>> JANUARY 15 , 2025 SELECT
COMMITTEE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS
2:04 P.M. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> VICE-CHAIR RIVERA
>> PRESENT
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA
>> HERE
>> CHAIRR STRAUSS
>> PRESENT
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE
>> PRESENT
>> NUMBER MORE
>> PRESENT
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON
>> PRESENT .
>> EVERYONE'S HERE IN PRESENT
AND ALIVE AND WELL. WE WILL NOW
CONSIDER THE AGENDA. IF THERE
IS NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING AND
SEEING NONE, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. BEFORE WE GET INTO
PUBLIC COMMENT I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR
REMINDING ME THAT IT IS WHAT
LUTHER KING'S BIRTHDAY. HE WAS
BORN JANUARY 15, 1929 IN
ATLANTA, GEORGIA. IS ONE OF THE
MOST NOTABLE CIVIL RIGHTS
LEADERS OF OUR TIME AND HE WENT
TO MOREHOUSE, MONTGOMERY WHITE
CUT. HE'S KNOWN FOR HIS I HAVE
A DREAM SPEECH AND NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE BUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE
QUOTES THAT HE TALKS ABOUT AND
I THINK IT IS MORE OF A TIME TO
THINK IT IS TIME TO SAY
SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT LOVE
IS THE ONLY FORCE CAPABLE OF
TRANSFORMING AN ENEMY INTO A
FRIEND SO I JUST WANT TO THROW
THAT OUT THERE. I KNOW A LOT OF
TIMES THE CONSEQUENCE OF --
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CAN BRING A
LOT OF ENEMIES. BUT I THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT AS WE TAKE
REFLECTION OF OUR OWN LIVES ON
HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE THE
DREAM THAT HE SAW FOR ALL OF US
TO LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE WE
ARE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER ,
LOVE ON EACH OTHER, BE
RESPECTFUL, AND ALSO HAVE
ECONOMIC JUSTICE, AS WELL.
THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT
HE TALKED ABOUT AND SO JUST
WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE
AND GROUND US AND SET THE TONE
BEFORE WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT
ON THAT. WITH THAT BEING SAID,
WE WILL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID CUP
-- PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD BE
RELATED TO THE ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN
PURVIEW OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE. HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO
WE HAVE SIGNED UP?
>> 37. 16 ONLINE.
>> AWESOME. WE ARE GOING TO
GIVE EVERYBODY ONE MINUTE. I
KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE -- WE
USUALLY GIVE TWO MINUTES, BUT
PUBLIC, JUST 20 MINUTES AND WE
CONTINUE TO EXTEND IT, SO WE
CAN GET THROUGH SPEAKERS TODAY,
IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT
THAT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE
GOT TO GET TO THE WORK WITHOUT
PCD . YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME
TO SEND IN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS
DIRECTLY TO US. THIS IS ALSO A
REMINDER THAT WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR WE
ARE JUST LISTENING TO PUBLIC
COMMENTS. THAT IS ON FEBRUARY
5th AT 5:00 P.M. EVERYONE WILL
GET TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND
WE WILL BE HERE FOR AS LONG AS
IT TAKES FOR US TO GET EVERYONE
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON FEBRUARY
5th AT 5:00 P.M., AND THAT WILL
BE A PUBLIC HEARING WHERE WE
WILL BE HERE FOR AS LONG AS IT
TAKES TO GET THROUGH EVERYONE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID WE WILL
JUMP INTO -- EXCUSE ME, OUR
CLERK WILL READ THE ROLES FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. SPEAKERS WILL
BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED ON THE WEBSITE
AND FROM THE SIGN-UP SHEET HERE
IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS. WE WILL
START WITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS
FIRST. IF YOU HAVE NOT
REGISTERED TO SPEAK, SIGN-UP
BEFORE THE END OF THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD AND SIGN UP ON
THE PUBLIC SIGN-UP SHEET FOR
THE PUBLIC COMMENT MICROPHONE.
THE LINK IS LISTED ON TODAY'S
AGENDA. WHEN SPEAKING, PLEASE
BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME ON
THE ITEM YOU'RE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT. IF
SPEAKERS DO NOT AND THE
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE TIME
PROVIDED, THEIR MICROPHONES
WILL BE MUTED TO ALLOW US TO
CALL ON THE NEXT PERSON.
>> I WILL BE READING OFF THE
SPEAKER'S NAME TODAY. I'M
GOING TO CALL EVERYBODY'S
NAMES IN THREES. THERE ARE
THREE MICROPHONES. TWO IN THE
FRONT, ONE ON THE SIDE. FIRST
OFF WE HAVE ALEXIS. I CAN'T
READ YOUR LAST NAME, I
APOLOGIZE. THEN WE HAVE RANDY
AND MORGAN ROBINSON. HELLO.
GOOD AFTERNOON. ALEXIS?
AWESOME. YOU CAN GO WHENEVER
YOU ARE READY.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] SOME PEOPLE
CALL IT END OF LINE AS WELL.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROPOSES
TO REZONE HUNDREDS OF
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES INTO FIVE
STORY APARTMENT BUILDINGS . NOT
A GREAT IDEA. I WOULD URGE THE
COUNSEL TO ENACT AN ORDINANCE
THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE CITY TO
NOTIFY HOMEOWNERS THAT THEIR
PROPERTIES OR THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GOING TO BE
SUBJECT TO REZONING. IT WOULD
BE -- IT WOULD ADD RESPECT TO
THE PROCESS AND IT WOULD ALSO
ADD MORE TRANSPARENCY TO THE
PROCESS. IF YOU CAN PUT THAT ON
THE DOCKET, THAT WOULD BE
GREAT. THE EIS IS WORTH WHAT --
WORTHLESS UNLESS IT EXAMINES
THE IMPACT ON SPECIFIC
NEIGHBORHOODS SO WHEN YOU LOOK
AT FAMILY ROY, IT IS DOMINATED
BY THE FERRY DOCK. BY 2040, THE
STATE ESTIMATES THERE WILL BE 2
MILLION VEHICLES USING THIS
AREA. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, ALEXIS. AND YOU
CAN LEAVE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT
AS WELL, WITH OUR CLERK. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, RANDY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. I'M
HERE ON BEHALF OF KING COUNTY
REALTORS AND WE ARE HERE FOR
GREATER HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
AND QUALITY OF LIFE. OUR REGION
HAS EXPERIENCED JOB GROWTH
DURING THE PAST 20 YEARS. THE
HOUSES FOR THE JOB GOES AT
NIGHT. BUT THERE ARE MORE JOBS
THAN HOUSES, HOUSES GET
EXPENSIVE AND IT REALLY IS
ABOUT SUPPLY AND DEMAND. WE
HAVE DONE A VERY POOR JOB OF
PROVIDING ENOUGH ZONE CAPACITY
TO ENABLE THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO
BUILD HOUSING IN RESPONSE TO
DEMAND. IT HAS HARMED OUR
QUALITY OF LIFE AND SENT MANY
WILL INCOME FAMILIES OUT OF
SEATTLE IN SEARCH OF
AFFORDABILITY. THE COMP PLAN
UPDATE MUST INCREASE HOUSING
SUPPLY AND ZONE DENSITY ,
SUFFICIENT HOUSING RELATIVE TO
DEMAND IS THE FIRST AND BEST
STRATEGY TO MAKE HOUSING
AFFORDABLE. WE NEED HOUSING IN
A MANNER THAT MAKES HER
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SAID EVEN
MORE VIBRANT AND WELCOMING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, RANDY. MORGAN IN
THE NEXT THREE WILL BE MET,
BLAIR, AND DEB.
>> MY NAME IS MORGAN ROBINSON
FROM MADRONA AND I WANT TO TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT [ INAUDIBLE
] THE CURRENT PLAN IS
ATTEMPTING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE
DEVELOPMENT SHOULD HAPPEN AND
UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THE
PLACES WHERE EXTENSIVE
DEVELOPMENT IS PROPOSED ARE NOT
ONLY STEEP SLOPES , BUT
LANDSLIDE AREAS. SPECIFICALLY
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BLUE, THE
BLUE REPRESENTS STEEP SLOPES .
THE RED REPRESENTS KNOWN
LANDSLIDE AREAS. THE GREEN AREA
IS LANDSLIDE RISK AND THE BLUE
AND BLACK CIRCLES ARE PLACES
WHERE LANDSLIDES HAVE OCCURRED.
I HAVE TO ASK , HOW ON EARTH
HAVE WE DECIDED TO HAVE
EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT IN PLACE
IN KNOWN LANDSLIDE ZONES? IT
DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL
WHEN REPLACE THESE AND THAT
MEANS THESE THINGS NEED A MORE
THOROUGH REVIEW, NEIGHBORHOOD
BY NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. IF YOU
WANT TO LEAVE -- THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE MATT, BLAIR, AND
DEB.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM A
RESIDENT OF MADRONA. THIS IS
THE STREET I LIVE ON. IT IS
GRAND AVENUE. TWO THIRDS OF
GRAND AVENUE IS SLATED FOR
UP-ZONING AND GRAND AVENUE IS A
VERY NARROW, CURVED STREET WITH
PARKED CARS ON ONE SIDE AND A
CONCRETE WALL ON THE OTHER .
WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER ANOTHER
VEHICLE ON THE STREET, SOMEONE
HAS TO BACKUP. IF YOU ENCOUNTER
A TRUCK OF ANY KIND , THE CAR
ALWAYS HAS TO BACKUP. THERE IS
ALMOST NEVER ANY OPEN PARKING
SPOTS, SO WE HAVE TO EITHER
WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES WHILE THE
TRUCK DOES ITS BUSINESS OR
SOMEONE HAS TO BACKUP AROUND A
CURVED STREET ON A HILL. MORE
CONCERNING THAN THAT TO US AS
THINGS LIKE THIS. THIS IS
NEWPORT, ONE STREET ADJACENT TO
GRAND, WHERE A FIRE TRUCK
ENCOUNTERED THE CAR. YOU CAN
SEE HOW INCREDIBLY CLOSE THAT
FIRE TRUCK IS TO THE CAR.
FORTUNATELY, THE CAR IT
ENCOUNTERED WAS VERY [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE DEB , AND
RON NEXT, THEN MARTY McCOWAN.
>> MY NAME IS BLAIR AND I AM
ALSO A RESIDENT OF MADRONA. I
HAVE LIVED IN MADRONA OVER 45
YEARS AS MY PARENTS CAME TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE 1970s, AND
WHEN I WAS ABLE, I BOUGHT A
HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I
CHOSE MADRONA FOR MANY REASONS,
PARAMOUNT IS MADRONA'S HISTORY
OF RACIAL INTEGRATION WHICH
CONTINUES TODAY. THE RACIAL
DIVERSITY IN MADRONA WAS NOT BY
ACCIDENT. UP UNTIL THE 1960s,
REDLINING AND RACIAL TENSIONS
SEGMENTED ARE IMMUNITY. BLACK
PANTHERS, SEATTLE CITIZENS AND
LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS FOUGHT
FOR THE INTEGRATION THAT
ALLOWED MY PARENTS TO PURCHASE
THEIR HOME. MY PARENTS PAID
WHAT THE MARKET DEMANDED FOR
THEIR PROPERTY BUT WERE NO
LONGER INCLUDED -- EXCLUDED BY
LAWS THAT DISALLOW THE PURPOSE.
I RETURNED TO MADRONA BECAUSE
OF THE DIVERSITY AS WELL AS THE
BEAUTIFUL TREE CANOPY, VIEWS,
AND LOCATION. I'VE MADE MANY
FINANCIAL SACRIFICES TO MAKE
RETURNING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD A
REALITY. THE PROPOSED UP SEWING
IS DRAMATIC AND DEVASTATING . [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, BLAIR. AND I KNOW
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM
MADRONA, WHICH I REPRESENT. I
WILL BE HAVING A MEETING WITH
YOU ALSO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU
ALL KNOW THAT IT IS ON THE
DOCKET. DEB. HI, DEB.
>> THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING
THE CONCERNS OF YOUR
CONSTITUENTS AT LAST WEEK'S
MEETING. YOU NOW HAVE OVER 850
SIGNATURES FROM MAPLE LEAF
NEIGHBORS WHO DID NOT SUPPORT
THE DESIGNATION OF MAPLE LEAF
IS A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. WE
REALIZE THE CITY IS GROWING AND
NEEDS MORE HOUSING, ESPECIALLY
AFFORDABLE AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY
HOUSING. HOWEVER, WE WANT SMART
COMMUNITY-APPROPRIATE REZONING
THAT SUPPORTS A VIBRANT,
MULTIGENERATIONAL AND LIVABLE
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT PROTECTS AND
ENHANCES OUR TREE CANOPY. WE
ALSO WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR NEWLY
DEVELOPED GREENLAND AS A SAFE
STREET WITHOUT PROLIFERATION OF
HIGH-RISE APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
SIMPLY DESIGNATING MAPLE LEAF
AS A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER WITH
NO OVERALL PLAN OR INPUT FROM
RESIDENTS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN
A VERY HAPHAZARD APPROACH TO
DEVELOPMENT AND WILL BE LEFT TO
DEVELOPERS TO DO WHAT THEY WANT
WHERE THEY WANT. WE WANT TO SEE
A WELL-THOUGHT-OUT PLAN FOR
GROWTH THAT INCLUDES
NEIGHBORHOOD INPUT AND THOROUGH
ASSESSMENT OF TRANSIT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. WE WANT
TO PLAN WITH GREATER CHANCES OF
SUCCESS IN MEETING THE GOALS [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, DEB. NEXT UP WE
HAVE RUN CHAMBERS , MARTY
McCOWAN. I PROBABLY BUTCHERED
YOUR NAME, I'M SORRY, THEN
MAGGIE LEWIS. MR. RON, YOU'RE
UP.
>> HI. I DID NOT GET ANYTHING
UNTIL DECEMBER 15th, SOMEONE
STICKS A FLYER IN MY MAILBOX.
THAT IS IT. THAT IS ALL THE
OUTREACH WE GOT. MY NEIGHBORS
GOT THE SAME THING. SOME OTHER
AREAS GOT THE SAME THING, NO
OUTREACH. SAME ADDRESS. 45
YEARS. SAME PHONE NUMBER 50
YEARS. NOTHING BUT THIS FLYER.
SO, THEY SAY THERE WAS
OUTREACH. WHERE? OH, IT WENT TO
THE DEVELOPERS. I GET IT. SO
THE DEVELOPERS GOT THE OUTREACH
AND THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE LAST
THREE MONTHS OF ALL THOSE PHONE
CALLS I HAVE BEEN GETTING PAID
MR. CHAMBERS WOULD YOU LIKE TO
SELL YOUR HOUSE? MR. CHAMBERS,
WE HAVE A CASH OFFER FOR YOUR
HOUSE. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT WAS GOING ON. NOW I DO. I
AM ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THESE
DEVELOPERS CUTTING CORNERS WHEN
WE GO TO BUILDING STRUCTURES
BECAUSE WE HAVE OFTEN SEEN NEW
STRUCTURES UP THERE AND ALL OF
A SUDDEN, BOOM AND PLUMBING IS
BAD. ROOFS LEAK. WHAT IS GOING
ON? ANYWAY, TALK TO THE CITY
INSPECTORS TO MAKE SURE THEY
ARE BUILDING GOOD BUILDINGS.
OTHERWISE, WE WILL HAVE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
>> WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD DO YOU
LIVE IN, DO YOU MIND ME ASKING?
>> WEST GREEN LAKE.
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. YES,
MA'AM.
>> UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. NEXT, WE HAVE MARTY,
MAGGIE, AND THEN BOB .
>> MY NAME IS MARTY McEWAN.
I'M ALSO FROM THE WEST GREEN
LAKE NEIGHBORHOOD. I AGREE WITH
RUN CHAMBERS ' PREVIOUS
COMMENTS. NO ONE I TALKED TO IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS HEARD OF
THIS PROPOSAL UNTIL DECEMBER
15th AND MANY HAVE NOT YET.
WHATEVER OUTREACH MAY HAVE
HAPPENED, IT DID NOT REACH US.
I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AND
PROPOSED COURSE OF ACTION. IN
SHORT, WE REQUEST ADOPTING A
MINIMALLY REQUIRED
COMPREHENSIVE LAND-USE PLAN TO
MEET THE HB 1110 DEADLINE, THEN
PROOF OF CONCEPT, PROTOTYPE
LOCATIONS COULD DETERMINE
WHETHER THERE ARE HOPED-FOR
RESULTS, AND WE COULD CONSIDER
A CITYWIDE PHASED ROLLOUT. FOR
THOSE OF US WHO ARE SCRAMBLING
TO UNDERSTAND THIS, IT IS
CRUCIAL TO POINT OUT THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
STATEWIDE HB 1110 REQUIREMENTS
AND WHAT THE MAYORS OVERLAID
ONE SEATTLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
ENTAILS. I PROPOSE THAT WITH
YOUR PERMISSION, I WOULD LIKE
TO GIVE YOU A LIST OF OUR
QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE COMPILED
SO THAT YOU CAN ASK [ INAUDIBLE
]
>> YES, YOU CAN PUT THAT RIGHT
THERE, AND WE WILL GET IT.
THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE MAGGIE,
BOB IS NEXT. HI, MAGGIE. GOOD
TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I LIVE IN WEST
SEATTLE IN THE GATEWOOD AREA
MORE OR LESS. WE DO NEED MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. HOWEVER,
AND THAT IS WHY HOUSE BILL 1110
WAS PASSED. HOWEVER, THE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN GOES WAY BEYOND
WHAT IS REQUIRED BY HOUSE BILL
1110. I REQUEST THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL VOTE ON THOSE PARTS OF
THE ONE SEATTLE PLAN THAT ARE
REQUIRED BY THE STATE LAW , BUT
DO NOT VOTE ON THE REST OF THE
PLAN UNTIL IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
ARE THOROUGHLY ANSWERED. THINGS
SUCH AS WHY ARE URBAN VILLAGE
BOUNDARIES BEING EXPANDED WHEN
CURRENT URBAN VILLAGES HAVE NOT
BEEN FULLY DEVELOPED ACCORDING
TO THE FORMER PLAN. I DO SOME
OF THOSE EXPANDED BOUNDARIES
INCLUDE AREAS THAT HAVE STEEP
RAVINES THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD
SLIDES? WHY ARE THERE FOUR AND
FIVE STORY BUILDINGS ALONG ALL
FAST TRANSIT RETURN MAYBE
THREE-STORY BUILDINGS WOULD BE
SUFFICIENT. DO CITY PLANNERS
LOOK CAREFULLY AT WHAT THEY ARE
LOOKING AT? ARE THEY JUST USING
A RULER AND FLAT MAP? ARE THEY
LOOKING AT THE SMALL STREETS?
ARE THEY LOOKING AT THE
TRAFFIC?
>> THANK YOU, MAGGIE. HI, BOB.
YOU CAN GO TO ANYONE AND I
WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO TELL US
YOUR LAST NAME, BECAUSE I
BUTCHERED IT. I'M SORRY.
>> YOU DID JUST FINE. MY NAME,
LIKE PUPPY. I'VE BEEN A
RESIDENT OF THE GATEWOOD AREA
OF SEATTLE FOR THE LAST 42
YEARS OR SO. I STAND BEFORE YOU
TODAY TO ASK THAT THE VOTE ON
THE ONE SEATTLE PLAN GO BEYOND
WHAT IS REQUIRED BY HOUSE BILL
1110 AND POSTPONE UNTIL THE
CITY TAKES MEASURES TO DIRECTLY
THROUGH EMAIL, TEXT, PHONE
CALLS AND THINGS LIKE THIS THAT
DID NOT GET SENT TO US. THIS
CAME FROM SOUND TRANSIT. IT DID
NOT COME FROM THE CITY. UNTIL
WE GET -- UNTIL WE CAN GET A
PROCESS TO SUBSTANTIALLY ADD
TIME TO THIS PROCESS SO WE CAN
REALLY THINK ABOUT WHICH PARTS
OF OUR CITY NEED TO HAVE TALLER
BUILDINGS IN WHICH PARTS DON'T,
THERE WERE TWO POSTERS AND --
IN TWO LIBRARIES IN WEST
SEATTLE. THERE WERE TWO
MENTIONS IN A NEWSLETTER [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, BOB. THE NEXT
THREE NAMES ARE AP HEARD, RUTH
-- I'M SORRY, I'M THE WORST
AT READING HANDWRITING. PLEASE
BEAR WITH ME. AND THEN, ANGELA
DAVIS.
