>> [ MUSIC ]
>> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. THE
MARCH 19, 2026 MEETING OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL COME TO
ORDER. IT IS 2:07 P.M. I AM
EDDIE LIN. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE NINE MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. GOOD
AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THANK YOU
ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING TO THIS
THURSDAY AFTERNOON MEETING TO
DISCUSS PHASE TWO OF SEATTLE'S
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS. AS
ALWAYS, THANK YOU TO OUR CITY
CLERK, CENTRAL STAFF FOR HELPING
US PREPARE FOR THIS MEETING. WE
WILL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT. MAC. PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA OR WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THIS COMMITTEE. CLERK, HOW MANY
SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE SEVEN IN
PERSON SPEAKERS AND 12 REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES. WE WILL START WITH IN
PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MONITORED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. 60 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE
ORDER THEY REGISTERED. IN PERSON
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED FIRST ,
AFTER WHICH WE WILL MOVE TO
REMOTE SPEAKERS. SPEAKERS WILL
HEAR A CHIME 110 SECONDS ARE
LEFT. SPEAKERS MICROPHONES WILL
BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END
COMMENTS IN THE ALLOTTED TIME.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST, SANDY
.
>> GOING TO TAKE A SHORT PERSON
ONE. HI. I AM SANDY WITH TREE
ACTION SEATTLE TALKING ABOUT THE
COMP PLAN. AS CURRENTLY
PROPOSED, ALL URBAN CENTERS AND
NEARLY ALL NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
ARE LIMITED TO ZONING THAT
ALLOWS 85 TO 100% OF EACH LOT TO
BE COVERED WITH PAVEMENT AND
BUILDINGS. THE ONLY TREES WHICH
WILL BE ALLOWED IN THESE CENTERS
ARE STREET TREES , BUT SDOT
ALREADY TOLD US IN 2025 ANALYSIS
THAT THE CITY DOES NOT OWN
ENOUGH LAND TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL
DIFFERENCE IN TREE CANOPY EVEN
IF WE DE-PAVE AND PLANT TREES ON
EVERY INCH. WE NEED TO CHOOSE
PURPOSE OVER PAVEMENT. OUR DENSE
FORESTS FOR DENSE HOUSING
PROPOSAL USES THE AMENITY AREA,
WHICH RIGHT NOW IS PAVED AND
TURNS IT INTO DENSE FOREST,
BRINGING SHADE, COOLING, AND
HEALTH BENEFITS TO PEOPLE WHERE
THEY LIVE. IF WE DON'T ADD
TREES TO OUR CENTERS, SEATTLE
WILL PILE MORE HARM ON
OVERBEARING COMMUNITIES. THE
CURRENT PLAN LOOKS IN THE
LARGEST URBAN HEAT ISLAND IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST STRETCHING
FROM THE CENTRAL DISTRICT ALL
THE WAY TO RAINIER BEACH. BIG
SHADE TREES CANNOT GROW ON
ROOFTOPS OR IN PLANTER BOXES.
OUR AMENDMENT ENSURES THAT A
SMALL PERCENTAGE OF EACH LOT HAS
TREES AND THAT PEOPLE IN
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ARE NOT
CONDEMNED TO ROAST IN URBAN HEAT
ISLANDS. PLEASE FOLLOW THE LEAD
OF CITIES LIKE ATLANTA AND
PORTLAND AND GROW HOUSING AND
TREES TOGETHER. THANKS.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE COLLEEN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCILMEMBERS,
AND WELCOME BACK TO THE COMP
PLAN. LONG JOURNEY. AS WE GET
INTO THE FINAL ZONING PHASES ,
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HEIGHTS AND
DIFFERENT PARTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS
IN PART OF THESE URBAN CENTERS.
MY NAME IS COLLEEN. I REPRESENT
FIRST COMMUNITY COUNCIL, AND WE
HAVE BEEN AT THIS SINCE THE
INCEPTION. WE ONLY HAVE ONE
REQUEST, AND THAT IS FOR A FIVE
BLOCK SWAP OF ZONING FROM
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ALONG
NORTHEAST 45th STREET. THERE IS
A SPARE THAT COMES OFF SAND
POINT WAY INTO RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS USED AS A
TURNAROUND FOR THE BUSES AND A
RESTROOM BREAK FOR BUS DRIVERS.
THE REST OF THE STREETS ARE
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. 15 ALONG
THAT SIDE, AND MANY OF THEM ARE
HISTORIC. WE ONLY HAD BUS
SERVICE THERE FIVE YEARS AGO
BECAUSE IT IS NOT HEAVILY USED.
SO WE ASK THAT WE CONSIDER THAT
AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THAT
PARTICULAR UP ZONE FOR A LOW
RISE IMPORTANT -- APARTMENT
BUILDING ON A VERY STEEP SLOPE.
ONE OF THE SUICIDE HILLS IN
NORTHEAST SEATTLE. VERY STEEP.
SO IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO PUT
LR THREE IN THAT LOCATION. SO
THAT PARTICULAR HILL. ALSO THE
BEST PART OF IT IS ACTUALLY
BEING ABLE TO USE THOSE UNITS
THAT WOULD BE RELOCATED INTO THE
COMMERCIAL AREAS TO BREATHE SOME
LIFE BACK INTO IT. WE'VE GOT
TWO CENTERS IN LAUREL HURST.
THEY ARE PRETTY DEAD. SO HAVING
HOUSING INTEGRATED WITH EVEN
HIGHER ZONES. WE ARE ALL FOR
THAT. WE HAVE 1270 UNITS COMING
ON BOARD IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS
OF HOUSING WE BELIEVE IN MORE
HOUSING AND WE NEEDED IN OUR
CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK
AND I KNOW YOU CAN BALANCE
GROWTH WITH A LITTLE BIT OF
NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE RUTH.
>> MY NAME IS RUTH. I'M A
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT PLANNER.
OVER 30 YEARS VANCOUVER ADDED
MORE DENSITY THAN ANY CITY IN
NORTH AMERICA, THOUGH HOUSING
GREW THREE TIMES MORE THAN ITS
POPULATION, VANCOUVER IS THE
THIRD MOST UNAFFORDABLE CITY IN
THE WORLD. REASONS MIGHT BE
EXPLAINED BY NEW RESEARCH FROM
THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
AND OTHERS FINDING LAND
REGULATION DOES NOT MATERIALLY
AFFECT HOUSING PRICES. HIGH
INCOME AND LAND SPECULATION ARE
THE MAIN DRIVERS. WE KNOW
SEATTLE HAS A HIGH CONCENTRATION
OF HIGH INCOME EARNERS . NOW
DEREGULATION IS ATTRACTING LAND
SPECULATORS. INVESTOR PURCHASES
JUMPED 37% IN 2025 AND SEATTLE
IS THE TOP CHOICE AMONG FOREIGN
INVESTORS . ACCORDING TO THE
INSTITUTE OF POLICY STUDIES,
SEATTLE'S HOUSING CRISIS --
PRICES ARE SUPERCHARGED BY
GLOBAL CAPITAL SEEKING REAL
ESTATE FOR WEALTH STORAGE,
CROWDING OUT HOMEBUYERS. EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED IN VANCOUVER. UP
SELLING INCREASES LAND VALUES,
TRANSFORMING ENORMOUS WEALTH TO
PROPERTY OWNERS. THERE IS LITTLE
UNDISPUTED PROOF THAT THE EXTENT
OF DEREGULATION THE CITY IS
UNDERTAKING WILL MATERIALLY
IMPROVE HOUSING COSTS . THERE
MAY BE BETTER SOLUTIONS SUCH AS
LAND VALUE CAPTURE WHERE THE
CITY SECURES A PORTION OF THE
WEALTH IT CREATES THREW UP
ZONING TO INVEST IN LOW INCOME
HOUSING. WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT
REAL CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS TO
AFFORDABILITY. IN THE MEANTIME,
NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS WE CAN
SCALE BACK UP ZONING AND RESTORE
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
WITHOUT MAKING HOUSING MORE
UNAFFORDABLE.
>> NEXT WE HAVE GREG.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK. MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR
WORK ON THE COMP PLAN. CONGRATS
ON PASSING IT LAST YEAR. I AM
HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE HOLDEN
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE COMP PLAN.
