVE ON
CAPITOL HILL AND I'M VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLIMATE,
AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
DETAILS, AMONG OTHER THINGS,
THE CITY PLANS FOR REDUCING
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND
IMPROVING RESILIENCE. SO I URGE
EMISSIONS INVENTORY RELEASED IN
DECEMBER SHOWS WHY WE HAVE MADE
INCREMENTAL PROGRESS REDUCING
EMISSIONS WE ARE NOT NEARLY ON
TRACK TO MEETING REDUCTIONS
REQUIRED TO KEEP EMISSIONS TO
THE 1.5 DEGREE LEVEL RISE
CALLED FOR BY THE PARIS
AGREEMENT. WE HAD A REDUCTION
IN EMISSIONS FROM 2008 TO 2022
11%, WHICH IS POSITIVE, BUT IF
WE WERE ON GOAL THAT WOULD'VE
BEEN A 42% REDUCTION. NOR CAN
WE BE SURE THAT THIS 11%
REDUCTION IS NOT JUST A
TEMPORARY BYPRODUCT OF THE
PANDEMIC SINCE OUR EMISSIONS
ARE GROWING YEAR-OVER-YEAR
SINCE 2020. SO I URGE YOU TO
CONSIDER CLIMATE FRIENDLY
IMPROVEMENT. PEOPLES EMISSIONS
GO DOWN WHEN THEY MOVED TO THE
CITY. MORE DENSITY MEANS PEOPLE
DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL AS MUCH
TO MEET THEIR DAILY NEEDS, NOR
DO THEY EXPEND AS MUCH ENERGY
IN HEATING AND COOLING SPACES
IN MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS. ARE
WE PLANNING MASSIVE SEAWALLS IN
SOUTH PARK AND SMITH GO? HOW
WOULD ANOTHER AFFECT PEOPLE WHO
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO: OR
DON'T HAVE HOUSING. THIS IS A
20 YEAR PLAN. PLEASE LOOK AHEAD
AND CREATE THE PLAN WE WILL
NEED IN 2045. THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB
CARL UNDER.
>> GOOD MORNING, JACOB.
>> PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX,
JACOB.
>> GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> YES.
>> WONDERFUL. I'M JAKE
VERLANDER, A RESIDENT FROM
MONTLAKE IN THE AREA PLAN FOR
OF ZONING UNDER THE COMPETENCE
OF PLAN. ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY
NEIGHBORHOOD. I WANT MORE
PEOPLE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO LIVE HERE AND I FULLY
SUPPORT THE UP ZONING PLAN.
I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT
THE FEW EXTRA COMMERCIAL
NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCKS WHICH MAKE
ROOM FOR MORE BUSINESSES TO
SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. THE
CHANGES SUPPORT OUR CITY'S
URGENT NEED FOR DRAMATICALLY
INCREASED HOUSING SUPPLY AND
WILL MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
STRONGER AND MORE VIBRANT.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS COLLEEN
McKELLAR.
>> MORNING, COLLEEN. JUST PRESS
STAR SIX.
>> GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL.
WELCOME BACK. THIS IS COLLEEN
McALEER AND I'M PRESIDENT OF
LOCAL SEATTLE COMMUNITY
COUNCIL. WE'VE GOT 2900 UNDER
OUR JURISDICTION AND WE HAVE
SOME COMMENTS JUST ABOUT THE
COMP PLAN. FIRST OF ALL, THE
EARLY SHAPING PROCESS, LOCATION
IN THE SMALL DATA SIZE USED TO
FORM IT MAKES THE WHOLE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN SKEWED BY OPC D.
EIGHT EXCLUDES BROADER INPUT
FROM OFFICIAL NEIGHBORHOOD
ORGANIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY
NORTH OF THE SHIP CANNOT WEAR
300,000 PEOPLE LIVE. THEY
LIMITED TO FIVE ORGANIZATIONS
WITH 300 PEOPLE SO THERE IS A
WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE
NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON.
SECOND, THE FINAL COMMENT
PERIOD IS DECEMBER 20th
FOLLOWED BY A TWO WEEK LONG
HOLIDAY BREAK. WHO AND HOW ARE
THE COMMENTS READ? COMMENT
CHANGED IN AGREEMENT TO THE
SEATTLE PLAN YOU'RE GOING TO
SEE TODAY. WILL THESE COMMENTS
BE PART OF A FORMAL REVIEW
PROCESS TO FORM AMENDMENTS? YOU
HAD DUPLICATE ONCE FROM
INDIVIDUALS [ INAUDIBLE ]?
NUMBER THREE, WITH A
BILLION-DOLLAR LIGHT RAIL
EXTENSION THIS YEAR WHICH IS
WHY IS SEATTLE REQUIRE IT'S
ALSO MUCH MORE DENSITY REQUIRES
BEYOND HB 1110 IN THE GMA
TARGETS IN SEATTLE? THIS IS THE
MOST EXPENSIVE LAND, HIGHEST
CONSTRUCTION COST IN THE REGION
AND THE COMMUNITY IS EXPECTED
TO BE LESS-EXPENSIVE IN 10
YEARS. NUMBER FOUR, THE FINAL
ONE SEATTLE COMP PLAN AND THE
TREE CANOPY MUST BE RETAINED
FOR SEATTLE'S LIVABILITY, AND
NOT BE GIVEN AWAY ITS
CHARACTER. THE REQUIREMENTS OF
HB 1110 SECTION 21 PAGE FIVE
SAY, QUOTE, MIDDLE HOUSING
MEANS BUILDING TO BE COMPATIBLE
IN SCALE, FORM, AND CHARACTER
WITH SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING, END
POINT. DOUBLING AND TRIPLING
THE HEIGHT OF THESE PROPOSED
NEW ZONING CHANGES, ESPECIALLY
ALONG BUS ROUTES, AND NOT EVEN
MAJOR TRANSIT ROUTES, DOES NOT
MEAN THE HB 1110 CRITERIA AND
SHOULD BE AMENDED. THANKS FOR
YOUR EFFORTS WITH ALL THESE
COMPLEX IT IS. WE APPRECIATE
YOUR WORK ON THIS. THANK YOU.
BYE-BYE.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEEN.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JUNE.
>> HI JANET, GOOD MORNING. JUST
PRESS STAR SIX AND YOU CAN GO
AHEAD. TIME IS YOURS.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE SURE CAN.
>> HELLO. HELLO MY NAME IS JUNE
BLUES. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2.
THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO
TWO THINGS BEFORE APPROVING ANY
ZONING CHANGES, TO AVOID
HARMING OUR PEOPLE,
NEIGHBORHOODS, TREES AND
ENVIRONMENT. ONE, HAVE A
ROBUST, EFFECTIVE TREE
PROTECTION ORDINANCE THAT
PROTECTS BOTH MATURE TREES AND
TREES ON LOTS UNDERDEVELOPMENT.
TWO, CREATE A ROBUST,
EFFECTIVE, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
PLAN. NOT YET EXIST. CONTRARY
TO INFORMATION PRESENTED BY OPC
B, THE PROPERTY TAX ASSESSOR
USES THE STANDARD OF HIGHEST
AND BEST USE TO DETERMINE TAX
RATES, RAPIDLY INCREASING
TAXES, PUSH OUT LEGACY
HOMEOWNERS AND OTHER RESIDENTS,
ALLOWING SIGNIFICANT
OPPOSITIONS IN AREAS THAT HAVE
BEEN NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL,
RESULTING IN BLOCKS THAT
TRANSFORM INTO TALL,
MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS WITH NO
ARCHITECTURAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR
MISSING HOMES. THESE BUILDINGS
SURROUND AND SHADE OUT ANY
SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGS THAT
REMAIN. THIS ALSO PUSHES PEOPLE
OUT. ANTI-DISPLACEMENT POLICIES
MUST INCLUDE TAX RELIEF FOR
HOUSEHOLDS, PARTICULARLY LEGACY
HOMEOWNERS, REQUIRES ASSURING
DAYLIGHT FOR RESIDENCE AROUND
TALLER BUILDINGS AND DESIGN
ARCHITECTURE CONSISTENT WITH
NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER. THE
BURDEN OF UP ZONING TO DATE HAS
FALLEN DISPROPORTIONATELY ON
THE CENTRAL AREA AND SOUTHEAST
SEATTLE AND THE RAYNOR VALLEY,
AREAS THAT WERE HARMED BY PAST
DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING
PRACTICES AND THAT HOUSE A
HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF BIPOC
IMMIGRANTS AND LOW-INCOME
PEOPLE. THE CITY MUST EXEMPT
THESE AREAS FROM ANY OF ZONES.
ALMOST THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD
OF [ INAUDIBLE ] CITY IS NOW
DESIGNATED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER, A DEPARTURE FROM
EARLIER PLANS . HILLMAN CITY IS
A VIBRANT, DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD
WITH A DIVERSITY OF HOUSING
TYPES AND A BUSTLING BUSINESS
DISTRICT. PROPOSED DRASTIC UP
ZONES WILL COMPLETELY ALTER ITS
CHARACTER THERE [ INAUDIBLE ]
DO PLACE EXISTING RESIDENCE.
THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK Y
>>
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HARVEY
FOR LICK .
>> MORNING, HARVEY. JUST PRESS
STAR SIX AND COME OFF MUTE.
ONCE YOU TALK YOUR TIME WILL
BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS HERBIE
FROEHLICH. I'M SPEAKING FOR 4
HOUSEHOLDS IN THE MONTLAKE
NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST LEFT OF 24th
AND TWO BLOCKS FROM MONTLAKE
ELEMENTARY. WE HAVE THREE
CONCERNS WITH THE ONE SEATTLE
PLAN THAT PROPOSES SIGNIFICANT
ZONING CHANGES IN RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS. THE FIRST IS
PARKING. THAT WE LIVE NEAR VERY
GOOD TRANSIT, THE REALITY IS
THAT RESIDENCE HAVE PRIVATE
CARS. WE MUST PLAN BASED ON
THIS REALITY AND NOT WHAT WE
WISH PEOPLE WOULD DO IN USING
PUBLIC TRANSIT. IN FACT, THERE
IS AMPLE EVIDENCE TODAY OF
FUTURE PARKING PROBLEMS IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD DUE TO THE
RENOVATION OF MONTLAKE
ELEMENTARY. OUR STREETS HAVE
BEEN LINED WITH MANY PRIVATE
AND COMPANY VEHICLES OF
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. THERE'S
BEEN MINIMAL EVIDENCE OF
ENFORCEMENT OF THE TWO-HOUR
LIMIT FOR DAYTIME PARKING. OUR
SECOND CONCERN IS PROPERTY
VALUES FOR INDIVIDUAL DETACHED
HOMES LIKE OURS. INCREASED
DENSITY CAN BE IMPROVED BY
ADDING ADUS THAT ALSO ENHANCE
PROPERTY VALUES. MULTI STORY
HOUSING WILL NOT. OUR THIRD
CONCERN IS PLACEMENT. FROM WHAT
WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PLAN AND
OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED,
THERE IS NO LIMIT ON LOCATION
FOR THESE MIDDLE HOUSING
DEVELOPMENTS. PLACING THEM ON
BUSY STREETS LIKE 24th MAKES
SENSE, DEEP IN RESIDENTIAL
AREAS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.
THOSE ARE OUR THREE CONCERNS.
MARKET, PROPERTY VALUE,
PLACEMENT. OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE
MENTIONED THAT DETAILED
ALTERNATIVE PLANS, WILL THIS O
SEATTLE PLAN. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CLERK , HOW MANY MORE
SPEAKERS DO YOU HAVE?
>> WE HAVE ABOUT EIGHT MORE
SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARTHA
BASKIN.
>> HI MARTHA, JUST PRESS STAR
SIX AND YOUR TIME WILL START
ONCE YOU SPEAK.
>> HELLO.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> YES HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
GOOD MORNING, HELLO THERE. YES,
GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU.
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. I'M A
MEMBER OF WORKS CONNECT
SEATTLE'S CONSERVATION
COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE TREE
AND PEOPLE COALITION. THE GOAL
OF THE COMP PLAN ZONING UP 80s
TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY AND
DIVERSITY OF HOUSING, NOT TO
THE ARGUMENT THERE WAS
ESPECIALLY THE IMPETUS OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHICH ISN'T
ENTIRELY CLEAR. BUT WHEN THE
ZONING ALLOWS A RESIDENTIAL LOT
CLEARING TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT
THE OUTCOME IS A GLOB OF HARD
SCAPE, THE CITY IS DOING A
DISSERVICE TO EVERYONE WHO
LIVES HERE, ESPECIALLY IN
NEIGHBORHOODS SUFFERING FROM
HEAVY INDUSTRY AND A LACK OF
CANOPY. HOUSING SHOULDN'T BE A
HUMAN RIGHT BUT IT SHOULDN'T
MEAN A BARREN, DENUDED
LANDSCAPE WITH NO AIR. THE
ZONING UP DATES ARE AN ACT OF
CLIMATE DENIAL WHICH WILL
ENSURE HEAT ISLANDS, UNFILTERED
WILDFIRE SMOKE AND STORM RUNOFF
POURING INTO CITY STREETS,
POISONING WATERWAYS. SETBACKS
ARE SO LIMITED THAT THERE IS NO
SPACE FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY OR
STREET TREES, NO SPACE TO
PROTECT TREES ON THE PERIPHERY
OF A LOT WHERE THEY CAN ALSO BE
SAVED WITH CREATIVE
CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN. THE
CANOPIES OF MATURE TREES
MITIGATE THE ISLANDS WHILE
THEIR ROOTS HELP CURB RUNOFF.
THE INCREASED HARD SCAPE
PRIORITIZES PAVEMENT OVER GREEN
SPACE, A SURE RECIPE FOR AN
UNLIVABLE AND VERY UNHEALTHY
CITY. WHY IS THE CITY INTENT ON
IGNORING ITS OWN CANOPY GOALS
AND STATED ON EXPANDING OF
CLIMATE CHANGE WHEN IT TALKS
ABOUT DIVERSE HOUSING? CAN'T
IT CHEW GUM AND WALK AT THE
SAME TIME? CAN'T WE HAVE A
DIVERSE SUPPLY OF HOUSING THAT
INCLUDES PROTECTING EXISTING
TREES WHICH SAVE THE PLANET
MORE. SEATTLE DOES NEED A
DIVERSE SUPPLY OF HOUSING,
ESPECIALLY THE LIVABLE KIND,
BUT 25 YEARS INTO THE 21st
CENTURY IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE A
CITY THAT'S READY FOR -- THAT
TOOK CARE OF THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AND
TYSON.
>> WELCOME, ANNE, JUST PRESS
STAR SIX AND YOUR TIME WILL
START ONCE YOU SPEAK
>> GOOD MORNING, A LONGTIME
NORTHEAST SEATTLE RESIDENT. MY
FAMILY HAS LIVED HERE SINCE
1951. I STRONGLY AGREE WITH THE
CRITICISMS MADE BY CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS AS WELL AS BY
PRIOR COLORS ABOUT THE MISTAKE
RUSHED PROCESS TREE CANOPY AND
WILDLIFE AND UNNECESSARY
OVERREACH OF THE PLAN. I
REPRESENT MY NEIGHBORS VOICING
STRONG OPPOSITION TO PROPOSE UP
ZONING TO LR THREE ALONG THE
SMALL SEGMENT OF NORTHEAST 45th
STREET BETWEEN 30th AVENUE
NORTHEAST AND 45th AVENUE
NORTHEAST. THIS IS CLEARLY A
PLANNING MISTAKE THAT WE
RESPECT FULLY REQUESTED
CORRECTED.'S PROPOSAL IS BASED
ON A MISCHARACTERIZATION OF
THIS AREA AS PART OF THE
FREQUENT TRANSIT NETWORK. THIS
IS SIMPLY WRONG. AS SHOWN ON
THE SEATTLE TRANSIT MASTER
PLAN, THIS SMALL SPUR ALONG THE
END OF 45th STREET IS NOT PART
OF THAT NETWORK. IN ADDITION,
SUCH A SPUR WOULD BE CONTRARY
TO THE SERVICE DESIGN
PRINCIPLES USED TO ESTABLISH
THIS FREQUENT TRANSIT NETWORK
WHICH PRIORITIZES ROUTES THAT
CONNECT URBAN CENTERS AND URBAN
VILLAGES, PLACES WITH [
INAUDIBLE ], SERVICES AND
ACTIVITY MAJOR TRANSIT. THIS
SEGMENT OF NORTHEAST 45th
STREET HAS NONE OF THAT IT'S
RESIDENTIAL, HAS NO COMMERCIAL
AND IS NOT SERVICE A
DESTINATION FOR THE STATE OR
REGION. IT'S ESSENTIALLY A
DEAD END. THIS AREA DOES NOT
QUALIFY FOR UP ZONING BASED ON
ANY STATED CRITERIA. THE UP
ZONING IS OVERWHELMINGLY
OPPOSED BY RESIDENCE. I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU
CORRECT THIS ERROR AND GIVEN
THE RUSHED PROCESS, TIME NEEDS
TO BE TAKEN. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE PLANNING AUTHORITIES TO
CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENT SUCH AS
MINE IN A VERY SHORT DURATION.
THESE ARE VALID COMMENTS AND
THEY NEED TO BE WEIGHED THROUGH
A LEGITIMATE PROCESS. THANK
YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN
DAVIS.
>> MORNING, KAREN. STAR SIX.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY
CALL. MY NAME IS KAREN DAVIS. I
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS EFFORT
TO CREATE MORE HOUSING. WE
CLEARLY NEED THAT BUT AT WHAT
COST ? I WANT TO ASK YOU ALL,
WHY DO YOU LIVE HERE? WHY DO
YOU LIVE IN SEATTLE? I LIVE IN
SEATTLE BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL
BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE. I LIVE
HERE FOR THE TREES, THE BIRDS,
THE WATER, THE SALMON AND ORCA,
AND ALL OF THAT IS AT RISK WITH
THIS PLAN. THE SOUTHERN
RESIDENT WORKERS ARE CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED AND PROTECTED BY THE
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, AND YET
THEY AREN'T EVEN MENTIONED IN
THIS PLAN. THERE IS ONE
SWIMMING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW,
CARRYING HER DEAD CALF, THAT
DIED LIKELY FROM MALNUTRITION
BECAUSE WE'VE KILLED THE
SALMON AND WE'VE POLLUTED THE
WATER. THIS IS MAKING WORLD
NEWS AND IT'S NOT EVEN
MENTIONED IN OUR PLAN. WHEN
PEOPLE SEE PICTURES OF WORKERS
BREACHING WITH DOWNTOWN IN THE
BACKGROUND, THEY THINK IT'S
PHOTOSHOP TO. THEY CAN'T
BELIEVE THAT THAT ACTUALLY
EXISTS AND IT ACTUALLY EXISTS
BUT WE ARE RAPIDLY SEALING
THEIR FATE, AND THIS PLAN IS
JUST ONE MORE NAIL IN THE
COFFIN. WE NEED TO SEE A PLAN
WITH A LOT MORE ACCOMMODATIONS
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND GREEN
SPACE. WE NEED TO SEE A PLAN
THAT ALLOWS BIG TREES ON EVERY
SINGLE CITY LOT. THE DECREASED
SETBACK IN THE INCREASE OF HARD
SCAPE AND 46 UNITS ON EVERY
CITY LOT WILL NOT LEAVE ANY
ROOM FOR SHADE TREES AND SHADE
TREES ARE CRITICAL FOR FIGHTING
CLIMATE CHANGE, ABSORBING AND
FILTERING WATER, FOR PREVENTING
FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES AND FOR
BIODIVERSITY. THE BEAUTY OF THE
ENVIRONMENT, THE GREEN, AND
WILDLIFE ARE WHAT MAKE SEATTLE
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL, LIVABLE CITY.
AND THIS PLAN DOES NOT
PRIORITIZE THAT. DENSITY
WITHOUT LIVABILITY IS USELESS
BECAUSE NO ONE WILL WANT TO
LIVE YOUR. LIVABILITY MUST GO
HAND-IN-HAND WITH DENSITY. WE
ARE THE EMBLEM EMERALD CITY.
HOW CAN WE BE THE EMERALD CITY
WITHOUT ANY GREEN? PLEASE MAKE
GREEN SPACE A PRIORITY IN THIS
PLAN BY [ INAUDIBLE ] LET'S
REMEMBER THE GREEN THAT GAVE
EMERALD CITY ITS NAME, NOT JUST
THE GREEN THAT LINES THE
POCKETS OF DEVELOPERS. THANK
YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID
KEZERIAN.
>> GOOD MORNING, DAVID.