>> THANK YOU. I AM AP HEARD AND
I AM HERE TO SPEAK AND FAVOR OF
KEEPING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IN
THE COMP PLAN. WE HAVE A DEEP
SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AND THERE IS ONLY TWO WAYS TO
GET IT. SUBSIDIZE MORE, WHICH
WE ARE KIND OF AT THE LIMIT OF
WHAT TAXPAYERS CAN PAY OR MAYBE
NOT, I HOPE WE WILL GET MORE,
AND ALSO MAKE IT LESS EXPENSIVE
TO BUILD. I WORK IN LAND-USE
AND I ADVISED CITIES AND
COUNTIES AND TRANSIT AGENCIES
ABOUT HOW TO GET MORE HOUSING
THERE TRANSIT. I HAVE ALSO
BUILT BUILDINGS IN SEATTLE
INCLUDING THE FIRST MASS TIMBER
WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT IN
THE COUNTRY. HELPERS TO BUILD
HOUSING. I LIKE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS BECAUSE
THE LOWER BUILDINGS MAKE FOR A
SIMPLER STRUCTURE THAT IS LESS
EXPENSIVE TO BUILD, AND THERE
IS ROOM TO PARK THE CARS ON THE
STREET SO WE ARE BUILDING
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT
MAKING IT A PREREQUISITE TO
BUILD HOUSING FOR THE CARDS. IF
WE MAKE IT LESS EXPENSIVE TO
BUILD QUALITY HOMES FOR PEOPLE
IN THREE TO FOUR BUILDINGS WE
CAN GET MORE PEOPLE IN SEATTLE
AND NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS. I
URGE YOU TO MAINTAIN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IN THE
COMP PLAN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, AP. CAN I JUST
REMIND FOLKS TO SPEAK IN THE
MICROPHONE SO WE CAN HEAR IT ON
THE SEATTLE CHANNEL AND ALSO
FOR THE COUNCILMEMBERS, AS
WELL. NOW WE HAVE RUTH AND THEN
MS. ANGELA. GOOD TO SEE YOU
BOTH.
>> THE CORE FLAW IN THE DRAFT
PLAN IS TOTAL HOUSING CAPACITY,
FAR BEYOND WHAT IS NEEDED BASED
ON FORECASTS. WE SAW
ALTERNATIVES OF 80 TO 120,000
UNITS. HOW DID WE GET FROM
THOSE TO 160,000 FOR A GRAND
TOTAL OF 330,000? FOUR TIMES
THE STATE MANDATE. THE CITY OF
BELLEVUE HAS 66,000 HOUSING
UNITS. DO WE NEED TO SHOEHORN
THE EQUIVALENT OF FIVE VALUES
AND TO SEATTLE? THIS IS A
10-YEAR PLAN, ONE WE WILL
REVISIT 10, NOT 20 YEARS FROM
NOW. THE CITY APPEARS TO ADOPT
THE STATES MODEL HOUSING
ORDINANCE WHICH INCREASES LOT
COVERAGE AND DECREASES SETBACK.
THIS IS OPTIONAL. ACCORDING TO
THE LAW, THE CITY MAY APPLY
CURRENT STANDARDS FOR
SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING TO MIDDLE
HOUSING. SHOW US WHAT THIS
WOULD LOOK LIKE, HEIGHT LIMITS
AND SETBACKS. THE SETBACKS DEFY
NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER. THESE
ARE RADICAL CHANGES . OUR HEADS
ARE SPENDING EVERY TIME I MEET
PEOPLE WHO STILL HAVE NOT
HEARD. WE URGE YOU TO SLOW DOWN
AND DIAL IT BACK.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW WE
HAVE ANGELA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> LOUD AND CLEAR.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. I AM A SEATTLE
NATIVE. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN
WEST SEATTLE. I HAVE LIVED IN
CENTRAL DISTRICT, SOUTH SEATTLE
AND OTHER PARTS OF KING COUNTY
. WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE ,
IT IS VITAL THAT WE INTEGRATE
THE MIND-SET FROM THE WOMB TO
THE TOMB, FROM THE CRADLE TO
THE GRAVE WHEN IT COMES TO
DESIGNING HOUSING. WE CAN NO
LONGER CONSIDER THE FACT THAT
THERE ARE ELDERLY ISOLATED IN
DIFFERENT PLACES AND SPACES,
PEOPLE WHO HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES
ARE NOT ABLE TO INTERACT WITH
THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS BECAUSE
THE DESIGN IS NOT CONSIDERING
THE IMPACT OF THESE
INTERGENERATIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS. WHEN WE CONSIDER
THAT, WE ARE ALSO CONSIDERING
THE DECREASE IN THE NEED FOR
SOCIAL SERVICES WHEN WE HAVE
FAMILY UNITS THAT ARE CONNECTED
AND INTEGRATED IN HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU, MS. ANGELA. WE
HAVE CECELIA, ANNA, AND
TANISHA. I HOPE I SAID THOSE
RIGHT. CECELIA, ANNA, AND
TANISHA. HI, CECELIA. WELCOME.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS CECELIA
LIKE. I'M A COMMUNITY
ORGANIZER . TRANSIT CORRIDORS
AND NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS OF THE
TWO PRIMARY AREAS THAT WILL ADD
ACCESSIBLE HOUSING. WE CANNOT
LOSE THIS. I DON'T THINK
PEOPLE CAN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND
HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND
ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IN THE CITY.
IT TOOK ME EIGHT MONTHS TO FIND
A WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE
APARTMENT NEAR TRANSIT AND
SERVICES I COULD WALK TO. IT
HAS BEEN LIFE-CHANGING. WHEN
YOU FACE A MANY TRANSPORTATION
BARRIERS LIVING IN A WORLD NOT
FOR YOU, WALK ABILITY AS A
LIFELINE. UNLIKE MOST DISABLED
PEOPLE, I CAN AFFORD THE RENT
IN URBAN CENTERS. ALMOST ALL
ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IS
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING . IT MUST
MEET SOME LEVEL OF
ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. IS
THE HIGH RISE BUILDINGS WITH
FOUR OR MORE STORIES THAT HAVE
ELEVATORS. LESS THAN 10% OF NEW
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES ARE
ACCESSIBLE, WHICH MEANS
DISABLED PEOPLE HAVE VERY FEW
OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS THE 75%
OF SEATTLE ZONED FOR
SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU, CECELIA. NEXT WE
HAVE ANNA AND THEN TANISHA.
HOPEFULLY I SAID THAT RIGHT.
>> HELLO. THERE IS A GLARING
OMISSION IN SEATTLE'S
STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND THAT IS
THE IMPACT OF COMPANION
ANIMALS. PEOPLE BRING THEIR
ANIMALS WITH THEM. WITH MORE
PEOPLE, THERE WILL BE MORE PET
BUSINESSES NEEDING REGULATION,
MORE ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES THAT
NEED INVESTIGATING. OFF-LEASH
AREAS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY
LEADING TO TENSIONS BETWEEN
PARK USERS. OVERLAPS WITH
DIFFICULT SOCIAL ISSUES SUCH AS
HOMELESSNESS AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE CALL FOR INCREASED
ATTENTION AND GREATER SHELTER
OPTIONS. THE PLAN HAS NO
MENTION OF THE BURDEN OF PET
FEES ON RENTERS , THE LACK OF
PET-FRIENDLY HOUSING, THE NEEDS
FOR LOW COST THAT --
VETERINARIAN CARE, PET FEUDS
AND SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES,
THE DEMAND FOR WHICH WILL
INCREASE. THESE ARE ALSO ISSUES
OF EQUITY. IT IS REASONABLE TO
ASK FOR THIS TO BE INCLUDED IN
THE CITIES PLANNING. THE CITY
HAS A PET FRIENDLY REPUTATION.
LET'S SEE OUR GROWTH PLANNING
REFLECT THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WERE YOU ANNA?
OKAY.
>> TOO MANY AND US.
>> I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T READ
LAST NAMES, MY FAULT. GO AHEAD.
WE GOT TWO ANISE. THANK YOU,
ANNA AND GO AHEAD, ANNA.
>> THANK YOU. HI. I AM HERE AS
A RESIDENT OF THE HELMAND CITY
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ARE ALSO IN
THE GRAND STREET AREA THAT IS
GETTING UP ZONED. REALLY
EXCITED TO SEE THE INCREASED
DENSITY BECAUSE IT MEANS WE
WILL HAVE BETTER TRANSIT
SERVICE AND MORE SERVICES IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. I WAS TRYING
TO GET CASPER TO SHARE BUT ONE
OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAD TO MOVE
AWAY RECENTLY BECAUSE THEY
COULD NOT AFFORD HOUSING IN
SEATTLE AND THEY HAD A KID WHO
WAS HIS GOOD FRIEND SO HE
WANTED TO ALSO SHARE HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE HOUSING
ALL OF US CAN AFFORD SO
FAMILIES CAN REMAIN IN SEATTLE
AND HE DOESN'T LOSE FRIENDS
AFTER BEING PRICED OUT OF THE
CITY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ANNA. HI,
TANISHA. GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS TANISHA
AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE WEST
SEATTLE HIGHLAND PARK
NEIGHBORHOOD AND I AM HERE TO
SUPPORT THE URBAN VILLAGES AND
UP ZONING IN NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS DUE TO THE FACT THAT ,
AS CECELIA WAS SAYING, PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES OFTEN HAVE AN
EXTREMELY HARD TIME FINDING
HOUSING. I KNOW I HAVE IN THE
PAST, AND EVEN NOW LOOKING
FORWARD TO POSSIBLY MOVING INTO
A MORE PERMANENT HOME OR
RESIDENCE. I WOULD LOVE TO STAY
IN THE WEST SEATTLE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND I DO LOVE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD ASPECT OF THAT
AREA. HOWEVER, WE KNOW THE CITY
IS GROWING AND WE KNOW THAT BY
EXCLUDING CERTAIN AREAS, IT IS
ESSENTIALLY CONTINUING A
HISTORY OF REDLINING THAT WE NO
LONGER WANT TO SEE BROUGHT BACK
TO OUR CITY. IT IS OFTENTIMES
DIVERSITY, AND THAT IS
INCLUDING SOCIOECONOMIC [
INAUDIBLE ] THAT MAKES A
NEIGHBORHOOD MORE LIVABLE. IT
REALLY MAKES OUR COMMUNITY COME
TOGETHER , AND WE NEED MORE
HOUSING THAT WILL BE
ACCESSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU, TANISHA.
APPRECIATE YOU. THE NEXT THREE
WILL BE LISA PFEIFFER -- AND
WHEN START READING PEOPLE'S
LAST NAME BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND
THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH SAME
NAMES. LISA PFEIFFER, JASMINE
SMITH, SCOTT BERKLEY AND I
THINK WE ALREADY HAD ANNA
HENNESSY SPEAK, SO PLEASE SEND
-- LISA, JASMINE, SCOTT.
>> MY NAME IS LISA PFEIFFER. I
AM A HOMEOWNER IN THE MADISON
VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD. I AM A
HOMEOWNER SIMPLY BECAUSE I
MOVED HERE IN 2010. IF I WERE
TO MOVE HERE TODAY WOULD NOT BE
ABLE TO AFFORD IT. SEATTLE
HOMEOWNERS LIKE ME HAVE MADE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS SIMPLY BY THE LUCK OF
WHEN THEY MOVED TO SEATTLE.
MYSELF OF THE PAST IS NO MORE
DESERVING OF THIS WINDFALL THAN
MYSELF OF TODAY . MY POINT IS
THAT HOMEOWNERS HAVE THE
INCENTIVE TO PROTECT THIS
WINDFALL BY OPPOSING CHANGE
SUCH AS YOU HEARD TODAY. YOU
HEAR IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
MEETINGS. THIS OPPOSITION IS
FULLY CONSISTENT WITH OUR
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. HOWEVER,
I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS MENTALITY
IS NOT A GOOD OR DESIRABLE
SYSTEM . IT IS YOUR JOB
REPRESENTING THE CITY TO PLAN
FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR EVERYONE.
IF WE WANT A CITY WHERE
FAMILIES CAN MOVE TO, WHERE
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT FUNDS
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, WHERE
PEOPLE CAN UPSIZE OR DOWNSIZE
DEPENDING ON THEIR LIFESTAGE WE
MUST PLAN FOR THE GROWTH OF
HOUSING. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, LISA. WE HAVE
JASMINE SMITH. WELCOME, AND
THEN SCOTT BERKLEY IS RIGHT
BEHIND YOU. HI, JASMINE.
>> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I AM
FROM FUTURE -WISE, AND A
NEIGHBOR OF QUEEN ANNE. THIS
TRANSIT EXPANDS IN THE CITY
OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS THERE IS
AN IMMENSE NEED FOR MORE
HOUSING ALONG WITH IT TO
SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT IS WHY IT
IS CRITICAL THAT WE EXPAND AND
EXCUSE ZONING AROUND TRANSIT
CORRIDORS FOR SPACES FOR
CHILDCARE, GROCERY STORES,
SMALL BUSINESSES IN EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD AND EXPAND
EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
AROUND TRANSIT. HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY IS A HUGE ISSUE
NOT JUST FOR BRINGING THE COST
OF RENT THEM, BUT ENSURING THAT
EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO
OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS
THE CITY, AS WE JUST HEARD. AS
WE ARE MAKING SURE WE ARE ABLE
TO STAND IN THIS CRISIS AND DO
SOMETHING BOLD, AS OUR
NEIGHBORS CONTINUE TO GET
PRICED OUT AND THE KIDS
CONTINUE TO MOVE AWAY FOR YOUNG
FAMILIES, SENIORS AND ESSENTIAL
WORKERS . AS WE LOOK TO BE
LEADERS IN OUR REGION ON A
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT IS [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, JASMINE. HI,
SCOTT. WELCOME. GO AHEAD AND
START WHEN YOU'RE READY.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SCOTT
BERKLEY. I AM A WEST SEATTLE
RESIDENT AND I KNOW COUNCIL
MEMBER SAKA HAS BEEN DOING
TREMENDOUS WORK ON THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE . WE
RECENTLY PASSED A HISTORIC
TRANSPORTATION LEVY TO MAKE
INVESTMENTS IN OUR
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE .
LIKE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM,
I DON'T ENJOY SITTING IN
TRAFFIC OR FIGHTING FOR A
PARKING SPOT. THAT IS WHY IT IS
SO WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE SUCH
GREAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND
WAYS OF GETTING AROUND.
UNFORTUNATELY, DESPITE THE NAME
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THERE HAS
BEEN SOMEWHAT OF AN OVERSIGHT
OF INTEGRATING OUR
TRANSPORTATION PLAN WITH OUR
HOUSING PLAN TO COMPLY WITH
STATE LAW. SOME OF THE DENSITY
BONUSES -- ELIMINATION OF
PARKING MANDATES ARE BASED
AROUND CURRENT TRANSIT
FREQUENCY BUT IN OUR
TRANSPORTATION PLAN WE HAVE THE
FREQUENT TRANSIT NETWORK THAT
IS WHAT WE WILL HAVE IN THE
NEXT 20 YEARS, SO I ENCOURAGE
YOU TO INTEGRATE THOSE. MY BACK
>> THANK YOU, SCOTT. ANNA
HENNESSY ALREADY WENT SO NEXT
WE HAVE LILY HAYWARD, PARKER
DAWSON , AND DONNA BROSKI.
>> HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON . MY
NAME IS LILY HAYWARD SPEAKING
ON BEHALF OF THE MORE THAN 2500
MEMBERS OF THE SEATTLE METRO
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND AS A
MEMBER OF THE COMPLETE
COMMUNITIES COALITION AND
SUPPORT OF A BOLD AND AMBITIOUS
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. WE WOULD
LIKE TO COMMAND MAYOR HARRELL
FOR PROPOSING A PLAN THAT WOULD
CREATE 300 UNITS OF HOUSING.
THIS WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR MORE
COMMERCIAL SPACES IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS IMPROVING
WORKABILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR NEW SMALL BUSINESSES RIGHT
IN OUR DISTRICTS. HOUSING IS
CRITICAL TO THE HEALTH OF OUR
ECONOMY. AS WE WELCOME
EMPLOYERS WE ALSO NEED TO
CREATE HOUSING STOCK SO WORKERS
AND BUSINESS OWNERS CAN AFFORD
TO LIVE AND GROW THEIR FAMILIES
IN SEATTLE. HOUSING CONTINUES
TO BE A TOP PRIORITY .
ACCORDING TO THE CHAMBER'S
INDEX POLLING, 20% OF VOTERS
SUPPORT NEW AND DIVERSE HOUSING
IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. AS YOU
CONTEMPLATE THIS PLAN WE ASK
THAT YOU RESERVE ITS STRENGTHS
INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
AND ENSURE THAT ANY AMENDMENTS
ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO
ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH THE CITY
WILL INEVITABLY UNDERGO. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, LILY. PARKER AND
THEN DONNA. WELCOME.
>> PARKER DAWSON, MASTER
BUILDERS. I AM HERE TO URGE THE
COUNCIL TO FIRST CONSIDER THE
TRUE COST OF CANOPY LOSS IN
SEATTLE. WE REVIEWED THE 2024
PS RC REPORT FOR SEATTLE'S
2021 ASSESSMENT THAT ASSERTS A
1.2% CANOPY LOSS IN
NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS BUT A 5.1%
LOSS IN PARKLAND FOR SDC I
STATED CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND
PROTECTS MORE THAN FOUR TIMES
THE NUMBER OF TREES IT REMOVES.
I'M ALSO HERE TO URGE THE
COUNCIL COMES -- TO CONSIDER
INFRASTRUCTURE QUALITY. AN
ESTIMATED THREE TO FIVE UNITS
OF HOUSING IN THE LAST FIVE
YEARS AND HOW SDOT FUNDED JUST
250 OF 13.5 THOUSAND MISSING
BLOCKS OF SIDEWALK IN THE LAST
NINE YEARS. THIS COUNSEL WILL
BE FACED WITH HARD TRUTHS AND
DIFFICULT DECISIONS IN THE COMP
PLAN PROCESS BUT THE FACT IS WE
NEED MORE HOUSING AND OUR CITY
DESPERATELY NEEDS EACH OF YOU
TO MEET THIS OPPORTUNITY AND
CHALLENGE WITH THE URGENCY OR
CIRCUMSTANCES DEMAND. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, PARKER. HI,
DONNA. WELCOME. YOU CAN START
WHEN YOU'RE READY.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS DONNA
BROSKI. I AM A LICENSED
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER. MY AREA
OF PRACTICE INCLUDES WATER
SYSTEM DESIGN AND POLICY
ANALYSIS. ON JANUARY 6 JUST
OVER A WEEK AGO, THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT RELEASED APPENDICES
FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WITHIN IS REFERENCED IN
OUTDATED 2019 SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES WATER SYSTEM PLAN .
THE 2019 BUSINESS PLAN IS
OUTDATED AS CONFIRMED BY THE
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR
AT SPU WHERE SHE STATED THE
WATER SYSTEM TODAY IS NOT THE
WATER SYSTEM OF 2019. WHAT IS
BLATANTLY MISSING FROM THE
INFORMATION RELEASED ON JANUARY
6 AND THE OFFICE OF PLANNING
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS AN
IDENTIFIED PUBLIC FUNDING
SOURCE NEEDED TO ADDRESS
REPLACEMENT OF AGING WATER
PIPES WITH NO NEW TAPS [
INAUDIBLE ] SPU'S NO NEW TAPS
POLICY IS FOUND WITHIN
DIRECTORS RULE 440. THERE ARE
HUNDREDS OF MILES OF NO NEW
TAPS. GO TO THE GIS [ INAUDIBLE
]
>> THANK YOU, DONNA. NEXT UP,
WE HAVE SANDY SHETLER. DAVID
GLOBIN , AND JOSH FRIEDMAN.
>> HI, COUNCILMEMBERS. I AM
REQUESTING THAT HARD ESCAPE IN
RESIDENTIAL ZONES BE REDUCED.
CLIMATE CENTRAL IS A
CLEARINGHOUSE FOR PEER-REVIEWED
STUDIES AND RATES SEATTLE
NUMBER FIVE IN THE NATION FOR
URBAN HEAT ISLANDS. IT IS NOT
BECAUSE WE ARE HOTTER THAN
CITIES LIKE PHOENIX. IT IS
BECAUSE WE HAVE ADDED SO MUCH
PAVEMENT . LIVING IN A HEAT
ISLAND IS A LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH IN SUMMER HEAT WAVES AND
IT CAUSES YOUR BODY 'S
INFLAMMATORY MARKERS TO SPIKE.