IT IS WEST SEATTLE. ABOUT TWO
MILES. IT IS WHERE GATEWOOD AND
HIGHWOOD OR HIGH POINT COME
TOGETHER. IT IS CURRENTLY A MIX
OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ALONG
35th. THE ARTERIAL, WHICH IS
GREAT. MIXED HOUSING TYPE. SMALL
BUSINESSES. ALL OF THAT
CONTINUES IN THE COMP PLAN. BUT
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COMP
PLAN IS THE AREAS OFF OF 35th ,
WHICH ARE CURRENTLY ZONED
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL, ARE
PROPOSED TO GO TO LOW RISE 50
FOOT TALL STRUCTURES. THIS IS A
NEIGHBORHOOD OF 50 TO
100-YEAR-OLD SINGLE-STORY, 1 1/2
STORY HOMES, AND I'M CONCERNED
LIKE MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS ABOUT
THE TALL BUILDINGS COMING IN,
ESPECIALLY WITH JUST FIVE FOOT
LOT SETBACKS NEXT TO US. WE
THINK THE CHARACTER OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD IS VALUABLE. IT'S
ALSO ONE OF THE FEW PLACES I
THINK IS STILL ATTRACTING
HOMEBUYERS WHEN YOU PUNCH YOUR
BUDGET INTO REDFIN OR ZILLOW, IT
IS ONE OF THE PLACES THAT COMES
UP AS MORE AFFORDABLE IN THE
CITY. LOSING SOME OF THOSE
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES IS GOING TO
BE DETRIMENTAL. I APPLAUD THE
MIX OF HOUSING TYPES COMING IN
UNDER THE COMP PLAN , BUT I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK
ABOUT SOME OF THOSE EXISTING
SMALLER HOMES AND WHAT IS LOST.
ADDITIONALLY, I'M NOT SURE THE
STREETS AND UTILITY STRUCTURE
ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE LOW RISE
THAT IS PROPOSED. WE ARE PRETTY
NARROW STREETS AND WE RELY ON
THE PARKING SPACES FOR PASSING
ZONES. I THINK OUR SEWERS IN
THAT AREA ARE EIGHT INCH
SANITARY SEWERS. I'M NOT SURE
THEY ARE SIZED TO ACCOMMODATE
THE INCREASED HOUSING. SO AS YOU
ARE NOW IN THE FIXED STAGE OF
THE PLAN BEGINNING TO IMPLEMENT
IT, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TAKE A
LOOK AT THE AREAS 35th AND
PRESERVE THE EXISTING
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL. THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> NEXT UP , WE HAVE TINA .
>> LET'S SEE IF THIS WILL WORK.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? GREAT. FIRST OF
ALL, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE HERE. I'M REALLY HAPPY TO
BE SHARING MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU.
I AM A RESIDENT OF DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE , BUT MORE THAN THAT, I
LIVE IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE. THE
DOWNTOWN SUB AREA PLAN PROPOSES
SIGNIFICANT RESIDENTIAL GROWTH
IN SEATTLE'S REASONABLE GROWTH
CENTER. THAT GROWTH MUST ALIGN
WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN'S
COMMITMENTS TO COMPLETE
NEIGHBORHOODS , SAFETY, CLIMATE
RESILIENCE, AND HUMAN SCALE
DESIGN. RIGHT NOW, THE PLAN
INCREASES CAPACITY WITHOUT
CLEARLY TYING IT TO ENFORCEABLE
LIVABILITY STANDARDS, AND THAT
IS'S MISALIGNMENT. DENSITY
ALONE DOES NOT CREATE A
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE NEED MEASURABLE
STANDARDS FOR LIGHT , TOWER
SPACING, FAMILY SIZED HOUSING,
AND USABLE OPEN SPACE. INCREASED
DENSITY ALSO BRINGS REAL
LAND-USE IMPACTS ON
INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SPACE,
AND DAILY LIVABILITY. THESE
PRESSURES MUST BE ANTICIPATED
AND PLANNED FOR IN ADVANCE , NOT
ADDRESSED AFTER THE FACT.
PEDESTRIAN PRIORITY MUST BE
ENFORCEABLE AND CLIMATE AND
DESIGN STANDARDS MUST SCALE WITH
GROWTH. AS DOWNTOWN CONTINUES TO
GROW AS A 24/7 RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATION SHOULD BE
CONTINUOUS AND EMBEDDED,
INCLUDING A STANDARDIZED
MUNICATION TOOL AT THE PROJECT
LEVEL SO RESIDENTS HAVE CLEAR
VISIBILITY INTO DEVELOPMENT
IMPACTS. AND I WOULD ASK ONE KEY
QUESTION. IF PIKE PLACE MARKET
IS MOVED OUT OF THE DOWNTOWN
ZONE, WHO BENEFITS ? WHO LOSES
IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC VITALITY ,
CULTURAL IDENTITY AND EXPERIENCE
OF RESIDENTS. THIS IS A
GENERATIONAL PLAN. GROWTH MUST
COME WITH ACCOUNTABILITY,
LIVABILITY, AND PROACTIVE
PLANNING.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE DAVID .
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
DAVE . I'M A RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 5. IN THE PRESENTATION
TODAY , YOU WILL BE SHOWN
DRAWINGS OF WHAT THE NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD AND URBAN CENTERS
WILL LOOK LIKE IN PHASE TWO OF
THE COMP PLAN. THESE ARE QUITE
BEAUTIFUL. WHAT CITY WOULDN'T
WANT THESE ? BUT UNFORTUNATELY
THEY DO NOT SHOW YOU THE MANY
SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES THAT
CURRENTLY SIT IN THESE
LOCATIONS. HOMEOWNERS WILL NOW
HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO FIVE
STORY APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND
COMMERCIAL SITES AS THEIR
NEIGHBORS. I HAVE A FRIEND THAT
LIVES OVER A HALF-MILE FROM THE
SOON TO OPEN LIGHT RAIL STATION
AT NORTHEAST 130th STREET. HER
PROPERTY IS SUBJECT TO THIS UP
ZONING. SHE HAS LIVED IN HER
HOUSE FOR OVER 40 YEARS. QUIET
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD . BUT
NOW SHE AND HER NEIGHBORS ARE AT
A LOSS WHAT TO DO. I WOULD GUESS
THAT NO COUNCILMEMBERS OR
PERSONS FROM OB CD MAKING
PRESENTATIONS TODAY WILL HAVE
SUCH AN IMPACT ON THEIR LIVING
CONDITIONS. I ASK THAT YOU TRULY
UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF YOUR
DECISIONS ON LONGTIME SEATTLE
RESIDENTS. THEY PAY TAXES AND
DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS. THERE
SEEMS TO BE THIS BELIEF THAT
DENSITY BY ITSELF WILL SOLVE ALL
OF OUR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
PROBLEMS, BUT AS WAS POINTED OUT
EARLIER, VANCOUVER TRIED TO DO
THAT. THEY QUADRUPLED THEIR
DENSITY -- TRIPLED THEIR
DENSITY, AND THEIR HOUSING
PRICES WENT UP BY FOUR TIMES. SO
LET'S NOT MAKE THAT SAME
MISTAKE. SO I ASK YOU TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND AS WE INCREASE OUR
DENSITY AND SOLVE OUR
AFFORDABILITY PROBLEM THAT WE DO
IT WISELY. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE JASMINE
SMITH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBERS, OP CD. THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR WELCOMING US
BACK TO THE COMP PLAN AND
BRINGING US BACK TO THE TABLE TO
THE SECOND PHASE OF MANY. WE ARE
REALLY EXCITED TO SEE HOW WE CAN
MAKE AN INCLUSIVE CITY FOR ALL
IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS. ALL OF THE EXPANDED
URBAN CENTERS, TRANSIT CORRIDORS
. AND WITH ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE
WORK WE WERE ABLE TO DO IN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL, THIS
IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT
HOW WE ARE BUILDING UP THAT
LITTLE WEDDING CAKE AND CREATING
COURTYARDS FOR KIDS AND FOR
FAMILIES TO PLAY IN, PUTTING
EYES ON THE STREETS, HAVING
TREES IN THE BACKYARDS, MAKING
ROOM FOR EVERYONE, BUT ALSO
LOOKING AT HOW WE ARE BUILDING
SUSTAINABLY. HOW WE ARE
EXPANDING FOR MASS TRANSIT ALONG
OUR CORRIDORS AND THEIR IS SO
MUCH OPPORTUNITY AS WE LOOK AT
HOW WE ARE CONNECTING OUR
COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY. WE
ARE EXCITED TO LOOK AT A VISION
FOR SEATTLE THAT FIGHTS SPRAWL
AND FIGHTS FOR US ALL. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
PROCESS.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE JESSE
SIMPSON.