>> I THINK HE JUST DROPPED SO
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, RUTH
WILLIAMS.
>> GOOD MORNING, RUTH. GO AHEAD
AND PRESS STAR SIX.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> LOUD AND CLEAR.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. HELLO. I'M
RUTH WILLIAMS SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF THORNTON CREEK
ALLIANCE, AN ALL VOLUNTEER
GROUP OF 180 MEMBERS. THORNTON
CREEK IS THE LARGEST WATERSHED
IN BOTH SEATTLE AND SHORELINE.
NO NEED TO REMIND THIS GROUP OF
THE GRIEVING WORK ON MOTHER AND
HOW URBAN RUNOFF IS A MAJOR
CONTRIBUTOR TO GREATER
CONDITION. INCREASED PAVEMENT
WILL BRING INCREASED RUNOFF.
THE SEATTLE PORTION OF THORNTON
CREEK IS IN D5 POINT THIS
HISTORICAL SALMON BEARING
STRAIN, LIKE MANY URBAN
STREAMS, IS TODAY A FEDERAL
CATEGORY CO THREE THE IMPAIRED
WATERWAY. RETURNING SALMON
MOSTLY DIE AT THE MOUTH. THE
POLLUTED WATERS FLOW INTO LAKE
WASHINGTON AT [ INAUDIBLE ]
WHERE THE PREVAILING CURRENT
WASHES THEM OVER TO THE [
INAUDIBLE ]. THESE WATERS
EVENTUALLY FLOW INTO URBAN
THERE. VISION 2050 SET THIS
ENVIRONMENTAL GOAL. THE NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT IS RESTORED,
PROTECTED AND SUSTAINED,
PRESERVING AND ENHANCING
NATURAL FUNCTIONS AND WILDLIFE
HABITAT. WE DON'T SEE EFFORTS
EXTENDED IN THIS DIRECTION.
WHAT WE SEE IS HOMES BEING
BUILT EVEN IN HISTORICAL
WETLANDS AND LOTS BEING SCRAPED
OF ALL VEGETATION FOR THE
CONVENIENCE OF BUILDERS. THE
MARCH CITES NUMEROUS FEDERAL
REGULATION, IT'S NOT AT ALL
CLEAR HOW IT APPLIES TO THEM.
THE DISCUSSION AND ANALYSES ARE
INADEQUATE AND ACCUMULATED
IMPACT ANALYSIS IS COMPLETED.
LET'S HOPE FOR MORE SUPPORTIVE
OF SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT. WE
LOOK FORWARD TO READING THE NEW
EIS TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS
MONTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND ALL YOUR WORK.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID
HAYNES.
>> GO AHEAD AND PRESS STAR SIX.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID HAYNES. THE
COMP PLAN IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE
21st CENTURY, FIRST WORLD
QUALITY, ROBUST, FOUR PLAN
HOUSING BUILD OUTS, WHERE YOU
BUILD HIGHER THAN SIX STORIES
TO GIVE LIVABLE AMENITY,
21ST-CENTURY QUALITATIVE SPACE,
SO YOU CAN ENJOY THE VIEW FROM
THE ROOFTOP WITHOUT DEALING
WITH LOW LEVEL NOISE POLLUTIONS
FROM THE STREET OR THE TRANSIT,
WHERE YOU WANT TO BUILD THREE
LEVELS, FIVE DIFFERENT
BUILDINGS RUNNING TRASH TRUCKS
IN BETWEEN. THE PROBLEM I HEAR
WITH THESE PUBLIC COMMENTERS IS
THE SAME THING THAT SABOTAGES
THE COMP PLAN WHERE YOU'RE NOT
ALLOWED TO BUILD ANYTHING ELSE
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE ALL
THESE PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY'RE
ENTITLED AND ARE PRIVILEGED,
LIKE HOMEOWNERS, THEY GET TO
CLAIM TWO, THREE AND FOUR
MORTGAGES THAT THEY TRY TO SELL
OUT ON, MAKING SURE THAT NOBODY
ELSE IS ALLOWED TO BUILD IN THE
AREA, AND THEN WHATEVER IS
BUILT IS SABOTAGED BY OTHER
PEOPLE THAT SAY, WELL YOU'RE
NOT ALLOWED TO BUILD THAT HIGH
AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO
IMPACT MY TREE THAT I NEED,
DRIVING FOR, JUSTIFYING YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE NEED A COMP
PLAN THAT TRADES OUT THE
SERVICE ROADS AND SOME OF THESE
SIDE STREETS TO PEOPLE, TO
ROBUSTLY BUILD OUT, YOU KNOW,
LIKE EIGHT COMPLEXES THAT
DON'T HAVE THE CAR DRIVING IN
BETWEEN EACH SECTION OF THE
QUAD. THAT THEY MISINTERPRETATI
ON, IT'S CAR CENTRIC. WE NEED
TO GET THE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY,
RESIDENT FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS
WHERE YOU'RE NOT WALKING OUT
YOUR FRONT DOOR AND BEING
OVERWHELMED BY THIRD AVENUE
STREET DUST AND PUBLIC SAFETY
PREDATORS. IT'S LIKE, WHY DOES
ANYBODY WANT TO LIVE IN SEATTLE
IF WE HAVE A PRIORITY TO PUT
REPEAT OFFENDING CRIMINALS
CONNECTED TO THE UNDERWORLD IN
SERVICES FIRST WITHOUT DEALING
WITH THE PUBLIC POLICY OF
THROWING DRUG PUSHERS IN JAIL
AND HAVING A ROBUST HOUSING
BUILD OUT WITHOUT SELLOUTS
SABOTAGING IT.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MATT
HUTCHINS.
>> MAP, PRESS STAR SIX.
>> HI, MY NAME IS MATT HUTCHINS
AND I'M WORKING ON AFFORDABLE
HOUSING INFILL DEVELOPMENT. I
STRUGGLE WITH HOUSING,
HOMELESSNESS THE HIGH RENT,
HOUSING INSTABILITY, AND ACCESS
TO QUALITY HOUSING IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO WHERE PEOPLE WANT
TO LIVE AND WORK ON YOUR PARKS
AND SCHOOLS, IS ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL FOR EVERYONE'S
QUALITY OF LIFE, NOT JUST THE
RESIDENCE. I WANT TO
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
LOWERCASE LETTER A AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. A AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IS SUBSIDIZED BY [ INAUDIBLE ]
MONEY VERSUS LOWERCASE LETTER A
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS JUST AN
EXPENSIVE HOUSING BY NATURE OF
ITS TYPE, SIZE, OR AGE. WE NEED
TO ATTEND THIS PLAN HAS SOME OF
WHAT IS NEEDED POINT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ARE A KEY
ELEMENT FOR CAPITAL A
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE
SUBSIDIZED BY PUBLIC MONEY
BECAUSE NONPROFITS CAN BUILD
THE SCALE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROJECT. PLEASE PRESERVE EVERY
ONE OF THESE AND CONSIDER
ABANDONING THE SMALL A
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS GIVING TO
BE ALLOWING 4 AND 6 UNITS PER
PARCEL. THIS CREATES LESS
EXPENSIVE HOMES LIKE TOWNHOUSES
AND FLATS, COTTAGES, AND THESE
ARE ALSO IMPORTANT. THESE TWO
ELEMENTS ARE TWO PRONGS OF
GETTING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN OUR CITY AND I WANT TO POINT
OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
DEVELOPMENT OPACITY AND OR
HOUSING GOALS, HAVING 330
POSSIBLE -- 330,000 POSSIBLE
HOUSING UNITS DOESN'T MEAN WE
ARE GOING TO GET THEM. A SMALL
PERCENTAGE OF THE CAPACITY
EVERY YEAR, DEVELOPMENT
CAPACITY VERY HIGH. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING
IN THE PROCESS LATER.
>> THANK YOU, MATT. OUR NEXT
SPEAKER IS GOING TO BE CHARLIE
INMAN FOLLOWED BY RILEY AVON
AND OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL GO
BACK TO DAVID [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> GOOD MORNING, CHARLIE.
>> GO AHEAD AND PRESS STAR SIX.
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> LOUD AND CLEAR.
>> YOU ARE ALL GOOD POINT IS
BEEN THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HELLO, CONSIDER THE EXAMPLE OF
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON,
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA AND
AUSTIN, TEXAS AND ELIMINATING
SINGLE-FAMILY ZONING IN SEATTLE
AND AT A MINIMUM [ INAUDIBLE ]
THE CURRENT PLAN TO ALLOW
SEATTLE TO BUILD MORE HOUSING.
ALLOW THE CITY TO MEET HOUSING
DEMAND AND REDUCE HOUSING COSTS
AS HAS BEEN OBSERVED IN OTHER
AREAS IMPLEMENTING THE
SOLUTIONS ACROSS THE NATION.
STREET NUMBER, WHAT ARE RUNOFF,
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS,
IGNORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL
DETRIMENT OF CONTINUED HOUSING
AND AUTOMOBILE SPRAWL DOES TO
THE ENVIRONMENT AND ACTIONS
RELATING TO NEIGHBORHOOD
CHARACTER, DAYLIGHT [ INAUDIBLE
] DEVELOPERS, OUTREACH AND
OTHER NIMBY CLAIMS ARE
FACETIOUS AT BEST. THE CONCERNS
ARE PROHIBITIVELY -- THE
CONCERNS OF PROHIBITIVELY
EXPENSIVE HOUSING ENCLAVES DO
NOT REPRESENT MOST OF
SEATTLEITES PER HIS PLANS AND
MEASURES FOR UP ZONING. THANK
YOU.
>> RILEY?
>> GOOD MORNING, RILEY. JUST
STAR SIX. GOOD MORNING, WE CAN
HEAR YOU.
>> MY NAME IS RILEY AVON AND I
LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA'S DISTRICT.
FIRST THANK YOU FOR THE
THOROUGH OUTREACH AND SUPPORT
OF THIS PLAN. SHOCKED WHEN
PEOPLE -- DOZENS OF MEETINGS
AND HUNDREDS OF COMMENTS,
MULTIPLE PERIODS IN 2021.
SECOND I LIVE IN AN AREA DUE TO
BE SIGNIFICANTLY UP ZONED TO LR
THREE AND I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT
THAT CHANGE. I HEAR MUCH
CONCERN HERE ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD
CHARACTER BUT THE CHARACTER OF
MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN BUILDINGS IF WE
DON'T ALLOW CHANGE TO THE
PHYSICAL STRUCTURES IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD THEN WE WILL
CONTINUE TO PRICE OUT EXISTING
IN THESE NEIGHBORS. THAT
DOESN'T WORK FOR ANYONE EXCEPT
THE INCUMBENT HOMEOWNERS WHO
ARE DRAMATICALLY
OVERREPRESENTED. FINALLY, MY
NEIGHBORHOOD IS DISPROPORTIONAT
ELY WEALTHY AND SOME OF THE
LOWEST DISPLACEMENT RISK
NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE ARE THE
PERFECT PLACE TO ALLOW EVEN
MORE HOMES . WE ARE IN A
HOUSING CRISIS SO LET'S ACT
LIKE IT, BUILDING FOR MEDICALLY
MORE HOMES IS THE ONLY
SUSTAINABLE WAY TO DIG
OURSELVES OUT. PLEASE THIS PLAN
EVEN BOLDER AND QUICKER. THANK
YOU.
>> OUR LAST SPEAKER IS DAVID.
>> A MORNING, DAVID. JUST PRESS
STAR SIX AND YOU'RE GOOD TO
GO.
>> HI THERE, THANK YOU, SORRY
ABOUT THAT EARLIER. MY NAME IS
DAVID AND I'M A SEATTLE
RESIDENT, OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPIST AND SMALL BUSINESS
OWNER. AS AN OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPIST I'M CONCERNED THAT
THE 10 PLAN DECREASES A
DISABILITY TO LIFE ACTIVITIES
NECESSARY FOR HUMAN HEALTH AND
WELLNESS. THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATE BEGAN BICYCLE THAT
A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS
INEVITABLE RATHER THAN STARTING
WITH EXISTING ECOSYSTEM
ASSESSING THE SHORT AND
LONG-TERM IMPACT OVERALL
POLLUTION AND THE ACCESSIBILITY
OF OUR CITY'S BUILT
ENVIRONMENT ON THE HOTTEST,
COLDEST, WETTEST, AND DRIEST
AND WINDIEST DAYS THAT CLIMATE
CHANGE WILL CONTINUE TO THROW
AT US. OUR RESIDENCE, HUMAN AND
OTHERWISE, CANNOT SURVIVE YET
MORE PUBLIC SPRAWL PERK WE'VE
ALREADY LOST FAR TOO MANY TREES
DUE TO POOR PENNINE INNING AND
LACK OF T.AND AN
HONEST OF OUR MENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT ADVERTISES TREES,
ORCHIDS, AND ALL NATIVE
RESIDENTS BEFORE COVERING IT
MORE OF OUR ECOSYSTEM AND
COUNTRY. THANK YOU.
>> THAT'S OUR LAST REGISTERED
SPEAKER.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU AND THANK
YOU TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS
WHO CAME TODAY, AND ALSO ONLINE
AS WELL. I -- ONE OF THE THINGS
I WAS LISTENING TO WHEN YOU ALL
WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
ENVIRONMENT, IT REMINDED ME OF
2014 WHEN WE HAD THE OSO
LANDSLIDE. I WAS LISTENING TO
SOME OF THE TRIBES, INDIGENOUS
TRIBES SPEAK ABOUT HOW THEY
FELT LIKE MOTHER NATURE WAS
CRYING DURING THAT TIME AND
SEEING THE WHALE AND
UNFORTUNATELY THE YOUNG ORCA
THAT HAS PASSED AWAY, AND
UNDERSTANDING HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS THAT WE DETECT OUR
ENVIRONMENT SO JUST WANTED TO
THROW THAT OUT THERE, LISTEN TO
YOU ALL, I HEAR YOU ALL AND
LOOK FORWARD TO THE
PRESENTATION TODAY. BEFORE I GO
INTO MY COMMON SENSE AT THE
TABLE, I WOULD LIKE US TO READ
ITEM NUMBER ONE INTO THE RECORD
SO WE CAN INVITE OUR GUESTS TO
THE TABLE, AND THEN I WILL SAY
MY COMMON SENSE AT THE TABLE
AND WE'LL GET STARTED. THANK
YOU.
>> ITEM 1, INTRODUCTION TO THE
CONFERENCE OF PLAN PROCESS FOR
A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU ALL.
BEFORE WE JUMP INTO OUR
PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO SET
THE TABLE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AS YOU
ALL KNOW, I TOOK ON THIS
RESPONSIVE VALIDITY ABOUT A
MONTH AGO SO I APPRECIATE YOUR
GRACE AND UNDERSTANDING AS WE
MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS
TOGETHER. I ALSO LIKE TO THANK
OUR OP CD, OUR COUNCIL STAFF,
OUR MAYOR'S OFFICE. I KNOW YOU
ALL WORKED HARD OVER THE RECESS
BREAK TO PUT A PRESENTATION
TOGETHER FOR US TO START OFF
THE 2025 -- THERE'S NOTHING
MORE FUN THAN STARTING OFF 2025
WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,
OKAY? I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO
KNOW THAT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
SHE'S THE FORMER CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE. IT ALSO HAPPENS TO
BE HER LAST OFFICIAL DAY ON
RECORD. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK
HER FOR THE -- I HAD
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH HER
AND HER STAFF TO GO OVER A LOT
OF THE WORK THAT THEY DID IN
PREPARATION FOR THIS. SO VERY
GRATEFUL FOR THAT MEETING AND
THANK YOU TO HER AND HER
SERVICE TO OUR CITY, OFFICIALLY
I KNOW A LOT OF US HAVE GONE ON
RECORD. THANK YOU TO HER BUT I
JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT
THERE AS WELL. I ALSO WANTED TO
POINT OUT THAT I HAVE TALKED TO
MANY OF YOU OF MY COLLEAGUES
ABOUT HOW HOUSING IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL IN YOUR
DISTRICTS AND ALSO IN ADDITION
TO GROCERY STORES, AND PARKS,
AND BUILDINGS, AND TREES AND
COMMUNITY CENTERS, TRAILS,
GREEN SPACES, LOCAL SMALL
BUSINESSES. ALTHOUGH THIS HAS
AN IMPACT ON OUR COUNTRY HAS A
PLAN AND A LOAD OF THE VALUES
THAT I'VE HEARD FROM OUR
COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN, WE WANT A
WELCOMING CITY FOR OUR
NEWCOMERS AND OUR FAMILIES. WE
ALSO WANT AFFORDABLE CITY FROM
YOUNG TO OLD, WHICH IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. WE NEED
AN ACCESSIBLE CITY FOR OUR
COMMUNITY. WE ALSO NEED A
LIVABLE CITY FOR SEATTLE AND WE
ALSO NEED A SAFE CITY. ALL
THESE PLAY INTO PARK WITH OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS. THIS MEETING
FOR MY COLLEAGUES IS INTENDED
TO US TO GIVE AN INTRODUCTION
REGARDING THE PROCESS. THE
MAYOR'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS
BEING SENT DOWN TO COUNCIL
TODAY, TRANSMITTED, AND WE WILL
BE GETTING DURING THIS
PRESENTATION, I'VE READ IT AND
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
SENDING IT OVER FOR ME TO READ
OVER AND EVERYTHING BUT THIS IS
-- WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE
PRE-BRIEFINGS, THE LAYERS IN
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ALSO
THE AMENDMENT PROCESS. WE HAVE
CENTRAL STAFF HERE WHO WILL
TALK ABOUT THAT. ALSO THE
HIGH-LEVEL TIMELINES AND DUE
DATES AS WELL, AND I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, NUMBER
ONE, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
AMENDMENTS AND TIMELINES, THAT
WE STAY TRUE TO THOSE
TIMELINES. THERE'S ALSO A
LEGAL COMPONENT TO THAT . YOU
KNOW A CERTAIN WINDOW IN WHICH
WE ARE ALLOWED TO BRING
AMENDMENTS, SO I JUST WANT TO
REMIND MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THAT
AND BRING THAT UP. THE SECOND
THING IS WHEN WE ARE RUNNING
THESE MEETINGS, EVERYONE WILL
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO
THROUGH THE SECOND ROUND OF
FOLKS WHO WANT TO SPEAK BUT I
WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE
ALWAYS HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK FIRST. I ALSO WOULD LOVE
FOR MY COLLEAGUES -- THIS IS A
STRONG ASK FOR US TO DO OUR
HOMEWORK, SO FOR YOU ALL TO GET
PRE-BRIEFINGS ABOUT THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THE BLOOD
OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I KNOW
YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE CAN BE
ANSWERED IN OUR PRE-BRIEFINGS
WITH OUR STAFF, WITH OP CD, SO
WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THESE
MEETINGS ARE HIGH-LEVEL AND WE
CAN GO INTO A LOT OF THE WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. BECAUSE
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
DO OUR HOMEWORK. IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE ARE
MAKING CHANGES TO CITY CODE AND
PEOPLE'S NEIGHBORHOODS, AND
LIVES, AND ALL THESE THINGS,
THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A REALLY
GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT PEOPLE
AND HOW IT'S GOING TO CHANGE
NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WHAT THE
IMPACT IS GOING TO BE. SO I
JUST WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE ON TOP OF THAT AS WELL.
I ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY VICE
CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS,
AS WELL, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK
AND ALL OF YOUR STEWARDSHIP, AS
WELL, AND COACHING IN THE
BACKGROUND. YOU'RE A GREAT
COACH AND LAST NOT LEAST, I
BELIEVE THAT'S ALL THE
COMMENTS I HAVE SO I DON'T
KNOW IF ANY OTHER COUNCIL
MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS BUT WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR
PRESENTATION. WELCOME. AND
PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE
RECORD, AND WE CAN JUST JUMP
RIGHT IN.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KRISTA PIUS, I'M
DEFINITELY DIRECTOR OF POLICY
IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ON
BEHALF OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE I
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
HAVING US HERE TODAY AND THANK
YOU FOR PULLING TOGETHER A
SELECT COMMITTEE AND
RECOGNITION OF THE MOST
CRITICAL ISSUE BEFORE THE CITY
PER GO AND A BIG SHOUT OUT TO
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH, FOR STEPPING UP
TO TAKE THE HELM. MAJOR UP
DATES TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
HAPPEN ONLY EVERY 10 YEARS AND
THESE TEN-YEAR UPDATES REQUIRE
JURISDICTIONS TO PLAN FOR THE
NEXT 20 YEARS OF ANTICIPATED
GROWTH. THIS IS ALSO A FAIRLY
COMPLEX AND LENGTHY PROCESS
WITH NUMEROUS REQUIREMENTS AND
LAYERS OF DECISION-MAKING
INVOLVED SO I ALSO WANT TO
THANK THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN
VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS FOR THEIR
ENGAGEMENT TO DATE ON THIS
ISSUE, WHICH WE KNOW CAN
SOMETIMES FEEL OVERLY
BUREAUCRATIC AND DIFFICULT TO
FOLLOW. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO NOTE THAT THE LATEST
AND LAST ROUND OF PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT ON THE EXECUTIVE
SIDE CONCLUDED ON DECEMBER
20th. STAFF FROM OUR PLANNING
DEPARTMENT WILL VERY QUICKLY BE
PULLING TOGETHER A READOUT ON
THE FEEDBACK RECEIVED. WE WILL
BE USING THIS TO REFINE TWO
MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION
THAT WE WILL BE SENDING DOWN TO
YOU IN MARCH AND MAY. OBVIOUSLY
ALL OF YOU WILL ALSO HAVE AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN SHAPING THE
PLAN THAT IS ULTIMATELY ADOPT
IT AND WE ANTICIPATE YOU WILL
BE CONDUCTING URINE PUBLIC
PROCESS, GATHERING INPUT FROM A
VARIETY OF CONSTITUENTS AS YOU
STRIVE TO BALANCE A RANGE OF
INTERESTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU IN THE COMING
MONTHS AND HELPING TO SUPPORT
YOUR DECISION-MAKING, AND WITH
THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
OUR PLANNING STAFF, WHO HAVE
PREPARED A PRESENTATION THAT IS
LARGELY ABOUT TABLE SETTING AND
WE'LL BE TAKEN UP IN THE
COMING MONTHS. THANK YOU.
>> AND BEFORE, REAL QUICK, I
JUST WANT, MY COLLEAGUES, IF WE
COULD WAIT TO THE END FOR US TO
ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS, WE'LL GO
THROUGH THE WHOLE PRESENTATION
AND IN THE END YOU'LL BE
RECOGNIZED FOR QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU.
>> AND YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY?
>> YES, DIRECTOR, YOU ARE GOOD.
>> SO GOOD MORNING. WELCOME
BACK FROM HOLIDAY AND THANK YOU
ALL FOR STARTING OFF THE YEAR
WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. MY
NAME IS RICO QUIRINDONGO AND
THE OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT. I
KNOW THAT YOU ALL KNOW THIS BUT
JUST TO STATE ON THE RECORD,
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF NINE
MONTHS OF CONVERSATION ABOUT
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. WE HAVE
THREE PIECES OF LEGISLATION
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NINE
MONTHS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY,
AND THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
TOPIC. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH, FOR CHAIRING
THIS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION ALREADY, AND NOTE
THAT YOU HAVE MANY THINGS THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
RECONSIDER THIS YEAR, AND
APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU
WILL BE PUTTING FORWARD TO TALK
ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE
CONTEMPLATING IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR A
GROWING CITY THAT IS CONTINUING
TO EVOLVE AND EXPAND. WE HAVE A
LOT TO JUMP INTO SO I WILL KEEP
MY COMMENTS SHORT BUT AGAIN,
KNOW THAT WE WANT TO BE HERE
FOR YOU AS STAFF AS YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE PRESENT FOR YOU TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS, PROVIDE YOU
THE INFORMATION YOU NEED AS YOU
REACH OUT TO STAKEHOLDERS, AND
KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROCESS FOR
THE COMMUNITY, ALL OF YOU THAT
HAVE COME TODAY TO PROVIDE
COMMENT ALREADY, THAT PROVIDED
COMMENT ONLINE, WE ARE
BEGINNING ANOTHER -- YOU ARE
BEGINNING ANOTHER COMMENT,
PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS IN
ADVANCE OF A PUBLIC HEARING A
MONTH FROM NOW AND WE'LL COME
BACK TO THAT. SO WE HAVE A
SLIGHT DECK TO PRESENT TO YOU
TODAY, IF WE COULD PULL THAT
UP.
>> JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM, WE
DON'T SEE YOUR SLIDES.
>> THAT IS CONFIRMED. THANK YOU
FOR THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE WILL WORK ON
THAT.
>> NO WORRIES.
>> I NOTICE YOU SAY NEXT SLIDE
AND I WAS LIKE --
>> THIS IS A GREAT TIME FOR ME
TO TALK TO PEOPLE CARE ABOUT
THE ENVIRONMENT. IF EVERYONE
GOES VEGAN TODAY FOR ONE DAY,
THAT WILL REDUCE YOUR TOTAL
CARBON FOOT PRINT BY FEUD BY
70%. SO JUST THINK ABOUT THAT
ONE DAY. THANK YOU. JUST WANT
A. 70%.
>> ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT WE
ARE GOOD.
>> WE ARE ALL GOOD. THANK YOU
FOR THAT, VICE CHAIR.
>> THE AGENDA THAT YOU SEE IN
FRONT OF YOU, WE WANT TO GIVE
YOU A VERY QUICK OVERVIEW OF
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND
REQUIREMENTS, MOVING TO A
CONVERSATION AROUND PLANNING
FOR HOUSING GROWTH, TALKING
ABOUT THE SCHEDULE OF
CONSIDERATION, NOT ONLY THE
WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING THE LAST
2 1/2 YEARS BUT WHAT WE
ANTICIPATE OVER THE NEXT NINE
MONTHS. WE WANT TO TOUCH ON THE
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS
THAT HAS BEEN UNDERWAY,
INCLUDING THE RELEASE OF THE
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT FORTHCOMING. WE ALSO
WANT TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF
THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED OVER THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WELL AS
THE COUNCIL PROCESS THAT WE'LL
BE CONDUCTING WITH YOU OVER THE
LAST NINE MONTHS. AND I WILL
PASS ON TO OUR LAND-USE
PLANNING MANAGER, MICHAEL
HUTTON.
>> THANK YOU, RICO. CAN YOU
HEAR ME ? GREAT. THANK YOU,
RICO. THANK YOU, KRISTA. GOOD
MORNING COUNCILMEMBERS. FOR THE
RECORD I'M MICHAEL HUBNER, ON
THE LONG-RANGE PLANNING MANAGER
IN THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE
PROJECT LEAD FOR THE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN CONFERENCE OF PLAN
OF DATE. SO THE ONE SEATTLE
PLAN, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS
THE CITY'S VISION FOR 20 YEARS
OF GROWTH, HOW AND WHERE WE
WILL GROW, WHAT PRIORITIES
GUIDE INVESTMENTS TO ADDRESS
COMMUNITY NEEDS AS WE GROW. THE
PLAN IS ALSO SHAPED BY
REQUIREMENTS AT THE STATE AND
REGIONAL LEVELS. HAVING A COMP
PLAN TO BEGIN WITH IS A
REQUIREMENT OF THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT WHICH WAS
ADOPTED BY THE STATE IN 1991.
EIGHT INCLUDES BOTH PROCEDURAL
AND SUBSTANTIVE REQUIREMENTS
FOR OUR LOCAL PLAN. THE PUGET
SOUND REGIONAL COUNCILS,
DIVISION 2050, IS THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR OUR FOUR
COUNTY CENTRAL PUGET SOUND
REGION. IT INCLUDES A REGIONAL
GROWTH STRATEGY WITH
EXPECTATIONS FOR COUNTIES AND
CITIES LIKE SEATTLE. THE SRC
DESIGNATES REGIONAL CENTERS IN
WHICH THERE ARE SEVERAL WITHIN
THE CITY AND IT DISTRIBUTES
FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS
TO SUPPORT THE MOBILITY OF THE
REGION AS WE GROW. IMPORTANTLY,
PSO SEE ALSO REVIEWS OUR
ADOPTED COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
ONCE THEY ARE UPDATED AND
CERTIFIES THEM. FINALLY UP THE
COUNTY LEVEL THERE IS A BODY
CALLED GROWTH MANAGEMENT
PLANNING COUNCIL BUT ADOPT WORK
CALLED COUNTYWIDE PLANNING
POLICIES THAT PROVIDE MORE
DETAILED GUIDANCE AND
REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCAL
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS AND THOSE
WERE ALSO RECENTLY A DATED IN
2021. SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD
TO THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT,
JUST AT A HIGH LEVEL, ON
PROCESS, WE ARE REQUIRING TO
UPDATE THE PLAN AT LEAST EVERY
10 YEARS. OUR CURRENT
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS CALLED
SEATTLE 2035. IT WAS ADOPTED IN
2015 SO WE ARE ABOUT AT THE
POINT NOW WHEN WE TAKE THE
PLAN, IT REQUIRES EARLY AND
ONGOING PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .
WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT
TODAY AS WELL AS IN A LATER
MEETING WITH YOU TO TALK ABOUT
THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT FOR THIS
PLAN. ONCE ADOPTED, THE PLAN
CAN ONLY BE CHANGED ONCE PER
YEAR FROM AN ANNUAL AMENDMENT
PROCESS. ALL AMENDMENTS MUST
RECEIVE PUBLIC HEARING AND
THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW THAT'S REQUIRED. AND IN
THE CASE OF A MAJOR UPDATE WE
ARE DOING A FULL EIS.
SUBSTANTIVELY, THE COMP PLAN
MUST ACCOMMODATE 20 YEARS
GROWTH PROJECTIONS FOR BOTH
POPULATION AND FOR JOBS. THE
PLAN MUST INCLUDE SPECIFIC
TOPIC AREAS CALLED ELEMENTS.
THOSE ARE CHAPTERS IN OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHICH WE'LL
BE PRESENTING TO YOU AT A LATER
DATE, AS WELL. AND THE PLAN
MUST INCLUDE CERTAIN DATA ON
TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, AND
FACILITIES AND SERVICES.
SEVERAL IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS TO
OUR STATE AND REGIONAL
REQUIREMENTS OCCURRED SINCE THE
LAST TIME WE UPDATED THE
CONFERENCE OF PLAN. I JUST WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU AS A
PRECURSOR TO TALKING ABOUT THIS
UPDATE. THEY INCLUDE WHAT THE
STATE LEGISLATURE DID IN
ADOPTING SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENTS
TO THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
HOUSE BILL 1220 WAS ADOPTED IN
2021, HAS NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR
CITIES TO PLAN FOR HOUSING
THAT'S AFFORDABLE AND A FULL
RANGE OF ECONOMIC LEVELS. THE
PLAN MUST CONTAIN CERTAIN DATA,
DETAIL, AND PLANNED ADDRESSED
POLICIES ON HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY -- ON HOUSING
SUPPLY, AFFORDABILITY, EQUITY
AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT. HOUSE
BILL 1110, ADOPTED IN 2023,
REQUIRES THAT CERTAIN MIDDLE
HOUSING TYPES SUCH AS DUPLEXES
AND TRY PLEXUS, TOWNHOMES AND
STACKED FLATS BE ALLOWED ON ALL
RESIDENTIAL LOTS, AND A DENSITY
OF AT LEAST FOUR UNITS PER LOT
OR SIX UNITS PER LOT AND
PROXIMITY TO CERTAIN TRANSIT
OPTIONS OR WHERE AFFORDABILITY
IS PROVIDED. IMPORTANTLY HERE,
TOO, BECAUSE A TIMING ASPECT
TWO 1110 IS A STATE DEADLINE TO
ADOPT THE ZONING IMPLEMENTS
1110 BY JUNE 30th OF 2025.
WE'LL RETURN TO THAT IN
HIGHLIGHTING THE MAJOR
MILESTONES IN YOUR COUNCIL
PROCESS. HOUSE BILL 1181 ALSO
ADOPTED IN 2023, CREATED A NEW
REQUIREMENT FOR A CLIMATE
CHANGE ELEMENT IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THAT
ELEMENT MUST ADDRESS BOTH
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
REDUCTIONS
>> JUST SPEAKING INTO THE
MICROPHONE, JUST MOVE TOWARD
YOU A LITTLE BIT.
>> YES, APOLOGIES.
>> NO WORRIES.
>> IS THAT BETTER?
>> YES, PERFECT.
>> BOTH GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS AND
CLIMATE RESILIENCE. AT THE
REGIONAL LEVEL, REGION 2050 WAS
UPDATED IN 2020 WITH A REGIONAL
GROWTH STRATEGY THAT FOCUSES
HOUSING AND JOBS IN LARGE
CITIES AND AROUND TRANSIT AND
FINALLY THE COUNTYWIDE PLAN
POLICIES ARE UP DATED IN 2021
POINT MOST IMPORTANTLY WITH NEW
HOUSING AND JOB GROWTH TARGETS
FOR CITIES, MINIMUM TO
ACCOMMODATE IN THEIR PLANS NEXT
SLIDE. SO A MAJOR THEME OF THIS
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE IS TO
ADDRESS THE CITY'S ONGOING
HOUSING PRICES, TO ADDRESS
SUPPLY AND PORTABILITY. WE'LL
BE COMING BACK TO THIS IN
JANUARY 15th TWO PRESENT AND
DETAIL THE MAYORS RECOMMENDED
GROWTH STRATEGY THAT PROVIDES
AND ADDRESSES THE HOUSING NEEDS
OF THE CITY OVER THE NEXT 20
YEARS AND BEYOND. FOR THE
PURPOSES OF TODAY'S
INTRODUCTORY BRIEFING, WE JUST
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS --
THE GOALS AROUND HOUSING THAT
DROVE THIS UPDATE AND THE
DEFINITION OF SOME KEY TERMS IN
HOW WE TALK ABOUT A FUTURE
HOUSING NEED AND NUMBERS. THE
NUMBERS THAT ARE REFERENCED
WITH REGARD TO HOUSING. THE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN IS INTENDED TO
RESULT IN MORE HOUSING OVERALL.
THE PLAN WILL ENABLE US, AS WAS
NOTED IN SOME OF OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT, ADD MORE HOUSING AT A
LEVEL OF 330,000 POTENTIAL NEW
UNITS TO MEET FUTURE HOUSING
NEEDS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS
AND BEYOND. MORE HOUSING
DIVERSITY, ALLOWING MORE
HOUSING TYPES ACROSS THE CITY
INCLUDING FAMILY SIZED HOUSING.
MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH
INCENTIVES FOR AFFORDABILITY,
ESPECIALLY IN YOUR TRANSIT.
WEALTH BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES,
ESPECIALLY AROUND
HOMEOWNERSHIP. HOUSING AND
WALKABLE COMMUNITIES. WE
ESPECIALLY ADDED HOUSING IN
AREAS THAT HAVE HIGH QUALITY
TRANSIT AND NEIGHBORHOOD
AMENITIES. AND FINALLY, MORE
EQUITABLE HOUSING INCLUDING
REDUCING EXCLUSIONARY ZONING
AND DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES. AS
WE WALK THROUGH THE DETAILS OF
THE MAYORS PLAN IN THE COMING
WEEKS, WE WILL TALK ABOUT
SEVERAL TYPES OF NUMBERS THAT
QUANTIFY FUTURE NEED AND
QUANTIFY WHAT THE MAYORS PLAN
DOES TO MEET THAT NEED TO. SOME
OF THESE NUMBERS ARE APPEARING
IN MEDIA AND ONLINE, NOT ALWAYS
ACCURATELY. WE WANT TO SET THE
STAGE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
WITH THE DEFINITION OF TERMS.
FIRST IS THE HOUSING GROWTH
TARGET ADOPTED BY [ INAUDIBLE ]
WHEN PRORATED TO THE 20 YEARS [
INAUDIBLE ] BY THIS PLAN. THAT
TARGET IS FOR APPROXIMATELY
80,000 NEW HOUSING UNITS OVER
THE NEXT 20 YEARS. THE TARGET
REPRESENTS THE MINIMUM THAT THE
CITY IS REQUIRED TO PLAN FOR.
WE CAN PLAN FOR MORE HOUSING
AND THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO
DO SO, WHICH WE SHALL DISCUSS.
SECOND IS THE HOUSING GREAT
HALL ASSUMPTION EIS. IN THE
DRAFT EIS WE STUDY A BROAD
RANGE OF GROWTH ALTERNATIVES.
FOR THE PURPOSES OF COMPARING
THE ALTERNATIVES IN THE EIS WE
MADE SOME HIGH-LEVEL
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE TOTAL
AMOUNT OF HOUSING THAT MAY
OCCUR OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS
AND THAT RANGED FROM A LOW OF
80,000 ADDITIONAL UNITS UP TO
120,000 ADDITIONAL UNITS. THE
MAYORS PLAN AT THE TOP OF THAT
RANGE STUDIED IN THE EIS,
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT
WE'LL DISCUSS ON JANUARY 15th.
IT WOULD STRESS THAT THESE ARE
ASSUMPTIONS AND NOT FORECASTS
AND ACTUAL GROWTH OVER TIME MAY
BE HIGHER OR LOWER. AND
FINALLY, PERHAPS MOST
IMPORTANT, IS RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY. CAPACITY
REPRESENTS THE THEORETICAL
NUMBER OF NEW HOUSING UNITS THE
CITY COULD POTENTIALLY ADD IF
WE NEEDED TO IN ORDER TO MEET
DEMAND OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS
AND BEYOND. WE HAVE ESTIMATED
THAT THE MAYORS PLAN WOULD
ROUGHLY DOUBLE OUR ZONING
CAPACITY TO 330,000 UNITS AS
NOTED. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A
FORECAST, JUST AS REASON FOR IT
DOESN'T MEAN IT GETS BUILT
OVER 20 YEARS BUT MAINTAINING
AMPLE CAPACITY IS IMPORTANT TO
REDUCE MARKET PRESSURE AND
PROVIDE FOR A VARIETY OF
HOUSING CHOICES, AND TO BE
PREPARED AS A CITY FOR THAT
KIND OF RAPID DEMAND FOR
HOUSING OVER THE LAST DECADE.
AND AS I BEGAN, WE WILL RETURN
JANUARY 15th AND DO A DEEPER
DIVE ON THESE ISSUES OF
NUMBERS, HOUSING NEED AND
ESPECIALLY THE MAYOR'S GROWTH
PRIORITIES.
IT WAS AN ENVIRONMENT FULL
IMPACT STATEMENT OR EIS SCOPING
IN SUMMER OF 2022 INTO THE
FALL. WE HAD DEEPER PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT IN 2022 INTO 2023,
DEVELOPED A DRAFT PLAN FOR ITS
RELEASE IN SPRING OF LAST YEAR,
2024, AS WELL AS THE DRAFT EIS
WHICH WAS ALSO RELEASED AT THAT
TIME FOLLOWED BY PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT AND A 60 DAY COMMENT
PERIOD. JUST THIS LAST FALL WE
DID ENGAGEMENT ON WHAT HAD BEEN
RELEASED AS DRAFT ZONING THAT
IMPLEMENTS THE GROWTH STRATEGY
OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND
DID ANOTHER ROUND OF PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT AND 60 DAY COMMENT
PERIOD. WE ARE RELEASING TO THE
PUBLIC A FINAL PLAN TODAY ON
THE OPC THE WEBSITE AND WILL BE
RELEASING THE FINAL EIS LATER
THIS MONTH. AND OF COURSE THE
COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS
BEGINNING AS WE SPEAK. I'M
GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT
THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
PROCESS. AS PART OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF DATE, WE
ARE REQUIRED TO DO AN EIS. THIS
IS A PROGRAMMATIC EIS AND A
SCALE OF THE KINDS OF CHANGES
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CITYWIDE .
A FULL EIS IS REQUIRED. THIS IS
A REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT. THE
PURPOSE OF THE EIS IS TO INFORM
DECISION-MAKERS ABOUT A
PROPOSAL'S POTENTIAL IMPACTS
TO THE BUILT AND NATURAL
ENVIRONMENT. IF THERE ARE
IMPACTS THE EIS IDENTIFIES
MEASURES THE CITY CAN TAKE TO
MITIGATE THOSE IMPACTS.
IMPORTANTLY, IS NOT THE PURPOSE
OF THE EIS TO DETERMINE WHAT
THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION IS
BUT RATHER TO PROVIDE THE
PUBLIC AND YOU WITH THE
INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE AN
INFORMED DECISION. THERE ARE
THREE MAJOR STEPS IN THE EIS
PROCESS. AS I MENTIONED IN A
PRIOR SLIDE, WE STARTED WITH
SCOPING IN THE SUMMER AND FALL
OF 2022, IDENTIFYING
ALTERNATIVES TO STUDY AND THE
EIS, THESE ALTERNATIVES WERE
INFORMED BY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
AS WELL AS BY THE COUNCIL
ITSELF AT THAT TIME. THE DRAFT
EIS WAS RELEASED LAST SPRING.