THE NEW ZONING PLANS FOR 90%
HARD SCAPE IN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL WHERE MOST OF OUR
TREES ARE, THAT IS 50% FOR
BUILDINGS AND 40% FOR OTHER
PAVEMENT . SURPRISINGLY, FEW
PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING
INDUSTRY KNOW THAT FOR THE
PURPOSE OF CALCULATING LOT
COVERAGE, SEATTLE ALLOWS
DEVELOPERS TO COUNT HALF OF THE
ALLEY , SO ON ANY LOT WITH AN
ALLEY , OVER 90% OF IT CAN BE
LEGALLY PAVED UNDER THE NEW
PLAN. PLEASE REQUIRE SHARED
WALLS TO ELIMINATE LOT SPRAWL
AND REDUCE LOT COVERAGE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SANDY.
>> WE HAVE DAVID AND NEXT, JOSH
FRIEDMAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
DAVID GLOVER , AND AM RESIDENT
OF SEATTLE. AT THE LAST MEETING
MEMBERS OF OCD WERE TOUTING HOW
MUCH INFORMATION THEY PROVIDED
TO THE PUBLIC BUT THE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN. HOWEVER THE
MEETING I ATTENDED AT NATHAN
HALE HIGH SCHOOL INCLUDED FACTS
THAT WERE VERY DECEPTIVE AT
BEST IF NOT TOTALLY UNTRUTHFUL.
ONE BOARD STATED, THE TREE
PROTECTION CODE LIMITS THE
NUMBER, SIZE AND TYPE OF TREES
THAT CAN BE REMOVED . THIS IS
NOT TRUE. SEATTLE'S TREE
ORDINANCE PROVIDES LITTLE
PROTECTION FOR TREES AND
PROPERTIES UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF WE
HAVE SEEN A PRETTIES CLEAR-CUT
OF ALL IMMATURE TREES,
INCLUDING ONCE NOT IN THE WAY
OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT. THE
CURRENT DRAFT OF THE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN DOES NOTHING TO
CHANGE THIS AND THERE ARE OTHER
OMISSIONS . OPEN SPACE. IF
SEATTLE IS TRUE TO THIS, WHY
DOESN'T OPCD GO BACK AND MAKE
THE PLAN FIT WITH THE BOARD
STATED ? WE CAN MAKE SEATTLE
GREEN FILE [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, DAVID. I
APOLOGIZE FOR SAYING YOU'RE
WRONG LAST NAME. YOUR LETTER
AND LOOKS LIKE A R.
>> HELLO. I AM JOSH FRIEDMAN. I
AM A LAND-USE ATTORNEY HERE IN
TOWN. I REPRESENT THE COMPLETE
COMMUNITIES COALITION AND LIVE
IN THE SEWARD PARK
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE COMMEND THE
CITY'S STAFF AND THEIR CAREFUL
WORK CREATING A BOLD,
METHODICAL STRATEGY TO LEGALIZE
MORE HOUSING FOR ALL THROUGHOUT
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. ALL OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS NEED TO DO THEIR
FAIR SHARE FOR AFFORDABILITY
AND WELCOME DUPLEXES, FOURPLEX
IS AND YES, EVEN MIDRISE
APARTMENTS. FOR TOO LONG, OUR
RAGS HAVE EXCLUDED MIDDLE
HOUSING. NOW WE MUST CORRECT
FOR THAT BY PRIORITIZING
OPTIONS. MORE DENSITY IS NEEDED
TO ALLOW FOR EQUITABLE,
LIVABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND
RESILIENT SEATTLE. WITHOUT
THOSE RAGS, WE CANNOT ACHIEVE
SHARED GOALS OF PROSPERITY,
INCLUSION AND SUSTAINABILITY
FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS WERE
ALL COUNTING ON US TO THINK
BRAVELY NOW. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID. I
APOLOGIZE FOR SAYING YOU'RE
WRONG LAST NAME. YOUR N LOOKS
LIKE A R. DO WE HAVE ANY MORE
IN PERSON? WE HAVE JESSE
SIMPSON. WE HAVE GORDON THAN
ICL. -- I SEE AL.
>> I AM JESSE SIMPSON, DIRECTOR
OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. ALSO A
LIFELONG SEATTLEITE GROWING UP
IN WEST SEATTLE ON THE CURRENT
CAPITOL HILL RESIDENT. I'M HERE
TODAY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF A
BOLD COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE
THAT ALLOWS FOR MORE HOUSING
ACROSS SEATTLE. PAST PLANS AND
RESTRICTIVE ZONING HAVE LIMITED
OUR ABILITY TO ADD MORE HOMES
AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS
SEATTLE, DELIBERATELY SO, AND
EVEN AS DEMAND HAS GROWN, THIS
HAS CREATED AN INTENSE
COMPETITION FOR THE LIMITED
HOMES WE HAVE. THE GROWING
COMPETITION FOR HOMES THAT
EXIST HAS SQUEEZED OUT YOUNG
FAMILIES , AGING SENIORS AND
ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO ARE --
WHO WE NEED FOR OUR OVERALL
ECONOMY AND SOCIETY TO FUNCTION
PROPERLY. THIS COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CHANGE THE BASIC FRAMEWORK FOR
GROWTH. I WANT TO COMMEND THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND OPCD FOR
GOING BEYOND STATE MINIMUMS TO
ALLOW MORE HOUSING NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS, TRANSIT CORRIDORS AND
EXPANDED URBAN CENTERS ACROSS
THE CITY. IF WE WANT MORE
HOUSING, WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR
IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE GORDON
NEXT. HI, GORDON. GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU,
COUNCILMEMBERS. I AM A LIFELONG
D3 RESIDENT AND I WORK FOR
SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS.
YOU'RE PROBABLY USED TO
BECOMING AND CHATTING ABOUT
VISION ZERO AND SIDEWALK SO WHY
IS THIS GUY HERE TALKING ABOUT
COMP PLAN OF THE REASON IS WALK
ABILITY. SEATTLEITES LOVE
WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS BUT
RIGHT NOW ONLY 46% OF
SEATTLEITES CAN WALK TO SOME OF
THEIR DAILY NECESSITIES AND
THIS PLAN REPRESENTS AN
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
SEATTLE MORE WALKABLE SO WE ARE
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS. WE HOPE
TO SEE THOSE EXPANDED. THERE
HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK TODAY
ABOUT THE TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
SOME REALLY GOOD THINKING HAS
GONE INTO THAT IN ONE AREA I
LOVE TO COLLABORATE ON IS THE
CORNER STORE LEGISLATION. YOU
MAY HAVE HEARD THAT SHORELINE
BEAT US TO THE PUNCH. THEY JUST
ADOPTED A NEW COMP PLAN THAT
GOES EVEN FURTHER THAN
SEATTLE'S PROPOSED
REGULATIONS, RE-ALLOWING CORNER
STORES, WHICH CAN REALLY
PROVIDE AMENITIES FOR FOLKS TO
WALK TO, SO I WOULD LOVE TO
WORK WITH SOME OF YOU ABOUT
THAT. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, GORDON.
>> HI. THANK YOU, COUNSEL FOR
ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I
WANT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE
SEATTLE COMP PLAN AS WELL OF
ALL OF THE ZONING THAT IS
PROPOSED -- NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS, URBAN VILLAGES AND
HAVING THAT BE
TRANSIT-ORIENTED. I AM A
RESIDENT OF LAKE CITY. I AM A
RENTER, AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS
ME AND PEOPLE IN MY GENERATION
AND MY PEERS PROFOUNDLY. WHEN
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING ,
AS WE DO IN SEATTLE, WE NEED
MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE
PLAY A GAME OF MUSICAL CHAIRS.
WOULD-BE HOMEOWNERS BECOME HIGH
AND RENTERS. HIGH AND RENTERS
BECOME LOW AND RENTERS AND
THOSE WHO MIGHT BE LOW AND
RENTERS, WE ARE SEEING THEM ALL
OUT ON THE STREET AND WE'LL
PAY THE PRICE OF THAT WHETHER
THAT BE FROM TAXES, PAYING FOR
SERVICES FOR FOLKS LIVING OUT
THERE OR JUST THE MORAL COST OF
WALKING BY SOMEONE IN OUR CITY
LIVING IN SUBSTANDARD
CONDITIONS SO I WANT TO APPLY
THE COUNCIL ON CREATING A BOLD
PLAN FOR MOVING SEATTLE FORWARD
AND SPEAK IN FAVOR OF UP ZONING
ACROSS THE BOARD. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU, AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THE
END OF OUR IN PERSON SPEAKERS.
WE WILL NOW SWITCH TO OUR
ONLINE SPEAKERS AS WELL.
>> SPEAKERS, PLEASE REMEMBER TO
PRESS STAR SIX WHEN YOU HEAR
THE PROMPT TO UNMUTE. THE FIRST
SPEAKER IS READ HAMPTON
FOLLOWED BY DENNIS SILLS.
>> HI, COUNSEL. I'M HERE TO
VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR VARIOUS
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS THIS PLAN
INCLUDES, WHICH I HAVE LEARNED
ABOUT THROUGH THE PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD. MY WIFE AND I
HAVE LIVED IN BALLARD FOR
ALMOST FIVE YEARS NOW AND HAVE
COMPLETELY FALLEN IN LOVE WITH
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UNFORTUNATELY, FOR MANY PEOPLE
IT IS OUT OF REACH. THE PRICE
OF ENTRY FOR A STARTER HOME IN
SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAS
PUSHED TO $1 MILLION. FOR SOME
OF US A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME IS
PREFERRED BUT WE SHOULD NOT
REQUIRE PEOPLE TO BE EITHER A
PERPETUAL RENTER OR $1 MILLION
SINGLE-FAMILY HOME OWNER. WE
SHOULD NOT DENY OUR NEIGHBORS
THE OPPORTUNITY OF PURCHASING A
PLACE THEY CAN CALL HOME EVEN
IF IT IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR
HOME. WITHOUT THE INCREASED
DENSITY IN THIS PLAN, PRICES
WILL REMAIN HIGH AS PEOPLE
COMPETE FOR SCARCE RESOURCES.
RENTS PRICE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND MAKE IT THAT
MUCH HARDER TO STAY. THANKS FOR
YOUR TIME AND PLEASE SUPPORT
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND
INCREASED DENSITY AT THIS TIME.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
DENNIS AND THEN MICHAEL. I,
DENNIS. PRESS STAR SIX AND YOU
CAN SPEAK.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS,
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE
PUBLIC COMMENT. I WORK AT
PLYMOUTH HOUSING IN SEATTLE. WE
PROVIDE PERMANENT SUPPORT
HOUSING TO MORE THAN 1300
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS. I
SUPPORT THE COMPLETE
COMMUNITIES [ INAUDIBLE ] TO
IMPROVE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WE WORK TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS
TO EXIT HOMELESSNESS. IN THE
BOOK, HOMELESSNESS IS A HOUSING
PROGRAM, THE AUTHOR SHARES HOW
DEVELOPING MORE HOUSING UNITS
IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO
REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IN SEATTLE.
MANY OF OUR STAFF MUST TRAVEL
FAR FROM OTHER COUNTIES JUST TO
SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. ON MARTIN
LUTHER KING JUNIOR'S BIRTHDAY
THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO HONOR
HIS LEGACY THEN TO SUPPORT A
ROBUST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DENNIS. NEXT, WE
HAVE MICHAEL THAN ON DECK,
JENNIFER. GO AHEAD AND PRESS
STAR SIX, AND GO AHEAD AND
TALK.
>> HI. I LIVE IN WEST GREEN
LAKE AND WANTED TO CALL IN TO
SUPPORT THE COMPREHENSIVE
GROWTH PLAN. I MOVED TO SEATTLE
16 YEARS AGO FROM DALLAS AND AT
THAT TIME DESPITE LOTS OF
CHANGE IN THE CITY, HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY GOT WORSE. I
STILL HAVE FAMILY SPREAD OUT
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO WOULD
LOVE TO MOVE HERE BUT THE HIGH
COST OF HOUSING HAS MADE THAT
IMPOSSIBLE. WE NEED NOT JUST
MORE GROWTH BUT MORE CHOICE AND
HOUSING OPTIONS. THIS INCLUDES
NEW AND UP ZONED NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS. WE ALSO MUST EXPAND
MIXED-USE ZONING SO WE HAVE
SPACE FOR CHILD CARE, MIXED-USE
CORNER STORES AND CORNER STORES
WOULD INCREASE WALK ABILITY AND
LIVABILITY IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS HAS WORKED
FOR OTHERS IN THE AUSTIN
BILTMORE HOUSING SUPPLY. IT HAS
WORKED THERE AND I WOULD LOVE
TO HAVE IT HERE.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE
JENNIFER GODFREY , THEN HENRY
ROLLER, YOU ARE ON DECK. STAR
SIX THEN YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND
GIVE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> HELLO. THANK YOU FOR
ACCEPTING MY COMMENT. I WOULD
LIKE TO REQUEST THE CITY
COUNCIL ADOPT THE MINIMAL STATE
REQUIREMENT BY STATE BILL 1110
. I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE MY
EXPERIENCE WITH THE FINAL
DECEMBER 17 RITUAL IN SEATTLE
PLAN MEETING. I ARRIVED AT THE
MEETING AT THE SAME TIME AS HER
FRIENDS PUBLIC QUESTION HAD
BEEN ANSWERED AND HER SECOND
QUESTION HAD BEEN PUBLISHED,
YET MY QUESTION AT THE SAME
TIME WAS NOT ALLOWED, WHY
WHALES ARE NOT PROTECTED [
INAUDIBLE ] I ASKED MORE THAN
FOUR TIMES WHY MY QUESTION WAS
NOT PUBLISHED. THERE WERE NO
SIMILAR QUESTIONS TO MIND THAT
WERE PUBLISHED. I CAN'T
UNDERSTAND HOW LOCAL CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED SPECIES WOULD BE
EXCLUDED FROM A SO-CALLED
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
I WOULD REQUEST THE SEATTLE
CITY GOVERNMENT FOLLOW THE
SEATTLE NOAA KILLER WHALE PLAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
HENRY AND FOLLOWING THAT, SARAH
BELL. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> LOUD AND CLEAR. THANK YOU.
>> COOL. I SUPPORT HAVING
INCREASED DENSITY IN SEATTLE.
HOWEVER, I AM ASKING FOR AN
INCREASE IN ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION FOR LARGE TREES.
THIS IS URGENTLY NEEDED TO
ADDRESS [ INAUDIBLE ] AS
SCIENCE SHOWS THAT LARGE TREES
ARE CRITICAL FOR REDUCING
DILUTION IN STORMWATER.
PROTECTING LARGE TREES WHILE
ALLOWING MORE DEVELOPMENT WOULD
ALLOW US TO PROTECT ORCAS AS
WELL AS SALMON, BOTH OF WHICH
ARE LISTED ON THE ENDANGERED
SPECIES ACT. HOWEVER I WOULD
LIKE THE COUNSEL TO MAKE SURE
LARGE TREES ARE PROTECTED IN
ORDER TO HELP FILTER
STORMWATER, REDUCE POLLUTANTS
AND PROTECT SALMON AND ORCAS.
PLEASE CONSIDER POLICY TO
PROTECT LARGE TREES THROUGHOUT
THIS PROCESS WHILE PROVIDING
BENEFITS TO HUMANS, SALMONS AND
WALES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, HENRY. NEXT WE
HAVE SARAH BELL FOLLOWED BY
GRACE. WE ARE ABOUT 54 MINUTES
INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE
ABOUT 12 MORE PEOPLE TO GO WHO
ARE PRESENT, AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO GO. STAR SIX.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES. GO AHEAD.
>> PERFECT . I WANTED TO
COMMENT THAT IF THERE NEEDS TO
BE MORE RESPECT IN THE PROCESS
AS A SEATTLE HOMEOWNER I WOULD
LIKE TO REMIND THE COUNSEL AND
EVERYONE ELSE PRESENT THAT
THERE ARE 60% OF SEATTLE
RESIDENTS WHO ARE RENTERS AND
ALSO WERE NOT INFORMED OF THIS
PROCESS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I
REALLY WANTED TO REMIND THE
COUNSEL THAT IN THE UPCOMING
TURBULENT YEARS THAT WE ARE
EXPECTING TO SEE A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO
COME TO SEATTLE, AND WE SHOULD
CONSIDER THOSE FUTURE RESIDENTS
AND CONSIDER HOW WELCOMING AND
HOW MUCH WE WANT TO MAKE THEIR
LIFE EASIER, GIVEN WHAT THEY
ARE GOING THROUGH AND THE REST
OF THIS COUNTRY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
GRACE AND THEN MATTHEW. HI,
GRACE.
>> HELLO. HI THERE. HI. MY NAME
IS GRACE AND I AM A RESIDENT OF
MADRONA. I HAVE SERIOUS
CONCERNS ABOUT THE CURRENT
ZONING ABILITY TO CREATE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD. I AM A HOMEOWNER
OF A MODEST BUNGALOW AND SINCE
THIS PLAN CAME TO LIGHT LAST
SPRING, I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING
UNSOLICITED CALLS AND TEXTS
DAILY, AND ONE WHILE I WAS
WAITING ON HOLD FOR THIS
MEETING FROM LOCAL,
OUT-OF-STATE AND INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPERS OFFERING TO PURCHASE
MY HOME, SIGHT UNSEEN, AT HIGH
PRICES. MOST RECENTLY I HAD AN
OFFER FAR ABOVE CURRENT MARKET
VALUE. THE ONLY PEOPLE
BENEFITING FROM THIS ARE THE
DEVELOPERS AND THERE IS NO WAY
THIS WILL CREATE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR ANYONE. THANK YOU
FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE
MATTHEW HAGAN AND STEVE, YOU
ARE ON DECK. HI, MATTHEW. STAR
SIX. YOU MIGHT BE MUTED,
MATTHEW PRESS STAR SIX. IF WE
CAN'T HEAR YOU, WE WILL COME
BACK TO YOU. MATTHEW, CAN YOU
HEAR US?
>> NOW, SORRY, SORRY. I'M
HERE, SORRY. MY NAME IS MATTHEW
HAGAN. I LIVE IN THE WESTWOOD
NEIGHBORHOOD . I'M A LOCAL
ARCHITECT WITH MY OWN SMALL
FIRM. I WANT TO ADVOCATE IN
FAVOR OF THE MAYOR'S PLAN AND
PUT IT SIMPLY, PLEASE KEEP THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS INTACT. I
HAVE BEEN SADDENED BY SOME OF
THE NEIGHBORS AND
COUNCILMEMBERS TRYING TO KEEP
THE STATUS QUO, ATTEMPTING TO
WATER DOWN THE PLANS THAT OF
ALREADY BEEN WATERED DOWN FROM
WHAT A MAJORITY OF SEATTLE
CITIZENS HAVE RECENTLY ASKED
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. I ALSO
WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT IT IS
THE ENTIRE CITY'S
RESPONSIBILITY TO INCREASE
DENSITY AND NOT JUST THE
NEIGHBORHOOD . DENSITY SHOULD
BE MORE OF A PRIORITY IN OUR
FLUID NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
COMPLETELY LACK ANY DENSITY AND
I WANT TO REMIND THE COUNSEL IT
IS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
HISTORICALLY REDLINED AREAS TO
INCREASE DENSITY SIMPLY TO SAVE
THE VIEWS AND PARKING FOR THE
AFFLUENT. THE NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS PROPOSED ARE THE LEAST
YOU CAN DO TO FAIRLY ADDRESS
THE DENSITY UNIFORMLY.
>> THANK YOU, MATTHEW. NEXT, WE
HAVE STEVE THAN RUBY, YOU ARE
ON DECK. PRESS STAR SIX .
>> THIS IS STEVE SPEAKING FOR
FRIENDS OF SEATTLE FOREST AND
TREE PACKED. IN 2023 THE STATE
LEGISLATURE AMENDED THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REQUIREMENTS
. HOUSE BILL 1181 ADDED ARE
RESILIENCY ELEMENT THE SAID WE
MUST ENHANCE RESILIENCY AND
REDUCE THE ADVERSE IMPACTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE IN HUMAN
COMMUNITIES AND ECOLOGICAL
SYSTEMS THROUGH PROGRAMS
CONSISTENT WITH THE BEST
AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND
SCIENTIFICALLY CREDIBLE CLIMATE
REJECTION IMPACT SCENARIOS THAT
MODERATE HARM AND ENHANCE THE
RESILIENCY OF NATURAL HUMAN
SYSTEMS AND ADDITIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES. THIS INCLUDES
IDENTIFY, PROTECT AND ENHANCE
COMMUNITY RESILIENCY INCLUDING
SOCIOECONOMIC AND BUILT
ENVIRONMENT FACTORS . [
INAUDIBLE ] THE COUNSEL NEEDS
TO INCORPORATE MORE WAYS TO
SAVE AND PLANT TREES IN
NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE
FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. TREES
ARE ESSENTIAL FOR CLIMATE
RESILIENCY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE THE
HOLLAND THEN ADRIAN THORNSBERRY
IS ON DECK.