>> HEY. GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. I AM JESSE
SIMPSON , CO-CHAIR OF THE
COMPLETED COMMUNITIES COALITION.
GREAT TO BE WITH YOU AS YOU
BEGIN PHASE TWO OF THE COMP
PLAN. THIS IS THE MOMENT WHERE
YOU ARE STARTING TO TURN THE
LOFTY VISION OF THE ONE SEATTLE
PLAN INTO A LIVED REALITY OF
MORE HOMES IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
CENTERS IN CORRIDORS. A KEY NEXT
STEP TO ALLOW MORE HOMES IN OUR
LOWRISE ZONES AND NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS AND TRANSIT CORRIDORS.
ADDING MORE HOMES IS KEY TO
ADDRESSING OUR DEEP HOUSING
SHORTAGE AND CRITICAL TO THE
ASSOCIATED AFFORDABILITY
CHALLENGES. I URGE YOU AS YOU
ARE CONSIDERING POTENTIAL
AMENDMENTS TO THE CENTERS AND
CORRIDORS LEGISLATION TO GO
BOLDER. I URGE YOU TO CREATE A
COURTYARD BLOCK IN LOWRISE ZONES
ALLOWING FOR ADDITIONAL HEIGHT
AND FLOOR AREA FOR BUILDINGS
THAT SWAP THE USELESS SIDE YARDS
OR REAL COURTYARDS WHERE TREES
HAVE SPACE TO GROW AND FAMILIES
CAN THRIVE. IT IS A SMART WAY TO
ADD MORE DENSITY IN OUR LOWRISE
ZONES AND ENSURE THEY ARE
GETTING MORE LIVABLE AS WE ARE
ADDING DENSITY AND ADDING MORE
HOMES. SECOND, I URGE YOU TO
CREATE SOME HYPE BONUSES FOR
PASSIVE HOUSE AND MASS TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION. THESE ARE
INNOVATIVE GREEN BUILDING
TECHNIQUES. PASSIVE HOUSE
CONSTRUCTION DRAMATICALLY
REDUCES ENERGY USE AND ALSO
CREATES MUCH BETTER INTERIOR
LIVING CONDITIONS FOR RESIDENTS
WITH MASS COOLING. AND MASS
TIMBER STORES CARBON IN THE
STRUCTURE ITSELF. I URGE YOU TO
TRANSPORT THESE WITH ADDITIONAL
HEIGHT INCENTIVES. FINALLY, I
ASK YOU TO EXPAND THE TRANSIT
CORRIDORS THEMSELVES TO ALLOW
FOR MORE MULTIFAMILY HOMES IN
SIDE STREETS NEAR FREQUENT
TRANSIT. WE NEED TO BE ADDING
MORE HOMES NEAR TRANSIT READ
THAT DOES NOT MEAN EVERY NEW
HOME HAS TO BE ON A LOUD, NOISY
ARTERIAL. GO AS FAR AS POSSIBLE
UNDER THE EIS TO ADD MORE HOMES
THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING.
THANKS.
>> THAT IS THE LAST IN PERSON
SPEAKER. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
OUR REMOTE SPEAKERS. THE FIRST
PERSON IS JUNE. JUNE, PLEASE
PRESS STAR SIX.
>> OKAY. NOW YOU CAN HEAR ME.
OKAY, GOOD. HELLO. I AM JUNE.
DISTRICT 2. YOU HAVE HEARD THE
PHRASE -- SET IN CONCRETE, WHICH
MEANS PERMANENT OR UNCHANGEABLE.
UNLESS YOU ACT, TODAY'S
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL WHERE I
LIVE TO BE LITERALLY SET IN
CONCRETE WITH NO ROOM FOR LARGE
TREES EVER. ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT
THE HUGE HEAT ISLAND THAT
CURRENTLY SITS ALONG RAINIER
AVENUE SOUTH AND MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. SOUTH CORRIDORS. YOU
CAN CHANGE THIS DISMAL FUTURE BY
MANDATING THAT CURRENT AMENITY
AREAS INCLUDE AMPLE SPACE FOR
TREES TO BE PRESERVED AND
PLANTED . TREES ARE ESSENTIAL
PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL
INFRASTRUCTURE. LIKE SEWERS OR
STREET DRAINS, HE WOULD NOT
ALLOW BUILDINGS WITHOUT . TO
PREVENT URBAN SPRAWL, MAKE SURE
SEATTLE CONTINUES TO BE A
HEALTHY, ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND
AND BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE .
OTHERWISE THOSE WHO SUPPORT YOU
WILL MOVE OUT TO THE SUBURBS ,
WORSENING SPRAWL, WHICH IS WHAT
YOU WANT TO PREVENT, AND THOSE
WHO CAN'T WILL HAVE
DRAMATICALLY WORSE HEALTH
OUTCOMES. TO PREVENT
DISPLACEMENT, STOP THE HUGE
INCREASES OF PROPERTY TAXES AND
COMMUNITY DESTRUCTION THAT COME
WITH GREATER DENSITY AND
HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS
AND OTHER BIPOD COMMUNITIES.
ENSURE THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ALLOWS ROOM FOR CHILDREN. A
NEIGHBOR FAMILY OF SIX HAS BEEN
UNABLE TO FOUND -- FIND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN SEATTLE
AND IS MOVING TO KENT . YOU HAVE
THE POWER TO MAKE SEATTLE A
WELCOMING AND HEALTHY PLACE FOR
EVERYONE. PLEASE USE IT FOR THE
BENEFIT OF ALL. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE MEGAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM MEGAN
CRUZ, A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT. EVEN
THOUGH WE ARE IN PHASE TWO OF
THE COMP PLAN, THE DOWNTOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD STILL DOES NOT HAVE
A COMPLETE UP ZONING MAP. TODAY
WE ARE ASKING YOU FOR ONE BEFORE
OUR DENSITY PLANNING GOES
FURTHER. THE OTHER QUESTION IS,
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS AND
TARGETS FOR AFFORDABILITY HERE,
DOWNTOWN HAS HAD FOR EIGHT YEARS
NOW AND 97% OF THE PROJECTS PAY
A FEE INSTEAD OF INCLUDING
AFFORDABLE UNITS. THE CITY
ESTIMATES OVER A QUARTER OF THE
HOMES HERE SIT EMPTY OR ARE
LIVED IN ONLY OCCASIONALLY. IT
SEEMS THAT WE ARE BUILDING
HOUSING AS AN INVESTMENT, NOT
FOR FILLING CRITICAL NEEDS. THE
QUESTION IS, HOW WILL THIS BE
ANY DIFFERENT WITH THE NEW UP
ZONING ? WHAT WE ARE DOING
HASN'T BEEN WORKING WELL
ENOUGH. BEFORE WE KNEW ZONING
CHANGES, WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS GOING WRONG AND HOW WE
MIGHT FIX IT. IT IS NOT ENOUGH
TO SAY WE ENCOURAGE OR SUPPORT
VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS WITH
AFFORDABILITY. WE NEED TO ACT ON
IT. IF NOT, WE WILL BE
COMPLETELY BLOCKING THE CHANCE
THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AT ALL FOR
FUTURE GENERATIONS. THANKS FOR
CONSIDERING THIS.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE STEPHANIE .
>> HI, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE
INGRAM . I'M CALLING TODAY TO
ENCOURAGE CITY COUNCIL TO
INCLUDE CHANGES TO INSTITUTIONS
IN LOWRISE ZONES IN PHASE TWO OF
THE COMPANY AND THE PLAN. OUR
FIRM IS WORKING WITH SEVERAL
SMALL COMMUNITY GROUPS AND
NONPROFITS HOPING TO DO CAPITAL
PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THEIR
EXISTING FACILITIES OR BUILD NEW
FACILITIES ON LAND THEY OWN. AS
IT STANDS, THREE LAND-USE ISSUES
ARE CREATING SIGNIFICANT
BARRIERS TO THESE GROUPS. THE
FIRST IS REQUIREMENTS THAT
STATES INSTITUTIONS CANNOT BUILD
OR EXPAND IF THEY ARE WITHIN 600
FEET OF ANOTHER INSTITUTION. A
BRIEF REVIEW OF THE BRIGHTON
NEIGHBORHOOD AS AN EXAMPLE
INDICATES NONE OF THE EXISTING
SMALL INSTITUTIONS , CHILDCARE
CENTERS, SENIOR CENTERS,
COMMUNITY AND CULTURE CENTERS.