IT ANALYZED THE IMPACTS OF FIVE
DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES THAT
REPRESENT A BROAD RANGE OF
CHOICES FOR THE EXECUTIVE AND
FOR THE COUNCIL TO PLAN FOR THE
LOCATIONS AND TYPES OF GROWTH
OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS. THE
PUBLIC REVIEW YIELDED A LARGE
VOLUME OF PUBLIC COMMENTS WHICH
WE ARE RESPONDING TO , AND THE
LAST DOCUMENT, THE LAST STEP IN
THE PROCESS, WHICH IS THE FINAL
EIS, THAT WILL BE RELEASED
LATER THIS MONTH. IT ANALYZES
THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, AS
WELL, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSED GROWTH
STRATEGY AND THAT VERY SAME
KIND OF ANALYSIS WE DID WITH
THE FIVE ACTION ALTERNATIVES
DONE WITH THE PREFERRED
ALTERNATIVE. ONCE RELEASED
THERE IS A 14 DAY APPEAL PERIOD
FOR THE F EIS. WE WANT TO SPEND
A LITTLE TIME HERE TALKING
ABOUT THE EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT
THAT PCD DID OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS, FROM THE PLAN UP
DATE. TO BEGIN WITH, WE WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT DOING OUTREACH
FOR A LONG-RANGE POLICY
CENTERED INITIATIVE LIKE A
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE OR
TECHNICAL LAND USE PROPOSAL
SUCH AS ZONING CAN BE A
CHALLENGE FOR COMMUNICATING
WITH THE PUBLIC AND FOR
BRINGING AS MANY PEOPLE INTO
THE PROCESS AS WE WOULD LIKE.
PCD APPROACHED THIS CHALLENGE
WITH A SUSTAINED EFFORT OVER
SEVERAL YEARS, WITH DEDICATED
STAFFING AND USING NEW AND
INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AND WE
WERE GUIDED BY THE GOALS YOU
SEE ON THIS SLIDE. BROUGHT
ENGAGEMENT, REACHING RESIDENCY
NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY,
ENGAGING SPECIFICALLY WITH KEY
STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING A WIDE
RANGE OF CITYWIDE AND
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
COMMUNITY COUNCILS AND OTHERS,
BY USING A HYBRID APPROACH WITH
BOTH IN PERSON AND ONLINE
PARTICIPATION, YOU MIGHT NOTE
THAT LOOKING AT THIS CALENDAR
IN 2022, WHEN WE LAUNCHED THE
UPDATE, WE WERE STILL CLIMBING
OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE
RESTRICTIONS ON COMMUNICATING
WITH PEOPLE IN PERSON.
THANKFULLY THAT RELAXED OVER
THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT AND
WE ADAPTED A VERY BROAD RANGE
OF APPROACHES FOR MEETING WITH
PEOPLE AND TALKING ABOUT THE
PLAN. EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT
INCLUDED OUTREACH AND CAPACITY
BUILDING TO REACH HISTORICALLY
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS.
VISIBILITY OF THE PLAN, WE
RAISED AWARENESS THROUGH EMAIL,
SOCIAL MEDIA, PRESS,
ADVERTISING, FLYERS AND
STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH.
ACCESSIBILITY AND THEN
PROVIDING INFORMATION WAS CLEAR
AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC
INCLUDING IN MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES, AND PROVIDING
MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
INPUTS INCLUDING MULTIPLE
OPTIONS TO COMMENT THAT WERE
TAILORED TO THE SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS AND DECISION POINTS
THAT EACH FACED IN THE PROCESS.
AND FINALLY, TRANSPARENCY,
PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO THE
PUBLIC ON WHAT WE HEARD AND HOW
THEIR INPUT WAS USED TO SHAPE
THE PLAN. I'M GOING TO WALK
THROUGH EACH OF THE PHASES OF
ENGAGEMENT AND JUST HIGHLIGHT
AT A HIGH LEVEL WHAT THEIR
PURPOSE WAS AND WHAT SOME OF
THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES CAN BE AT
OPCD. SO THE EARLY ENGAGEMENT
WHICH WE CALLED LISTEN AND
LEARN, IN EARLY 2022, WAS
INTENDED TO RAISE AWARENESS
ABOUT THE PLAN OF DATE, TO
ESTABLISH COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS AND TO SEEK EARLY
INPUT ON THE VISION, ISSUES OF
CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC, EARLY
IDEAS FOR GROWTH CONCEPTS FOR
THE NEXT 20 YEARS, AND ON THE
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ITSELF, HOW
BEST TO REACH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR
ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
PRESENTATIONS OVER 20 CITY
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS,
ESTABLISHING CONTRACTS WITH
SEVEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ASSISTED US
IN REACHING COMMUNITIES THAT
HAD HISTORICALLY BEEN
MARGINALIZED FROM THE KINDS PRO
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATES,
WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SPECIFICALLY
THE COMMUNITY LIAISON PROGRAM
AS WELL TO ENHANCE OUR ABILITY
TO MEET MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES, TO PROVIDE
LANGUAGE ACCESS AND TECHNICAL
SUPPORT. INITIAL OUTREACH, AS
WELL, WAS MADE TO CITYWIDE
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. WE DID
AN ONLINE PUBLIC SURVEY AND WE
STARTED DOING POP-UP
ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
WHICH HAD BEGUN ITS PROCESS OF
CREATING THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION PLAN. PHASE TWO
, WHICH WE CALLED SHAPE THE
PLAN, STARTED IN 2022 AND
EXTENDED THROUGH 2023. ITS
PURPOSE WAS TO PROVIDE INPUT ON
THE EIS SCOPING, PARTICULARLY
THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE
STUDIED TO ENGAGE BIPOC AND
OTHER MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES,
TO CREATE MORE EQUITABLE GROWTH
STRATEGY GOING FORWARD, AND TO
SEEK INPUT OF POTENTIAL GOALS
AND POLICIES IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOCUMENT
ITSELF. THIS IS OUR FIRST ROUND
OF OPEN HOUSE STYLE OFFENSE. WE
HAD FIVE IN-PERSON EVENTS
CITYWIDE AND ONE VIRTUAL OPEN
HOUSE WITH OVER 1000 ATTENDEES.
WE RECEIVED COMMENT LETTERS
FROM OVER 30 STAKEHOLDER
ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE EIS
SCOPING. WE MET WITH 40
STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS
ENGAGED AROUND EQUITY AND
DISPLACEMENT AND WE RECEIVED
REPORT OUTS FROM EACH OF THE
CBOS THAT WORKED WITH US WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMP
PLAN. PHASE THREE, WHICH WE
CALLED REVIEW AND REFINE, WAS
CENTERED AROUND THE RELEASE OF
KEY DRAFT DOCUMENTS TOWARD YOU
THIS SPRING. ONE WAS THE DRAFT
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE
DRAFT GROWTH STRATEGY INCLUDING
SEEKING THE INPUT ON THE NUMBER
AND LOCATION OF NEW AND
EXPANDED CENTERS, NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS, AND ALSO CORRIDORS
WHICH ARE PROPOSED FOR NEW
HOUSING DENSITY AND SUPPLY. A
DRAFT APPROACH TO THE NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES
IN RESPONSE TO HOUSE BILL 1110
WAS ALSO RELEASED, AND FINALLY
THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT. HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR
ACTIVITIES INCLUDED ANOTHER
ROUND OF OPEN HOUSES , SEVEN IN
PERSON EVENTS, ONE IN EACH
COUNCIL DISTRICT, AND WE HAD
OVER 1500 ATTENDEES. WE MET
WITH OVER 30 CITYWIDE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY
GROUPS INCLUDING COMMUNITY
COUNCILS, ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS
COMMUNITY, OTHERS, AND WE
RECEIVED OVER 80 LETTERS FROM
ORGANIZATIONS AND 6000 COMMENTS
FROM INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE
CITY, BOTH ON OUR WEBSITE,
ENGAGEMENT HUB, EMAIL AND
COMMENTS MADE AT THE OPEN
HOUSES. FINAL PHASE OF
ENGAGEMENT, WHICH JUST
CONCLUDED IN DECEMBER, CENTERED
ON THE ZONING PROPOSAL. SO THIS
LOOKED BEYOND THE PLAN ITSELF,
TO THE ZONES THAT WOULD BE
APPLIED AND RECOMMENDED GROWTH
STRATEGY FOR YOU RELEASED THAT
GROWTH STRATEGY IN SEPTEMBER
AND RELEASED DRAFT ZONING MAPS
AND DRAFT LEGISLATION, BOTH FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD AND RESIDENTIAL,
AND MODIFIED DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS AND OTHER ZONES TO
PROMOTE HOUSING SUPPLY AND
DIVERSITY. WE SOUGHT PUBLIC
COMMENT OVER 60 DAYS ON THOSE
ZONING PROPOSALS. WE HAD
ANOTHER ROUND OF OPEN HOUSE
STYLE SESSIONS WITH OVER 2000
PARTICIPANTS, THREE VIRTUAL
ONLINE OPEN HOUSE INFORMATION
SESSIONS, AND WE ALSO DID A NEW
TACTIC USING OFFICE OUR
SESSIONS WHICH ARE SEVERAL OUR
PERIODS DURING THE DAY WHERE
PEOPLE CAN LOG ON AND ASK THEIR
QUESTIONS. WE HAD VERY HIGH
PARTICIPATION FOR THE OFFICE
HOURS AS WELL, DURING THIS LAST
FALL. THE ZONING DATE WEBSITE
ITSELF HAD AN INCORRECOTOLS AND
RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMMENTS. I
THINK AS RICO MENTIONED, WE ARE
BUSILY PROCESSING THOSE
COMMENTS AND WILL BE REPORTING
UP TO YOU WHAT WE HEARD LATER
THIS MONTH. WE ALREADY HAD TWO
REPORTS ONLINE FROM EARLIER
PHASES OF ENGAGEMENT, THAT
PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO OF
ENGAGEMENT POSTED ON OUR
WEBSITE FOR SOME MONTHS AND WE
WILL REPORTING OUT ON PHASE
THREE AND PHASE FOUR IN JUST
SEVERAL WEEKS HERE. FINALLY I
WANT TO TURN TO THE COUNCIL
PROCESS. WE ARE TRANSITIONING
FROM THE EXECUTIVE LED
ENGAGEMENT AND PROCESS OF
CONSIDERING THE PLAN, OF
COURSE. WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH
ESSENTIAL STAFF AND WITH
COUNCILMEMBER HEMSWORTH'S
OFFICE TO PROJECT A PROPOSED
SCHEDULE FOR THE SELECT
COMMITTEE IN THE COMING WEEKS
AND SEVERAL MONTHS. TO BEGIN
WITH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THREE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION. THE FIRST IS THE
LEGISLATION ADOPTING THE COMP
PLAN ITSELF INCLUDING RENEWED
GROWTH STRATEGY MAP. THAT WILL
BE TRANSMITTED AS LEGISLATION
TO COUNCIL BY EARLY FEBRUARY.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE PLAN
CAN BE VIEWED TODAY ON OUR
WEBSITE SO THAT WILL BE
AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL
STARTING NOW, AND TO THE
PUBLIC, WITH A LIKELY COUNCIL
VOTE IN MAY . THE SECOND PIECE
OF LEGISLATION IS FOR THE NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONING
THAT COMPLIES WITH HOUSE BILL
NUMBER 10. WE WILL BE
TRANSMITTING THAT DUE IN MARCH,
AGAIN WITH THE LIKELY VOTE IN
MAY AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT'S
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT
THE COMP PLAN ITSELF MUST BE
ADOPTED BEFORE YOU CAN ADOPT
THE NEW ZONING LEGISLATION. AND
THE SECOND PIECE OF THAT ZONING
LEGISLATION IS DIFFERENT. THAT
GOES BEYOND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL LAND ADDRESSES THE
MAPS RELEASED THIS LAST FALL
WHICH HAD NEW ZONING
DESIGNATIONS INSIDE YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, IN OUR
NEW AND EXPANDED URBAN CENTERS
AND ALONG TRANSIT CORRIDORS. WE
ARE PROCESSING. WE ARE READING.
WE ARE CONSIDERING PUBLIC
COMMENT THIS LAST FALL. WE ARE
WORKING ON REVISIONS TO THOSE
MAPS AND THAT PROPOSAL WHICH WE
WILL TRANSMIT TO YOU IN MAY.
WERE GOING TO TAKE OUR TIME
WITH THAT AND PROVIDE A REVISED
PROPOSAL FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION, STARTING IN MAY
AND THEN WITH A PROJECTED
ADOPTION IN SEPTEMBER BEFORE
YOU GO INTO THE BUDGET PERIOD
OF THE YEAR. HERE'S ANOTHER
WAY OF VIEWING THE COUNCIL
PROCESS AND TIMELINE. THIS IS A
PHASED AND OVERLAPPING PROCESS
OVER THE COMING WEEKS AND
SEVERAL MONTHS. WE UNDERSTAND
AND RECOGNIZE THAT THAT HAS
SOME COMPLEXITY AND WE ARE HERE
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BOTH
EITHER FROM THE PUBLIC OR FROM
YOU, ABOUT HOW THESE SEVERAL
PIECES WORK TOGETHER IN TANDEM
IN A PROCESS THAT BY THE TIME
YOU GO INTO BUDGETING THE FALL
YOU CAN ADOPT ZONING IMPLEMENT
OF THAT PLAN IN PLACE. I JUST
WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS LOOKING
AHEAD TO THE COMMITTEE ITSELF.
WE DEVELOPED THIS IN
COORDINATION WITH CENTRAL STAFF
. WE RECOGNIZE THIS IS A
PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE AT THIS
POINT BUT WANTED TO PAINT A
PICTURE FOR YOU OF HOW THIS
PROCESS CAN PLAY OUT IN FUTURE
MEETINGS. OBVIOUSLY TODAY WE
ARE PROVIDING BACKGROUND AND
PROCESS BRIEFING ON THE PLAN,
ON JANUARY 15th AS I MENTIONED
WE WILL DO A DEEP DIVE ON THE
GROWTH STRATEGY AND AN OVERVIEW
OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
CHANGES TO COMPLY 1110 . ON
JANUARY 29th WE WILL BRIEF YOU
ON SEVERAL SPECIAL TOPICS
INCLUDING ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGIES AND AN OVERVIEW OF
WHAT WE HEARD FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT ON FEBRUARY 5th WE WILL
PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF EACH OF
THE DOZEN OR SO ELEMENTS IN THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE NEW
GOALS AND POLICIES IN THOSE.
THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON
THE FIFTH, AND THEN WE RESERVED
FEBRUARY 19th AS A TIME AND A
SPACE FOR OTHER TOPICS. THERE
IS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE
ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTING YOU
WITH IN THE COMING WEEKS AND WE
THINK THAT RESERVING THAT TIME
IS A WISE CHOICE IN TERMS OF IF
THERE ARE QUESTIONS, ISSUES
THAT WE DON'T GET TO, WHERE WE
NEED TO RETURN TO AT THAT
MEETING. DURING MARCH WE WILL
BE HANDING IT OFF TO CENTRAL
STAFF TO IDENTIFY ISSUES,
POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS. THAT
PROCESS WILL CONTINUE INTO
APRIL, OPCD WILL COME BACK AND
BRIEF YOU ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONING LEGISLATION
WHICH WILL BE INTRODUCED AT
THAT TIME. THE AMENDMENT
PROCESS WILL CONTINUE INTO MAY.
THERE ARE TWO BOATS THAT ARE
PROPOSED IN MAY DEPENDING ON
AMENDMENTS TO THE COMP PLAN
ADOPTION ORDINANCE AS WELL AS
TO NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
CHANGES AND THEN THE FINAL
VOTES ON THAT LEGISLATION. AND
THEN IN JUNE WE CAN COME BACK
AND BRIEF YOU ON REVISED ZONING
LEGISLATION FOR OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND OUR
TRANSIT CORRIDORS, AND THEN THE
COUNCIL PROCESS EXTENDING OVER
THE SUMMER UNTIL SEPTEMBER. AND
THAT'S THE END OF OUR
PRESENTATION ON PROCESS AND
BACKGROUND TODAY. RICO, DO YOU
WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE
WE ANSWER QUESTIONS?
>> AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE
BEGIN THIS NEXT STEP OF THE
PROCESS. NO THAT IF YOU GO
ONLINE TO SEATTLE.GOVE, O PCD,
ONE SEATTLE PLAN, WE HAVE A
BUNCH OF RESOURCES ONLINE NOW
SO WE HAVE PROJECT DOCUMENTS
THAT GO INTO ALL COMPONENTS OF
THE PLAN WE HAVE THE ENGAGEMENT
TAB, WHICH DOCUMENTS ARE
ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES TO DATE.
WE WILL BE UPDATING THAT SOON
AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT I STATED AT THE BEGINNING
AT 9:30, OR AT 10:30, WE WANT
TO BE PRESENT TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS AND TO HELP YOU DIVE
INTO THE NUANCES OF THE PLAN.
THERE IS SO MANY PARTS AND
PIECES. WITH THAT I THINK WE
WANT TO OPEN UP FOR YOUR
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
>> I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE
LISH, IF YOU HAD ANY CARDING
TIMELINE AND ALL THAT STUFF.
>> , COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
MICHAEL, COULD YOU GO BACK TWO
SLIDES? SO YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED
THAT THE LETTER FROM THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT SETTING UP
THE SELECT COMMITTEE ONLY GOES
THROUGH THE MEETINGS ON
FEBRUARY 5th. VF EIS IS BEING
PUBLISHED IN JANUARY WHICH
PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
APPEAL AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC, THERE IS AN APPEAL,
COUNCIL MAY NOT VOTE ON THE
LEGISLATION, THE PHASE ONE
LEGISLATION OR THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LEGISLATION
UNTIL THAT PLAN IS REVOLVED.
WE'LL HAVE A DECISION POINT IF
THERE IS AN APPEAL OF EIS IN
MID FEBRUARY ABOUT NEXT STEPS
AND HOW WE WANT TO APPROACH
THIS LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> AND I KNOW. THANK YOU FOR
THE PRESENTATION. SETTING THE
TABLE AND GIVEN AS A BACK
GROUND AND TIMELINE AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE
MAYOR'S PLAN AND HIS PROPOSAL
AND ENGAGING IN THAT PROCESS
PER I WANT TO WRITE NOW ALSO
MENTIONED THAT I'M WORKING,
OUR OFFICE IS WORKING WITH OUR
CENTRAL STAFF COMMUNICATIONS.
THERE IS A SPECIAL PAGE,
ACTUALLY COUNCILMEMBER MORALES
HEADSET THIS UP BUT WE ARE
GOING TO BE ENSURING THAT IT'S
DIGESTIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO
UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE DATES
AND THE COMMENT PERIOD, AND
OPEN PERIOD, AND HOW TO CONNECT
WITH US, AND JUST A LANDING
PAGE FOR COUNCIL I THINK IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. ALSO OPCD
HAS A LANDING PAGE, AS WELL,
BUT I WANTED US TO ACTUALLY
HAVE A LANDING PAGE FOR US TO
HAVE THE INFORMATION, JUST SO
PEOPLE CAN DIGEST SOME OF THIS
INFORMATION A LITTLE BIT
EASIER. ALSO, WE WILL NOW TAKE
QUESTIONS, SO IF YOU RAISE YOUR
LITTLE YELLOW HAND ON ZOOM, I
WILL RECOGNIZE YOU AND YOU CAN
HAVE THE FLOOR TO ASK YOUR
QUESTION. SO I SEE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, YOU RECOGNIZED. THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE
REALLY A COUPLE DIFFERENT
QUESTIONS DEPENDING ON THE
ANSWERS THAT I GET BUT I JUST
WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT ANY
COMP PLAN UPDATE IS COMPLEX AND
IT DOES RAISE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
EXPERIENCING IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND LIVING
SITUATIONS, WITH THEIR
TRANSPORTATION, ET CETERA. I
HEAR THAT. MY QUESTIONS ARE
MORE TO DO WITH PROCESS. SO
LISH, YOU MENTIONED -- DID YOU
GIVE A DATE WHEN THE F EIS WILL
BE PUBLISHED?
>> I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A DATE
FROM OPCD YET ABOUT THE F EIS
PUBLICATION. JANUARY IS -- WE
DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE YET.
WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH OUR
CONSULTANT BUT WE ARE
ANTICIPATING THIRD WEEK OF
JANUARY PER GO IT COULD SLIDE
TO THE FOURTH WEEK BUT
DEFINITELY BEFORE THE END OF
THE MONTH.