>> MY NAME IS RUBY HOLLAND AND
I LIVE IN THE CD. UP ZONING HAS
LED TO MASSIVE DISPLACEMENT FOR
SEATTLE'S WORKING-CLASS AND
URBAN VILLAGES, ESPECIALLY IN
THE CD. PLEASE REJECT THE NEW
COMP PLAN WHICH THREATENS TO
FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE CD,
DISPLACE US AND HAVE NO
ADEQUATE DISPLACEMENT PLAN IS
MANDATED BY GOVERNOR HEMSLEY. I
TOTALLY SUPPORT HB 1110 TO HELP
WITH GROWTH. UP ZONING HAS
CREATED MILLION DOLLAR
TOWNHOMES , NOT AFFORDABILITY
OR DENSITY. SOMEHOW, IT IS NOT
BE IN CONNECTED, WHAT WE ARE
HEARING AND WHAT WE ARE
EXPECTING WITH WHAT IS BEING
BUILT ON THE GROUND. WE NEED TO
WORK ON THAT. THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MS. RUBY. NEXT WE
HAVE ADRIAN THORNSBERRY THAN
GABRIEL NEWMAN. GO AHEAD AND
PRESS STAR SIX AND YOU ARE GOOD
TO GO.
>> HELLO, COUNSEL. I WOULD LIKE
TO LEAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT TO
SUPPORT [ INAUDIBLE ] SEATTLE
HAS EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN
HOUSING PRICES . TO MAKE UP
WITH THIS WE MUST ALLOW MORE
HOMES AND MORE NEIGHBORHOODS
AND INCREASE OVERALL HOUSING
CAPACITY TO ALLOW SEATTLE TO
GROW WITH FUTURE HOUSING
DEMAND. THE PROPOSED PLAN WILL
BE SUCCESSFUL IN ALLOWING MORE
HOMES AND MORE NEIGHBORHOODS
AND NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS HAVE
BEEN THOUGHTFULLY PLACED WITH
MORE DENSITY FOR IT MAKES
SENSE. GROCERY STORES,
INTERSECTION OF TRANSIT LINES [
INAUDIBLE ] I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE MORE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS TO
LIVE IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS
IN SEATTLE. I HAVE BEEN
FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS FOR
YEARS, GIVING MY INPUT THROUGH
EACH PHASE TO SUPPORT
WAREHOUSING. EXTENSIVE PUBLIC
OUTREACH HAS BEEN DONE AND
CULMINATED IN THE MAYOR'S
EXCELLENT PLAN. AM ALSO
SUPPORTIVE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL PROPOSAL.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE GABRIEL
THEN MATT HUTCHINSON . HI,
GABRIEL. STAR SIX.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL. I AM GABRIEL, THE
POLICY COUNSEL AND GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS MANAGER AT
WASHINGTON'S I'LL BE LGBTQ
AND ALLIED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY
COMPLETE COALITIONS REQUEST FOR
ADDITIONAL HOUSING. I AM HERE
WITH AN ADDITIONAL SIMPLE
REQUEST, THAT YOU MANAGE A PLAN
TO ALLOW CORNER STORES TO OPEN
ANYWHERE IN SEATTLE'S
RESIDENTIAL AREAS. THE CURRENT
PROPOSAL CALLS TO ALLOW CORNER
STORES ONLY ON CORNERS. IT IS
UNFORTUNATELY [ INAUDIBLE ] THE
POTENTIAL CORNER STORES COULD
BRING. THESE ESTABLISHMENTS
SUPPORT SMALL
MICRO-ENTREPRENEURS WHO TAKE
THEIR FIRST STEP TOWARD
BRICK-AND-MORTAR SALES, HELP
NEIGHBORS GET TO KNOW EACH
OTHER AND SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY
BY INCREASING EYES ON THE
GROUND. I HAVE EXPANDED ON
ADVOCACY IN THE LETTER I SENT
TO YOU TODAY. THANK YOU FOR
CONSIDERING THE SIMPLE UPDATE
AND ALLOWING MORE STORES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. BYE-BYE.
>> THANK YOU, GABRIEL. TIME
CHECK. 3:02. WE HAVE SEVEN MORE
ONLINE SPEAKERS. MATT HUTCHINS,
YOU ARE NEXT TO THEM ON DECK WE
HAVE KAREN DAVIS. HI, MATT.
PRESS STAR SIX YOU ARE GOOD TO
GO.
>> HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES. GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS MATT HUTCHINSON I
AM AN ARCHITECT WORKING ON
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND INFILL
DEVELOPMENT AND I AM A WEST
SEATTLE RESIDENT. IN THIS
DISCOURSE WITH THIS MANY-YOUR
HORIZON IT IS EASY TO LOSE
SIGHT OF THE FOREST FOR THE
TREES. SEATTLE IS GROWING AND
THAT IS A GOOD THING. WE ARE
REALLY LUCKY , SO HOW DO WE
BEST TURN THE SATURATION INTO
AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND A PATH
TOWARD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
MORE WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS,
LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT PER
PERSON. LESS CARS, MORE CAFES.
LESS PARKING, MORE PARKS. LESS
HOMELESS, MOREHOUSE. THIS PLAN
IS A GOOD ONE. IT COULD
CERTAINLY BE BETTER BUT I WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN A
STRONG VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF
THE CITY . THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
KAREN DAVIS AND THEN ELIZABETH
. HI, KAREN. PRESS STAR SIX.
>> HI. THANKS FOR TAKING MY
COMMENT. THIS PLAN HAS TWO
GLARING OMISSIONS. IT FAILS TO
PROTECT LARGE TREES WHICH ARE
CRUCIAL TO OUR HEALTH AND THE
HEALTH OF OUR ECOSYSTEM. IT
ALSO FAILS TO MENTION KILLER
WHALES AS AN ENDANGERED
SPECIES. THE SOUTHERN RESIDENTS
HAVE BEEN ESA LISTED FOR 20
YEARS IN THIS OFFICIAL STATUS
AFFORDS THEM PROTECTION BY LAW.
UNDER THE ESA, DEVELOPERS MUST
ASSESS OF THE PROJECT MIGHT
IMPACT ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE
THE CRITICAL HABITAT, WHICH
THIS PLAN DOES. IF SO, THEY
MUST TAKE STEPS TO AVOID OR
MINIMIZE THOSE IMPACTS. THIS IS
THE LAW, NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN
CHOOSE TO IGNORE. TREES ARE
ESSENTIAL TO CLEANING AND
FILTERING THE RUNOFF THAT
ENTERS OUR WATERWAYS. TOXIC
RUNOFF IS ONE OF THE THREE MAIN
THREATS TO OUR SOUTHERN
RESIDENTS. WE HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO ACCOMMODATE ALL
THE BEINGS WHO CALL THIS PLACE
HOME, NOT JUST THE HUMAN ONES.
SINCE YOU CLEARLY DON'T HAVE
THE GOOD SENSE TO TAKE CARE OF
OUR ENVIRONMENT FOR OURSELVES
THANK GOODNESS THERE IS A LAW
IN PLACE THAT MAKES US DO IT
FOR THE SPECIES WE ARE DRIVING
TO EXTINCTION. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT, WE WILL HAVE
ELIZABETH. YOU ARE UP AND THEN
LOIS MARTIN. PRESS STAR SIX.
>> MY NAME IS ELIZABETH AND I
AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF
SEATTLE. I WAS BORN HERE. I
LIVE IN THE SOUTH LAKE UNION
NEIGHBORHOOD AND I JUST WANTED
TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR GIVING
ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
TODAY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF
BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON
THE WAY THE SEATTLE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ADDRESSES
THAT. I AM A SENIOR WHO DEPENDS
ON SOCIAL SECURITY FOR MY
PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME, SO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR ME , FOR SENIORS
LIKE ME, SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
KEEP OUR HOUSING AND DON'T
BECOME UNSHELTERED OR HOMELESS.
THAT IS WHY I AM URGING YOU TO
SUPPORT THE SEATTLE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND MORGAN
CITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THANK
YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
GOODBYE.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LOIS
MARTIN THAN ERICA. HI, MS.
LOIS. PRESS STAR SIX. LOIS, ARE
YOU THERE? PRESS STAR SIX. IF
NOT, WE WILL MOVE ON AND COME
BACK TO SEE WHEN YOU CAN JOIN
US.
>> THERE WE GO. SORRY ABOUT
THAT. GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH FOR
LEADING THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. HAVING
YOUR CALM HAND AT THE HELM
MAKES ME HOPEFUL THAT COMMUNITY
VOICES WILL BE CONSIDERED AND
NOT JUST THE TINKLING BRASS OF
THOSE PAID TO REPRESENT THE
SELF-INTEREST OF OTHERS. THE
CURRENT DRAFT GROWTH STRATEGY
ZONING AND CONSEQUENTIAL
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PLAN CONTINUE
TO CAUSE HARM TO NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN
DAMAGED BY REDLINING,
GENTRIFICATION AND OF ZONING.
PLEASE REJECT IT. THESE
CONSTANT DISRUPTORS ALTER THE
SOCIAL FABRIC AND CAUSE CURRENT
RESIDENTS TO LEAVE THE AREA AS
DEVELOPERS POACH, TAXES RISE IN
LIVABILITY DECLINES. SINCE THE
1990s, OUR AREA HAS EXPERIENCED
MULTIPLE OF ZONES THAT HAVE
RESULTED IN MANY WORKING-CLASS
FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES
BEING PUSHED OUT.
>> LESS TREES IN A COMMUNITY
THAT IS LOSING ITS [ INAUDIBLE
] PLEASE REJECT THIS PLAN.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
ERICA, MORGAN, AND PATRICK. HI,
ERICA. GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO. THIS IS ERICA. I AM
CALLING IN TODAY TO EXPRESS MY
STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE
IMPORTANT WORK WE ARE SEEING
UNDERTAKEN BY THIS COUNSEL .
SPECIFICALLY , I ESPECIALLY
EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS . [
INAUDIBLE ] THE APP ZONING. I
THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT FOR
THIS NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALLOW
MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THIS
WONDERFUL PLACE. I ALSO WANT TO
ADVOCATE FOR REMOVING PARKING
MINIMUMS IS CITYWIDE. RESEARCH
HAS SHOWN THAT DITTIES THAT
ILLUMINATE THESE REQUIREMENTS
CITYWIDE ARE BETTER ABLE TO
BUILD CITY HOUSING AND FOSTER
DENSER COMMUNITIES. THE POLITY
-- POLICY BETTER CONTRIBUTES TO
TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE AND
OVERALL URBAN VITALITY. THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU, ERICA. NEXT WE
HAVE MORGAN IN OUR LAST SPEAKER
IS PATRICK.
>> HEY THERE. MY NAME IS
MORGAN. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBERS. I AM A
HOMEOWNER OF A MODEST HOUSE IN
SEATTLE AND I HAVE LIVED IN
SEATTLE FOR 20 YEARS. I WOULD
PLEASE LIKE TO AMEND THIS UP
ZONING BILL SPECIFICALLY FROM
AND ARE THREE TO LR THREE
SEGMENT ON THE EAST AND THE
45th STREET BASED ON THE
MISCHARACTERIZATION OF THIS
AREA AS PART OF A FREQUENT
TRANSIT NETWORK. THE PROPOSED
UP ZONING IS BEING JUSTIFIED BY
THE DESIGNATION OF THIS EASTERN
SEGMENT IS A FREQUENT TRANSIT
CORRIDOR. HOWEVER, THIS
DESIGNATION IS NOT SUPPORTED BY
THE EXISTING SEATTLE TRANSIT
MASTER PLAN. TRANSIT MASTER
PLAN ACTUALLY TERMINATES WITH [
INAUDIBLE ] ON 38th AVENUE SO
JUST FOR THAT SEGMENT, SO
PLEASE AMEND. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, AND PATRICK
TAYLOR.
>> HI, PATRICK.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS
PATRICK TAYLOR. I'M A
HOMEOWNER IN THE NORTH BEACON
HILL NEIGHBORHOOD. I AM AN
ARCHITECT FOCUSED ON HOUSING
AND FOURTH GENERATION OF MY
FAMILY TO LIVE IN THE CITY.
I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT THE NEW
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES PROPOSED
IN THE MAYOR'S PLAN. WE ARE IN
A HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH
HOUSING, NOT ENOUGH KINDS OF
HOUSING AND NOT ENOUGH PLACES.
EVIDENCE SHOWS IN COMMUNITIES
THAT BUILD HELMS -- HOMES,
RENTS DO NOT GO UP AS MUCH. THE
BEST WE CAN DO FOR DEVELOPERS
AND LANDLORDS IS TO DEVELOP
LESS HOUSING WHICH WILL GIVE
THEM MORE POWER TO RAISE RENT.
THE BEST CHOICE WE CAN MAKE FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT AND ACCLIMATE
US TO BUILD URBAN HOMES. EVERY
HOUSE IN THE SUBURBS COMES WITH
THE COST OF FIELD AND FOREST.
EVERY URBAN HOME BUILT ALLOW
SOMEONE TO WALK LESS AND DRIVE
-- DRIVE LESS AND WALK MORE.
PLEASE ADOPT THE MAYOR'S PLAN
AS PROPOSED AND DO NOT REDUCE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO LIVE
IN OUR GREAT CITY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, PATRICK. WITH
THAT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
IS NOW CLOSED. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE WHO CAME IN PERSON
TODAY AND ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE
ONLINE AS WELL FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. I WANT TO REMIND
EVERYONE FEBRUARY 5th IS A
PUBLIC HEARING AT 2:00 P.M..
EXCUSE ME, FEBRUARY 5th AT 5:00
P.M. 5:00 P.M., WE WILL HEAR
EVERYONE'S COMMENT AND BE HERE
FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
EVERYONE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES
AS WE LISTEN. NOW LET'S
PROCEED TO ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE
INTO THE RECORD FROM THE
AGENDA.
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE GROWTH
STRATEGY OVERVIEW FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WANT TO THANK OPCD AND OUR
EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR BEING HERE
TODAY TO PRESENT THE GROWTH
STRATEGY . I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU
ALL TO -- I HAVE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH A LOT
OF MY COLLEAGUES ONE-ON-ONE TO
HELP PROVIDE BACKGROUND, MAPS,
INFORMATION AND TIMELINE SO I
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION AS WE ARE SEEING
ORGANIZED ON OUR AND TO ENSURE
THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALL THE
TOOLS THEY NEED TO ENGAGE IN
THESE CONVERSATIONS AND
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING
PRESENTED BY OUR EXECUTIVE
OFFICE. DURING THIS
PRESENTATION , BEFORE OUR
PRESENTERS JUMP INTO IT, I WANT
TO LET YOU KNOW YOU ARE MORE
THAN WELCOME TO ASK QUESTIONS
THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION. I
HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE A
BRIEFING OF THE PRESENTATION.
THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION
HERE SO PLEASE USE YOUR HAND
AND I WILL CALL ON YOU SO WE
CAN BE ABLE TO STEER THE
CONVERSATION THAT WAY. IF WE
START GETTING INTO THE WEEDS OF
THINGS WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE
TO MOVE ALONG THE PRESENTATION
SO WE CAN GET THROUGH IT BUT
JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT
THERE FOR YOU ALL THAT YOU ARE
MORE THAN WELCOME TO ENGAGE IN
THAT WAY. PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME FOR THE RECORD.
>> CHRIS, DIRECTOR OF POLICY IN
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
>> RICO QUIRINDONGO.
>> MICHAEL HUBNER, OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT.
>> BRENNON STALEY, OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT.
>> I'M GOING TO KICK IT OFF
TODAY WITH A FEW WORDS ABOUT
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE
COVERING. BEFORE I DO THAT I
KNOW THAT I HEARD A LOT OF
COMMENTS AND CONCERNS ABOUT
DISPLACEMENT. WE, TOO, ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT DISPLACEMENT
AND WE ARE SLATED TO COME BACK
TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE 29th
TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE EXISTING
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES
THE CITY HAS IN PLACE AS WELL
AS WAYS IN WHICH WE THINK WE
CAN DO BETTER ON THOSE, SO WE
WILL BE BACK ON THAT TOPIC.
BUT, I DO WANT TO NOTE RESEARCH
INDICATES ONE OF THE BEST
THINGS WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS
DISPLACEMENT IS TO SUPPORT MORE
HOUSING PRODUCTION, SO THAT IS
REALLY WHAT WE ARE GOING TO
FOCUS ON TODAY. OUR PLANNING
DEPARTMENT STAFF WILL BE
PRESENTING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED GROWTH
STRATEGY. AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED,
THE GROWTH STRATEGY IS A
REQUIRED COMPONENT OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND MUST
DEMONSTRATE HOW WE WILL
ACCOMMODATE EXPECTED FUTURE
POPULATION AND JOB GROWTH. AS
YOU WILL SEE TODAY, OUR
PROPOSAL ASSUMES WE NEED ENOUGH
CAPACITY TO NOT ONLY MEET, BUT
TO EXCEED SEATTLE CHICKS
ASSIGNED GROWTH TARGET FOR
HOUSING. THE REALITY IS,
SEATTLE HAS OUTPACED ITS GROWTH
ALLOCATIONS IN BOTH PAST AND
PRESENT PLANNING CYCLES.
PROVIDING ADEQUATE ZONING
CAPACITY IS FOUNDATIONAL AND
SUPPORTING CONDITIONS NECESSARY
TO BRING ABOUT MORE HOUSING.
ABSENT MORE SUPPLY, HOUSING
COST WILL CONTINUE TO ESCALATE.
TO THIS END, MAYORS HARRELL AND
KENT HAVE DESIGNED A PLAN THAT
THOUGHTFULLY ADDS MORE HOUSING
DIVERSITY AND CAPACITY AT A
SCALE NECESSARY TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE. WHILE A SIGNIFICANT
SHARE OF THE ANTICIPATED ZONING
CHANGES IN THE MAYOR'S PLAN
STEM FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
STATE HOUSE BILL 1110 WHICH
AIMS TO ADDRESS CONSTRAINTS ON
BUILDING WERE MISSING MIDDLE
HOUSING, WE WILL ALSO HEAR
ABOUT ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES THE
MAYOR IS ADVANCING TO CREATE
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RENTERS
AND ASPIRING HOMEOWNERS.
FINALLY, STAFF WILL EXPLAIN HOW
DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE
MAYOR'S PLAN WILL BE ADDRESSED
IN DIFFERENT PIECES OF
LEGISLATION AND THE TIMING OF
EACH OF THOSE PIECES AND FILE
WE MAY BE MAKING FURTHER
REFINEMENTS TO DRAFT
LEGISLATION BEFORE TRANSMITTAL,
WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE
PLAN THAT WE RELEASED AS PART
OF THIS LATEST ROUND OF PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT, SO THERE MIGHT BE
MORE TWEAKS TO COME AS WE
TRANSMIT THE LEGISLATION BUT I
JUST WANTED TO -- GIVEN THAT WE
HAVE NOT GONE THROUGH ALL THE
PUBLIC FEEDBACK WE HAVE
RECEIVED SO I WANTED TO HAVE
THAT CAVEAT IN THERE AND WITH
THAT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR
DEPARTMENT STAFF TO GET INTO
THE PROPOSAL.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US
BACK. I'M GOING TO KEEP MY
COMMENTS SHORT. THANK YOU FOR
BEING PATIENT WITH US. WE ARE
THROWING A LOT OF INFORMATION
THAT YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR CONVENING AND SMOOTH
RUNNING OF THESE MEETINGS ,
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AS WE
CONTINUE TO ROLLOUT
INFORMATION. WITH THAT I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO MICHAEL.
>> THAT WAS BRIEF. THANK YOU.
SO, I'M GOING TO START OFF A
PRESENTATION TODAY THAT WILL
GET INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS
AROUND OUR GROWTH STRATEGY AND
ALSO BE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF
THE ZONING CHANGES ,
IMPLEMENTING THE GROWTH
STRATEGY AND HOUSE BILL 1110
BUT WE WILL START OFF WITH A
COUPLE OF SLIDES THAT PROVIDE
SOME BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AS THE
CENTERPIECE OF ANY OF OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, AND THIS
IS THE LATEST UPDATE AND
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS THAT EXTEND
BACK TO THE 1990s, A GROWTH
STRATEGY DESCRIBES WHERE AND
HOW THE CITY WILL ACCOMMODATE
HOUSING AND JOBS AND IN THE
CASE OF THE CURRENT UPDATE TO
ACHIEVE A MORE EQUITABLE AND
SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT
DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT
PATTERN. ZONING IS A KEY TOOL.