NONE OF THEM ARE ELIGIBLE TO
EXPAND THEIR FACILITIES DUE TO
PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER. THE
OTHER TWO ISSUES RELATE TO
STRUCTURE DEPTH AND SETBACKS.
THESE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN
UPDATED FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE COMP
PLAN BUT NOT FOR INSTITUTIONS.
THIS LIMITS THE ABILITY TO
MAXIMIZE USE OF THEIR LAND AND
LIMITS OF THE GROUND FLOOR AREA
MOST SUITED FOR THIS TYPE OF
USE. SIMPLY MATCHING THE
LAND-USE REQUIREMENTS IN PLACE
FOR RESIDENTIAL USES IN THESE
AREAS WOULD REMOVE SIGNIFICANT
BARRIERS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN
SMALL COMMUNITY PHASE
INSTITUTIONS. COMMUNITIES IN THE
SOUTH END RELY ON SMALL
INSTITUTIONS FOR SERVICES, WALK
ABILITY, AND AFFORDABILITY. AS
WE ENCOURAGE DENSITY AND
AFFORDABILITY, WE SHOULD ALSO BE
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY
INSTITUTIONS ARE THEY ARE A CORE
PIECE OF WHAT MAKES
NEIGHBORHOODS VIBRANT AND
EXCITING. WE ARE ASKING THAT THE
COUNCIL TAKES INSTITUTIONS INTO
CONSIDERATION WHEN DEVELOPING
PHASE TWO OF THE COMP PLAN AS A
CRUCIAL PART OF HELPING OUR CITY
GROW. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE McKENZIE.
>> COULD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M
A RESIDENT OF WEST SEATTLE. I'M
HERE TO URGE YOU TO READ --
RECONSIDER THE PROPOSAL --
ADJACENT TO LINCOLN PARK IN WEST
SEATTLE. TWO REASONS. ONE,
PRESERVING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THIS
RESOURCE AND PROTECTING SAFETY
FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA.
LINCOLN PARK IS ONE OF
SEATTLE'S MOST IMPORTANT PUBLIC
SPACES WHERE FAMILIES GATHER,
KIDS PLAY, AND THE COMMUNITY
CONNECTS. BIRTHDAY PARTIES , ET
CETERA. IT PROVIDES ACCESS TO
PLAYGROUNDS, TRAILS, THE WADING
POOL, AND IT'S AN ESSENTIAL AND
FREE RESOURCE FOR SUPPORTING
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR
THE COMMUNITY. ACCESS FOR THE
PARK IS ALREADY STRAINED DUE TO
THE LOGISTICS OF THE FERRY
TERMINAL AT THE SOUTH END OF THE
PARK. THE FERRY LINE ESSENTIALLY
ELIMINATES PARKING ALONG THE
WEST SIDE OF THE CORRIDOR TODAY
AND TRAFFIC IS ROUTINELY BACKED
UP HERE CAUSING CONGESTION AND
MORE DIFFICULT CHALLENGES EVEN
TODAY. PROPOSED REZONING WOULD
EFFECTIVELY REMOVE REMAINING
PARKING ON THE OTHER SIDE DUE TO
THE INCREASED RESIDENTIAL
PARKING RESULTING FROM FIVE
STORY BUILDINGS ALLOWED ALONG
THIS CORRIDOR. EVEN TODAY, IT
CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES TO
ACCESS DURING BUSY TIMES WHEN
THE DEDICATED PARKING LOTS ARE
FULL AND THE PROPOSAL WOULD
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE
CHALLENGE. SAFETY IS ALSO A VERY
SERIOUS CONCERN. ONE DIRECTIONAL
TRAFFIC PATTERN CREATES
DANGEROUS CONDITIONS FOR DRIVERS
AND CYCLISTS AS WELL AS
PEDESTRIANS WHO HAVE TO CROSS
THE STREET WITH SMALL CHILDREN.
ACCIDENT RATES ALONG THIS
TRANSIT CORRIDOR ARE ALREADY
HIGHER COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS
AND INCREASING DENSITY WILL ONLY
BECOME A PROBLEM. I WORRY THAT
SERIOUS ACCIDENTS IS IN OUR
FUTURE IN THIS AREA. THIS IS NOT
JUST ABOUT REZONING. IT IS ABOUT
MAKING EQUITABLE SPACES AND THE
SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY. DUE TO
THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES ALONG THIS
PART OF THE TRANSIT CORRIDOR, I
URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS
SPECIFIC PART OF THE PROPOSED
REZONING. ACCESS TO LINCOLN PARK
AND THIS AREA ARE NOT
COMPROMISED BY THIS PLAN. THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE JULIA.
>> OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> YES? CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> OH, GREAT. OKAY. THANK YOU
FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
WITH YOU TODAY AND FOR YOUR
ATTENTION. MY NAME IS JULIA. AND
I AM A RESIDENT IN THE DOWNTOWN
CORE AND JUST ECHOING
EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS SO FAR
THAT WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE
INCREASED RESIDENTIAL DENSITY
THAT WE ARE PREPARING FOR IN THE
DOWNTOWN SUBAREA PLAN AND
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CLEAR
VISIBILITY STANDARDS AND
ENFORCEABLE COORDINATION AMONGST
THE NUMEROUS CITY, COUNTY, AND
REGIONAL AGENCIES REALLY NEEDED
TO MAKE A PLAN SUCCESSFUL.
TOWARDS THAT END, I ASK YOU TO
CONSIDER PLANNING FOR A THIRD
AVENUE A PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY OR OTHER SIMILAR
UNIFYING COORDINATION ENTITY SO
THAT THIS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
STREET CAN PLAY ITS PART IN
ACHIEVING THE EQUITABLE,
LIVABLE, AND RESILIENT FUTURE
ENVISIONS. AS WE KNOW, THIRD
AVENUE IS ALREADY HOME TO
HUNDREDS PREPARING TO RECEIVE
THOUSANDS MORE. JURISDICTIONAL
AND ENFORCEMENT LANDSCAPES
BARELY HAMPERS THE VISIBILITY OF
THE [ INAUDIBLE ] NOT TO MENTION
ITS USEFULNESS WITH THOUSANDS OF
WORKERS, TRANSIT RIDERS THAT
PASS THROUGH IT DAILY. THE
PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH
CONSEQUENCES OF THIS
FRAGMENTATION ARE ON FULL
DISPLAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THIRD
AVENUE IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED AS
A TRANSITION CORRIDOR, BUT IT
ALSO WHEN COMBINED WITH THIS
PLENTIFUL CONVERTIBLE AND
HISTORIC BUILDING STOCK AS WELL
AS TO ACCOMMODATE MORE -- NOT
LESS -- AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAN
OTHER AREAS OF DOWNTOWN.
HOWEVER, THE SOLUTIONS ARE
CHALLENGING AND REQUIRE GREATER
ENGAGEMENTS TYPICAL ZONING AND
STANDARD GOVERNMENTAL REGIME CAN
PROVIDE. SO WE ASK YOU TO
CONSIDER INCORPORATING THIS
CONCEPT OF A THIRD AVENUE OF
PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OR
COMMUNITY ENGAGED ORDINATION
ENTITY INTO THE DOWNTOWN SUBAREA
PLAN.
>> THANK YOU, JULIA. NEXT UP, WE
HAVE SARAH SCOTT.
>> HELLO, HELLO. CAN YOU HEAR ME
OKAY? OKAY, GREAT. YES. I JUST
AM CALLING IN TO COMMENT ON THE
LOWRISE LR3 AREA. THANK YOU FOR
LOOKING AT THIS PLAN . AGAIN,
LOOKING AT IT SO IN-DEPTH. THIS
IS THE AREA -- A SMALL SECTION
OF IT ON NORTHEAST 45th BETWEEN
40th AVENUE NORTH AND 45th
AVENUE NORTHEAST . IF WE COULD
PLEASE , PLEASE CONSIDER KEEPING
THAT IN THE SAME PLAN ZONING
THAT IT CURRENTLY IS. I'M NOT
ALONE IN THIS REQUEST . THERE IS
A PETITION OF 1500 PEOPLE OR
MORE . 1500 PEOPLE, WHICH I WAS
SURPRISED AT MYSELF, WHICH IS
GREAT , AGREEING AND ASKING FOR
THIS. SOME OF THE CONCERNS ARE
THAT THE ENVIRONMENT AS PEOPLE
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WITH THE
TREES. IT IS A CRITICAL AREA.