>> OKAY. SO I WOULD IMAGINE
THERE WILL BE AN APPEAL FROM
EITHER SIDE. SO HOW LONG DOES
THAT TAKE TO RESOLVE?
>> THAT CAN BE A LENGTHY
PROCESS DEPENDING ON THE
SUBJECTS OF THE APPEAL. THERE
IS NORMALLY A DISCOVERY PROCESS
AND AFTER THAT DISCOVERY IS
COMPLETE, THE HEARING EXAMINER
WILL SCHEDULE FOR THE HEARING
ITSELF , THEY CAN TAKE A LONG
TIME. THE COUNCIL CAN'T ACT ON
LEGISLATION WHILE AN APPEAL IS
PENDING SO THERE MAY BE OTHER
ROUTES TO PUTTING SOMETHING IN
TEMPORARILY RELATED TO HOUSE
BILL 1110, AND OTHER STATE
MANDATES, AND WILL HAVE
CONVERSATIONS IF IT COMES TO
THAT.
>> I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP ALMOST
THE EXACT BEAUTY OF WOULD LIKE
TO --
>> I THINK I'LL JUST ADD THAT
WE WILL ADVOCATE TO CONTINUE
MOVING THROUGH THE LEGISLATION
AND THE PLAN AS PROPOSED DURING
THE APPEAL PERIOD WHILE LISH IS
CORRECT THAT YOU CANNOT TAKE A
VOTE TO THE EXTENT THAT THOSE
GET RESOLVED IN TIME TO ADOPT
THE LEGISLATION TO MEET THE
STATE DEADLINE. YOU WILL BE
BETTER PREPARED TO DO THAT IF
WE CONTINUE TO MEET THROUGHOUT
THE APPEAL PERIOD.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THE EXECUTIVE
IS PUTTING US INTO A POSITION
OF PASSING SOME MAY BE
TEMPORARY OR SOME NOT
NECESSARILY INTERIM, BUT WE ARE
SUPPOSED TO COMPLY TO STATE LAW
BY JUNE SO WE ARE GOING TO BE
PASSING LEGISLATION IN MAY AND
IT'S LIKELY THAT THE APPEAL
WILL GO LONGER THAN THAT, IF
THERE IS AN INTERMEDIATE APPEAL
PERIOD IS DONE. SO HAS THAT
BEEN -- COULD YOU COMMENT?
>> WE TALK WITH THE LAW
DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THE LENGTH OF
THE FIELD. AND THEY VARY
WIDELY. SO AT THIS POINT THERE
IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE
APPEALS COULD STILL BE
OUTSTANDING BY MAY, BUT ALSO A
POSSIBILITY THAT THEY'VE BEEN
RESOLVED AND WE COULD TAKE A
VOTE AND MEET THE STATE
DEADLINE WITHOUT PASSING
INTERIM LEGISLATION. BUT
CERTAINLY IF THERE ARE ONGOING
APPEALS, WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT
WHAT INTERIM LEGISLATION MIGHT
ENTAIL.
>> I WILL TRY TO BE OPTIMISTIC.
I JUST DON'T WANT FOLKS TO
HAVE TO DO WORK TWICE, ANYWAY.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
YOUR NEXT WORKER
>> THANK YOU CHAIR. I JUST WANT
TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK
YOU FOR TAKING ON THE HELM OF
THIS PROCESS. VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING INTO DO
THAT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT
PUBLICLY. ALSO WANT TO THANK
THE DEPARTMENT AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, AND OUR CENTRAL STAFF,
FOR BEING HERE AND PRESENT HIS
PLAN. AND I WANT TO THANK
COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR HER
QUESTIONS BECAUSE I HAVE MANY
OF THE SAME QUESTIONS. AND
TOWARD THAT END, I DO HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT PROCESS AND
CONCERNS ABOUT PROCESS THAT I
HAVE HEARD, BUT I'VE HAD
MYSELF, AND I'VE HEARD FROM
CONSTITUENTS OF THE D 4 THAT I
REPRESENT. AND I'M WONDERING,
RELATED TO THE FINAL EIS, WHY
HAS THAT NOT BEEN FINALIZED BY
NOW? BECAUSE PRESUMABLY IT
WOULD'VE BEEN HELP TO HAVE
THAT FINALIZED BEFORE THE
LEGISLATION CAME DOWN. SO I'M
WONDERING WHAT THE HOLDUP IS
AND I KNOW THIS ENTIRE PROCESS
IS ACTUALLY BEHIND SCHEDULE. SO
I'M WONDERING WHAT THE REASONS
ARE FOR THIS IN GENERAL AND
THEN SPECIFIC TO THE EIS, THE
FINAL.
>> SO I WOULD SAY JUST TO
ADDRESS THE GENERAL COMMENTS
ABOUT BEING BEHIND IN THE
PROCESS, MANY MOVING PARTS.
OPCD HAS BEEN WORKING VERY
CLOSELY WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE REGARDING THE POLICY
FRAMEWORK AND THE IMPLICATIONS
OF ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF
THE PLAN, INCLUDING WORKING
WITH ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS,
OUR CAPITAL DEPARTMENTS AND
OTHER, TO ENSURE THAT THE
POLICY FRAMEWORK THAT'S BUILT
INTO EACH OF THE ELEMENTS OF
THE PLAN REPRESENTS WHAT WE
REALLY NEED AS A CITY MOVING
FORWARD. I THINK BECAUSE OF ALL
OF THOSE PARTS AND PIECES, IT
IS TAKING -- IT'S TAKING THE
TIME THAT IT HAS TAKEN OVER THE
LAST 2 1/2 YEARS. I THINK THAT
IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO
NOT KNOW, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN
BROUGHT UP AROUND WHETHER THERE
WILL BE A TEAM OR NOT, I THINK
THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE LAID
OUT, WORKING WITH LISH AND
COUNCIL STAFF HAS BEEN TO
ENSURE THAT WE CAN MEET OUR
STATE DEADLINE. AND SO I AM
HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN STILL
PROCEED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS US
TO FULFILL OUR OBLIGATIONS. AS
MICHAEL HAS STATED, AND I'LL
LET HIM COMMENT FURTHER, WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY ACTIVELY
WITH OUR A
TIMELY FASHION, AND I WOULD SAY
THAT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT
WE HAVE MADE, IN PART TO OUR
RESPONSE TO PUBLIC INPUT OVER
THE LATTER HALF OF 2024 HAS
INFORMED SOME OF OUR CONSULTANT
WORK WHICH HAS BEEN PART OF OUR
EXTENDED PROCESS. IF THAT MAKES
SENSE , MICHAEL.
>> SPECIFICALLY ON EIS, I THINK
IT'S WORTH RECOGNIZING, AND I
THINK YOU'VE ALL EXPERIENCED
THIS IN CONSIDERING THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE
ZONING LEGISLATION THIS YEAR,
IS THAT THIS PROPOSAL HAS BEEN
COMPLEX PER IT HAS A LOT OF
MOVING PARTS. THE EIS
SPECIFICALLY IS NOT JUST AN
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE
HIGH-LEVEL POLICY DOCUMENT THAT
GUIDES GROWTH IN THE CITY. IT
ALSO IS AN EIS THAT IS STUDYING
THE ZONING PROPOSAL AND MAKING
A SET OF ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT VERY
SPECIFIC LAND-USE CHANGES
ACROSS THE CITY. FOR THAT
REASON, WHEN YOU DO AN EIS YOU
DO THINGS LIKE TRANSPORTATION
MODELING AND AIR QUALITY,
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER
VERY DETAILED, DATA-DRIVEN
ANALYSES. THAT'S WHY WE ARE
BRINGING A CONSULT TEAM TO DO
THAT WORK. AND THE MAYOR TOOK A
VERY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO
FINALIZING HIS RECOMMENDATION
FOR THE GROWTH STRATEGY,
LIKEWISE ZONING PROPOSALS
THROUGHOUT THIS FALL, A LOT OF
WORK WENT INTO THOSE AND WE
COULDN'T FEED THE EIS PROCESS
WITH ALL OF THE DATA THAT WAS
NEEDED TO DO THAT ANALYSIS
UNTIL FAIRLY LATE, SOMETIME IN
THE FALL. SO IT JUST REALLY
TOOK SOME TIME. AT THE END OF
THE DAY, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE
NEED A STRONGER, MORE
INFORMATIVE EIS, ONE THAT IS
MORE ROBUST TO WITHSTAND AN
APPEAL, WE HOPE. AND WHAT WE
CAN DO, IT WILL BE AVAILABLE
QUITE SOON, PRIOR, CERTAINLY
BEFORE YOU SEE THE ACTUAL COMP
PLAN LEGISLATION. WE'D BE
HAPPY, IF WE NEEDED TO COME
BACK AND PROVIDE A VERY
DIGESTIBLE SUMMARY OF WHAT WE
LEARNED THROUGH THE EIS. THAT
WOULD BE HELPFUL TO YOUR
PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU, MICHAEL. THANK
YOU FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED. THIS IS
A PROCESS THAT HAPPENS EVERY 10
YEARS SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS
RECENT PROCESS THAT HAS DELAYED
IT FOR THIS 10 YEAR GO ROUND.
WE CAN TAKE THE CONVERSATION
OFF-LINE SO I CAN LEARN MORE,
APPRECIATE THAT. ALSO THE
GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT ALSO
REQUIRES, AS PART OF THE COMP
PLAN, TO HAVE THESE
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
CLIMATE PLANS. YOU'VE TALKED
ABOUT REQUIRED ELEMENTS. I
HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THOSE
PLANS OR ELEMENTS. WHEN WILL
THAT GET RELEASED FOR OUR
CONSIDERATION AS WE LOOK AT
THIS HOLISTIC COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN?
>> THE PLAN ITSELF, INCLUDING
ALL OF THE TOPICAL ELEMENTS ON
TRANSPORTATION, CLIMATE, AND
OTHERS, IS AVAILABLE TODAY.
THERE WAS A DRAFT AVAILABLE TO
THE PUBLIC LAST SPRING AS I
COVERED IN THE PRESENTATION.
THERE ARE ALSO THE FINAL PLAN
RELEASED TODAY ALSO HAS THE
DISEASE, WHICH HAVE QUITE A LOT
OF INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY ON
THINGS LIKE CAPITAL FACILITIES,
NEEDS AND TRANSPORTATION AND
UTILITIES . I KNOW TALKS THAT
THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE
INTERESTED IN DOING SO. THAT'S
AVAILABLE TODAY. WE WILL BE
COMING BACK TO BRIEF YOU ON
THAT IN LATER MEETINGS, SOON,
EARLY FEBRUARY. BUT YOU'LL
HAVE SOME TIME TO REVIEW THEM
BEFORE WE DO THAT BRIEF AND, AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU, MICHAEL. I WILL
REVIEW THOSE TODAY. IT WOULD'VE
BEEN HELPFUL, AS PART OF THE
BACK AND FORTH THAT WE'VE BEEN
ENGAGED IN, TO HAVE HAD A
PREVIEW OF THOSE PLANS. BECAUSE
WE KNOW THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE
AND THE TRANSPORTATION PLANS
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. WOULD
LOVE TO HEAR HOW YOU ENGAGE
WITH METRO BECAUSE OF COURSE WE
DON'T CONTROL METRO BUSES AND
SOUND TRANSIT AS PART OF THOSE
TRANSPORTATION PLANS AND HOW
YOU WORKED WITH YOUR SISTER
DEPARTMENTS, SPU AND CITY
LIGHT, HAS PART OF THIS ENTIRE
PROCESS. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL
AS WELL . CHAIR, I'M JUST
GOING TO MAKE ONE QUICK COMMENT
AND THEN I'LL PASS IT OFF
BECAUSE I KNOW ALL MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE OTHER
QUESTIONS, AS WELL. YOU KNOW I
WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I'VE
SPOKEN WITH MANY D 4 RESIDENTS
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND MY
TAKE AWAY FROM THESE
CONVERSATIONS IS THAT NO ONE
DISPUTES THAT WE NEED MORE
HOUSING OF ALL TYPES ACROSS THE
CITY. WE HAVE VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS THAT HOMES. WE HAVE
BUS DRIVERS AND TEACHERS AND
OTHER WORKERS THAT THEY WANT TO
LIVE, RIGHTFULLY SO, WHERE THEY
WORK, AND WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE
RETURNING HOME WHO CAN'T
AFFORD TO RENT OR BUY IN THE
CITY THAT THEY GREW UP IN. SO
THE NEED IS CRITICAL. AND THEN
OF COURSE WE NEED TO ENSURE
THAT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE,
TRANSPORTATION, AND CLIMATE
IMPACTS ARE IN PLACE TO
ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT GROWTH.
AND I JUST REMEMBER VERY
VIVIDLY, SPU SITTING HERE
EARLIER THIS YEAR, TALKING
ABOUT BEING UNDER A CONSENT
DECREE BECAUSE OF OUR AGING
INFRASTRUCTURE AND RUNOFF AND
SOME OF OUR FOLKS WHO CAME HERE
TODAY TALKED ABOUT THIS RUNOFF
GOING INTO LAKE UNION AND OTHER
BODIES OF WATER THAT REALLY
IMPACT, HAVE BIG CLIMATE
IMPACTS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAVE THOSE PLANS IN
PLACE AND THEN ALSO ON THE
PROCESS I WILL SAY THAT I'VE
HEARD FROM MANY, MANY
CONSTITUENTS IN THE D 4 WHO
FEEL LIKE THEY WERE NOT -- THEY
DID NOT HAVE -- THEY WERE NOT
REACHED OUT TO. THEY DIDN'T
FEEL LIKE THE PROPER OUTREACH
WAS THERE , AND ENGAGEMENT, AND
I WILL STAY IN PHASE ONE
PLANNING. I DIDN'T SEE THAT
YOU DID SESSIONS WITH BROAD
CONSTITUENTS LIKE YOU DID IN
THE SPRING AND IN THE FALL. SO
I'M WONDERING WHY IN PHASE ONE
YOU DIDN'T ENGAGE THE PUBLIC
BROADLY THAT WAY. IT SEEMED A
MORE LIMITED ENGAGEMENT SO THAT
LEFT PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THIS
PROCESS HAS NOT BEEN
TRANSPARENT, AND THAT IS
UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
WHEN PEOPLE FEEL LIKE
GOVERNMENT IS TRANSPARENT, THEY
TRUST GOVERNMENT MORE AND THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IN GENERAL
AND IN PARTICULAR TO THE COMP
PLAN. IT'S JUST THAT PROCESS
BY WHICH YOU ENGAGE
CONSTITUENTS SO THEY WERE VERY
CLEAR ON WHAT WAS GOING TO BE
INCLUDED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN AND THE LAST THING I'LL
SAY IS IN THE SPRING SESSIONS I
ATTENDED THE -- THE MAPS WERE
VERY CONFUSING. I GAVE FEEDBACK
ABOUT THAT. I'M SURE MANY OF
MY COLLEAGUES DID, AS WELL, FOR
THE FALL PROCESS. MAPS WERE
CLEARER BUT THEN THERE WASN'T
A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY WITH THE
DECEMBER 20th DEADLINE TO
PROVIDE FEEDBACK . AND THEN,
HOW DID YOU INCORPORATE THAT?
WE ARE NOW GETTING THIS PLAN ON
THE FIRST . OVER THE HOLIDAY,
SOMEONE ELSE WAS HEARSAY AND
THAT, AS WELL, AND PEOPLE ARE
FEELING LIKE THEIR FEEDBACK IS
NOT GETTING CONSIDERED. I
UNDERSTAND YOU SAID YOU WILL BE
CONSIDERING, AS PART OF THE
ZONING PROCESS, BUT THAT'S
VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ITSELF. SO
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
ENGAGING MORE THAT WAY BUT JUST
TO SAY THE PROCESS IS OF
CONCERN TO THE CONSTITUENTS ,
NOT JUST IN THE D 4, OBVIOUSLY
ACROSS THE CITY, AS WE HEARD
FROM SOME OF THE FOLKS HERE
TODAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> CHAIR, COULD I --
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> PROVIDE MORE CLARIFICATION.
SO JUST REGARDING EARLIER
PHASES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR FOLKS
THAT WANT TO GO ONLINE TO GET
MORE INFORMATION, WE DO HAVE A
GOOD ONE SEATTLE PLAN COMMUNITY
SERIES FEEDBACK REPORT THAT WAS
DEVELOPED FROM OUR ENGAGEMENT,
FROM NOVEMBER OF 2022, JANUARY
2023, WHEN WE WERE IN AN
EARLIER PHASE. WE ALSO HAVE A
GOOD PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY
FROM -- THAT'S DATED MARCH OF
2024 POINT SO I MEAN JUST TO
SAY THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO
CREATE A VERY TRANSPARENT
PROCESS AND WE KNOW WE STILL
HAVE MORE WORK TO DO THERE AND
MORE TO DOCUMENT, SO JUST KNOW
THAT THAT'S COMMON AS WELL.
>> CHAIR MANNING, JUST DO A
FOLLOW-UP. I WILL BE REQUESTING
AND I HAVE REQUESTED D4
COMMENTS, PUBLIC COMMENTS TO
SEE THOSE BECAUSE I HAVE NOT
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I
AM CLEAR AS TO WHAT COMMENT THE
DISTRICT GAVE AS PART OF THIS
PROCESS AND HOW YOU ALL INTEND
TO INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THIS
PROCESS. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMAN RIVERA.
NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER
SECOND, COUNCILMEMBER NEVILLE,
COUNCILMEMBER MORAN, I WILL
ALSO RECOGNIZE VICE CHAIR
STRAUSS AND COUNCILLOR RANK IF
YOU ALL HAVE COMMENTS AND THEN
WE WILL GO FROM THERE.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, FLOOR IS
YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH, AND I WANTED TO
SECOND ALL THE OTHER THANK
YOU'S TO YOU FOR TAKING ON
THIS POSITION. APPRECIATE IT
VERY MUCH. ALSO THANK YOU TO
MS. BALLAS FROM THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND DIRECTOR QUIRINDONGO
AT MR. HUBNER AND OF COURSE MR.
WHITSON FROM CENTRAL STAFF.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. I
ADDED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,
ESSENTIALLY A PARAGRAPH FOR MY
END-OF-THE-YEAR NEWSLETTER,
WHICH I WALK THROUGH AND ASK
QUESTIONS, JUST TO USE IT AS AN
OUTLINE. BEFORE DOING THAT, I
DO WANT TO SAY IT'S NOT A
QUESTION OF WHETHER ONE HAPPENS
OR NOT. THERE WILL BE AN
APPEAL. AND THAT'S AUTOMATIC.
AND THAT REALLY SHOULD HAVE
BEEN FACTORED IN AS AUTOMATIC
AS IT RELATES TO THE STATE
TIMELINE. WHETHER ONE HAPPENS
OR NOT IS NOT FACTUAL. THERE IS
NO DOUBT THERE WILL BE ONE. WE
SHOULD JUST PLAN FOR IT IN
TERMS OF THE TIMELINE. THAT
GOES TO THE EARLIER QUESTIONS.
I'M FROM QUEEN ANNE. I KNOW
THAT GROUPS LIKE TO APPEAL.
THAT'S A DEFINITE. AND FOR
GOOD REASON, TOO, I MIGHT ADD.
SO TO MY PARAGRAPH, I WROTE
WHEN IT COMES TO THE ONE
SEATTLE CONFERENCE A PLAN, WE
WILL CONTINUE OUR OUTREACH
EFFORTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE
QUEEN ANNE AND MAGNOLIA, AS IN
THIS STAGE OUR DISTRICT 7
REGIONAL CENTERS ARE NOT
INCLUDED IN THE EFFORT. THE
MAJORITY OF DISTRICT 7 IS
REGIONAL CENTERS, DOWNTOWN,
SOUTH LAKE UNION, UPTOWN. AND
THAT IS, AS NOTED IN THE
TIMELINE, GOES INTO SEPTEMBER
DECISION-MAKING. I WAS A LITTLE
CONFUSED SEEN SOME OF THE
SLIDES TALKING ABOUT
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND SOME
OF THE TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT PIECES ALSO GOING
INTO SEPTEMBER. MY
UNDERSTANDING WAS JUST A
REGIONAL CENTERS ARE GOING TO
SEPTEMBER. THAT CASE --
>> ICANN -- RUTH, DID YOU WANT
TO? SO THE LEGISLATION THAT'S
SECOND, WHICH WE PLAN TO
TRANSMIT IN MAY, INCLUDES ALL
OF THE CHANGES THAT WE RELEASED
IN THE FORM OF DRAFT MAPS THIS
PAST FALL AND THAT INCLUDES THE
NEW AND EXPANDED REGIONAL OR
URBAN CENTERS SO IN YOUR
DISTRICT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE
UPTOWN REGIONAL CENTER HAS AN
EXPANSION AREA, QUEEN ANNE HAS
AN EXPANDED URBAN CENTER AND
THERE ARE ALSO A COUPLE OF
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, AND THEN
THERE ARE ALSO THE TRANSIT
CORRIDORS IN THE ZONING CHANGES
ALONG THE TRANSIT CORRIDOR. SO
ALL OF THAT WILL BE WITHIN ONE
PACKAGE OF AMENDING THE ZONING
CODE THAT WE TRANSMITTED IN
MAY, HOPEFULLY WITH ACTION BY
SEPTEMBER. WE ARE WORKING WITH
THE MAYORS OFFICE TO IDENTIFY
FUTURE POSSIBILITY OF ZONING
CHANGES WITHIN OUR EXISTING
REGIONAL AND URBAN CENTERS.