WE ARE A GROWING CITY. I THINK
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. IN THE
PAST DECADE, SEATTLE HAS GROWN
AT A VERY RAPID PACE . SINCE
2015 WHEN THE LAST COMP PLAN
UPDATE WAS ADOPTED SEATTLE HAS
INCREASED IN POPULATION BY
150,000 PEOPLE AND HAS ALSO
ADDED MORE THAN HUNDRED
THOUSAND JOBS. SEATTLE IS
LIKELY TO REACH A POPULATION OF
1 MILLION PEOPLE BY 2050 ARE
QUITE LIKELY BEFORE THEN.
HOUSING PRODUCTION MEANWHILE IS
NOT KEPT PACE WITH JOB GROWTH
AND HOUSING COSTS HAVE SOARED.
FROM 2010 TO 2020, THE LAST
DECADE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
DISRUPTED MANY OF OUR MARKETS
AND OUR GROWTH PATTERNS, JOBS
INCREASED IN SEATTLE BY 40%
WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, HOUSING
ONLY INCREASED BY 20%. DURING
THAT SAME PERIOD, PUGET SOUND
REGIONAL COUNCIL ESTIMATED THAT
FOR OUR ENTIRE METRO REGION WE
SANK INTO A DEFICIT OF NEARLY
15,000 HOUSING UNITS AS A
REGION AND OVER THE PAST COUPLE
OF YEARS WITH THE FLATTENING OF
OUR JOB GROWTH , PANDEMIC,
RECOVERY AND ONGOING HOUSING
PRODUCTION IN THE CITY WE HAVE
BEGUN TO DIG OUT OF THAT HOLE
THAT THERE IS A LOT OF WORK YET
TO DO. IF WE DON'T CREATE
ENOUGH HOUSING UNITS IN THE
FUTURE, HOUSING COSTS WILL
CONTINUE TO RISE , PUSHING MANY
PEOPLE OUT OF SEATTLE,
WORSENING OR HOMELESS CRISIS
AND MAKING MANY NEIGHBORHOODS
ACCESSIBLE ONLY TO HIGH INCOME
HOUSES. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF
THE ASPECTS OF AN ONGOING AND
ACUTE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND
SUPPLY CRISIS . SOME OF THE
HIGH-LEVEL STATISTICS THAT ARE
REALLY QUITE WORRISOME DURING
THIS CRISIS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
MONITORING INCLUDE
HOMEOWNERSHIP, WHICH IS NOW OUT
OF REACH OF MANY PEOPLE. OVER
THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE AVERAGE
PRICE OF A DETACHED HOME HAS
BEEN DOUBLED TO NEARLY $1
MILLION AND AS A RESULT, MANY
RENTERS OR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO
MOVE HERE SEE THE PROSPECT OF
EVER OWNING A HOME IN SEATTLE
AN IMPOSSIBILITY. RENTS HAVE
BECOME INCREASINGLY
UNAFFORDABLE, AS WELL. THE
MEDIAN MONTHLY COST OF RENT AND
BASIC UTILITIES HAS INCREASED
BY 75% FROM JUST OVER $1000 IN
2011 TO NEARLY $1800 IN 2021 ,
AND MANY WORKING HOUSEHOLDS
CANNOT EVEN AFFORD TO RENT A
HOME IN SEATTLE AND FOR PEOPLE
LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO
AFFORD THE RENT, THEY CANNOT
SAVE FOR A DOWN PAYMENT.
FINALLY, MORE RESIDENTS ARE
HOW-TOS AND COST BURDEN. ALMOST
20% OF RENTERS NOW PAY MORE
THAN HALF THEIR INCOME FOR RENT
, AND INCREASING COST BURDEN,
ESPECIALLY FOR RENTERS, MAKES
IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR
EXISTING RESIDENTS TO REMAIN IN
THE CITY. AS WE BRIEFLY COVERED
AT THE LAST PRESENTATION WITH
YOU, THERE ARE MANY BENEFITS TO
PROVIDING MORE HOMES THROUGH
OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN . THOSE
INCLUDE SUPPORTING ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY AND MOBILITY BY
DECREASING COSTS AND INCREASING
HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES .
IT HELPS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT
CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS. A RECENT
STUDY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON HIGHLIGHTED THAT
HOUSING PRICES AND HOUSING
COSTS IN REGIONS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY IS A MAJOR DRIVER OF
HOMELESSNESS. IT HELPS TO
CREATE INCLUSIVE NEIGHBORHOODS
WHERE MORE PEOPLE CAN FIND THE
HOUSING THAT WORKS FOR THEIR
HOUSEHOLDS AND ALSO WHERE THEY
CAN REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITIES
THAT THEY LOVE. IT REDUCES
REGIONAL SPRAWL AND GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS. TRANSPORTATION
IS THE LEADING SECTOR
CONTRIBUTE TO GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS AND FINALLY, IT HELPS
BUSINESSES ATTRACT AND RETAIN
EMPLOYEES. IN OUR CURRENT
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN , THE
SEATTLE 2035 PLAN, OUR GROWTH
STRATEGY IS CALLED THE URBAN
VILLAGE STRATEGY AND THAT HAS
BEEN SEATTLE'S GROWTH STRATEGY
WITH RELATIVELY MINOR CHANGES
SINCE 1994. THE URBAN VILLAGE
STRATEGY CONCENTRATES NEW
HOUSING AND JOBS IN DESIGNATED
URBAN CENTERS AND VILLAGES AND
ALSO DESIGNATES MANUFACTURING
AND INDUSTRIAL CENTERS AND YOU
CAN SEE A MAP IMAGE OF THAT
GROWTH STRATEGY HERE ON THE
SLIDE. THE AIM OF THE STRATEGY
IN TERMS OF OUR POLICY INTENT
IS TO FOCUS GROWTH IN COMPACT,
WALKABLE MIXED-USE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE LINKED
BY TRANSIT AND OVER THE PAST 10
YEARS, MORE THAN 80% OF OUR
HOUSING HAS ACTUALLY BEEN BUILT
IN THE DESIGNATED CENTERS AND
VILLAGES. MEANWHILE, MOST OF
THE LAND OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN
CENTERS AND VILLAGES IS
OCCUPIED PRIMARILY BY
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND THERE
HAS BEEN A GROWING CONCERN OVER
TIME, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THIS
HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE ARE
EXPERIENCING, THAT THE URBAN
VILLAGE STRATEGY HAS LIMITED
THE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY OF
HOUSING AVAILABLE AND
RESTRICTED NEW HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT TO JUST A FEW AREAS
OF THE CITY. AS HIGHLIGHTED IN
THE RACIAL EQUITY ANALYSIS WE
CONDUCTED AT THE START OF THE
UPDATE PROCESS, THE ORIGINS OF
THE STRATEGY ARE ROOTED IN A
LONG-STANDING PATTERN OF
DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS SHAPED BY
RACIAL SEGREGATION AND
EXCLUSION. THINGS LIKE
REDLINING IN RACIAL COVENANTS
THAT WE STILL SEE REFLECTED IN
[ INAUDIBLE ] WE HAVE IN PLACE
NOW. THE CITY IS TAKING STEPS
WITH THIS UPDATE TO MOVE AWAY
FROM PAST INEQUITIES, AND TO
MEET HOUSING NEEDS MORE
EFFECTIVELY GOING FORWARD. ONE
KEY STEP IS FOR MOST --
PROMOTING MIDDLE HOUSING. NEW
CONSTRUCTION IN RECENT YEARS
HAS MOSTLY BEEN RENTAL
APARTMENTS IN LARGE BUILDINGS.
MORE THAN 75% OF NEW UNITS ARE
RENTALS. 70% OF THOSE ARE IN
BUILDINGS WITH 15 OR -- 15 OR
MORE UNITS. MISSING BY CONTRAST
OR SMALLER DEVELOPMENTS IN
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS
ACROSS THE CITY THAT WOULD
INCLUDE DUPLEXES AND FOR
PLEXUS, TOWNHOMES OR SMALLER
APARTMENT OPTIONS LIKE STACKED
FLATS OR COURTYARD OPTIONS. LEE
-- CURRENTLY LESS THAN 10
PERCENT OF CAPACITY IS FOR
HOUSING OF THAT TYPE. AS WE
WILL HEAR ABOUT TODAY, THE ONE
SEATTLE PLAN WILL SIGNIFICANTLY
INCREASE THAT CAPACITY TO
NEARLY ONE THIRD OF THE
AVAILABLE POTENTIAL UNITS GOING
FORWARD. I WILL CLOSE BY
SUMMARIZING THE GOALS FOR
UPDATING THE GROWTH STRATEGY.
THOSE ARE TO PROVIDE MORE
HOUSING OVERALL, MORE HOUSING
DIVERSITY, OPPORTUNITIES FOR
AFFORDABILITY , OPPORTUNITIES
FOR WEALTH BUILDING OR MORE
UNITS. MISSING BY CONTRAST OR
SMALLER DEVELOPMENTS IN
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS
ACROSS THE CITY THAT WOULD
INCLUDE DUPLEXES AND
FOURPLEX'S, TOWNHOMES OR
SMALLER APARTMENT
>> AS WE TALK ABOUT THE COMP
PLAN AND THE GROWTH STRATEGY
GOING TO START BY TAKING A
MINUTE TO GO OVER THOSE. THERE
ARE THREE TYPES OF NUMBERS. ONE
ARE THE GROWTH TARGETS. THESE
ARE NUMBERS CREATED THROUGH
STATE AND REGIONAL TARGETS
ULTIMATELY ADOPTED BY THE
PLANNING COUNCIL. THAT REQUIRE
SEATTLE TO PLAN FOR AT LEAST
80,000 HOMES. THESE ARE NOT
FORECAST. THESE ARE REALLY
MINIMUMS NECESSARY THAT WE ARE
REQUIRED TO PLAN FOR. GIVEN THE
NUMBER OF JOBS THAT WE HAVE IF
WE ONLY PLAN FOR 80,000 HOMES
WE WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO SEE
UNDERPRODUCTION OF HOUSING
GOING FORWARD. TO THE SECOND
SET OF NUMBERS WE ARE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT, IN OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT,
THOSE ARE ASSUMPTIONS WE USE TO
UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS GROWTH
MIGHT HAVE IN THE FUTURE. THE
STUDY LOOKED AT FIVE DIFFERENT
ALTERNATIVES THAT LOOKED AT A
RANGE OF HOUSING ASSUMPTIONS
AND GROWTH IN DIFFERENT
ASPECTS, BUT THE PREFERRED
ALTERNATIVE, WHICH REPRESENTS
THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED GROWTH
STRATEGY STUDIES 120,000 NEW
HOUSING UNITS OVER 20 YEARS.
AGAIN THESE ARE ASSUMPTIONS WE
ARE STUDYING TO UNDERSTAND
POTENTIAL IMPACTS. THIS IS NOT
A FORECAST. THE LAST OF THE
NUMBERS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
OUR DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY. THESE
ARE HIGH-LEVEL ESTIMATES OF THE
NUMBER OF HOMES THAT COULD
THEORETICALLY BE BUILT ON
PROPERTIES THAT ARE POTENTIALLY
RE-DEVELOPABLE. THESE ARE
INTENDED TO BE A HIGH-LEVEL
PLANNING ESTIMATE FOR WHAT
MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO OCCUR.
THESE NUMBERS REALLY LOOK AT
COMPARING THE AMOUNT OF
DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD OCCUR
UNDER ZONING WITH WHAT EXISTS
TODAY.DO NOT LOOK AT
CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS LOCAL
HOUSE PRICES OR MARKET VALUES.
THEY DON'T LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL
REQUIREMENTS OR INFRASTRUCTURE
NEEDS ON PROJECTS AND ALSO DO
NOT LOOK AT THE SUPPLY OF
HOUSING OR LAND THAT MIGHT BE
AVAILABLE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY MODELS
WERE CREATED WITH THE IDEA OF
LOOKING FOR WHERE THERE MIGHT
BE INSUFFICIENT, KIND OF AS A
WARNING LIGHT RATHER THAN AS AN
ESTIMATE OF WHAT IS NEEDED, BUT
IT DOES HELP US TO UNDERSTAND
THE EFFECTS OF CHANGE THAT
MIGHT HAPPEN AND WITH THE
ZONING CHANGES UNDER THE
MAYOR'S PLAN, IT WOULD DOUBLE
THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
CAPACITY TO 330,000 UNITS AND
THAT WILL HELP TO RELIEVE
MARKET PRESSURES THAT HAVE BEEN
DRIVING UP PRICES AND CREATE
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING
AT ALL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THE SUMMARY OF
HOW THAT DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY
WOULD OCCUR BY PLACE TYPE. IN
BLUE, WHAT WE HAVE TODAY UNDER
EXISTING ZONING AND THE GRAY IS
WHAT IS PROPOSED UNDER THE
MAYOR'S PLAN. YOU CAN SEE ON
THE LEFT THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN
OUR URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD PLACED
SITES IN THOSE AREAS REMAINING
IN NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
ZONING. A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL
INCREASE IN CAPACITY . IT HAS
PRETTY LIMITED DEVELOPMENT
CAPACITY TODAY. NEXT YOU CAN
SEE THE CHANGE ON FREQUENT
TRANSIT. THERE IS A SMALL BUT
MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN URBAN
CENTERS, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE
IN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND
REALLY ONLY MINOR CHANGES IN
OUR REGIONAL CENTERS. THIS
SLIDE SHOWS THE RANGE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
ALTERNATIVES. ON THE RIGHT ARE
FIVE ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE
LOOKED AT IN THE DRAFT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LOOKING AT GROWTH FROM 80,000
TO 120,000 JOBS AND DIVERSITY
OF DISTRIBUTIONS. THE PREFERRED
ALTERNATIVE ON THE LEFT AGAIN
IS ANALYZING AT THE HUNDRED AND
20 THOUSAND HOUSING UNIT
ASSUMPTION. IT IS IN THE RANGE
OF ALTERNATIVES THAT WERE
STUDIED IN THE DRAFT BUT MOST
CLOSE TO ALTERNATIVE FIVE, SO
THE HIGH END OF THAT RANGE. THE
MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED GROWTH
STRATEGY FOCUSES ON FIVE KEY
PLACED TYPES, AND THESE PLACED
TYPES BASICALLY DESCRIBE THE
ROLE THAT DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE CITY WILL HAVE AN
ACCOMMODATING JOBS AND HOUSING
AND THEY ALSO DESCRIBE THE
TYPES OF ZONING THAT MIGHT BE
APPROPRIATE IN THOSE AREAS. THE
FIRST OF THOSE PLACED TYPES IS
REGIONAL CENTERS. THESE WERE
PREVIOUSLY CALLED URBAN
CENTERS. THESE ARE AREAS OF
REGIONAL IMPORTANCE WITH THE
HIGHEST DENSITY OF HOUSING AND
JOBS. THE NEXT IS URBAN
CENTERS, PREVIOUSLY CALLED
URBAN VILLAGES. THESE ARE
PLACES OF THE CITY-WIDE
IMPORTANT ROLE THAT STILL HAVE
A DENSE MIX OF HOUSING AND
JOBS. AND THEN LASTLY, THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER , AND THAT
WOULD ALLOW A MIX OF MODERATE
DENSITY HOUSING AROUND THE
COMMERCIAL CORE OR FREQUENT
TRANSIT AREA. AREAS OUTSIDE OF
CENTERS INTENDED FOR PRIMARILY
RESIDENTIAL USE ARE CALLED
URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS A
NEW PLACE TYPE THAT REALLY
COMBINES DIFFERENT EXISTING
ONES. MOST OF THE URBAN
NEIGHBORHOOD PLACE TYPE WOULD
CONTINUE TO BE COMPOSED OF
PLACES ZONE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT , BUT
WOULD ALSO LOOK TO ALLOW A MIX
OF LOW AND MODERATE HOUSING
AROUND ARTERIALS. THE LAST OF
THOSE KEY PLACED TYPES OF THE
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIAL
CENTERS. THESE ARE AREAS OF
CONCENTRATED INDUSTRIAL,
MANUFACTURING AND MARITIME
ACTIVITY. THE MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRIAL CENTER PLACE TYPE
WAS RECENTLY UPDATED AS PART OF
THE MARITIME STRATEGY SO WE ARE
NOT PROPOSING ANY FURTHER
CHANGES TO THE BOUNDARIES ARE
THE BASIC POLICIES IN THAT
AREA. SO, THOSE PLACED TYPES
WERE LOCATED ON THE FUTURE LAND
USE MAP, AND THIS MAP YOU CAN
SEE HERE IS THE MAYOR'S
RECOMMENDED GROWTH STRATEGY .
THERE WOULD BE SEVEN REGIONAL
CENTERS, WHICH ARE SHOWN IN
THAT DARK BLUE. THERE ARE 26
URBAN CENTERS WHICH ARE SHOWN
IN THIS LIGHTER BLUE , AND THE
NEON BLUE REPRESENTS FOR THOSE
ARE PROPOSED TO BE EXPANDED.
THERE ARE 30 NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS WHICH ARE THE LIGHTEST
LUKE, AND ARE SMALLER IN SCALE
THAN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
REPRESENTED BY THE MAJORITY OF
THE CITY IN YELLOW, THEN THE
GRAY AREAS ARE THE TWO
MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL
CENTERS. NOW I'M GOING TO
SPEND A LITTLE TIME GOING BY
PLACE TYPE TO DESCRIBE WHAT
THEY MEAN AND THE CHANGES WE
ARE PROPOSING THERE. FOR
REGIONAL CENTERS AGAIN WE ARE
PROPOSING SEVEN REGIONAL
CENTERS. THOSE ARE THE SIX
EXISTING, WHICH INCLUDE
PORTIONS OF CENTER CITY, THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT OF
NORTHGATE AND WE ARE ALSO
REPOSING TO RECLASSIFY BALLARD
AS A REGIONAL CENTER BASED ON
THE GROWTH THAT HAS BEEN
HAPPENING THERE OVER RECENT
YEARS. WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING
BOUNDARY EXPANSIONS TO TWO
CENTERS, ONE UPTOWN NEAR THE
NEW LIGHT RAIL STATION THAT IS
PROPOSED THERE, AND IN THE
FIRST HILL CAPITAL HILL AREA,
PORTION OF SQUIRE PARK WHICH
WOULD HELP FILL IN A GAP IN AND
THE AREA SURROUNDED BY CENTERS
TODAY. SO, REGIONAL CENTERS ARE
INTENDED TO HAVE A DIVERSE MIX
OF MODERATE AND HIGH DENSITY
HOUSING AND CAN INCLUDE
HIGH-RISE TOWERS, AS WELL.
THERE ALSO MAJOR EMPLOYMENT
CENTERS. WE ARE STILL EXPECTING
THE SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF JOB
GROWTH OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS
WOULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN
THESE AREAS. WE ARE PROPOSING
26 URBAN CENTERS, 25 OF THOSE
ARE EXISTING AND WE ARE
PROPOSING ONE NEW, THE
PINEHURST HOLLERED LIKE URBAN
CENTER LOCATED AROUND THE 130
LIGHT RAIL CENTER. WE ARE
PROPOSING EXPANSIONS AROUND
EXISTING URBAN CENTERS. FOUR OF
THOSE ARE EXPANSIONS THAT ARE
SMALLER THAN OTHER URBAN
CENTERS AND DON'T MEET THE
CRITERIA FOR A COUNTY-WIDE
TENDERS UNDER KING COUNTY'S
PLANS. THERE ARE A COUPLE AREAS
THAT HAVE NEW LIGHT RAIL
STATIONS THAT WOULD ALSO BE
EXPANDED AND THEN A SMALL
EXPANSION ALSO AROUND THE
SQUIRE PARK AREA TO HELP FILL
IN A GAP THAT IS OTHERWISE
SURROUNDED BY URBAN CENTERS.