THERE ARE NO SERVICES OR SPACE
FOR SERVICES IN THAT AREA. IT'S
REALLY NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE
SINGLE-FAMILY HISTORIC HOMES
THAT ARE JUST ALONG THAT AREA.
THERE IS NO LIGHT RAIL OR THE
BUS. IT IS OUTSIDE OF ANY
REGIONAL, URBAN, OR NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER. SORRY IF YOU HEAR SOME
DESPERATION IN MY VOICE. IT IS
JUST THAT I HAVE LIVED THERE FOR
65 YEARS, AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
AND I LOVE SEATTLE SO MUCH. I
HAVE SEEN WHAT SOME OF THE
CHANGES THAT ARE MADE IN SEATTLE
-- HOW THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
SUCCESSFUL. YES, MANY HAVE BEEN
SUCCESSFUL. I REALLY AM SO
APPRECIATIVE OF YOU LOOKING AT
THIS . THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE --
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> I AM AND TYSON. I'M A
LONGTIME RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 4
IN SEATTLE. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR
WORK ON THE COMP PLAN , WHICH
ALREADY INCLUDES A REALLY LARGE
INCREASE IN DENSITY IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MORE THAN 1000
UNITS UNDERWAY. BEING BUILT AS
WE SPEAK. AND MORE POTENTIAL
UNITS ALREADY ZONED FOR. MY
NEIGHBORS AND I REALLY HAVE ONE
REQUEST. THERE IS A SHORT
SEGMENT PROPOSED FOR UP ZONING
TO LR3 . FOUR BLOCKS OF
NORTHEAST 45th STREET BETWEEN
40th AVENUE NORTHEAST AND 45th
AVENUE NORTHEAST, IT IS REALLY
NOT SUITABLE FOR SUCH LARGE
STRUCTURES. INSTEAD, WE WOULD
LIKE TO REQUEST KEEP ITS CURRENT
ZONING DESIGNATION OF
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL. THE
MAIN REASONS FOR THIS ARE THAT
THIS QUITE SMALL SPUR HAS
ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AREAS,
INCLUDING STEEP SLOPES THAT ARE
ON THE MAP, AS WELL AS
SETTLEMENT AREAS. AND THEY ARE
EVEN BALD EAGLES THAT HAVE
HABITAT IN AREAS. SO IT WOULD BE
VERY DISRUPTIVE TO THE
ENVIRONMENT. THERE IS NO
SERVICES . NOT ON BUSINESS. NO
GROCERY STORE. ANYTHING THAT
PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THERE. AND THE
TALL BUILDINGS THERE WOULD BE
VERY JARRING AND REALLY
INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE CHARACTER
OF THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD .
THERE IS NO RAIL OR TRANSIT.
JUST A BUS TURNAROUND AND A REST
STOP FOR DRIVERS WITH REALLY LOW
RIDERSHIP . IT IS ALSO NOT IN
ANY RETAIL OR URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER. SO AS OTHER SPEAKERS
HAVE NOTED, THERE ARE ABOUT 1500
PEOPLE WHO SIGNED A PETITION
JUST REQUESTING A SMALL CHANGE.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU CAN
MAKE THIS CHANGE EASIER. ANY
LOST ADDITIONAL UNITS FROM IT
COULD BE MORE APPROPRIATELY
LOCATED IN A VERY NEARBY AREA
ALONG COMMERCIAL AREAS.
>> THANK YOU, AND. NEXT UP WE
HAVE JIM.
JIM, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX. JIM,
WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU. WE
WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT
SPEAKER, DAVID.
>> HI. THANK YOU. DAVID HAYNES.
IT IS OBVIOUS THE COMP PLAN HAS
BEEN TAINTED WITH CONFLICT OF
INTEREST FROM SMALLTIME
LANDLORDS SELLING OUT THE
RENTERS AND THE WORKERS. WE NEED
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE
LANDLORDS ON THE CITY COUNCIL .
DID ANY OF YOU CITY COUNCIL
LANDLORD CONFLICT OF INTEREST
EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE A
CONFLICT ? WE NEED TO GO HIGHER.
I'M SICK AND TIRED OF LISTENING
TO THESE SEATTLE SELLOUTS WHO
HAVE THEIR HOMES AND THEY WANT
TO DENY EVERYONE ELSE A HOME
PUTTING RESTRICTIONS AND
TAINTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE
CONFERENCE A PLAN. WE NEED TO
TAKE AWAY SOME OF THESE ALLEYS
THAT RUN BEHIND ALL OF THESE
HOMES THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE
THESE A.D. YOUS LEANING RIGHT UP
AGAINST THE TRASH TRUCK. Y'ALL
NEED TO REALIZE THAT WITH
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WE NEED
TO GET RID OF THE ASPHALT ROADS
IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS AND
REBUILD IT GREEN WITH NEW HOMES
ON THOSE ROADS WITHOUT ANY
ASPHALT BEING ACKNOWLEDGED. YOU
ALL WANT TO ACT LIKE YOU CAN
WEAPONIZE THE TREE ORDINANCE TO
DENY FUTURE GENERATIONS A BETTER
CHOICE IN HOME. AND IT'S KIND
OF OFFENSIVE EVERY TIME I HEAR
SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT STACKED
FLATS. IT'S LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW
SOME PEOPLE IN EUROPE AND YOU
WENT TO EUROPE AND YOU COPYCAT
THE OFFERING TO THE PEASANTS
LIVING ON A BOX NEXT TO THE
ROAD? IT IS OFFENSIVE. YOU TAKE
A LOOK AT BALLARD. A PERFECT
EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS WRONG WITH
AMERICA. YOU'VE GOT ALL OF THIS
WANT TO BE A BIGGER CITY, YET
YOU'VE GOT A CONCRETE, DUSTY
FACTORY AND BIG GIGANTIC GAS
TANKS . RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD IS
ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS ON
BALLARD AVENUE. YOU'VE GOT SOME
TWISTED RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL
ZONED MIXES THAT DON'T CONSIDER
THE RESIDENTS . YOU'VE GOT SOME
THREE-STORY AND THEN YOU'VE GOT
A FOUR STORY OR EVEN FIVE-STORY.
IT IS TOO LITTLE BECAUSE ALL THE
DELIVERY TRUCKS ARE GOING TO BE
MAKING ALL KINDS OF NOISE FOR
THE RESIDENTS, DRIVING THEM
NUTS.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID. NEXT UP, WE
HAVE SUSAN.
SUSAN, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
OKAY. I THINK WE WILL TRY --
THERE WE GO, SUSAN. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I
FIRST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES WERE
INVITED TO REVIEW THE COMP PLAN
AND THE SNOQUALMIE TRIBE IN
PARTICULAR SPENT A LOT OF TIME
TO REVIEW AND OFFERED
RECOMMENDATIONS , BUT I'M NOT
SEEING ANY ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF
THAT REGARDING ENGAGEMENT.
INVITE TRIBAL INPUT ONLY TO
IGNORE IT IS NOT ONLY DEEPLY
DISRESPECTFUL BUT OUR INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES OFFERING
RECOMMENDATIONS, THOSE THAT HAVE
STEWARDED THESE LANDS SINCE TIME
IMMEMORIAL, A MUCH DEEPER
UNDERSTANDING WITHIN OUR VERY
HIGHLY UNIQUE ECOSYSTEM.
REGARDING THE ONGOING ISSUE OF
AFFORDABILITY, I'M ECHOING WHAT
OTHERS HAVE ALREADY SAID. THERE
ARE SEVERAL STUDIES EMERGING
THAT DEMONSTRATE CLEARLY MORE
HOUSING DOES NOT CREATE MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING . THE ISSUE
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WILL
PERSIST UNTIL THE TRUE
UNDERLYING COSTS IS ACKNOWLEDGED
AND ADDRESSED. UCLA PROFESSOR
HAS STUDIED MARKETS FOR YEARS.
GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT
WORSE , NOTING DEREGULATION IS
NOT GOING TO LEAD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AS LONG AS THE MARKET IS
DRIVEN BY FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS.
DEREGULATION HOUSING CRISIS BACK
IN MID 20 SENSORY AMERICA WHEN
THE WILLS DISPARITY WAS NOT
NEARLY AS MUCH AS IT IS TODAY.