THAT'S A PHASE THREE THAT'S
NOT EVEN ON THE MAP OF WHAT THE
COUNCIL WOULD BE DEALING WITH
IN 2025. YOU MIGHT BE CONFUSING
THOSE TWO PIECES BUT WHAT YOU
ARE GOING TO SEE IN MAY IS
EVERYTHING THAT WAS RELEASED IN
THE FALL IN THE FORM OF DRAFT
MAPS , IN REVISED FORM, FOR
YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO I WAS INTERPRETING THE
SLIDES, SUGGESTING MAYBE SOME
OF THAT WAS ALSO IN SEPTEMBER.
I ALWAYS THINK OF UPTOWN AS A
REGIONAL CENTER, NOT AN UPTOWN
CENTER. AND KIND OF LIKE WE
ALWAYS SAY, X, FORMERLY
TWITTER, ANOTHER GOOD HABIT TO
GET INTO IS URBAN CENTERS,
FORMERLY URBAN VILLAGES,
BECAUSE THIS PROCESS IS
CONSTANTLY CHANGING THE NAMES
OF EVERYTHING, WHICH DOES NOT
HELP THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT ALL,
NOR COUNCILMEMBER'S, TO BE
QUITE FRANK. I KNOW THAT COMES
FROM ABOVE. THAT'S NOT US HERE
IN SEATTLE.
>> IN OUR NEXT SENTENCE I DO
SAY I INVOLVE MORE HOUSING. I
DID NOT MENTION IT, COMP PLAN
FIVE GUY. MOST PEOPLE DON'T
UNDERSTAND COMP PLAN FIVE
EXCEPT FOR FOLKS THAT ARE
REALLY INTO THIS, AND I THINK
THAT'S PART OF THE CHALLENGE,
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THESE
PLANS IN THE GENESIS OF THEM
AND HOW THEY CAME TOGETHER PER
GO TO ADD ON TO MY STATE AND MY
COMMENT HERE ER, I DOIFICATIOMOE
HOUSING AND I ALSO SAY THAT
IMPORTANTLY WE NEED VARIED
TYPES OF HOUSING AND VARIED
ZONING TO HELP MAKE THOSE
VARIED TYPES OF HOUSING HAPPEN.
CLEARLY SKINNY TOWNHOMES CANNOT
BE OUR FUTURE, BECAUSE
EVERYTHING I SEE IS, FOR THE
MOST PART, SKINNY TOWNHOMES AND
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT VARIED
TYPES OF HOUSING BEING
DEVELOPED AND HOW TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN, WHETHER IT'S
TRIPLEX'S OR THE FLEX STACKS
OR EVEN [ INAUDIBLE ] AS
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROCESS TO
GET THESE VARIED TYPES OF
HOUSING BECAUSE WHAT WE CAN'T
HAVE IS THE LR THREE VERSION OF
SKINNY TOWNHOMES. WE HAVE TO
HAVE THE VARIED TYPES WHICH ARE
SO HELPFUL IN OUR HOUSING
MARKET AND I SAID I ALSO
BELIEVE IN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
AND I SAID THIS TO YOU BEFORE
SO I'M SAYING THIS PUBLICLY
BEFORE I SAY IT IN PERSON THAT
I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE
NUMBERS AND THE SIZING OF THE
CENTERS CITYWIDE AND SOME OF
THIS GOES TO THE SIZING. AS I
MENTIONED BEFORE, I LIKE SKINNY
RECTANGLE TYPE NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS. 41, YOU CAN GET BETTER
BY IN AND THESE WILL GROW
ORGANICALLY, SOME MORE THAN
OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY
HELPFUL IN THE FUTURE. AND I
THINK THAT IS A POINT THAT I
THINK THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON.
AND ONE WAY WE CAN IMPROVE ON
IT IS TO CREATE WHAT I CALL
MANY NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS,
WHICH HAS PRETTY MUCH TAKEN
THAT KIND OF IDEA OF SKINNY
RECTANGLES, SO IT'S NOT A
SURPRISE TO THE TEAM HERE,
LEVERAGING AREAS WHERE WE DO
HAVE TRANSIT, WHERE WE DO HAVE
A COMMERCIAL PRESENCE, AND
THAT'S WHERE THE HIGHER LR
THREE, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BE,
TO KIND OF CREATE THAT MANY
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WHICH IN
TURN FOR THE NEXT TIME AROUND
COULD REALLY BE THE GENESIS OF
A FULL NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND
SO ON. AND AS I MENTIONED, I'LL
JUST SAY IT BECAUSE I WROTE IT,
I DO THINK WE CAN CREATE MANY
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS WHERE WE
HAVE COMMERCIAL PRESENCE ALONG
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT
THAT MAY CREATE SOME MORE
ORGANIC NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER
LIKE DENSIFICATION. THIS ALONG
WITH BEING SMART WITH OUR URBAN
CENTERS, FORMERLY KNOWN AS
URBAN VILLAGES, GENERALLY CAN
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH
OUR GOALS THAT ALSO REFLECT
UNIQUE ELEMENTS OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. EACH OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR DISTRICTS
ARE VERY DIFFERENT AND IN FACT
THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT
PROCESS, TOO, BECAUSE IN 2015
WE DIDN'T HAVE REGIONAL -- WE
DIDN'T HAVE DISTRICT
REPRESENTATIVES SO IT'S A NEW
DYNAMIC HERE IN 2025. AND OUR
OUTREACH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT THERE MAY BE SOME
LOCAL FACTORS AT THE MAYORS
OFFICE AND THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT DID NOT TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT IN THERE STILL DRAFT,
HAS A PLAN. AND ON THIS
OUTREACH I WILL BE, I THINK,
JOINING YOU, DIRECTOR
QUIRINDONGO, AT THE QUEEN AND
HISTORICAL SOCIETY. WE WILL BE
DOING OUTREACH WITH THE QUEEN
ANNE COMMUNITY COUNCIL, THE
MAGNOLIA COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
UPTOWN IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S THE
URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER SO
THERE IS NOT MUCH HAPPENING.
IT'S MORE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF
MAGNOLIA BUT LARGELY QUEEN
ANNE, AND I INVITE ENGAGEMENT
WITH THESE COMMUNITY COUNCILS
AND TO ALSO INCLUDE OUR
DISTRICTS AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
COUNCIL. BECAUSE THAT'S A
GREAT WAY TO DO OUTREACH ON
THIS AND ANY OTHER TOPIC IN
DISTRICT SEVEN, NOTING DISTRICT
7 IS OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT FROM
EACH OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THEIR
DISTRICTS. SO THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR COMING UP TO US TODAY AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING THROUGH
THESE PIECES AND DEFINITELY
WITH OUR CENTRAL STAFF TEAM, SO
THANK YOU MR. WHITSON.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA AND FOLLOWED BY
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, AND
I, TOO, MADAM CHAIR, WANT TO
EXTEND MY APPRECIATION AND
GRATITUDE TO YOU FOR STEPPING
UP TO LEAD AND LEAD US AND
SHEPHERD US THROUGH THIS
PROCESS, LEAD THE CITY AND HELP
US ADOPT THIS IMPORTANT,
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF
LEGISLATION OR SERIES OF PIECES
OF LEGISLATION. WE ARE LUCKY TO
HAVE YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO
SHOWED UP TODAY TO TESTIFY AND
SHARE YOUR VIEWS AND YOUR
CONCERNS ON ANY NUMBER OF
ELEMENTS, INDIVIDUALLY AND
COLLECTIVELY, IN THIS PLAN THAT
TOOK THE TIME TO SHOW UP IN
PERSON, IN CHAMBERS, OR
REMOTELY, OR EVEN WRITE EMAILS.
WE'VE SEEN THOSE AS WELL. I
WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I AM
LISTENING TO ALL OF IT AND IT
IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. WHICH
BY THE WAY, JUST FOR CLARITY,
IT'S NOT THE SAME AS LIKE I'M
NOT COMMITTING TO ONE COURSE OF
ACTION OR ANOTHER AT THIS VERY
EARLY JUNCTURE. BUT I DO WANT
YOU TO KNOW THAT IT'S GREATLY
APPRECIATED AND THAT WE HEAR
YOU, WE SEE YOU, AND THAT WE
APPRECIATE YOU PROVIDING YOUR
INPUT. AND THIRD AND FINALLY, I
WANT TO THANK OUR EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENT, OPCD, FOR ALL THE
WORK IN THE MAYORS OFFICE, FOR
ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE OVER
MANY OR A FEW YEARS NOW TO GET
US TO THIS POINT AND TO OUR
COUNCIL EXPERT, LISH HERE AS
WELL, COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
EXPERT, LISH, THANK YOU FOR ALL
YOUR HARD WORK IN THE PAST AND
ON A GOING FORWARD BASIS, AS
WELL. THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME
DEPENDENCIES HERE AS A FEW OF
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASTUTELY
POINTED OUT, IN TERMS OF
SCENARIOS THAT MAY HAVE
CONTINGENCIES THAT MAY OR MAY
NOT HAPPEN, AND THAT'S ALWAYS
GOING TO BE THE CASE. THERE IS
ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME
CONTINGENCIES, THINGS,
CIRCUMSTANCES DIRECTLY WITHIN
OUR SPAN OF CONTROL INDIRECTLY
WITHOUT OR NOT WITHIN OUR SPAN
OF CONTROL. AND UNFOCUSED, FOR
ME, NOT MEETING OUR LEGAL
OBLIGATIONS IS NOT AN OPTION.
FOR ME, NOT MEETING OUR ALSO
FIDUCIARY AND DUE DILIGENCE
OBLIGATIONS TO LISTEN, LEARN,
AND MAKE THE MOST WELL-INFORMED
, KIND OF CIRCLING BACK TO A
POINT I MADE A MOMENT AGO,
MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER
DECISION I PERSONALLY CHOOSE TO
MAKE AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS IN THIS
PROCESS, IS A VERY
WELL-INFORMED ONE, AND NOT
MEETING OUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS
IS NOT A CHOICE PER IT'S NOT A
WISE OR PRUDENT POLICY CHOICE
THAT I AM GOING TO MAKE, NOR IS
NOT DOING WORK OF LISTENING AND
MAKING SURE WE HAVE A FULLY
INFORMED -- FULLY INFORMED SET
OF FACTS HERE. SO A COUPLE
QUESTIONS, IF YOU COULD JUST
FIRST GO BACK TO SLIDE 13 POINT
THEY ARE ALL FOCUSED ON SLIDE
13 OF THE PRESENTATION AND I
UNDERSTAND TODAY A VERY HIGH
LEVEL ORIENTATION TYPE OF
THING. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR
FOR YOUR STRONG -- I HEARD YOU,
YOUR STRONG GUIDANCE TO ALL OF
US TO TAKE THOSE PRE-BRIEFINGS.
I, AS A MATTER OF ROUTINE
PRACTICE, I GENERALLY TAKE THEM
MYSELF AS WELL BUT YOUR STRONG
ENCOURAGEMENT IS DULY NOTED AND
WE'LL MAKE SURE FULLY LIVE UP
TO THAT. BUT OKAY -- SO SLIDE
-- IS IT SLIDE, MAY BE SLIDE
NINE, TRY SLIDE NINE. SO I HAVE
A COUPLE. THE ONE THAT SAYS FOR
PLANNING FOR 20 YOUR HOUSING
GROWTH. THERE IT IS. FIRST OFF,
WOULD LOVE TO JUST BETTER
UNDERSTAND AT A HIGH LEVEL. I
UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ESTIMATES
ARE ASSUMPTIONS ONLY AND THEY
ARE NOT FORECAST AND I
MENTIONED LATER WILL DIVE A
LITTLE DEEPER INTO THAT AND
WHAT THAT MEANS. BUT WOULD JUST
LOVE TO HAVE AN INITIAL
UNDERSTANDING, IF YOU COULD
CLARIFY, MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT
SPECIFICALLY MEANS. DON'T WE
GET THESE NUMBERS AS FORECASTS
FROM THE STATE? OR WHAT IS THE
SOURCE OF THESE NUMBERS? AND
HOW CAN WE GET ACTUAL
FORECASTS? AND I KNOW IT'S
PLANNING OUT FOR 20 YEARS IS
NOT LIKE -- A BIT OF AN
IMPOSSIBLE TASK, YES, BUT JUST
TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
ASSUMPTIONS VERSUS FORECAST,
THAT DISTINCTION.
>> I THINK THIS QUESTION
PRIMARILY REFERS TO THE GROWTH
TARGETING PROCESS ITSELF. WHAT
WE DO PURSUANT TO THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT. I THINK THAT
BEST CAN BE DESCRIBED AS A
COMBINATION, AS THEY SAY, ART
AND SCIENCE. THIS IS BOTH BASED
ON HIGH LEVEL STATE PROJECTIONS
OF POPULATION, THE PUGET SOUND
REGIONAL COUNCIL DOES FORECASTS
FOR JOB GROWTH. THOSE
FORECASTS, THOSE PROJECTIONS
ARE MADE PRIMARILY AT THE
COUNTY AND REGIONAL LEVELS.
WHEN IT GETS TO DEVOLVING THOSE
NUMBERS DOWN TO INDIVIDUAL
JURISDICTIONS LIKE THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, THAT'S WHERE THE
POLICY PIECE COMES IN SO
THERE'S PROJECTION AND POLICY.
HAVE REGIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY
THAT I MENTIONED THAT THE SRC
ADOPTED ENVISION 2050. IT SETS
VERY BROAD NUMBERS FOR CITIES
OF DIFFERENT SIZES, HOW MUCH
GROWTH ROUGHLY THEY SHOULD BE
PLANNING FOR, GROWTH TARGETS
THAT ARE ADOPTED BY G MPC
LIKEWISE ARE INFORMED BY POLICY
AND JUST DISCUSSION, A LITTLE
BIT OF HORSETRADING, QUITE
FRANKLY, AND THE G MPC MEETS
AND DETERMINES THOSE TARGETS.
IT'S A MIXTURE OF PROJECTION,
OF FORECASTING AND POLICY, AND
BECAUSE OF THAT, AND JUST
BECAUSE OF THE VERY NATURE OF
CONCERN TO YOUR FUTURE,
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS DEAL OF
UNCERTAINTY IN THE GROWTH
NUMBERS THAT WE ARE GIVEN.
STATUTORILY THEY ARE MINIMUMS.
THE 80,000 HOUSING UNITS IS THE
MINIMUM AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT
WE ARE ALLOWED TO PLAN FOR. IN
REALITY, THE FUTURE CAN LOOK
QUITE DIFFERENT THAN THAT
GROWTH TARGET. FOR EXAMPLE, THE
SEATTLE 2035 PLAN WAS
PREDICATED ON A TARGET OF
70,000 HOUSING UNITS OVER 20
YEARS. WE GREW AT MORE THAN
DOUBLE THAT RATE SINCE THAT
TIME SO WE REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO
LOOK LIKE AND THIS IS ONE OF
THOSE THINGS, THAT'S ONE OF
THE LENSES THAT WE USE IN GOING
FROM TARGET TO PLAN AND WHY
IT'S PRUDENT FOR THE CITY TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CAPACITY FOR HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU. SO I HAVE -- YOU
IN PART ADDRESSED A FEW MORE OF
MY QUESTIONS AND I HAVE THREE
MORE AND WOULD LOVE MORE
DETAIL, MORE GRANULARITY.
OFF-LINE BUT ESPECIALLY I THINK
WE COULD ALL BENEFIT FROM THIS
INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
, DURING -- IT SOUNDS LIKE WE
ARE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER
SERIES OF BRIEFINGS INCLUDING
TO DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER ON SOME
OF THE SUBSTANCE HERE SO I HAVE
THREE QUESTIONS. I WELCOME ANY
INITIAL REACTION THAT YOU HAVE
NOW BUT I THINK SOME OF THIS IS
GOING TO REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE
ANALYSIS OFF-LINE AND I WOULD
LOVE AGAIN TO MAKE SURE IT'S
INCORPORATED. I WILL PUT A
RESPECTFUL REQUEST TO THE CHAIR
IF, AT YOUR DISCRETION, A
DECISION, YOU THINK IT MAKES
SENSE TO INCLUDE IN A BROADER
PRESENTATION, EITHER NEXT OWNER
AT SOME POINT GOING FORWARD FOR
GO THREE QUESTIONS. AND THIS
RELATES TO THAT THIRD FULL
BULLET ON THE SLIDE HERE AND
ALSO KIND OF TIES INTO SOME OF
THE FEED BACK THAT WE'VE HEARD
TODAY. GENTLEMEN EARLIER,
PROBABLY AN ATTORNEY AT SOME
POINT, I MENTIONED THERE IS A
SALIENT, ACTUAL POINT. YOU
MENTIONED THAT IT'S IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN HOUSING CAPACITY AND
ACTUAL HOUSING BROUGHT TO
MARKET. AND SO YOU MENTIONED IN
THE LAST TIME IF YOU COULD
REPEAT THAT, THAT WOULD BE
GREAT, JUST FOR THE RECORD.
WHAT -- DURING THE LAST TIME WE
WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN
2015 OR WHATEVER THAT WAS, WHAT
WAS THAT CALLED, FIRST OFF?
>> SEATTLE 2035 POINT
>> SEATTLE 2035. THAT WAS THE
LAST COMP PLAN PROCESS IN
SEATTLE. DURING THE SEATTLE
2035 PLAN PROCESS, CAN YOU
RESTATE WHAT IS THE DELTA OF
WHAT WE PLANNED FOR VERSUS WHAT
WE ACTUALLY SAW IN TERMS OF THE
ACTUAL HOUSING BROUGHT TO
MARKET? QUESTION ONE. QUESTION
TWO IS -- THIS I THINK
DEFINITELY PROBABLY REQUIRES A
MORE EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS AND
SOME RESEARCH OFF-LINE LIKE
INITIAL SURPRISE TO MY
COLLEAGUES BUT OF THE TOP THREE
IN TERMS OF SIZE JURISDICTIONS
IN WASHINGTON STATE, WHAT DID
THEY PLAN FOR UNDER THEIR LAST
PROCESS AND WHEN DID THEY
ACTUALLY SEE IN TERMS OF ACTUAL
HOUSING BROUGHT TO MARKET, TOP
THREE OR TOP FIVE, A TOP LIST?
I JUST WANT TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND A COMPARATOR SO WE
KNOW AND YOU SHED LIGHT
INITIALLY ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN
IN SEATTLE, IF YOU CAN CLARIFY
AGAIN JUST FOR THE RECORD THAT
WOULD BE GREAT. THAT'S
QUESTION ONE. QUESTION TWO IS A
COMPARATOR, HOW DOES WHAT WE'VE
SEEN IN SEATTLE COMPARE TO
OTHER TOP THREE, TOP FIVE
JURISDICTIONS IN TERMS OF
LARGER POPULATION CITIES? AND
THE THIRD QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE MARKET FACTORS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT WE ACTUALLY
SEE, WHAT WE PLAN FOR, VERSUS
WHAT WE ACTUALLY SEE?
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTIONS. THERE'S A LOT THERE
AND I THINK THAT WE'LL TRY TO
ADDRESS A LITTLE BIT OF IT
TODAY AND KNOW THAT WE'LL COME
BACK WITH GREATER DETAIL WHEN
WE ARE BACK HERE ON JANUARY
15th. BECAUSE MY BACKGROUND AS
AN ARCHITECT IS AS AN
ARCHITECT, I'LL START WITH
YOUR LAST QUESTION FIRST. WHAT
ARE THE MARKET PRESSURES? SO IT
IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE
LAND USE MATH THAT WE PUT
FORTH, WHICH BEGINS WITH OUR
GREAT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND
THE FLUME THAT YOU'LL BE
LOOKING AT, THE FUTURE LAND USE
MAP THAT YOU'LL BE LOOKING AT
AS PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN ITSELF, THAT DOES LEAVE
THE GROUNDWORK FOR WHAT GETS
BUILT AND WHAT DOES NOT GET
BUILT. INSURANCE RATES HAVE A
HUGE IMPACT AVAILABILITY OF
MATERIALS HAS A HUGE IMPACT.