THE SIZE OF THESE AREAS ARE
GENERALLY AREAS WITHIN A 10
MINUTE WALK OF A LIGHT RAIL
STATION AROUND THE HALF-MILE,
OR EIGHT-MINUTE WALK AROUND THE
CENTRAL INTERSECTION IF NO
LIGHT RAIL EXISTENT AGAIN THAT
IS AROUND 2000 FEET. THE TYPE
OF HOUSING THAT WOULD BE
EXPECTED HERE IS GENERALLY
MODERATE DENSITY HOUSING OF
THREE STORIES. BECAUSE THESE
ARE GOOD SIZE, IT DOES ALLOW
FOR TRANSITIONS SO IF YOU HAVE
MORE DENSITY IN THE MIDDLE IT
GENERALLY TAPERS AS IT GOES OUT
TO THE EDGES. THE NEXT PLACE
TYPE IS THE NEW PLACE TYPE,
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS. WE ARE
PROPOSING 30 NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS. THAT IS 29 NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS PLUS WE
ARE PROPOSING TO RECLASSIFY
SOUTH PARK AS A NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER GIVEN A LOT OF THE
ISSUES AND CONSTRAINTS IN THAT
AREA. NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ,
THIS NEW PLACE TYPE ARE
PROPOSED TO BE LOCATED AROUND
FREQUENT TRANSIT NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS. THE BASIC IDEA IS WE
WANT TO CREATE HOUSING IN
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN WALK TO
SHOPS, SERVICES, TRANSIT SO IT
IS EASIER TO MEET YOUR EVERYDAY
NEEDS AND A SHORT DISTANCE FROM
YOUR HOUSE. AS WE CREATED THE
INITIAL PROPOSAL FOR THESE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, THE MAJOR
CRITERIA LOOKED AT OUR DO THEY
HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSIT, ARE
THERE SHOPS AND SERVICES,
ESPECIALLY A LOCAL BUSINESS
DISTRICT. WE ALSO TRY TO MAKE
SURE THERE IS A GOOD GEOGRAPHIC
SPREAD WHEN LOOKING AT BOTH
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND
REGIONAL CENTER SO THAT ALL
AREAS OF THE CITY CAN HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR A DIVERSE MIX
OF HOUSING SO PEOPLE CAN STAY
IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY LOVE
AS THEIR NEEDS CHANGE. THE SIZE
OF THESE ARE GENERALLY A
FOUR-MINUTE WALK FROM AN INSERT
SECTION THAT IS ABOUT 1000
SQUARE FEET OR ONE TO THREE
BLOCKS. NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
ARE IN A LOT OF WAYS SIMILAR TO
URBAN CENTERS. ONE OF THE WAYS
THEY ARE DIFFERENT IS THAT THEY
ARE MUCH SMALLER, GENERALLY
ABOUT ONE FOURTH OR 1/5 OF THE
SIZE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER,
AND BECAUSE OF THAT THEY HAVE A
SLIGHTLY LOWER INTENSITY WITHIN
THEM. THE TYPES OF HOUSING THAT
WOULD BE APPROPRIATE HERE ARE
GENERALLY THREE TO SIX STORY
BUILDINGS. HOWEVER, WE REALLY ,
ESPECIALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS
IS TO GET FIVE AND SIX STORY
MULTIFAMILY ZONES BECAUSE THIS
IS WHERE WE CAN ENCOURAGE
APARTMENTS AND CONDOS. ONE OF
THE KEY PURPOSES OF
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IS TO
CREATE A GREATER DIVERSITY OF
HOUSING TYPES AND NEIGHBORHOODS
THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND REALLY
WHAT WE FIND IS THAT YOU REALLY
DON'T GET APARTMENTS UNTIL YOU
GET INTO FIVE AND SIX-STORY
ZONES. LOOKING BACK IN HISTORY,
THERE HAS BEEN ALMOST NO
APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT IN HOUR
THREE AND FOUR STORY ZONES TO
DATE. IN PLACES WHERE THERE ARE
PARKING REQUIREMENTS, WE ARE
LOOKING BACK AND FOUND NO
EXAMPLES OF APARTMENTS AND
ZONES THAT WERE LESS THAN FIVE
STORIES AND THAT IS REALLY
BECAUSE THE COST OF THE
UNDERGROUND PARKING, YOU REALLY
HAVE TO GET TO FIVE STORIES TO
TAKE THAT VIABLE AND AGAIN,
THAT IS NOT EXCLUDING
COMMERCIAL ZONES WHICH ARE VERY
DIFFERENT. ONE OF THE KEY
THINGS HERE IS TRYING TO
ESPECIALLY GET THAT FIVE-STORY
ZONING BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE
THINK WE CAN START TO PRODUCE
MORE APARTMENTS AND CONDOS.
LASTLY AGAIN IS URBAN
NEIGHBORHOODS. THESE ARE AREAS
OUTSIDE OF CENTERS FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
GROWTH. AND AGAIN, IN THESE
AREAS ZONING WOULD PRIMARILY
CONTINUE TO BE NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL BUT AGAIN,
COMPLYING WITH HB 1110 WE WOULD
BE REQUIRED TO ALLOW A BROADER
RANGE OF HOUSING TYPES IN THOSE
AREAS -- DUPLEXES, TRIPLEX IS,
TOWNHOUSES, STACKED FLATS,
COURTYARD APARTMENTS AS WELL AS
CONTINUE TO SEE PRODUCTION OF
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND
THESE ARE ALSO THE AREAS WHERE
WE ARE REQUIRED TO ALLOW AT
LEAST FOUR UNITS PER LOT AND
SIX UNITS IF IT IS WITHIN A
QUARTER-MILE OF LIGHT RAIL OR
RAPID TRANSIT OR IF TWO ARE
AFFORDABLE. IN ADDITION TO THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
ZONING, WE ARE PROPOSING TO
ALLOW SOME HIGHER DENSITY
HOUSING ON AREAS THAT ARE
FREQUENT TRANSIT SO PROPERTIES
ADJACENT TO OR IMMEDIATELY NEXT
TO FREQUENT TRANSIT ROUTES IN
THOSE AREAS. AT THIS POINT I'M
GOING TO GO MORE INTO THE
PROPOSED CHANGES TO
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL.
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THE GROWTH STRATEGY WHICH
IS PRIMARILY REPRESENTED IN THE
COMP PLAN ITSELF AND CHANGES TO
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL WILL
BE IN THAT FIRST PIECE OF
LEGISLATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE HB 1110 COMPLIANCE
LEGISLATION SO WE ARE GOING TO
GO A LITTLE BIT INTO DETAIL.
OBVIOUSLY THE MAJOR CHANGE HERE
IS THAT WE HAVE TO ALLOW A
WIDER VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES.
THIS IS THE KIND OF
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THOSE TYPES
THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT PUT
TOGETHER BY COMMERCE. THAT
WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY
CHANGING THE NUMBER OF HOMES OR
DENSITY, CHANGING THE FLOOR
AREA ALLOWED ON THE LOT AS WELL
AS CHANGES TO SETBACKS AND
OTHER FACTORS IN ORDER TO MAKE
SURE YOU CAN GET BETTER LIVING
ARRANGEMENTS FOR TRADITIONAL
HOMES. THERE ALSO ARE A COUPLE
OF AREAS WE ARE GOING BEYOND HB
1110 TO DO SOME DIFFERENT
THINGS TO RESPOND TO WHAT WE
HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM THE
PUBLIC. ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS
WE ARE PROPOSING A STACKED FLAT
BONUS. STACKED FLATS ARE
CONDOS, APARTMENTS, BUILDINGS
WHERE YOU CAN LIVE ON A SINGLE
LEVEL. DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS
WE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS THAT
PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE
OF THIS THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO
THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE ON ONE
FLOOR, SO THEY CAN HAVE
ACCESSIBLE UNITS, THEY CAN AGE
IN PLACE. WE ARE PROPOSING THAT
IN LOTS THAT ARE 6000 SQUARE
FEET OR GREATER AND LOCATED
WITHIN A QUARTER-MILE OF
FREQUENT TRANSIT, THAT IF YOU
BUILD STACKED FLATS YOU WOULD
BE ABLE TO HAVE SLIGHTLY HIGHER
FLOOR AREA AND A SLIGHTLY
GREATER DENSITY SO LONG AS 6000
SQUARE FOOT LOT THAT WOULD BE
NINE UNITS, OR THREE PER FLOOR.
ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE A MAP
OR IN BLUE WE ARE SHOWING THOSE
LOTS IN WHICH THAT STACKED FLAT
BONUS WOULD BE ALLOWED. I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE
THIS. WE EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN
VERY INFREQUENTLY AND
DEVELOPERS WE TALK TO THINK
THREE STORIES IS NOT SUFFICIENT
FOR DOING STACKED FLATS . OUR
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT
IS ALSO TRUE BUT WE ALSO HEARD
FROM FOLLOWERS, -- HOMEOWNERS,
PEOPLE WHO ALREADY OWN PROPERTY
AND THEY WANT THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO STACKED FLATS SO WE THINK
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING FOR
MAKING THAT POSSIBLE. THE OTHER
IS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING IN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS FOR
BUILDINGS LOCATED WITHIN A
QUARTER-MILE OF TRANSIT IF THEY
PROVIDE AT LEAST HALF OF THE
UNITS AS AFFORDABLE UNITS, THEY
WOULD HAVE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT.
THEY COULD DO FOUR STORIES
RATHER THAN THREE. THEY WOULD
HAVE AN ADDITIONAL DENSITY
EQUAL TO ABOUT 12 UNITS ON A
5000 SQUARE-FOOT LOT. THEY
COULD BUILD A LARGER BUILDING
WITH MORE FLOOR AREA AND HAVE
MORE FLEXIBILITY ON LOT
COVERAGE, AS WELL. FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS
CASE, THAT MEANS HOUSING THAT
IS RENT AN INCOME RESTRICTED SO
THAT IT IS AFFORDABLE TO
RENTERS WHO ARE NOT MAKING MORE
THAN 60% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME
AND HOMEOWNERS NOT MAKING MORE
THAN 80% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE HIGH LEVEL
OF AFFORDABILITY THIS WOULD BE
SOMETHING A DEVELOPER WOULD NOT
BE ABLE TO USE BUT INSTEAD
WOULD BE FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE
GETTING PUBLIC SUBSIDY AND WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH HABITAT
HOMES. THERE ARE PEOPLE
INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF
OPPORTUNITY. ANOTHER AREA OF HB
1110 IS ALLOWING FOR CORNER
STORES AND RESIDENTIAL AND THE
RHIZOMES IN THESE WOULD
BASICALLY BE RESTAURANTS OR
RETAIL STORES ALLOWED IN THESE
AREAS BASICALLY ON CORNER LOTS
ONLY , AND THEY WOULD BE
REQUIRED TO MEET CERTAIN
STANDARDS FOR SIZE, HOURS OF
OPERATION, NOISE IN ORDER TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GOOD
NEIGHBORS. SO, IN ADDITION TO
THOSE CHANGES IN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL, THAT WOULD BE THAT
FIRST HB 1110 COMPLIANCE
LEGISLATION. WE ARE ALSO
PROPOSING ZONING CHANGES IN
CENTERS AND CORRIDORS. AGAIN,
THIS WOULD BE PART OF THAT
SECOND PIECE OF LEGISLATION
PROPOSED TO COME DOWN IN LATE
MAY . BUT, WE ARE AGAIN
PROPOSING CHANGES TO ZONING AND
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS , ALONG
TRANSIT CORRIDORS AND IN THE
EXPANSION AREAS OF URBAN
CENTERS. THE IDEA REALLY HEARS
HB 1110 WOULD CREATE A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR PRIMARILY
OWNERSHIP UNITS LIKE DUPLEXES,
TRIPLEX'S, ET CETERA BUT THE
ZONING IN CENTERS AND CORRIDORS
CAN ALSO PROVIDE A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR APARTMENTS AND
CONDOS ALSO TOGETHER THOSE TWO
THINGS WILL OPERATE IN ORDER TO
INCREASE OUR SUPPLY IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS HOUSING PRICE ISSUES
BUT ALSO CREATE A WIDER
DIVERSITY OF HOUSING TYPES FOR
PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY. ANOTHER
CHANGE IS IN THE PARKING
REQUIREMENTS . TODAY, NO
PARKING IS REQUIRED IN CENTERS
THAT ARE NEAR FREQUENT TRANSIT.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP ON THE
RIGHT, THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT
ARE IN DARK BLUE CONSISTENT
WITH STATE LAW. WE ARE
PROPOSING TO MAKE A CHANGE THAT
NO PARKING WOULD BE REQUIRED
WITHIN A HALF-MILE OF LIGHT
RAIL AND BUS RAPID TRANSIT
STOPS. THAT IS A REQUIREMENT OF
HB 1110. THOSE ARE THE AREAS IN
LIGHT PURPLE. WE ARE ALSO
PROPOSING TO GO BEYOND THAT.
THE MAYOR'S DRAFT PROPOSAL
WOULD REDUCE THE PARKING
REQUIREMENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF
THE CITY FROM WHAT TODAY IS
GENERALLY ONE SPACE PER
PRINCIPAL DWELLING UNITS
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME PLACES
WHERE IT IS SMALLER AND OTHERS
WHERE IT IS HIGHER SO IT WOULD
BE A NEW REQUIREMENT OF ONE
SPACE PER TWO PRINCIPAL
DWELLING UNITS SO WE CAN HAVE
MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR HOMES. NOT
EVERY UNIT NEEDS TO HAVE A
PARKING SPACE. THERE ARE SOME
PEOPLE DON'T LIVE OUT OF CARS.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE TODAY
ABOUT HOW 20% OF HOUSEHOLDS
DON'T HAVE A CAR IN OUR CITY
AND THAT IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR
RENTAL PROPERTIES. AND THEN OF
COURSE, ACCESSORY DWELLING
UNITS AND HOUSING AREAS WOULD
CONTINUE TO BE EXEMPT FROM
PARKING REQUIREMENTS AS THEY
ARE TODAY. IN TERMS OF
AFFORDABILITY THIS IS A
REQUIREMENT CERTAINLY
DEVELOPMENTS HAVE TO EITHER SET
ASIDE A PORTION OF UNITS AS
AFFORDABLE OR PAY INTO A FUND
TO DO THAT OFF-SITE. [
INAUDIBLE ] IS CURRENTLY
APPLIED IN EXISTING MULTIFAMILY
AND COMMERCIAL ZONES SHOWN IN
BLUE ON THIS MAP. WE ARE
PROPOSING TO APPLY NHA AND ALL
THE AREAS THAT WOULD BE REZONED
TO MULTIFAMILY OR COMMERCIAL
ZONES. THOSE OF AREAS SHOWN IN
RED AND MHA WOULD CONTINUE NOT
TO APPLY AND NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES WHICH ARE
SHOWN IN THE YELLOW. I'M GOING
TO TURN IT OVER TO MICHAEL NOW
TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD BE
IMPLEMENTED THROUGH
LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU, BRENNAN.
>> BEFORE YOU START, COUNCIL
MEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU. BEFORE WE CHANGED
PRESENTERS , EXCELLENT JOB
HERE. I WANT TO GO OVER A GS MB
MENTIONED BALLARD IS BEING
REDESIGNATED AS A REGIONAL
CENTER. I WANT TO CONFIRM WITH
YOU SOMETHING I HAVE HEARD
BEFORE WHICH IS THAT BALLARD
ALREADY HAS THE ZONING THAT
WOULD MEET THAT CRITERIA. IS
THAT CORRECT?
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
REGIONAL COUNSEL REQUIRES A
CERTAIN DENSITY TO BE
DESIGNATED , YES.
>> MY NEW QUESTION TODAY YOU
DIDN'T EXPECT COMING, ONE
THING I HEARD FROM YOU IN THIS
PRESENTATION IS THAT IT IS NOT
JUST THE ZONING, BUT THE GROWTH
HAS CAUGHT UP ON ME THAT
DESIGNATION A REALITY . DID I
CATCH THAT NUANCE CORRECTLY?
MAYBE I WILL TEASE IT OUT. I'M
GOING TO ASK BRENNON TO ANSWER
THE QUESTION IF YOU COULD,
WHICH IS JUST BECAUSE IT IS ON
A CERTAIN WAY DOES NOT
NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S GOING TO
BE DEVELOPED THAT WAY BUT WHEN
THOSE TWO BECOME TOGETHER IT
BECOMES AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO
REDESIGNATED IN THIS CASE FOR
BALLARD EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE
BEEN ZONED AT THAT LEVEL, WE
HAVE NOT HAD ACCESS TO THE
TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS THAT
COME ALONG WITH THE REGIONAL
GROWTH CENTER. DID I GET THAT
CORRECT?
>> YES. AT A HIGH LEVEL I WAS
SIMPLY POINTING OUT THAT
BALLARD HAS HAD PRETTY STRONG
GROWTH OVER RECENT YEARS AND
THAT BASICALLY THAT AMOUNT OF
GROWTH MAKES IT QUALIFY AS A
REGIONAL RETAIL CENTER UNDER
THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE PUT
FORWARD . I DON'T KNOW IF THAT
ANSWERS THE QUESTION. THERE IS
A LOT MORE THERE.
>> ESSENTIALLY. WE WILL
PROBABLY DIG IN A LITTLE BIT
DEEPER. YOU ALSO MENTIONED THE
INDUSTRIAL MARITIME LANES WERE
REZONED, THAT WE HAD CHANGES TO
ZONES EARLIER IN 2023 . THROUGH
THIS PRESENTATION YOU HAVE
GIVEN US A FAIR AMOUNT OF
BACKGROUND AND HISTORY ON ALL
OF THESE OTHER AREAS. I NOTICED
WE SKIPPED OVER A LITTLE BIT
WITH INDUSTRIAL ZONES. CAN YOU
REMIND ME , IT IS MY MEMORY
THAT THERE WAS A FACILITATED
STAKEHOLDER WORKGROUP THAT
STARTED IN 2017 OR 2018 , TOOK
A BRIEF PAUSE DURING THE
PANDEMIC, WAS RESTARTED AND
FORMALIZED RECOMMENDATIONS AND
22. IS THAT GENERALLY CORRECT?
>> I AM PROBABLY THE BEST
PERSON TO ANSWER THAT. THAT IS
THE GENERAL FRAMEWORK AND THAT
WAS ALL ESSENTIALLY 2 1/2 YEARS
OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH
THAT LARGE STAKEHOLDER GROUP
REPRESENTING AROUND 60
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT
LED TO THE LEGISLATION TO BE
ADOPTED IN JULY OF '23.
>> THANKS IN THE REGION THAT
WORKGROUP CAME TOGETHER IN 2017
IS THE LAST WORK ZONE OF
INDUSTRIAL MARITIME LANDS HAD
OCCURRED IN ABOUT 2007. IS THAT
CORRECT? THANKS. I SAW AN
AFFIRMATIVE HAD NOT FROM THE
DIRECTOR AND ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT THE WORKGROUP HAD TO BE
FACILITATED BY A THIRD PARTY,
NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE OF THE
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, WAS
BECAUSE OF THE DIVERGENT NATURE
OF THEIR PERSPECTIVES. THEY
WERE SO FAR APART AND THERE
WERE ISSUES THAT WE REALLY
NEEDED SOMEBODY OTHER THAN THE
CITY TO MEDIATE AND FACILITATE.
IS THAT A GENERALLY CORRECT
UNDERSTANDING?
>> THE CITY BROUGHT ON A
FACILITATOR TO HELP MEDIATE THE
WIDE RANGE OF OPINIONS AND
INTEREST, YES.
>> VERY WELL SAID. SO, BETWEEN
2007 AND 2023, NO CHANGES WERE
MADE TO INDUSTRIAL LANDS
BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF
DISAGREEMENT THAT HAD OCCURRED
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THAT IS
MY TAKE ON IT. THAT WAS MY
QUESTION, AND WHEN THE MAYOR
TRANSMITTED THE PLAN, IT DID
NOT INCLUDE HOUSING IN SOTO. IS
THAT CORRECT?
>> I WANT TO MAKE A
CLARIFICATION . IN THAT
LEGISLATION, WE REZONED ALL OF
OUR INDUSTRIAL LANDS TO ONE OF
THREE DESIGNATIONS. THE MOST
FLEXIBLE OF THOSE THREE
DESIGNATIONS DID INCLUDE
ACCOMMODATION FOR UNLIMITED
AMOUNT OF HOUSING WITHIN OUR
INDUSTRIAL LANDS. THE STADIUM
OVERLAY WAS EXCLUDED FROM THAT
CONSIDERATION, SO THERE IS NO
HOUSING ALLOWED IN THE STADIUM
OVERLAY ZONE.
>> AND WHEN HAVE YOU REPEAT
THAT AGAIN BECAUSE WHAT I JUST
HEARD FROM YOU IS THAT HOUSING
IS ALLOWED IN THE STADIUM
OVERLAY ZONE.
>> IS NOT.
>> IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE
STADIUM OVERLAY ZONE. THAT WAS
MY UNDERSTANDING AND THANK YOU
FOR THAT HISTORY THAT WE DID
INCLUDE FOR THE FIRST TIME
POSSIBLY EVER THAT HOUSING
OTHER THAN THE TWO CARETAKER
UNITS THAT THERE WAS HOUSING
ALLOWED IN INDUSTRIAL ZONES.