COMMUNITIES TAKE THE BRUNT OF
THE RISE IN PROPERTY TAXES
DRIVEN BY DEVELOPERS INFLATING
THE LAND COST . RATEPAYER HIKES
PROVIDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND
STORM WATER AND SEWAGE. STRESS
ON THE ELECTRICAL GRID. SLIDE
SEVEN THE CLAIM IS MADE
INCREASED DENSITY WILL CURB
SPRAWL. THAT IS CONTRARY TO
SLIDE TWO WHICH STATES MANY
CITIES ACROSS THE REGION ARE
TAKING BIG STEPS . ENVIRONMENTAL
OVERSIGHT CONSIDERATION CAUSING
SEVERE IMPACT TO OUR REGION. ONE
EXAMPLE IS THE INCREASE IN
NITROGEN LEVEL FLOWING THROUGH
COMBINED SEWAGE OVERFLOWS, WHICH
IS DEPLETING OXYGEN IN PUGET
SOUND. WITHIN THE COMP PLAN
PROPOSAL, ARE THERE ANY PLANS
FOR TO ENSURE ADEQUATE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO MITIGATE
INCREASING SEWAGE AND
ELECTRICITY DEMAND ? IS THERE
ANY ACCOUNTING FOR CLIMATE
IMPACTS, WHICH HAVE NOW BEEN
PRESENTING OTHER IMPACTS SUCH AS
--
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SUSAN.
JIM, WE ARE GOING TO TRY YOU ONE
ADDITIONAL TIME. PLEASE PRESS
STAR SIX. JIM, IF YOU ARE THERE,
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX. OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THERE ARE NO
FURTHER COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO
PROVIDED PUBLIC COMMENT,
INCLUDING OUR REMOTE SPEAKERS.
IF YOU DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO
FINISH YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE GO
AHEAD AND SEND US EMAIL . THIS
IS OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF
OPINIONS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING
DIALOGUE FOR YEARS. AND IT MEANS
A LOT FOR FOLKS TO SHOW UP ,
TAKE TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY DAYS
TO COME DOWN HERE TO PARTICIPATE
REMOTELY . AND I JUST REALLY
APPRECIATE THE ONGOING
ENGAGEMENT AND RESPECTFUL
DIALOGUE. SO NOW WE WILL PROCEED
TO OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS . WITH
THE CLERK PLEASE READ AGENDA
ITEM ONE ?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PHASE TWO
INTRODUCTION.
>> THANK YOU, OUR
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE OFFICE
OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT HAVE JOINED US. ONCE
READY, CAN YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES?
>> BRENNON STALEY.
>> MICHAEL HUBNER. LONG-RANGE
PLANNING MANAGER .
>> AND COLLEAGUES , WE ARE
HOPING TO ALLOW OPCD TO DO THEIR
PRESENTATION . IF THERE'S
CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, PLEASE GO
AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND, BUT
IF THEY ARE SUBSTANTIVE
QUESTIONS, HOPING TO SAVE THOSE
FOR THE END . WITH THAT, IF YOU
CAN PLEASE PROCEED.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF
THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT IS GOOD
TO BE BACK BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
. THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE
LAST YEAR WILL RECALL THE YEARS
LONG PROCESS TO WORK ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROPER AS
WELL AS THE INITIAL ZONING
LEGISLATION TO IMPLEMENT THE
PLAN. I WANT TO THANK THOSE OF
YOU WHO WERE PART OF THAT
PROCESS FOR YOUR DEEP
ENGAGEMENT, YOUR PERSEVERANCE
WITH THE PROCESS ITSELF, AND THE
EFFORTS AND WORK YOU MADE TO
IMPROVE UPON THE PLAN AND THAT
FIRST PHASE OF THE ZONING
LEGISLATION. WE ARE HAPPY TO BE
BACK HERE WITH YOU FOR
ESSENTIALLY SOME UNFINISHED WORK
FROM WHAT WE DID ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LAST YEAR,
WHICH WAS A SECOND PHASE OF
ZONING LEGISLATION, WHICH WE
WILL BE TALKING ABOUT IN DETAIL
TODAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO AT
A VERY HIGH LEVEL JUST TO GROUND
EVERYONE IN THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE
ZONING LEGISLATION BEFORE YOU ,
THE COMP PLAN WAS ADOPTED IN
DECEMBER . SO IT IS VERY FRESH
OFF THE PRESSES. IT BECAME
EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY ALONG WITH
THE INITIAL ZONING LEGISLATION
UPDATING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONES. THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A 20 YEAR
PLAN FOR GROWTH AND A VISION FOR
THE FUTURE OF SEATTLE. IT IS A
REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT. LIKE ALL UPDATES
, WE FOCUS ON MAJOR CHALLENGES
BEFORE THE CITY AND PERSISTENT
CRISIS IN HOUSING SUPPLY AND
AFFORDABILITY WAS TOP OF THE
PILE FOR US AS WE TOOK ON THIS
UPDATE. IT WAS NOT THE ONLY
ISSUE WE DEALT WITH BUT IT WAS
CERTAINLY THE MOST PROMINENT ONE
WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU LAST YEAR.
AND SEATTLE IS NOT ALONE IN
CONFRONTING THE CHALLENGE WITH
THE ROUND OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
UPDATES HAPPENING ACROSS THE
REGION. MANY OTHER CITIES WERE
ALSO TAKING BOLD STEPS TO
INCREASE THE AMOUNT AND TYPES OF
HOUSING THAT WERE AVAILABLE IN
THEIR JURISDICTIONS. SO THE MAIN
WAY THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
IMPACTS THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING IN
THE CITY IS THROUGH THE GROWTH
STRATEGY. IT IS A CENTRAL
COMPONENT OF ANY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN. THE GROWTH STRATEGY IN
THIS MAJOR UPDATE WAS THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE PLAN
ON OUR VISION FOR GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN
ABOUT 30 YEARS. HIS MAIN
COMPONENTS ARE PLACED TYPES.
EACH HAS A UNIQUE ROLE IN
ACCOMMODATING HOUSING AND JOB
GROWTH IN THE CITY. SEVEN
REGIONAL CENTERS. WE ADDED
BALLARD AS A NEWLY DESIGNATED
REGIONAL CENTER. THOSE ARE OUR
DENSEST NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE
CITY . THE URBAN CENTERS. THERE
ARE 26 OF THEM. SOME OF THOSE
WERE EXPANDED AND THEIR
BOUNDARIES. WE HAVE A NEW URBAN
CENTER IN THE CITY. THOSE ALSO
HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE ALSO AS
DENSE URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND
REGIONAL TRANSIT . THERE WAS A
NEW PLACE TYPE CALLED
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS OF WHICH
THERE ARE 30 DESIGNATED ACROSS
THE CITY. THESE ARE MUCH SMALLER
BUT IMPORTANT NODES OF NEW
CAPACITY FOR APARTMENT AND
CONDOMINIUM SCALE DEVELOPMENT .