THE LABOR WORKFORCE
AVAILABILITY IS ALSO A MAJOR
FACTOR. WE KNOW THAT INTEREST
RATES HAVE HAD A HUGE IMPACT TO
WHAT HAS GOTTEN BUILT AND WHAT
HASN'T OVER THE COURSE OF THE
LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO. AND WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO
LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD. I
WOULD ALSO SAY THAT EVEN THINGS
LIKE THE CONDO LAW HAVE AN
IMPACT TO WHAT GETS BUILT. SO
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK
THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE
COMMUNITY, FROM STAKEHOLDERS
AROUND THE NEED FOR MORE [
INAUDIBLE ] AND WE HEAR THAT
AND SEE THAT NEED TO KNOW THERE
IS CHANGES THAT NEED TO WORK
WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AT A STATE
LEVEL IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY MAKE
THAT A REALITY. SO LOTS OF
MOVING PARTS.
>> JUST AS RICO INDICATED,
WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK UP SOME OF
THE NUMBERS FOR OTHER CITIES,
OF COURSE, AND AS YOU MAY HAVE
RECENTLY READ IN THE PAPER,
WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A BANNERP
BRWE HAVE, SO HAPPY
TO COME BACK AND ON JANUARY
15th WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT
DEEP DIVE ON THE GROWTH
STRATEGY. THAT'S GREAT
BACKGROUND, GREAT QUESTIONS.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO
WHAT RICO TIP OFF IN TERMS OF
SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS ARE LAND
PRICE, AVAILABILITY, LAND FOR
SALE. IS IT AVAILABLE FOR
DEVELOPMENT? AND PARCEL SIZE.
THOSE ARE ALSO HUGE IN A VERY
URBANIZED PLACE LIKE SEATTLE,
REGARDLESS OF ZONING.
>> THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE
THE INITIAL RESPONSES HERE AND
LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING EVEN
FURTHER CLARITY AT A LATER
DATE, AND I WOULD ADD THAT I
WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE A LOOK
BACK OF THE LAST TWO SO NOT
JUST THE SEATTLE 2035 PLAN BUT
THE ONE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE
THAT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE
GATHERING DATA FOR THAT, WHAT
WAS PLANNED FOR, VERSUS WHAT
THE MARKET ACTUALLY BORE. AND
THEN LOCALLY HERE IN SEATTLE
AND ACROSS THE TOP THREE, TOP
WHATEVER JURISDICTIONS ACROSS
THE STATE BY POPULATION, THAT
WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR MY
PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE AGAIN, I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND HISTORY AND AS ONE
DATA POINT TO MAKE SURE EVERY
LAND ON THIS IS A FULLY
INFORMED VIEW. SO THAT IS ALL I
HAVE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
AND THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK,
AS WELL. I WILL LOOK AT THE
CALENDAR AND SEE HOW WE CAN
READ SOME OF THOSE ELEMENTS IN
THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, YOUR
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.
I, TOO, WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR TAKING ON THIS
YOU, HUGE TASK.
>> I WILL GIVE EVERYONE MY CASH
APP AND THEN MOW. THANK YOU.
>> YOU JUST HAVE MY ETERNAL
GRATITUDE.
>> RESPECT FOR TAKING THIS ON
AND ALSO TO EVERYONE IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE TO HAS WORKED
VERY HARD ON THIS. AND I KNOW
YOU HAD TO WORK ON IT OVER THE
HOLIDAY OR WHILE WE WERE ON
BREAK, SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
ALL THE EFFORTS. I HAVE A
COUPLE OF GENERAL QUESTIONS AND
THEN I HAVE SOME GENERAL
COMMENTS TO MAKE. IN TERMS OF
THE DEADLINES, SO I'M ASSUMING
THAT YOU ARE STILL ACCEPTING
PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ZONING
PORTION OF THIS LEGISLATION. IS
THAT CORRECT?
>> PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE
ZONING LEGISLATION WAS DECEMBER
20th, SO THAT PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD HAS CLOSED BUT THAT'S
NOT TO SAY THAT AS PUBLIC
COMMENT GOES ON DURING THE
COUNCIL PROCESS, THAT THAT
CAN'T ALSO BE CONSIDERED.
>> SO YOU'RE NOT OFFICIALLY
TAKING ANY MORE COMMENTS ON THE
ZONING APPS THAT WERE COMING
OUT IN THE FALL?
>> CORRECT.
>> THE OTHER QUESTION, SINCE WE
GOT THE PUBLIC HEARING
SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 5th AND
THERE'S NO CONFIRMATION THAT
WE HAVE HAD THE EIS BY THEN,
HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK?
BECAUSE IT SEEMS A WASTE OF
TIME TO HAVE A HEARING ON WE
DON'T HAVE THE EIS.
>> SCHEDULE INCLUDES MULTIPLE
HEARINGS ON THE COMPETENCE OF
PLANS OF THE INTENT OF THIS
FIRST HEARING IS FOR FOLKS TO
FOCUS ON THE GUMBRANCH OF PLAN
IN THE DOCUMENT ITSELF. THERE
WILL BE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING
CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR LATE
APRIL. THEY WILL COVER
COUNCILMEMBER AMENDMENTS, SOME
TEXT AMENDMENTS THAT ARE
RELATED TO THE CHANGES WITHIN
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THEN
THAT CAN ALSO BE INFORMED BY
THE EIS CONFERENCE MORE DEEPLY.
>> I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A
SEPARATE HEARING. CHAIR IS GONE
BUT MY REQUEST WOULD BE TO HAVE
A SEPARATE HEARING ONCE THE EIS
COMES OUT BECAUSE THE EIS IS
CRITICAL TO THE LEGISLATION AND
WHAT WE DO WITH IT, AND HOW WE
VIEW IT, AND ALSO WITH THE
BROADER CONTEXT OF THIS AS A
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND PART OF
THE EIS ALSO ADDRESSES, AS I
UNDERSTAND, THAT THE SOCIAL
IMPACT AND CONSEQUENCES, WHICH
GETS TO THE ISSUE OF
AFFORDABILITY, SO I GUESS I'M
JUST GOING TO MAKE MY GENERAL
COMMENTS NOW, WHICH IS THAT
I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING AT
THIS TO THE EYE OF DOES THIS IN
FACT PRODUCE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, AND WHAT I'VE SEEN SO
FAR IS THAT IT DOES NOT . AND
SIMPLY EQUATING DENSITY WITH
AFFORDABILITY IS A LIE. IT'S A
MYTH. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF
TRICKLE-DOWN THAT WILL HAPPEN
BUT NOT ENOUGH TO MEET OUR
AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS. AND
I VIEW THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO REALLY OPEN THE DOORS TO
HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. WE
NEED TO BE LOOKING AT NOT JUST
THE CONDO LAW CHANGE IN OLYMPIA
THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT
OTHER OWNERSHIP MODELS SUCH AS
CO-OPS AND INCREASING THE
NUMBER OF LAND TRUST
OPPORTUNITIES. AND I DON'T
THINK THIS MODEL ALLOWS US TO
DO THAT. IT SPECIFICALLY STATES
THAT WHERE WE NEED OUR MOST
HOUSING IS IN A 0 TO 60% AMI,
AND YET WE ARE NOT GETTING
THAT. WE ARE NOT GETTING ZONED
FOR AFFORDABILITY IN THAT
RANGE. AND WE NEED TO BE --
KEEP AN EAGLE EYE ON THAT
BECAUSE AS OTHERS HAVE SAID,
TOWNHOUSES DO NOT EQUAL
AFFORDABILITY, NOR DO THEY
EQUAL THE ABILITY TO AGE IN
PLACE, WHICH IS ALSO IMPORTANT.
SO I WILL BE KEEPING A CLOSE
EYE ON THIS PLAN AND COMING AT
IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I
THINK THE MARKET ALWAYS TAKES
CARE OF ITSELF. THE MARKET WILL
CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF
ITSELF. OUR ROLE, MY ROLE IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING
THE AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENT
SO THAT THIS IS A ONE SEATTLE.
THIS IS A CITY WHERE OUR
BARISTAS AND OUR PIZZA DRIVERS,
AND OUR TEACHERS CAN AFFORD TO
LIVE. SO THAT LEADS ME TO THE
SECOND PIECE, WHICH IS WE NEED
MORE HOUSING TYPE DIVERSITY. WE
DON'T WANT THIS TO JUST BE A
GIVEAWAY TO DEVELOPERS FOR
TOWNHOUSES, PARTLY BECAUSE WE
ARE NOT STRUCTURING IT IN A WAY
THAT INCENTIVIZES THE ABILITY
TO BUILD STACKED FLATS,
COMMUNITY COURTYARDS, OTHER
SORTS OF HOUSING DIVERSITY.
IT'S THAT HOUSING DIVERSITY I
THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
WELCOME AND BE LESS AFRAID OF,
AND IT'S ALSO THE
AFFORDABILITY PIECE. I KNOW
THAT PEOPLE OFTEN EQUATE THE
PEOPLE WHO COME HERE AS NIMBYS
AND WHEN I HAVE TALKED TO MY
CONSTITUENTS, PARTICULARLY IN
MAPLE LEAF, WHICH IS SLATED FOR
A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, DESPITE
MY TWO FORMAL REQUESTS TO THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE TO REMOVE IT,
PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS SAID TO ME,
WE NEED AFFORDABILITY. BUT
WHNOABLE AND I'M NOT
PREPARED TO SACRIFICE MY
PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD AND
REASON THAT I LIVE HERE AND
SUPPORT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, SO
THAT WE CAN JUST THROW A BUNCH
OF TOWNHOUSES UP THAT START AT
$700,000. SO IT'S NOT ABOUT
BEING OPPOSED TO AFFORDABILITY.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING BUILT IS
AFFORDABLE AND THAT THERE IS A
RANGE OF AFFORDABILITY, AND
THAT REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE A
RANGE OF DIVERSITY OPTIONS. THE
OTHER THING THAT'S CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT THAT I WILL BE
LOOKING AT AT THIS POINT IS
TREES. AGAIN, PEOPLE DIMINISH
TREES AS A NIMBY ISSUE. THERE
NOT A NIMBY ISSUE. THEY ARE AN
ECOLOGICAL NECESSITY AND I
THINK UNFORTUNATELY THE
BUILDING INDUSTRY HAS BEEN ABLE
TO CAPTURE THE DIALOGUE ON
AFFORDABILITY AND TREES AND
THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL
IN PITTING TREES AGAINST
AFFORDABILITY, AND THEY DO NOT
-- THEY ARE NOT EITHER/OR. THEY
CAN VERY MUCH COEXIST AND
THAT'S OUR GOAL, IS TO COEXIST
IN THE CITY AS A ONE SEATTLE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
CONTINUE TO BREAK DOWN THIS LIE
AND THIS MYTH BECAUSE THIS IS
ALSO, IN MY OPINION, AN
ECONOMIC JUSTICE ISSUE. TOO
MANY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CANNOT
AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY AND
THIS IS WHAT'S DRIVING A LOT
OF THIS, AND YET THEY ARE TOLD
IF YOU JUST LET US HAVE A FREE
RAIN AND BUILD, YOU'LL BE ABLE
TO AFFORD. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO
HAVE HOUSING. IT'S NOT TRUE.
IT IS AN ECONOMIC JUSTICE
ISSUE. SO ALLOWING FREE RANGE
ZONING IS NOT GOING TO GET YOU
INTO THE HOME THAT YOU WANT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO CREATE THE
HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY THAT
YOU NEED TO GROW YOUR WEALTH,
TO HAVE -- CREATE A STABLE
SOCIETY WHERE PEOPLE ARE
ENGAGED SOCIALLY AND
POLITICALLY. WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT IS BUILDING HIGH
END TOWNHOUSES AND LOTS OF
RENTALS. RENTALS ARE NOT
STABLE. WE ALREADY HAVE
TREMENDOUS PRESSURES ON OUR
RENTAL MARKET. IT'S NOT
WORKING WELL SO WE HAVE THESE
COMPETING PRESSURES ABOUT WANT
TO BUILD, BUILD, BUILD MORE
RENTAL HOUSING AND YET THE
RENTAL HOUSING ISN'T WORKING
AND IS BRINGING IN MORE PRIVATE
EQUITY. AND THAT'S THE LAST
THING WE NEED. SO WE ALSO NEED
TO CHALLENGE THE STATEMENT THAT
DENSITY IS GOING TO PRODUCE
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEKING. WHEN I
TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY WANT
A PLACE OF THEIR OWN. THEY WANT
A LITTLE GARDEN. THEY WANT THE
AMENITIES THAT US CURRENT
HOMEOWNERS HAVE AND WE ARE
CREATING A FALSE PROMISE WITH
WHAT WE ARE PUTTING OUT HERE
AND WHAT THE URBANIST PEOPLE
ARE TELLING US, AND WHAT THE
BUILDING ASSOCIATION IS TELLING
US, AND EVEN SOME OF THE
HOUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
PROVIDERS WHO DESPERATELY NEED
MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
HAVE HAD TO, BECAUSE OF THE
STRUCTURE OF THE MANDATORY
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY ACT, HAVE
HAD TO TIE THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO
THEM. SO LET US USE THIS AS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SPEAK
SOME TRUTHS, TO REALLY DIG DOWN
INTO WHAT IS TRULY GOING TO
MAKE THE CITY A ONE SEATTLE.
LET'S NOT SHY AWAY FROM
DISCUSSING TRUE INFRASTRUCTURE
CAPACITY ISSUES. PINEHURST IS
SCHEDULED TO BE, IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD, IN DISTRICT 5, TO
HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF UP
ZONES. WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE
SUFFICIENT CABLE CAPACITY IN
PINEHURST. WE HAVE ROLLING
BLACKOUTS AND NOW WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT UP ZONING THAT.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DISTRICT 5
THAT HAS THE LEAST NUMBER OF
SIDEWALKS ACROSS THE CITY AND
THANKS TO COUNCILMEMBER SAKA IN
HIS LEADERSHIP, THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY, WE NOW
HAVE A COMMITMENT TO A HUGE
NUMBER OF SIDEWALKS BUT THAT'S
GOING TO TAKE DECADES TO GET
THOSE SIDEWALKS. WHERE ARE
PEOPLE GOING TO GO WHEN WE NOW
HAVE ALL OF THESE TOWNHOUSES
AND MULTIPLEXES? HOW ARE PEOPLE
GOING TO ACTUALLY NAVIGATE THE
LANDSCAPE ? THE OTHER ISSUE IS
TRANSIT. PEOPLE SEEM TO BELIEVE
THAT IF YOU BUILD ALL THIS
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, TRANSIT
WILL COME. LET ME TELL YOU, IT
WILL NOT COME. THAT'S NOT HOW
IT WORKS. WE DON'T CONTROL
METRO. WE HAVE ONE VOICE ON THE
SOUND TRANSIT BOARD. THEY WANT
TO PUT A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER IN
MAPLE LEAF BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE
LITTLE BUS THAT RUNS DOWN
ROOSEVELT TO UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT. THAT'S NOT RAPID
TRANSIT. THAT'S NOT MASS
TRANSIT. WHY AREN'T WE LOOKING
AT UP ZONING FIFTH TO CONNECT
WITH NORTHGATE, WHERE THEY ARE
DOING INCREDIBLE WORK BRINGING
IN DENSITY? THERE'S SO MANY
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS
PLAN. WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT
UTILIZING MORE ARTERIALS . AND
TO THE ARGUMENT THAT ARTERIALS
ARE RACIST, I WOULD SAY, SAY
THAT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
CURRENTLY LIVING THERE IN THEIR
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. SO WE ALSO
DO NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
MAKING SURE THAT WE DO EXPAND
INTO NEIGHBORHOODS BUT WE DO SO
IN A WAY THAT IS TRUE TO THE
NATURE AND CHARACTER OF THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS AS REQUIRED BY HB
1110 AND THAT WE ARE NOT
SHOVING ALL OF THIS DOWN
PEOPLE'S THROATS. THAT IS NOT
HOW YOU GET BUY-IN. THAT'S NOT
HOW YOU GET PEOPLE TO FEEL GOOD
ABOUT THEIR GOVERNMENT. AND THE
LAST THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS
THIS IS A PUBLIC PROCESS HAS
BEEN ABYSMAL. I HAVE SO MANY
PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT -- SORRY
--
>> IF WE COULD USE JAZZ HANDS,
THANK YOU, THOSE ARE JUST SHAKE
YOUR HANDS.
>> IT'S JUST BEEN ABYSMAL.
I'VE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE SAY TO
ME, LIKE I HAD NO IDEA UNTIL
YESTERDAY WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I
HAD NO IDEA. IT'S BEEN AMAZING
THAT WE HAVE THIS PETITION WITH
OVER 700 SIGNATURES AGAINST
OPPOSING THE DESIGNATION OF
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER IN MAPLE
LEAF THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED --
THEY HAD 400 IN THREE DAYS.
700 OVER THE
HOLIDAYS. TO ME, THAT SPEAKS
VOLUMES ABOUT THE LACK OF
CONNECTION BY THE CITY TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE THERE, TO THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ABSORB THE
GROWTH, TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
GOING TO BE EITHER WELCOMING OR
HOSTILE TO THE NEW PEOPLE THAT
WE DO HAVE TO MAKE ROOM FOR.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN SUFFICIENT
PUBLIC OUTREACH. THERE'S NOT
BEEN SUFFICIENT DISCUSSION
ABOUT THIS. MOST PEOPLE DON'T
EVEN KNOW ABOUT HB 1110. AND
THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS
GOING TO HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT
ON THE CITY, AND WE ARE TRYING
TO NAVIGATE IT. LET'S START
WITH EVEN EDUCATING PEOPLE
ABOUT WHAT'S COMING, WHAT THEY
HAVE NO CONTROL OVER, FIRST,
THOUGH, AND THEN LET'S MAKE
SURE WE TALK TO PEOPLE HOW
IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY PLAY
OUT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND
THE LAST THING I WILL SAY,
THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR YOUR
INDULGENCE, IS THAT A LOT OF
THIS -- OBVIOUSLY HB 1110 WAS
STATE DRIVEN. THERE IS
LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW THAT WILL
PROBABLY BE INTRODUCED IN
OLYMPIA THAT IS CALLED THE
BUILDERS REMEDY, WHICH MEANS
THAT IF SEATTLE DOESN'T SORT
OF TOE THE LINE, BASED ON THE
MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AND
OTHER PROPONENTS OF GROWTH,
THAT IT WILL BE SHOVED DOWN OUR
THROATS. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE
YOU TO REACH OUT TO ALL OF YOUR
STATE REPRESENTATIVES IN 36 --
I MEAN ALL OF THEM IN SEATTLE,
AND YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION
TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OLYMPIA
BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO
DO IS WE ARE TRYING TO RESPOND
TO WHAT OLYMPIA HAS MANDATED
AND WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT
WE CAN. BUT THINGS ARE ALSO
PERCOLATING AND IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT YOU BE ON THE GROUND THERE
AND THAT YOUR VOICES BE HEARD
AS WELL. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE. IF THERE IS ANY RESPONSE
AT ALL I'LL PAUSE. IF THERE'S
ANY COMMENTS. I DON'T KNOW --
THAT WAS A STATEMENT. OKAY.
AWESOME. IT WAS A STATEMENT AND
A MIC DROPS . YOU ARE GOOD. I
JUST WANT TO -- NO, YOU'RE ALL
GOOD. I SEE THAT WE HAVE
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND ALSO
FOLLOWING THAT WILL BE
COUNCILMEMBER RANK . VICE CHAIR
STRAUSS.
>> I DON'T KNOW THE CHAIR SAID
THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
MEETING BUT SHE RAN THROUGH IT
SO QUICKLY I ALMOST MISSED IT,
WHICH IS THE AMENDMENTS, ANY
AMENDMENTS THAT A COUNCILMEMBER
PROPOSES NEED TO BE PUBLICLY
PUBLISHED FOR 30 DAYS. IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> JUST WORKING BACK, AND I
SHARE THIS, I RAISE THIS POINT
AGAIN, COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE I
THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE
OF THE LARGER -- WHEREAS IN THE
BUDGET WE COULD HAVE WALK ON
AMENDMENTS TECHNICALLY AND
LEGALLY AGAINST MY BEST
REQUEST, WE CAN'T WITH THIS
PROCESS BECAUSE IT IS NOT ONLY
THAT OUR AMENDMENTS HAVE TO BE
PUBLISHED TO A PUBLICATION OF
RECORD, WHICH IS THE D.J.