COLLEAGUES, THE REASON I BRING
THIS UP IS BECAUSE INDUSTRIAL
ZONES NEVER COME BACK. ONCE WE
CHANGE THE DESIGNATION, THEY
WILL NOT RETURN TO INDUSTRIAL
ZONES. AS WE WENT THROUGH THE
BUDGET PROCESS OVER THE LAST
YEAR, DESPITE DOWNTURN REVENUE
FORECAST, THE TWO PLACES IN OUR
ECONOMY THAT OUTPERFORMED THE
REST OF THE NATION WAS IN OUR
INDUSTRIAL AREAS AND PORCH
ACTIVITIES AND IN GOOD ECONOMIC
TIMES WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF THESE AREAS
BECAUSE THEY ARE PERFORMING AT
A LOWER LEVEL THAN RETAIL OR
TECH OR ANY OF THESE OTHER
THINGS, BUT IN BAD ECONOMIC
TIMES, BECAUSE INDUSTRIAL AND
MANUFACTURING IMPORT ACTIVITIES
DO NOT CHANGE WITH GREAT
VARIABILITY, THEY ARE OUR BUOY
IN HARD ECONOMIC TIMES AND SO
WITH THIS SLIDE UP HERE, IF YOU
WERE TO HAVE PROPOSED SUCH A
CHANGE TO INDUSTRIAL LANDS,
WHETHER IT WAS HOUSING IN SOTO
OR ANY OTHER CHANGES, YOU
WOULD'VE PROPOSED THOSE
CHANGES IN WHAT IS BEFORE US
WITH THIS SLIDE DECK IN ONE OF
THESE THREE BUCKETS. IS THAT A
GENERAL ASSUMPTION? IF YOU WERE
TO HAVE CHANGED INDUSTRIAL
ZONING NOW , WOULD IT HAVE COME
IN THIS PROCESS?
>> I THINK OPCD HAS BEEN VERY
CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE
UPDATE OF THE COMP PLAN THAT WE
WERE NOT GOING TO BE
CONSIDERING CHANGES TO THE
INDUSTRIAL ZONES AND
MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL
CENTERS AND WE DID NOT , VERY
INTENTIONALLY, AND THE SCOPE
FOR THIS PROJECT, WE DID NOT
INCLUDE ANYTHING RELATING TO
INDUSTRIAL LANDS IN THAT SCOPE.
THAT WAS THE CLEAREST STATEMENT
FROM THE GET-GO OF THE BOUNDS
OF THIS PROJECT.
>> WOULD YOU SAY THAT IS
BECAUSE WE HAD JUST COMPLETED A
SIX-YEAR PROGRESS -- PROCESS
UPDATING THEM FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN 14 YEARS?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> TO ADD TO THAT I WOULD SAY
THE INDUSTRIAL MARITIME
STRATEGY WORK WE DID OVER THAT
PERIOD OF TIME WAS ESSENTIALLY
OUR FIRST INSTALLMENT AT A
COMPREHENSIVE FUNDRAISER UPDATE
BUT SPECIFIC TO THAT
DESIGNATION OF OUR TWO
MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL
CENTERS.
>> MAY I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER,
CHAIR?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THIS IS THE BACK AND FORTH
WITHOUT ASKING FOR THE
CONTINUED MAY I SPEAK TO CORAM
THAT CHAIR STRAUSS, WHEN HE WAS
GOING OVER THE BUDGET, WAS NOT
BEING FOLLOWED, BUT MORE TO THE
POINT, THIS IS A DISCUSSION
TAKING US A BIT OFF TRACK. IT
IS CLEAR THE REASON FOR THIS
DISCUSSION AND I'M NOT GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND REBUT AND GET
INTO A POLICY DISCUSSION ABOUT
LEGISLATION THAT WAS INTRODUCED
YESTERDAY. I JUST WOULD ASK
THAT WE CAN CONTINUE WITH OUR
DISCUSSION.
>> CHAIR, I'M ALMOST FINISHED.
>> ONE SECOND, PLEASE. I HEAR
VICE CHAIR STRAUSS HAS THE
FLOOR. I ALLOWED COUNCIL
PRESIDENT TO INTERVENE AND HAVE
A POINT OF ORDER. I'M GOING TO
CONTINUE WITH VICE-CHAIRR
STRAUSS JUST REAL QUICK. WE'RE
GOING INTO THE DETAILS. CAN WE
GET TO THE -- THANK YOU.
>> AMEN. YOUR POINT WELL TAKEN
THAT FROM THE GET-GO IN THIS
ROUND OF ZONING CHANGES, THAT
YOU ARE NOT PLANNING TO MAKE
CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL ZONES
BECAUSE OF THE SIX YEARS OF
WORK THAT HAD OCCURRED BEFORE.
IF YOU WERE TO MAKE CHANGES IN
THE INDUSTRIAL ZONES FROM THE
TIME THAT WE WRAP THAT UP OR
LET'S SAY THE NEXT SIX YEARS,
IS THIS FOR YOU WOULD'VE DONE
IT? IS THIS PROCESS FOR YOU
WOULD'VE MADE CHANGES TO
INDUSTRIAL LEVELS?
>> I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE
QUESTION YOU'RE ASKING. I
DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR
YOU SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER
PART OF OUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, VICE-CHAIR
STRAUSS. COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. JUST ONE
QUESTION. I HAVE HAD THREE
BRIEFINGS FROM OPCD , TWO
RELATED TO D 7 AND WHEN I
REQUESTED REGARDING THE PORT,
THAT YOU BASICALLY STATED ALL
THOSE POINTS THAT YOU MADE TO
ME AND YOU ACKNOWLEDGE TO ME
AND YOUR ANSWER TO MY QUESTION
THAT THE MARITIME INDUSTRIAL
LAND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ,
COLLECTING OPCD AND INDUSTRIAL
POLICY, CORRECT?
>> SORRY, I'M GOING TO REPEAT
THAT BACK
>> SURE I GET IT RIGHT. WE MADE
A MAJOR -- TOOK A MAJOR REZONE
ACTION RELATED TO MANUFACTURING
AND INDUSTRIAL CENTERS, WHICH
YOU ALL ADOPTED IN 2013 .
BECAUSE WE DID THAT AT THAT
TIME, WE DID NOT CONTEMPLATE
ADDITIONAL CHANGES AS A PART OF
THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN , EIS.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS
PRESENTATION. IT HAS ACTUALLY
BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL. YOU
KNOW, I AM NOT A BIG FAN OF A
LOT OF THESE THINGS BUT IN
LOOKING AT SLIDE 21, ALL OF
THOSE OPTIONS -- ONE OF THOSE
THINGS THAT I UNDERSTAND HB
1110 DOES REQUIRE THE HOUSING
TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE
NATURE, CHARACTER, AND SCALE OF
THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WHEN WE
ARE LOOKING AT SINGLE-FAMILY
NEIGHBORHOODS, A LOT OF THEM
TEND TO BE ONE OR TWO STORIES
AND LOOKING AT THE OPTIONS THAT
ARE PUT HERE ON 21, THOSE SEEM
TO BE REALLY CONSISTENT AT
LEAST VISUALLY WITH NATURE,
CHARACTER AND SCALE OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SO I AM
INTERESTED -- BUT THEN YOUR
COMMENTS ABOUT BASICALLY WE
NEED FIVE STORIES FOR
APARTMENTS TO PENCIL OUT AGAIN,
THE THINGS THAT I CONTINUE TO
FOCUS ON, HOW DO WE GET
AFFORDABILITY ? HOW DO WE GET
HOMEOWNERSHIP? HB 1110 IS ALONG
FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
OPTIONS, SO HOW DO WE
INCENTIVIZE? HOW DO WE GET
AROUND THE NEED TO HAVE FIVE
STORIES IN ORDER TO INCENTIVIZE
THE BUILDING OF THESE KINDS OF
OPTIONS, WHICH I THINK DO
CREATE THE KIND OF DIVERSITY
AND HARMONIZATION WITH
SINGLE-FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS ?
THAT IS ONE QUESTION IN MY
SECOND QUESTION IS, SO YOU ARE
SAYING THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO SEND
US, WHAT WE ARE REALLY AIMING
FOR THERE IS TO GET TO FIVE AND
SIX STORY SO WE CAN GET
APARTMENT BUILDINGS. MY
QUESTION IS, IS THAT FIFTH AND
SIXTH STORY GOING TO ACTUALLY
BE MANDATED TO BE AFFORDABLE AT
60 OR 80% AMI?
>> GREAT, YES. IN TERMS OF
THESE HOUSING TYPES, YOU KNOW,
THESE REPRESENT A WIDE RANGE OF
BOTH ATTACHED AND DETACHED
UNITS, THINGS LIKE TOWNHOUSES.
IT IS EASY TO GET THAT TYPE OF
DIVERSITY IN A WIDE VARIETY OF
ZONES BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL
OWNERSHIP UNITS WHERE YOU CAN
OWN FROM THE FLOOR TO THE
CEILING. THE CHALLENGE BECOMES
WHEN YOU START STACKING THINGS
AND WHEN YOU STACK UNITS THERE
IS A WIDE VARIETY OF NEW
REQUIREMENTS THAT COME INTO
PLACE . THOSE ARE THINGS --
SOME OF THEM ARE STATE
REQUIREMENTS LIKE CONDO
LIABILITY LAW , WHICH HAD
SUBSTANTIAL COST. SOME OF THOSE
ARE BUILDING CODE ISSUES YOU
KNOW, INCREASED FIRE
PROTECTION, SPRINKLERS,
HALLWAYS , OR STAIRS AND SOME
OF THOSE ARE MARKET FACTORS ,
YOU KNOW. YOU NEED TO HAVE MORE
INSULATION BETWEEN FLOORS IN
ORDER TO PREVENT THE NOISE AND
FOR ALL THOSE REASONS , WHEN
YOU START STACKING, IT HAS A
LOT OF ADDITIONAL COST SO YOU
HAVE TO HAVE LARGER BILLING TO
MAKE THOSE COSTS IS SATISFIED.
ALSO THERE IS IN A PLAY WITH
PARKING REQUIREMENTS YOU KNOW.
IT'S EASY TO FIND SPACE FOR
TWO TO FOUR UNITS. IF YOU ARE
DOING SOMETHING LOWRISE. ONCE
YOU GET ABOVE THAT YOU HAVE TO
DO IT UNDERGROUND SO ALSO ONCE
YOU GET INTO THE UNDERGROUND
PARKING , THERE IS A LOT MORE
THERE SO I GUESS THE MAJOR
FACTORS THAT YOU KNOW, THAT
PEOPLE CAN PLAY WITH YOU KNOW,
OBVIOUSLY WE CAN LOBBY THE
STATE FOR THINGS LIKE REFORM.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE CAN
DO LIKE THINKING ABOUT REDUCING
OR REMOVING PARKING
REQUIREMENTS. THERE ARE ALSO
BUILDING CODE THINGS. THERE'S
KIND OF A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS
YOU CAN DO TO MAKE IT EASIER TO
BUILD STACKED FLATS, THAT THERE
ARE SOME BIG HURDLES THERE SO
THAT IS WHY AS IT IS TODAY,
THAT BALANCE IS ENOUGH THAT YOU
REALLY HALF TO START GETTING TO
THE FIFTH FLOOR BEFORE IT MAKES
SENSE.
>> SO THE OTHER QUESTION YOU
HAD WAS ABOUT THE FIVE TO SIX
STORIES IN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
AND AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS.
IT IS MARKET RATE HOUSING .
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE SOUND
STRAIGHT UP FIVE TO SIX, BUT
THOSE ARE AREAS WHERE WE ARE
PROPOSING TO EXTEND THE
MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
PROGRAM AND SO THAT WILL BE
APPLICABLE IN THOSE AREAS WHERE
WE ARE ZONING HIGHER BEYOND HB
1110 SO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS AND ARTERIALS.
>> OKAY. THAT IS INTERESTING
BECAUSE THE LAST SLIDE SAYS NHA
WOULD CONTINUE NOT TO APPLY TO
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
ZONING, SO YOU'RE SAYING IT
WILL APPLY ?
>> NO. WHERE THE FIVE AND SIX
STORIES ARE BEING ZONED IS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IN THE
LONG SELECT ARTERIALS, THAT IS
FOR MULTI-FAMILY ZONING. THAT
IS WHERE WE ARE PROPOSING TO
EXTEND NHA. WE ARE NOT
PROPOSING TO EXTEND NHA AND
WHAT WE ARE CALLING THE URBAN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONING
CURRENTLY FOR HB 1110 WILL TAKE
EFFECT SO HB 1110 IS FOUR UNITS
ON ANY PARCEL , OR SIX, IF TWO
OF THOSE ARE AFFORDABLE, SO
THAT IN SOME WAYS THIS SORT OF
ALREADY AND INCLUSIONARY ZONING
STANDARDS AND SIX WITHIN A
QUARTER-MILE OF MAJOR TRANSIT,
SO WE ARE NOT PROPOSING ON
THOSE IF SOMEONE BUILDS SIX
UNITS WITHIN A QUARTER-MILE
MAJOR TRANSIT THAT ANY OF THOSE
HAVE TO BE AFFORDABLE. WE DO
HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
BONUS WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS
SEPARATELY AND THAT IS
APPLICABLE TO ANY PARCEL.
>> SO, THE AREAS YOU ARE
PROPOSING TO THAT YOU HAVE
DESIGNATED AS NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS, MHA WOULD APPLY IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER? OKAY. AND
WOULD THAT BE ON SITE
PERFORMANCE, OR WOULD THAT BE
IN LIEU?
>> THE PROGRAM DOES NOT
DISTINGUISH OR REQUIRE ONE WAY
OR THE OTHER, SO IT WOULD BE UP
TO THE DEVELOPER TO DECIDE HOW
THEY WANT TO EXECUTE ON THAT.
>> OKAY. ASIDE FROM THAT, HOW
DO WE INCENTIVIZE THESE OTHER
BUILDING TYPES FOR
AFFORDABILITY AND OWNERSHIP SO
WE ARE NOT RUNNING INTO THIS
NEED TO GET TO FIVE IN ORDER
FOR IT TO PENCIL OUT.
>> CAN I ASK FOR CLARIFICATION?
THE QUESTION IS, WHEN YOU SAY
THESE NEW TYPES, ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT
COMMERCE TYPES?
>> LIKE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE ON
21. ALL OF THOSE. HOW DO WE
WORK WITH DEVELOPERS TO GET
THESE THINGS BUILT RATHER THAN
APARTMENT BUILDINGS, FIVE AND
SIX STORY APARTMENT BUILDINGS
IN CURRENT RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE I THINK
THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF BUY-IN
TO THESE OTHER TYPES OF HOUSING
. WHAT I AM HEARING IS IT IS
NOT PENCILING OUT. THAT'S WHY
WE HAVE TO GO FOR THE APARTMENT
BUILDINGS. HOW DO WE HELP THE
CITY AND DEVELOPERS MAKE THESE
PENCIL OUT SO THAT WE HAVE GOT
BETTER DIVERSITY, BETTER
OWNERSHIP, BETTER AFFORDABILITY
, NATURE, SCALE AND CHARACTER
HUMANIZATION?
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I WILL OFFER
ONE PIECE JUST RECALLING
ANOTHER SLIDE THAT BRENNON
COVERED ON THE STACKED FLAT
BONUS, SO THAT VERY
INTENTIONALLY IS JUST SUCH AN
INCENTIVE WITH REGARD TO
STACKED FLATS ESSENTIALLY
PROVIDING MORE FLEXIBILITY TO
BUILD LARGER STRUCTURE , OTHER
RELAXATION, DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS THAT WOULD WE HOPE
INCENTIVIZE STACKED FLATS AND
SELECTED LOCATIONS, GREATER
THAN 6000 SQUARE FOOT LOT AND
NEARBY TRANSIT. THAT IS AN
INCENTIVE INCLUDED IN THIS
PROPOSAL. I WILL SAY ALSO
GENERALLY, THE LEGISLATION THAT
WILL BE COMING TO YOU,
ESPECIALLY THE LEGISLATION AND
MAY , THE SECOND ROUND OF
ZONING LEGISLATION IN ADDITION
TO THE MAP CHANGES IN NUCLEAR
CENTERS IN THE LONG CORRIDORS
THAT WE WENT THROUGH A VERY
THOUGHTFUL PROCESS OF LOOKING
AT EXISTING LOWRISE ZONES FOR
EXAMPLE AND TWEAKING SOME OF
THOSE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS TO
MAKE IT EASIER TO BUILD STACKED
FLATS , FOUR, FIVE, SIX STORY,
IN THAT RANGE, MORE EASILY SO
THOSE ARE STEPS WE HAVE TAKEN
WITH THE PROPOSAL YOU WILL BE
LOOKING AT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CAN I ADD TO THAT? I THINK
IN NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
ZONES, THESE ARE ZONES THAT
HAVE THREE-STORY HEIGHT LIMITS,
I THINK THESE TYPES ARE THE
THINGS THAT WILL NATURALLY
OCCUR. THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE WILL
BAILED -- BUILD. THE IDEA
THOUGH IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF
THE CITY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE
SOLD NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
SO WE WOULD CONTINUE TO SEE
THESE IN THE MAJORITY OF THE
CITY. THE IDEA IS THEY WOULD
ALSO, IN THIS TYPE OF
DEVELOPMENT, IT IS ALMOST
ENTIRELY HOMEOWNERSHIP AND
BECAUSE IT IS HOMEOWNERSHIP IT
IS AFFORDABLE TO HIGHER INCOME
FAMILIES GENERALLY SO WE ALSO
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WILL GET
APARTMENTS AND CONDOS WHICH
HAVE A LOWER COST AND ALLOW FOR
PEOPLE TO LIVE ON A SINGLE
FLOOR AND THAT IS WHY THAT
MIGHT OCCUR IN THOSE OTHER
ZONES, SO LIKE THE LOWRISE
ZONES .
>> I APPRECIATE THAT BUT ALSO
THINK IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO MAKE HOMEOWNERSHIP
AFFORDABLE AND REACHABLE TO
PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOT NORMALLY
BE ABLE TO, AND ALL OF THESE
OTHER MODELS WOULD WORK BOTH AS
CONDO AND CO-OPS, SO THAT IS
ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO BE
THINKING ABOUT, IS HOW ARE WE
EXPANDING OUR OWNERSHIP MODELS
SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE WHO
WOULD NOT NORMALLY BE IN THE
HIGHER INCOME BECAUSE I MEAN I
GUESS I WOULD PUSH BACK A
LITTLE BIT AND THAT I AM NOT
SEEING THIS KIND OF
DEVELOPMENT. WHAT I'M SAYING
IS TOWNHOUSES STARTING AT SEVEN
AND 800,000. YOU KNOW, WHAT
MANY , MANY PEOPLE CANNOT
AFFORD. HOW DO WE BUILD THINGS
PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN AND HOW
DO WE HELP SUBSIDIZE THAT AT A
HIGHER LEVEL , SO THOSE ARE
THINGS SPINNING AROUND IN MY
MIND. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOORE. I HEAR THE SAME THING.
WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A CITY TO
HELP STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS
AND WHEN I TALK TO FOLKS, I
TALK ABOUT THE PERMITTING
PROCESS OR IF THEY ARE
DEVELOPING A PROPERTY THEY HAVE
TO DO REPLACE A WATER MAIN AND
THAT ADDS TO THE COST, OR HOW
LONG IT TAKES FOR THEM TO GET A
METER INSTALLED IN ALL THIS
STUFF GOES INTO THE COST WHEN
YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING, AND THAT
HITS THE BOTTOM LINE SO
ANYWAYS, I HEAR THAT. WHAT ARE
WE DOING AS A CITY TO ADD COST
TO THE HOUSING THAT MAKES IT
UNAFFORDABLE FOR FOLKS IS WHAT
I HEAR YOU SAY. I DON'T WANT
TO REPEAT BACK WHAT YOU SAID
BUT COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
STAFF FOR BEING HERE. I'M GOING
TO ASK A QUESTION BECAUSE I
HAVE HEARD A LOT FROM
CONSTITUENTS AND SO I WANT TO
ASK IT IN A WAY THAT I THINK I
KNOW THE ANSWER BUT I JUST WANT
TO MAKE SURE I AM ACCURATE AND
REALLY MORSELS -- MORE SO FOLKS
UNDERSTAND. PAGE 21 ARE ALL
EXAMPLES OF HB 1110. THIS IS
ALL NOW ALLOWABLE UNDER THE
STATE LEGISLATURE REQUIREMENTS
THAT WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH. WE
DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.
>> CLOSE. THERE IS A BIT OF A
NEW WANTS. THIS SLIDE SHOWS
NINE TYPES OF METAL HOUSING.