WE WILL BE DRILLING DOWN ON THAT
WITH THIS LEGISLATION, WHICH
IMPLEMENTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER PLACE TYPE THAT WAS NEW
IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. AND
THEN THERE WERE CHANGES FOR
URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS TO ALLOW A
BROADER RANGE OF ATTACHED AND
DETACHED DWELLINGS OF VARIOUS
BUILDING TYPES IN ALL OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES,
AND HISTORICALLY THOSE ARE
CALLED SINGLE-FAMILY ZONES. SO
THE PLACED TYPES DESCRIBE THE
TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, IT'S
DENSITY, OTHER POLICIES THAT
GUIDE WHAT WE DO WITH ZONING
LEGISLATION. THE GROWTH
STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED THROUGH
FOLLOW-UP LEGISLATION. YOU
CANNOT GO OUT AND BUILD WITH THE
PLAN ENVISIONS UNTIL THE ZONING
GETS ADOPTED. SO THE LEGISLATION
FOR YOU IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
IMPLEMENT THIS VISION IN THE
PLAN. IN FACT, IT IS A
REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT AS WELL. WE HAVE
TO HAVE LEGISLATION THAT IS
CONSISTENT WITH THE PLAN. WE'RE
HALFWAY THERE WITH RESIDENTIAL
LEGISLATION FROM LAST YEAR. THIS
IS THE NEXT PIECE THAT BRINGS
OUR ZONING CODE INTO CONSISTENCY
WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WITH THAT, I ALSO WANT TO NOTE
THAT WE DID DO ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW UNDER THE STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT . ON
THE FULL PACKAGE, THE COMP PLAN,
THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
ZONING, AND THE ZONING THAT
REALIZES THE GROWTH ENVISIONED
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
ALONG OUR TRANSIT CORRIDORS IN
THOSE EXPANDED URBAN CENTERS AS
YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT. THE GOOD
THING IS THAT ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW -- WE HAVE COVERED SEPA
WITH THIS LEGISLATION. THE
PROPOSAL IN THIS LEGISLATION IS
SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO THE
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE STUDIED IN
THE FINAL EIS WHAT THAT ALSO
MEANS IS THAT ANY CHANGES TO
INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY THE AREA
OR INTENSITY OF HOUSING AND
GROWTH IN THOSE AREAS WOULD VERY
LIKELY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW . OBVIOUSLY
THERE IS ROOM WITHIN THAT TO
MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE
LEGISLATION. BUT THIS IS VERY
CLOSE TO WHAT WE STUDIED IN THE
EIS . IT'S AN IMPORTANT NOTE AS
YOU START CONSIDERING
LEGISLATION GOING FORWARD. WITH
THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER
TO BRENNON STALEY. BRENNON'S
ROLE IS TO LEAD THE ZONING
CHANGES THAT IMPLEMENT THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. HE IS THE
EXPERT ON THE TOPIC. HE WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT HOW HE GOT HERE,
THE WORK WE DID TO DEVELOP THE
PROPOSAL, AND TALK ABOUT HIS
DIFFERENT COMPONENTS AND WE ARE
HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
HAVE ABOUT IT.
>> AS MICHAEL POINTED OUT , TO
IMPLEMENT THE COMPANY AND THE
PLAN, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE
ZONING. THE RULES ON THE GROUND
AND FIRST STEP OF THAT IS WHAT
WE DID LAST YEAR. THE UPDATE TO
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
THAT IS REALLY GOING TO HELP
CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PRIMARILY FAMILY SIZED
HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECTS. DETACHED
HOMES, TOWNHOUSES, DUPLEXES .
AND THE CENTERS AND CORNERS
LEGISLATION WE ARE HERE TO TALK
ABOUT IS A COMPLEMENT TO THAT BY
ADDING CAPACITY TO GET MORE
APARTMENTS AND CONDOS. BOTH MORE
RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES AND SMALLER
SCALE HOMEOWNERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES. PARTICULARLY NEAR
TRANSIT RETAIL SERVICES AND
PUBLIC AMENITIES. AND SO
TOGETHER, THOSE TWO THINGS CAN
REALLY HELP US BETTER ADDRESS
OUR HOUSING NEEDS OVERALL AND TO
IMPROVE BOTH HOUSING CHOICE AND
AFFORDABILITY CODES ACROSS THE
CITY. THE REASON WE ARE DOING
THIS FUNDAMENTALLY IS THAT WE
ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A
PERSISTENT LONG-TERM HOUSING
CRISIS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS,
THE COST OF A DETACHED HOME HAS
MORE THAN DOUBLED . RENTS FROM
2011 TO 2021 INCREASED BY 75%.
AND THE OUTCOME OF THAT IS THAT
NOW MORE THAN 20% OF RENTERS PAY
MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR INCOME
FOR RENT, AND MORE PEOPLE ARE
MAKING IT HARDER TO MAKE ENDS
MEET. THIS LIGHT IS ALSO
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALSO HELPS
UNDERSTAND WHY DIVERSITY OF
OPINIONS WE ARE GETTING IS PART
OF THIS. YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT
OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE OWNED HOMES
FOR A LONGER TIME HAVE SEEN A
LOT OF WEALTH GENERATION FROM
THAT. A LOT OF YOUNGER PEOPLE
ARE WORRIED IF THEY WILL BE ABLE
TO CONTINUE TO PAY RENT OR BUY A
HOME AT ALL. THOSE REALLY RESULT
IN DIFFERENT OPINIONS. I THINK
THAT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE
THE WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS WE
ARE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC.
INCREASING THE SUPPLY AND
DIVERSITY OF HOMES IS KIND OF
FUNDAMENTALLY NECESSARY TO
ADDRESSING A WIDE VARIETY OF THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGES ADDRESSING
BOTH THE CITY AND THE REGION. IT
CAN HELP TO REDUCE THE
COMPETITION FOR HOUSING, WHICH
IS DRIVING OUR HOUSING PRICES.
HOUSING COST HAS ALSO BEEN
IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE KEY
DRIVERS OF OUR HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS AS WELL. IT CAN ALSO
CREATE MORE INCLUSIVE
NEIGHBORHOODS BY ALLOWING FOR
MORE CHOICE THAT PEOPLE CAN FIND
THE HOUSING THEY NEED AS THEIR
NEEDS CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF
THEIR LIFE. TRANSPORTATION IS
THE BIGGEST CLIMATE CHANGE
DRIVER WE HAVE IN THE CITY. AND
SO THIS CAN HELP TO ALLOW PEOPLE
TO LIVE CLOSER TO JOBS AND
TRANSIT WHERE THEY CAN REDUCE
REGIONAL SPRAWL BUT ALSO REDUCE
GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS. OBVIOUSLY
THIS ALSO A LARGE COST TO THE
COST OF HOUSING SO WE CAN HELP
BUSINESSES ATTRACT OR RETAIN
EMPLOYEES. SO THIS PROCESS HAS
BEEN A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING.
WE STARTED IT IN 2022. THERE
HAVE BEEN FOUR PHASES OF
ENGAGEMENT. THE FIRST WAS REALLY
ABOUT LISTENING AND LEARNING BY
DOING PRESENTATIONS TO THE
COMMUNITY, SURVEYS, AND A LOT OF
OUTREACH BY COMMUNITY LIAISONS
AND COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. THE NEXT PHASE
WAS ABOUT SHAPING THE PLAN. A
ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT GROWTH
STRATEGIES AND ZONING
ALTERNATIVES . REVIEW AND REFINE
STARTED OUT WHEN WE INTRODUCED
THE DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
THAT INCLUDED DRAFT GROWTH
STRATEGY AND SOME BASIC IDEAS
ABOUT WHAT ZONING WOULD LOOK
LIKE. AND THEN PHASE FOUR WAS
ACTUALLY ABOUT ZONING
SPECIFICALLY WHERE WE ACTUALLY
HAD DETAILED ZONING MAPS AND
DRAFT LEGISLATION WITH THE
PUBLIC. THAT IS ZONING
ENGAGEMENT. JUST SOME
HIGHLIGHTS. THERE WERE SEVEN
OPEN HOUSES WITH OVER 2000
PARTICIPANTS. WE HAD THREE
ONLINE INFO SESSIONS, EIGHT
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS SESSIONS.
THE WEBSITE HAD A LOT OF TOOLS
INCLUDING A MAP WHERE PEOPLE
COULD LEAVE LOCK BY BLOCK
COMMENTS. WE DID A LOT OF
ADVERTISING THROUGH PAID LOCAL
MEDIA AND TARGETED SOCIAL MEDIA
AS WELL AS FLYERS TO OUTREACH
COMMUNITY GROUPS. WE RECEIVED
OVER 9000 COMMENTS DURING THAT
PERIOD. WE OBVIOUSLY HEARD A
REALLY WIDE VARIETY OF THOUGHTS
ON BOTH THE SCOPE OF THE ISSUE,
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS , BUT
OVERALL THERE WASN'T BROAD
AGREEMENT ON THE NEED FOR MORE
HOUSING. WITHIN THAT, OBVIOUSLY
A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
COMMENTS THAT WERE EXPRESSING
CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPOSAL
TENDED TO FOCUS ABOUT THE SCALE
OF NEW BUILDINGS. IN PARTICULAR,
THE POTENTIAL FOR FIVE-STORY
DEVELOPMENT NEXT TO EXISTING
HOMES. LOCALIZED FACTORS SUCH AS
TYPOGRAPHY, HISTORIC DISTRICTS,
AND THE ADEQUACY OF TRANSIT
SERVICES. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
ADEQUACY OF INFRASTRUCTURE,
ESPECIALLY STORMWATER AND
STREETS AND TRANSPORTATION. AND
THEN THE IMPACT ON TREES WITH
REDEVELOPMENT. SUPPORT WILL
FOCUS ON THE SCALE, THE OVERALL
NEED FOR HOUSING AND THE
AFFORDABLE -- AFFORDABILITY
CRISIS. ALSO A DESIRE TO REALLY
ADDRESS THE EXCLUSIVITY OF MANY
AREAS AND HAVE A WIDER VARIETY
OF HOUSING CHOICES SO THAT LOWER
INCOME PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN A LOT
OF OUR MORE EXCLUSIVE
NEIGHBORHOODS . AND THEN A
DESIRE TO INCREASE HOUSING
CHOICE, BUT ESPECIALLY STACKED
FLAT ON QUIETER STREETS. SO THIS
PROPOSAL WOULD DO TWO THINGS.