SEELEY AND THE SEATTLE TIMES ,
IT HAS TO BE PUBLISHED FOR 30
DAYS. THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO
WALK TWO TO THREE WEEKS OUT
AHEAD OF THAT TO ENSURE THAT
OUR AMENDMENTS ARE COMPLETE AND
THEN THEY ARE SENT OUT FOR
PUBLISHING ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE
HAND. IS THAT CORRECT, LISH?
>> CORRECT AND THEY OF COURSE
NEED TO [ INAUDIBLE ] WITH YOU
AS WELL.
>> I HIGHLIGHT THAT POINT NOW
BECAUSE AS I'VE BEEN LOOKING
AROUND THIS MAP AND SEEING
DIFFERENT THINGS, IT'S JUST SO
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S SO
DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER BODY
OF WORK THAT WE WILL TAKE UP AS
THE CITY COUNCILMEMBER, THAT
WITNESS THAT 30 DAY PUBLISHED
REQUIREMENT, REALLY REQUIRES US
TO WORK, START WORKING NOW. I
WILL SAY I WASN'T GOING TO
SHARE COMMENTS BECAUSE WE ARE
WAY OVER TIME BUT JUST MY
GRATITUDE TO OPCD. YOU HAD A
TOUGH JOB AND PROVIDED A GOOD
START BUT FOR ME THIS PLAN
REALLY IS THE BASE MINIMUM
BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, MICHAEL,
IN OUR LAST GROWTH PROJECTION
WE DOUBLED OUR TARGETS. I'VE
ALREADY HAD A LOT OF MEETINGS
WITH MY RESIDENCE, WITH
RESIDENCE IN DISTRICT 6 ABOUT
WHERE OUR REFINEMENTS NEEDED,
AND WHAT I SHARED WITH T█HEM,
AND I'LL SHARE WITH YOUR
COLLEAGUES, IS ANYONE WHO --
AND I'VE ALREADY DONE WALKING
TOURS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'VE ALREADY MET WITH
RESIDENCE DURING OFFICE HOURS
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
MANY MORE. SO IF YOU ARE A D6
RESIDENT, YOU WANT TO HAVE A
WALK, YOU WANT TO HOLD A
MEETING, I HOLD OFFICE HOURS
EVERY WEEK. THIS WEEK WE
AREN'T. IT'S NOT USUAL BUT
HERE WE ARE. FOR RESIDENTS
REQUESTING DOWN ZONES IN THEIR
AREAS, I'M ALSO REQUESTING
THEM TO BRING ME UP ZONES AND
THAT THEY WORK WITH THEIR
NEIGHBORS BECAUSE WHAT THIS
REPRESENTS IS A CITYWIDE, A
BASE MINIMUM FOR THE AMOUNT OF
DENSITY THAT WERE TAKEN ON.
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, YOUR
POINTS ARE VERY WELL TAKEN
REGARDING HOMEOWNERSHIP BEING
DIFFERENT THAN RENTAL SO I HEAR
YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. APPRECIATED
MUCH OF WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY.
AND YOU KNOW THIS PLAN , WE ARE
GOING TO NEED TO MAKE
REFINEMENTS. ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT I SAY THIS IS A BASE
MINIMUM IS BECAUSE OF ZONING
ACTUALITIES VERSUS ZONING ON A
MAP. LISH, CAN YOU HELP ME OUT
WITH THIS ONE? IN LR 1 ZONES --
I'VE GOT THE SDCI GIS MAP UP
WITH ME NOW SO I'M JUST GOING
TO DOUBLE CHECK IF THIS IS
CORRECT. SO I KNOW HOUR -- HANG
WITH ME REAL QUICK, COLLEAGUES.
AN LR TWO ZONE, HOW MANY
STORIES ARE WE ALLOWED TO
BUILDING AN LR TWO ZONE? THESE
ARE TRADITIONALLY TOWNHOMES.
>> I DO NOT HAVE THAT OFF THE
TOP OF MY HEAD. I'M SORRY.
>> FOUR POINT WE ARE ALLOWED TO
BUILD FOUR STORIES, THANK YOU
DIRECTOR QUIRINDONGO. ALLOWED
TO BUILD FOUR STORIES ON
TOWNHOMES IN LR TWO ZONES. I
LIVED ON 64th AND 20th IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I GREW UP IN
AND I HAD AN INCREDIBLY
EMOTIONALLY CHALLENGING
EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING THE
NEIGHBORHOOD I GREW UP IN GET
TORN DOWN. THERE'S NOTHING
THAT WILL SET YOU UP FOR THAT.
I ALSO RECOGNIZE THE BENEFITS
OF DENSITY FOR ALL OF THOSE NEW
NEIGHBORS ON THAT BLOCK HAVE
INCREASED THE VIBRANCY OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I GREW UP IN.
AND WHILE IT MIGHT BE TRUE THAT
I CAN'T GO BACK TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD I GREW UP IN, I AM
IN A MORE VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD
TODAY THAN THE BUTT OF ALL THE
ALMOST LIVE JOKES. I LOVE THOSE
JOKES, BY THE WAY, I LOVE
ALMOST LIFE BUT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD I GREW UP IN WAS
THE BUTT OF ALL THE JOKES IN
THE CITY. TODAY WE ARE ONE OF
THE MOST VIBRANT PLACES IN THE
CITY. WE HAVE HIGHER FOOT
TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN VALLEY THAN
WE DID BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. BUT
THE REASON THAT I SAY THAT IT
NEEDS A BASE MINIMUM IS BECAUSE
THE ZONING CAPACITY IS
DIFFERENT THAN THE ACTUAL
CAPACITY. WHEN I LIVED IN UPPER
FREMONT IN AN AREA THAT IS
PROPOSED TO BE ZONING CHANGES
HERE I SEE THAT WE ARE CHANGING
FROM -- AND YEAH I'VE GOT YOUR
INTERACTIVE MAP UP SO YOU MIGHT
WANT TO PULL YOURS UP, TOO
BECAUSE I'VE GOT MORE
QUESTIONS COMING, WHICH IS THAT
YOU'VE CHANGED IT FROM ALONG
AURORA, I LIVED ON MOTOR PLACE
IN AURORA, THAT WE ARE CHANGING
IT FROM Mc 55 TO NC 65 POINT
DIRECTOR QUIRINDONGO, THAT'S
ESSENTIALLY JUST ONE STORY, IS
THAT CORRECT? SO FOR THE
RECORD, NOT A YES, THE REASON I
SAY ZONING CAPACITY IS
DIFFERENT THAN ACTUAL CAPACITY
IS BECAUSE AT THE END OF MOTOR
AND AURORA WE HAD A FIVE STORY
MULTIFAMILY BUILDING PUT IN
WHICH WAS ACTUALLY A BENEFIT TO
THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE
IT LOCKED THE ROAD NOISE OFF OF
AURORA FROM THE REST OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. I BET YOU $100
NOBODY IS GOING TO COME DOWN
AND TEAR DOWN THAT FIVE-STORY
APARTMENT BUILDING TO BUILD A
SIX STORY APARTMENT BUILDING,
RIGHT? SO I LOOK AT THE
TOWNHOMES. THIS WAS BACK TO THE
POINT OF FOUR STORIES VERSUS
THREE STORIES. I GOT DISTRACTED
WITH MY EMOTIONS ABOUT WHAT IN
MY NEIGHBORHOOD GET TORN DOWN
BUT THE REASON I SAY THAT IS
BECAUSE THE ACTUAL ZONING
CAPACITY ON 63rd AND 20th IS
FOUR STORIES. BUT NOBODY WAS
BUILDING FOUR STORIES. THEY
WERE ALL BUILDING THREE STORIES
BECAUSE IT'S NOT CORRECT THAT
ONCE YOU GET TO FOUR STORIES
YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ELEVATOR?
SORRY, LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
RIGHT. YEAH. THIS IS WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE
PRE-BRIEFINGS, RIGHT? IS WHAT
HAPPENS. I APPRECIATE THE FACT
THAT WE ARE HERE AT 9:30 ON THE
FIRST DAY BACK FROM WINTER
BREAK THAT WE ALSO HAVE TWO
MORE ABILITIES TO HAVE THIS
MEETING LATER THIS WEEK. I
SHARE WITH YOU THAT WHETHER
IT'S AN ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE
ZONE THAT IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE
BUILT IN OR TOWNHOME -- I SEE
SO MANY PLACES ON THIS MAP
ALREADY WHERE YOU'VE ZONED IT
FOR A HIGHER DENSITY BUT THE
TOWNHOMES WERE ALREADY JUST
BUILT. SO WHEN I SAY THAT THIS
MEANS THE BASE MINIMUM, THAT'S
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT,
BECAUSE I THINK THE ACTUAL
CAPACITY IS MUCH LOWER AND ALSO
TO SAY THAT IN OUR MARKET
NOBODY IS FORCED TO SELL.
THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK THAT
WE NEED TO DO AT THE COUNTY.
BACK TO YOUR POINT,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, WE DON'T
CONTROL METRO. WE DON'T
CONTROL THE TAX ASSESSOR. AND
WE NEED TO HAVE DEEPER SENIOR
PROPERTY TAX DISCOUNTS. WE NEED
TO HAVE A STEP DOWN, NOT A
CLIFF, AND WE NEED TO HAVE
BETTER BUS SERVICE. BUT I JUST
LOOK AT THIS AND TO SAY THAT I
THINK THIS PLAN MEETS THE
MINIMUM THAT OUR CITY NEEDS,
BECAUSE THE LAST TIME WE HAD
THIS EXERCISE, WE
UNDERESTIMATED BY TWOFOLD THE
GROWTH THAT WE WERE GOING TO
TAKE UP . I DIDN'T SUSPECT TO
SAY ANYTHING AND I THINK I'VE
BEEN TALKING FOR ABOUT 10
MINUTES SO I'M AT THE END OF
MY COUNCIL ALLOWED SPEAKING
TIME. CHAIR COME BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. I'M PRETTY SURE IF
THE FIRST FLOOR IS A.D.A.
ACCESSIBLE YOU DON'T NEED AN
ELEVATOR FOR 3. I'M NOW
TALKING -- BUT I'M PRETTY SURE
WE CAN GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU
REGARDING ELEVATORS. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. THANK YOU .
COUNCILMEMBER RANK?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
AND AS EVIDENCED BY OUR LIVELY
DISCUSSION HERE ON THE DAIS,
AND BEING A BIT OVER TIME, I
CAN TELL IT'S GOING TO BE AN
EXCITING YEAR GETTING THROUGH
THIS PROCESS. I WANT TO FIRST
EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THE
STAFF FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION
AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC YOU HAVE TAKEN TIME OUT
OF THEIR DAY TO COME AND
PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK
YOU FOR CARING ABOUT YOUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT THESE PROCESSES CAN BE
LENGTHY AND ABSTRACT. EARLY IN
MY CAREER I WORKED ON VISION
2050 AND THE CBPS AND THAT WAS
YEARS AGO, WHICH JUST GOES TO
SHOW JUST HOW LONG THESE
PROCESSES CAN TAKE SO IT'S NOW
REALLY EXCITING TO BE AT THIS
STAGE IN THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN
WHERE WE HAVE IT ON THE HORIZON
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY AS A
YOUNGISH PERSON AND A RENTER,
IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TORKING
AGAIN REPRESENTS THE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR NEXT
GENERATION WILL HAVE AS IT
RELATES TO HOMEOWNERSHIP AND
AGING IN PLACE IN THIS CITY. SO
I'M CERTAINLY EAGER TO SEE THE
DRAFT LEGISLATION THAT WILL BE
AVAILABLE LATER TODAY. FROM
THAT POINT I'M SURE I'LL HAVE
MANY QUESTIONS BUT WANTED TO
TAKE A MOMENT AT THE ONSET OF
THIS STAGE TO JUST PUBLICLY
STATE AGAIN OUR DIRE NEED FOR
MORE HOUSING, A DIVERSITY OF
HOUSING TYPES ACROSS THE CITY
TO BE ADDRESSING OUR
AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES. AND
AS NOTED IN THE LAST DRAFT OF
THE COMP PLAN, THERE WILL BE
170,000 JOBS, 220,000 NEW
RESIDENTS BY 2044, AND WE NEED
TO HAVE A PLACE FOR FOLKS TO
LIVE, WITH PROJECTIONS IN THE
PAST UNDER SHOOTING THE NUMBER
OF RESIDENTS. MAKING SURE THAT
WE BUILD A CITY THAT WORKS TO
SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS LONG TERM,
AND I CERTAINLY AGREE THAT THE
PLANNING FOR THIS NUMBER OF
FOLKS MEANS THAT WE WILL NEED
TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR
LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENTS, MAKING SURE THAT
WE HAVE ELECTRICITY AND SEWER,
EVEN WITH AT OUR PRESENT STATE,
BEING UNABLE TO RELIABLY
DELIVER ON UTILITIES TO ALL
PARTS OF THE CITY IS
UNACCEPTABLE. AND I WOULD ALSO
NOTE THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN
A HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
CRISIS AS A RESULT OF OUR PAST
MISTAKES. WE CAN'T CONTINUE
THIS CYCLE OF FAILURE FOR OUR
RESIDENTS IN MOST NEED. SO
ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY WILL
BE KEY FOR IMPROVING LIVABILITY
IN OUR CITY, OF COURSE, BUT WE
CAN HAVE A PLAN BUT ALSO, IN
TURN, SUPPORTS OUR CLIMATE
GOALS TO PROTECTING AND
EXPANDING OUR TREE KENNEDY BUT
ALSO FOR BRINGING DOWN OUR
EMISSIONS. THE NUMBER ONE LOCAL
CONTRIBUTOR TO GREENHOUSE GASES
ARE CARS, WHICH I THINK IS A
HARD REALITY FOR MANY IN THIS
ROOM. SO MAKING SURE THAT WE
HAVE A PLAN THAT ALLOWS FOR
PEOPLE TO LIVE NEARBY WHERE
THEY WORK, GO TO SCHOOL, AND
HAVE FUN WILL HELP US IN
BRINGING DOWN OUR EMISSIONS AND
SUPPORT WORKING PEOPLE IN THIS
CITY. AND LASTLY, I STATE IN
THIS PLAN I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE NOT REPEATING OUR
HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATORY
LAND-USE PRACTICES, WHICH IS
FUELED DISPARITY FOR TOO MANY
COMMUNITIES IN THIS CITY. A
MEANINGFUL ANTI-DISPLAY AND
STRATEGY NEEDS TO BE A PART OF
THIS PLAN TO ENSURE THE SPIRIT
OF BRINGING IN AND MAKING SURE
THAT WE ARE MAKING SPACE FOR
OUR NEW NEIGHBORS, WE ARE NOT,
IN TURN, PUSHING OF THE
NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE GIVEN
SEATTLE THE SPIRIT THAT TRULY
MAKES IT ALIVE. SO AGAIN,
INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO BE
WORKING WITH YOU ALL ON THIS
PROCESS AND WORKING WITH EACH
NEIGHBORHOOD TO FIGURE OUT HOW
WE CAN CREATE A PLAN THAT WORKS
FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU, CHAIR,
FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
>> ACCU COUNCIL MEMBER TWIN 12.
IS THAT AN OLD HAND,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS? I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE. I KNOW WE'RE
OVER TIME BUT I THINK IT WAS
IMPORTANT THAT WE SET THE TABLE
TODAY WITH OPCD, OUR MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND OUR CENTRAL STAFF
AND FOR US TO GET A BRIEFING
REGARDING THE TIMELINE,
INFORMATION, AND FOR US TO
ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE IN THIS
CONVERSATION ON THE STAGE. I
TOOK THIS ON OBVIOUSLY TO GET
YOUR VAN MEMO AND CASH AT --
JUST PLAYING -- BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
I'M A FOURTH GENERATION
SEATTLEITE AND MY BROTHER
RECENTLY BROUGHT HOME THE FIFTH
GENERATION SEATTLEITE IN THE
HOME THAT MY GRANDMOTHER BOUGHT
IN 1947. AND THAT SEATTLE DOES
NOT EXIST TODAY, WHERE PEOPLE
CAN BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES. SO WANTING -- A
BIG PART WAS AFFORDABILITY.
SEATTLE WAS AFFORDABLE AND SO,
WANTING TO HAVE THAT, AND I
HEAR EVERY COMMENT THAT PEOPLE
HAVE SAID. I AGREE WITH YOU. I
UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE COMING
FROM. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
WE'RE DOING A CONFERENCE OF
PLAN WHERE WE HAVE DISTRICT
REPRESENTATIVES SO WE ARE PUT
IN A PLACE WHERE WE ARE GOING
TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM
CONSTITUENTS ABOUT WHAT IS
IMPORTANT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO BUILD
OUR CITY AND MAKE IT LIVABLE,
AND ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS. AND
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE
HARD CONVERSATIONS, TEAM. ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE HARD
CONVERSATIONS. ONE OF THE
CONVERSATIONS, BEFORE WE WRAP
UP, AS I WAS DOORKNOCKING
NEIGHBORHOODS AND I WOULD SEE
SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT PEOPLE LIVE
IN A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AND
SOME OF THEM OUTSIDE WOULD SAY,
WELL THERE'S A SINGLE FAMILY
HOME, WE SHOULD KNOCK IT DOWN
AND BUILD FOUR TOWNHOMES, AND I
WAS LIKE, A LOT OF THE -- I
DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
UNDERSTAND, A LOT OF THOSE
HOUSES THAT EXIST FOR MY
COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY A LOT
OF THE BLACK LEGACY HOMEOWNER
FOLKS, THEY HAD MULTIPLE
GENERATIONS LIVING IN THEIR
HOMES, EIGHT-NINE PEOPLE,
BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT AFFORD
TO MOVE INTO ANOTHER HOME. AND
SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE
HARD, TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, BUT
I DO BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE UP
HERE WANTS HOUSING. WE WANT AN
AFFORDABLE CITY. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE OUR RENTERS ARE NOT
PAYING OVER 50% OF THEIR INCOME
TO GO TO RENT. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN AGE IN
PLACE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING 50
MILES, 2-3 HOURS TO COME
OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, JUST TO
COME AND WORK . I THINK THAT'S
REALLY INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. SO
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS GOING TO
BE A DELICATE BALANCE. WE LOVE
TREES. THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE. THOSE CAN EXIST WITH
HOUSING INTENSITY AND TREES,
AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE --
MAKE SURE THE CITY IS
AFFORDABLE. SO I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO HELPING GUIDE THIS
CONVERSATION WITH YOU ALL AND
WE'LL BE DOING A LOT OF WORK
IN THE BACKGROUND. I'LL ALSO
BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THE PEOPLE
HEARD TODAY, ESPECIALLY IN
DISTRICT 3 WITH MADRONA. I KNOW
THE NEIGHBORHOOD VERY WELL.
I'VE GONE TO EPIPHANY AND
MADRONA GRACE TO TALK TO FOLKS
AND HAVE WORSHIP SERVICES, AND
THEN MONTLAKE AS WELL. I KNOW
YOU ALL ARE DEALING WITH THE
WONDERFUL 520 STUFF GOING ON
BUT WE'LL BE SURE TO REACH OUT
TO YOU ALL SO WE CAN HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS. THEN WE CAN
CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, SO
JUST WANT TO THANK ALL MY
COLLEAGUES ON A MONDAY AT 9:30.
I KNOW IT WAS DIFFICULT BUT I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
HAVE, DIRECTOR RICO, IF YOU
HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD
TO, OR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, OR
WISH.
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK
EVERYBODY FOR THEIR PATIENCE IN
TAKING THE EXTRA TIME THIS
MORNING. I ALSO, COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH, YOU EMBEDDED IN
OUR BRAINS WHEN WE MET EARLIER
YOUR VALUES. WELCOMING,
AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE, LIVABLE
AND SAFE. WE WANT TO ENSURE
THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH
THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE
DELIBERATIONS THAT WE HAVE
HERE, THAT WE MEET THE INTENT
AND NEEDS OF OUR CITY OF
SEATTLE COMMUNITY AND
STAKEHOLDERS, AND REALLY STEP
UP TO THE PLATE. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. AWESOME. AND IF
THERE IS NO FURTHER BUSINESS
FOR THE COMMITTEE, THAT WILL --
WE WILL CALL IT ADJOURNED AT
12:25 P.M.. THANK YOU.