TECHNICALLY, HB 1110 REQUIRES
THAT WE ALLOW SEVEN OUT OF THE
NINE. BUT, THIS IS A RANGE OF
UNIT TYPES THAT WE ACTUALLY
GENERALLY ALLOW IN MANY PLACES
IN THE CITY ANYWAY, ON THIS
PROPOSAL JUST SIMPLIFIES IT. WE
DO ALL MINE. IT WOULD BE NEARLY
IDENTICAL LEGISLATION IF WE
RESTRICTED ONE OR TWO OF THESE,
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT NUANCED
THERE.
>> THANK YOU. WHICH TWO OF
THESE ARE NOT ALLOWED UNDER HB
1110? THERE ARE TWO OF THESE
THAT ARE NOT HB 1110 THAT WE
ARE PROPOSING AS PART OF THE
COMP PLAN?
>> NO. I APOLOGIZE, LET ME TAKE
ANOTHER CUT AT IT. HB 1110 HAS
SOME COMPLICATED PROVISIONS SO
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS
CLEAR. THE STATE LAW IDENTIFIES
ALL NINE OF THE TYPES THAT YOU
SEE ON THIS SLIDE AND THEN IT
SAYS WE MUST ALLOW AT LEAST
SEVEN OF THE NINE . THAT
ESSENTIALLY LEAVES IT UP TO THE
DISCRETION OF THE CITY WHICH
SEVEN THAT IT MUST PERMIT AND
ALL OF ITS RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
>> TO ME, MY ORIGINAL WAS ALL
OF THESE ARE ALLOWED UNDER HB
1110 AND THE ANSWER IS YES AND
SO ONE THING IS, AND COUNCIL
MEMBER MOORE TALKED ABOUT THIS,
THE CHARACTER. IT IS IN THE
LEGISLATION THAT WHAT YOU BUILD
HAS TO BE IN LINE WITH THE
CHARACTER OF WHAT IS EXISTING
CURRENTLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND SO FOLKS ARE ASKING ME
WELL, THEN HOW CAN WE BE
ALLOWING IN THESE NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS EVEN MORE UPSET BECAUSE
THAT IS NOT IN LINE WITH WHAT
IS CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, SO IT IS OUT OF
CHARACTER AND THEN IT IS NOT IN
COMPLIANCE WITH HB 1110 AND I
THINK THAT IS BECAUSE WE CAN GO
HIGHER THAN HB 1110, NOT LOWER,
AND SO IT IS TRUE THAT IS NOT
CAPTURED IN HB 1110 BUT WE CAN
DO IT ANYWAY BECAUSE WE CAN GO
STRONGER THAN THE STATE AND I
SEE CENTRAL STAFF NODDING AND
THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I
THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT
UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE ARE
ONLY TO DO HB 1110 YES,
EVERYTHING THAN UNDER HB 1110
WOULD HAVE TO STAY WITHIN THE
CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
BUT IN THE COMP PLAN, WE ARE
GOING FURTHER THAN HB 1110,
WHICH IS WHY YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE
OF THAT CHARACTER PIECE AND I
JUST -- I'M NOT TAKING A
POSITION HERE. I JUST WANT
CLARITY FOR CONSTITUENTS
BECAUSE THIS IS THE PIECE THAT
AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE FOUND
FRUSTRATING, BECAUSE MY
CONSTITUENTS HAVE ALSO FOUND IT
FRUSTRATING AND ARE COMING TO
US WITH THESE QUESTIONS AND
CONCERNS. I JUST WANT TO GIVE
THE INFORMATION SO PEOPLE ARE
VERY CLEAR ON WHAT WE ARE
PROPOSING, AND THERE IS NOT
ANYTHING IN HERE THAT IS
SOMEHOW HIDDEN OR INCONSISTENT
WITH THE STATE BECAUSE I HAVE
HEARD PEOPLE SAY TO ME WELL,
THIS IS NOT TRUE WHAT YOU GUYS
ARE DOING OR WHAT THE CITY IS
DOING IS NOT ALLOWABLE. I JUST
WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR SO
PEOPLE HAVE THE ACCURATE
INFORMATION.
>> JUST ONE POINT OF CLARITY.
HB 1110 DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT
THE NEW DEVELOPMENT MUST BE
CONSISTENT WITH THE EXISTING
CHARACTER OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.
RATHER, IT REQUIRES THAT WE
ALLOW MIDDLE HOUSING AND
DEFINES LITTLE HOUSING AS
HOUSING THAT IS OF A SCALE THAT
IS GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH IT
SO THAT MEANS A THREE-STORY
HEIGHT LIMIT. NOT HEIGHT LIMITS
FOR NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL .
IT IS ANYTHING THAT IS THREE
STORIES OR LESS THEY DEFINE AS
HOUSING SO THERE IS NOT A
REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE TO
REVIEW DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE SURE
IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE
SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST
THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ALLOW
DEVELOPMENT IN THE THREE-STORY
CONTEXT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. I KNOW THAT WE WERE
ON SLIDE 26? NO, I LIED. 29.
>> THIS IS NEARLY OUR LAST
SLIDE . WE CAN PERHAPS COVER
THE LAST TWO THEN GET
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. THE
PURPOSE OF THIS SLIDE, BASED ON
-- THERE IS A LOT OF DETAIL IN
THE SLIDES, YOU HAVE HEARD
TODAY. SOME OF THOSE DETAILS
ARE INCLUDED IN OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SOME ARE IN
DIFFERENT PIECES OF ZONING
LEGISLATION, SO THIS SLIDE IS
JUST TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF
WHERE THE DIFFERENT PIECES
RESIDE IN THE LEGISLATION YOU
WILL BE CONSIDERING THIS
YEAR'S THE FIRST THERE IS THE
ADOPTION LEGISLATION FOR THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN . THE ISSUES
BEFORE YOU AND THE DECISIONS
YOU WILL BE MAKING AND ADOPTING
WITH THAT PLAN OF THE GROWTH
STRATEGY AND THE FUTURE LAND
USE MAP. THAT IS A VERY HIGH
LEVEL MAP YOU SAW ON SOME OF
THE SLIDES TODAY. FOR EXAMPLE,
IT SHOWS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
AS A SINGLE COLOR, A SIMPLIFIED
METHOD INDICATES DIFFERENT
AREAS OF THE CITY AND THEIR
ROLE AS WE ARE PLANNING FOR
GROWTH. WE HAVE BOUNDARIES FOR
THE EXPANSIONARY IS A
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS THEMSELVES
. BECAUSE YOU WILL BE
CONSIDERING ZONING LEGISLATION
LATER THIS YEAR, EFFECTIVELY,
THOSE ARE IN A SENSE,
PRELIMINARY BOUNDARIES. WE WILL
CONTINUE TO CONSIDER THE
DENSITY AND THE EXTENT OF
HIGHER ZONING CHANGES AS YOU
PROCEED THROUGH PIECES OF
LEGISLATION. YOU WILL ALSO BE
APPROVING POLICIES THAT
DESCRIBE EACH TYPE OF AREA AND
ITS ROLE IN HOUSING, GENERALLY
THE SCALE. THREE TO SIX
STORIES, THOSE THINGS ARE IN
THE COMP PLAN. SECOND IS HOUSE
BILL 1110. THAT IS NEARLY
ENTIRELY JUST ADOPTING NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONING
THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH THE NEW
STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND THAT
HAS THOSE ADDITIONAL PIECES
LIKE INCENTIVES, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING BONUS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT TODAY AND THEN
THE THIRD PIECE OF LEGISLATION
IS THAT SECOND ROUND OF THE
ZONING LEGISLATION WHICH WE ARE
CALLING CENTERS AND CORRIDORS,
AND THAT IS PRIMARILY THE MAP
CHANGES THAT THE NEW ZONING
MAPS -- MUCH MORE DETAILED FOR
AREAS WE ARE PROPOSING TO
EXPAND EXISTING URBAN AND
REGIONAL CENTERS ALONG FREQUENT
TRANSIT CORRIDORS. THOSE ARE
THE MAPS WE WENT OUT INTO THE
PUBLIC WITHIN THE FALL . THAT
LEGISLATION WILL HAVE A VERSION
OF THOSE MAPS, A REVISED
VERSION. WE ARE TAKING IN ,
RIGHT NOW AND PUTTING A REVISED
VERSION BACK AND THAT
LEGISLATION THEN AS I
MENTIONED, SOME MODEST, MINOR
CHANGES TO EXISTING CODE IN
LOWRISE AND OTHER ZONES TO
PROMOTE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
JUST KIND OF CLEANUP AND MAKE
OUR CODE MORE HOUSING FRIENDLY.
THAT WILL BE IN THAT PIECE OF
LEGISLATION. THAT IS FOR YOU
WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO REALLY
LOOK IN DETAIL AT THE GEOGRAPHY
OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
>> THEN THE GOAL HERE NOW
THROUGH JUNE IS TO MAKE A STATE
DEADLINE FOR HOUSE BILL 1110.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS WE NEED TO
HAPPEN LEGISLATIVELY TO MEET
THAT DEADLINE. ADOPT A
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ADOPT
THE FIRST PIECE OF ZONING
LEGISLATION WITH NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL. WE
WOULD HAVE MORE TIME AS A CITY
TO ADOPT A SECOND PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, CENTERS AND
CORRIDORS. THE SCHEDULE, WHICH
WE DEVELOP WITH CENTRAL STAFF,
AIMS TO COMPLETE THAT PROCESS
BEFORE THE BUDGET SEASON IN THE
FALL , SO MAYBE ACTION IN
SEPTEMBER OR SO. THAT IS THE
GAME PLAN. OBVIOUSLY WE ARE
GETTING STARTED WITH IT NOW AND
IT IS CERTAINLY SUBJECT TO
CHANGE, DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS
GO.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU. BEFORE
WE HAVE PEOPLE JUMP IN THE
SECOND QUESTIONS I KNOW COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE NOT HAD
YOUR TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS. I
DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE THIS
TIME IF COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK
AND COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA HAVE
QUESTIONS AS WELL AND WE WILL
START WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT
NELSON.
>> THIS IS A FAST ONE. SORRY IF
YOU MENTIONED THIS ALREADY, BUT
HAS THE EIS BEEN PUBLISHED?
>> IT HAS NOT. IT WILL BE BY
THE END OF THIS MONTH. WE ARE
WORKING VERY HARD WITH OUR
CONSULTANTS TO GET OVER THE
FINISH LINE.
>> AWESOME. I THINK IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL IF YOU ALL COULD TALK
ABOUT THE WINDOW FOR THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY, THE
14-DAY WINDOW IN WHICH IT IS
RELEASED, AND THE PUBLIC CAN
COMMENT AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
REGARDING THE TIMELINE, AS
WELL?
>> ONCE THE EIS IS RELEASED
THERE IS A 14-DAY PERIOD IN
WHICH ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC
COULD APPEAL THE FINDINGS OF
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT. THAT APPEAL WOULD GO
TO THE SEATTLE HEARING EXAMINER
AND STATE LAW SAYS THAT YOU
SHOULD NOT ACT ON LEGISLATION
THAT IS STUDIED UNDER THE EIS
UNTIL THE APPEAL IS RESOLVED.
>> TO BE CLEAR, THERE IS NO
COMMENT PERIOD? THERE IS A
COMMENT PERIOD AFTER THE DRAFT
AND NO FINAL OR CHANGE AFTER
THE DRAFT?
>> THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME.
PEOPLE STILL WILL COMMENT ON IT
BUT THAT WINDOW HAS BEEN
ALREADY GONE AND PASSED
ALREADY. THIS IS A FINAL THAT
PEOPLE CAN APPEAL DURING THAT
14-DAY WINDOW. THANK YOU. ARE
THERE QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER
RINCK, WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED OF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA? NO? EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE.
HEY, I'M JUST SHOCKED. ALSO,
DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE
GROWTH STRATEGY, AS WELL? NO?
OKAY. THANK YOU. VICE-CHAIR
STRAUSS.
>> THANKS. THIS IS JUST
FOLLOWING UP ON PUTTING MY
SOUND TRANSIT BOARD MEMBER HAD
ON FOLLOWING UP ON A
CONVERSATION I HAD IT BRIEFING
THE OTHER DAY ABOUT THE
PINEHURST HOWLER LAKE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND THIS NEW
CENTER. IT IS BEING ACCOMPANIED
BY THE NEW LIGHT RAIL STATION,
THE DEBORAH OR IS STATION SO I
THINK WE NEED TO CHANGE THE
NAME OF THAT CENTER TO DEBORAH
JUAREZ. THANK YOU FOR NOT
LAUGHING AT MY BAD JOKES. IN
ALL REALITY, NEXT WEEK WHILE WE
ARE HERE HAVING INTERVIEWS WITH
POTENTIAL APPLICANTS TO FILL IN
THE VACANT POSITION, SOUND
TRANSIT WILL BE FINALIZING THE
NAME FOR THAT STATION, WHICH IS
SIMPLY PINEHURST AND SO
COUNCILMEMBER MORE, WE SHOULD
WORK TOGETHER. THIS IS PROBABLY
ONE OF THE MORE UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY
BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO HAVE A
LOT OF CHANGE AND IT IS A
BRAND-NEW STATION THAT IS NOT
OPEN RIGHT NOW AND SO , BY
NAMING THE STATION , IT HAS
IMPLICATIONS ON NAMING THE
COMMUNITY. THE COMMUNITY NEEDS
TO BE IN CONTROL OF THAT NAME
AND I WILL SAY THE RESULTS FROM
THE SURVEY REGARDING THE NAME
WERE PRETTY CLEAR. IT WAS
EITHER PINEHURST OR PINEHURST
1/30. PINEHURST IS A LITTLE BIT
MORE CLEAR SO I JUST RAISE THAT
TODAY. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT
IT BRIEFLY ON THE DAIS BUT I
WANTED TO RAISE THAT. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, AND BEFORE I JUMP INTO
ANY OF MY QUESTIONS I WANT TO
MAKE SURE ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES
-- I'M NOT SEEING ANY HANDS.
ABSOLUTELY, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE.
>> CHAIR, THANK YOU, AND I
DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO
ALL THOSE WHO HAVE COME TO DO
PUBLIC COMMENT. I APPRECIATE
IT, TO YOUR POINT, AT THE VERY
BEGINNING, THIS IS A FRAUGHT
TOPIC AREA. IT GOES TO
EVERYONE'S HEART, SO I DO
APPRECIATE IT. CLEARLY, WE NEED
TO DENSIFY, BUT CLEARLY ALSO WE
HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION
SOME PIECES AND SO WHILE I AM
FOR DENSIFICATION , PLAN THE
FIVE GUY AND THE REST I DO
RECOGNIZE SOME UNIQUE
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY EXIST ,
LIKE SOMEBODY MENTIONED, SLOPES
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THERE
ARE SOME PIECES THAT -- YOU
KNOW, SOME TWEAKS MAY BE IN
ORDER BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO
MOVE FORWARD. I APPRECIATE THE
PUBLIC COMMENTS EVERYONE HAS
MADE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU. I TOO WANTED TO
THANK EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP
TODAY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND
ALSO WANTED TO SAY WE JUST GOT
THE COMP PLAN AND ALL THE
TRANSPORTATION CLIMATE, THE
INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS THAT
ACCOMPANY IT, THE WHOLE THING
IS ABOUT 360 PAGES, SO JUST
REALLY FOR THE PUBLIC'S
AWARENESS, WE ARE REVIEWING AND
READING THROUGH THAT VERY
LENGTHY PLAN, WHICH IS PROBABLY
WHY I, FOR MY PART, DO NOT HAVE
MORE QUESTIONS TODAY, BUT WILL,
AND I KNOW WE WILL BE MEETING
WITH OPCD INDIVIDUAL IN COUNCIL
OFFICES TO CONTINUE TO DIG
THROUGH THIS INFORMATION AND
ASK QUESTIONS SO I DON'T WANT
TO LEAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT WE
DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
THAT THIS IS IT. WE ARE
CONTINUING TO ENGAGE. WE HAVE A
LOT. WE ARE GETTING THROUGH ALL
THIS READING OF THIS COMP PLAN
AND WE WILL CONTINUE THE
ENGAGEMENT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA. BEFORE WE CONTINUE AND
CLOSEOUT I JUST WANT TO HAVE A
COUPLE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS WHAT
I HAVE HEARD TODAY FROM MY
COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE MET WITH
MOST OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY. I
THINK I HAVE ONE MORE MEETING
WITH A COUPLE OF FOLKS BUT WHAT
I HEARD TODAY OBVIOUSLY
MARITIME LAND AND INDUSTRIAL
LANDS ARE IMPORTANT. WE HAVE
HEARD THAT. NUMBER TWO , HEARD
FROM THE COMMENTS REGARDING HOW
DO WE INCENTIVIZE MORE STACKED
FLATS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF
HOUSING, NOT JUST TOWNHOMES.
I'M TALKING TO PEOPLE . IT IS
REALLY DIFFICULT FOR OUR OLDER
SEASONED FOLKS -- MY PARENTS
TOLD ME DON'T CALL THE MOLD,
CALL THEM SEASONED -- SEASONED
FOLKS TO GET UP AND DOWN THE
STAIRS OR IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY
OR TODDLER YOU KNOW, IT IS
THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS.
THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT, SO
INCENTIVIZING STACKED FLATS. I
HEARD THAT AND I HAVE HEARD
ABOUT WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS
AND ALSO , TOO, WHICH I DON'T
WANT US TO FORGET AND I MADE A
COMMENT TO CENTRAL STAFF
REGARDING THIS , IS OUR ABILITY
TO WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. I KNOW WE DO NOT
GOVERN WITH THEM, BUT WE HAVE A
LOW ENROLLMENT WITH A LOT OF
THE SCHOOLS AROUND SEATTLE AND
THAT IS BECAUSE FAMILIES JUST
CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE, AND
WE DON'T INCENTIVIZE TWO OR
THREE BEDROOM HOMES AND
APARTMENTS OR CONDOS IN
SEATTLE, AND HOW THAT IS GOING
TO -- OUR SOCIETY IS GOING TO
ONLY EXIST WITH THE NEW
GENERATION AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND
FAMILIES AND PEOPLE BEING ABLE
TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ON THE
NOT HEALTH OR SCHOOL DISTRICT,
SO I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR
THE FAMILY HOUSING PIECE, WHICH
I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
AND THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM YOU
AS WELL . ANYWAYS, AS WE WRAP
THIS UP, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE
PRESENTATION. I KNOW WE HAD A
LOT OF PEOPLE COME AND TALK TO
PUBLIC COMMENT. I PLAN TO WALK
ALL OF THE PROPOSED
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS THAT ARE
IN OUR DISTRICT SO I CAN
UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING AT AND JUST PHYSICALLY
GET OUT THERE AND SEE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO JUST HANG
ON FOR THAT. THAT IS COMING
FROM ME IN DISTRICT 3. THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. OUR
NEXT MEETING IS JANUARY 29th .
WE ARE STILL WORKING ON -- I
KNOW YOU ALL HAVE PROPOSED LIKE
FOUR SPICY TOPICS. THAT IS A
LOT TO HANDLE. LIKE MHA
ENTRIES, THAT ALONE IS LIKE A
FIVE DAY PRESENTATION.
>> I THINK WE ACTUALLY AMENDED
THAT TO BE CLEAR, TO JUST FOCUS
ON DISPLACEMENT, THE PUBLIC
ENGAGEMENT, AND WE ACTUALLY
WERE NOT PLANNING ON BRINGING
ANYTHING BACK ON MHA BEYOND
WHAT WE PRESENTED TODAY UNLESS
YOU WANT TO SPEND MORE TIME ON
THAT ISSUE. AND THEN, WE ARE
HAPPY TO TEE UP A DISCUSSION ON
TREES IF YOU WOULD LIKE, BUT I
WOULD SUGGEST WE MAYBE FIND
ANOTHER COMMITTEE TIME FOR THAT
ONE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE ARE A LOT
OF SPICY TOPICS AND I'M
TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES, TOO,
TO FIND OUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT
TO YOU ALL AND WHAT EXTRA
COMMITTEE TIME YOU WANT TO
SPEND TALKING ABOUT CERTAIN
TOPICS SO LET ME KNOW AND I
WILL BE WORKING WITH OPCD AND
CENTRAL STAFF IN CREATING AND
CRAFTING THAT. THANK YOU,
EVERYONE. WITH THAT, IF WE
DON'T HAVE ANY ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA FOR TODAY, DO ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY MORE ITEMS
OF BUSINESS FOR THIS SELECT
COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE, THIS
CONCLUDES OUR JANUARY 15
MEETING OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE
OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THE
NEXT MEETING IS JANUARY 29th AT
2:00 P.M., SUBJECT TO CHANGE,
AS WELL. BUT 2:00 P.M. PLEASE
PLAN ON THAT. IF NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, THIS MEETING WILL
ADJOURNED. HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.