ONE, IT WOULD IMPLEMENT RHE
ZONES IN THOSE AREAS THAT WERE
OUR NEW GROWTH AREAS IDENTIFIED
BY THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THOSE
ARE THE 30 NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS, THE SIX NEW OR EXPANDED
URBAN CENTERS, AND THEN
LOCATIONS ALONG THE FREQUENT
TRANSIT CORRIDORS. IT WOULD ALSO
MODIFY OUR DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
IN LOWRISE AND MIDRISE ZONES.
THESE ARE PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL
ZONES WITH HEIGHT LIMITS OF 3 TO
8 STORIES . THE PURPOSE OF THOSE
WOULD BE TO ENCOURAGE MORE
APARTMENTS AND CONDOS IN THOSE
AREAS. SO ON THIS SCREEN YOU CAN
SEE A MAP OF THE GEOGRAPHIC
EXTENT OF THE REES OWN AREA FOR
THE CENTERS, THE BOUNDARIES OF
THOSE CENTERS WERE ALREADY
ADOPTED AS PART OF THE COMPANY
TO PLAN. SO NOW WE ARE REALLY
TALKING ABOUT ZONING WITHIN
THOSE CENTERS. THE PLAN THOUGH
IS NOT AS SPECIFIC ABOUT THE
SCOPE OF ZONING CHANGES ON
CORRIDORS, SO THIS PROPOSAL
THOUGH SPECIFICALLY WOULD
PRIMARILY CHANGE THE ZONING ON
PARCELS THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY
ADJACENT TO FREQUENT TRANSIT
ROUTES, SO GENERALLY FOR BLOCKS
OR PARTICULAR STREET. ONE BLOCK
DEEP -- SORRY, ONE LOT DEEP. FOR
STREETS THAT ARE PARALLEL, MAYBE
TWO LOTS. WITHIN THESE AREAS ,
THE ZONING IS FIVE AND SIX STORY
ZONES. THE REGION -- REASON FOR
THIS IS FIVE STORIES AND SIX
STORIES IS WHERE APARTMENTS AND
CONDOS START TO BECOME FEASIBLE.
WE HAVE ZONES THAT ALLOW
APARTMENTS OF A FOUR-STORY
MAJOR. THOSE ZONES OVER THE LAST
FIVE YEARS WE HAVE ONLY SEEN TWO
PROJECTS WITH 32 TOTAL UNITS IN
THEM. ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY
TOWNHOUSE STYLE DEVELOPMENT IN
THOSE AREAS. FIVE AND SIX STORY
ZONING IS WHERE APARTMENTS AND
CONDOS SPEAK IN -- BEGIN TO
BECOME FEASIBLE. IT ALSO GIVES
GUIDANCE ABOUT THE TYPES OF
ZONES THAT ARE MOST APPROPRIATE
IN CENTERS AND CORRIDORS. THERE
IS HOWEVER SOME FOUR STORY
ZONING PROPOSED KIND OF AT THE
EDGES OF CENTERS AND WHERE SLOPE
WOULD ACTUALLY INCREASE THE
VISUAL IMPACT OF THAT HEIGHT.
ALSO , ALL OF THE REZONED
PROPERTIES WOULD BE SUBJECT TO
MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY,
WHICH AGAIN REQUIRES PROJECTS TO
EITHER PROVIDE AFFORDABLE UNITS
ON SITE OR PAY INTO A FUND .
PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE
ZONED TO LOWRISE ZONES WILL HAVE
THE BASIC NHA REQUIREMENT WE
CALL AN M SUFFIX. PROJECTS
BETTER ZONED TO OTHER ZONES MAY
HAVE HIGHER REQUIREMENTS. WHAT
WE CALL M1 OR M2 SUFFIX BASED ON
THE DEGREE OF CHANGE IN THOSE
AREAS. LARGER UP ZONES HAVE
HIGHER REQUIREMENTS. WE DO HAVE
AN ONLINE MAP THAT SHOWS THE
PROPOSAL IN DETAIL. IT ALLOWS
YOU TO CLICK ON INDIVIDUAL SITES
AND GET INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT
ZONING MEANS. A SUMMARY OF
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND
PICTURES THAT SHOW RECENT
DEVELOPMENT IN THAT ZONE. BUT
OVERALL, THE ZONING THAT IN THIS
LEGISLATION VARIES FROM WHAT WAS
RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC IN
OCTOBER OF 2024 IN FOUR KEY
WAYS, WHICH I WILL TALK ABOUT
MORE ON THE NEXT SLIDES. BUT
THEY ARE AGAIN BEING UPDATED TO
REFLECT THE NEW CENTER
BOUNDARIES THAT WERE ADOPTED BY
COUNCIL. THEY INCORPORATE LOCAL
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SPECIFIC
CIRCUMSTANCES IN DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS. TO IMPLEMENT
REDUCTIONS ON SELECT FREQUENT
TRANSIT ROUTES. AND THEY ALSO
ADDRESS SPLIT ZONE LOTS. SO
OBVIOUSLY THE ADOPTED CONFERENCE
OF PLAN HAS THE BOUNDARIES FOR
CENTERS. AND SO THIS ZONING
SIMPLY REFLECTS THOSE CHANGES
THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE BY
COUNCIL. THEY INCLUDE SMALLER
EXPANSIONS IN URBAN CENTERS THAT
DON'T HAVE LIGHT RAIL OR
TRANSIT. THERE WERE AMENDMENTS
IN 10 URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
ON SPECIFIC CONDITIONS. AND THEN
OF COURSE THE SHIFTING OF
PHINNEY RIDGE TO EAST BALLARD.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A LOT OF INPUT
ON LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED . EXAMPLES
OF THAT INCLUDE TYPOGRAPHY,
ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AREAS
LIKE STREET SLOPES, WETLANDS,
UNDEVELOPED RIGHTS-OF-WAY THAT
MAY AFFECT HOW YOU CAN ACCESS A
SITE. AND THEN ISOLATED OR
IRREGULAR LOT SHAPES. THESE WERE
ALL THINGS GENERALLY CONSIDERED
IN THE OCTOBER 2024 PROPOSAL,
BUT WE RECEIVED 9000 COMMENTS.
WE REVIEWED EACH OF THEM
INDIVIDUALLY AND DID MORE WORK.
A LOT OF THOSE REALLY BROUGHT UP
CONDITIONS THAT WE DECIDED WOULD
BE APPROPRIATE TO CHANGE THE
ZONING FOR. THE PICTURE ON THE
RIGHT IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE WHERE
THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF THINGS
HAPPENING ALTOGETHER. THIS IS AN
AREA THAT HAS A PORTION OF THE
SITE WITHIN THE BUFFER OF
THORNTON CREEK. BUT ALSO, THERE
ARE UNDEVELOPED RIGHT OF WAYS
THAT MAKE SOME OF THESE AREAS
SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER.
IRREGULAR LOT CONDITIONS. ALL OF
THESE THINGS WOULD MAKE IT VERY
DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP AND WOULD
RESULT IN NONIDEAL DEVELOPMENT
CONDITIONS. THERE WERE A NUMBER
OF FREQUENT TRANSIT ROUTES WHERE
WE ALSO REDUCED THE EXTENT OF
THE FREQUENT TRANSIT ROUTES.
THAT WAS BECAUSE OF FOUR
DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. STEEP
STREETS. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS
MADRONA DRIVE NEXT TO MADRONA .
A VERY STEEP ROAD THAT MAKES IT
DIFFICULT TO USE TRANSIT AND
WALKED TO SERVICES NEARBY. THERE
WERE TWO AREAS WHERE THE TRANSIT
SERVICE ACTUALLY CHANGED FROM
WHERE WE STARTED THIS WORK.
THOSE WERE IN SOUTHEAST MAGNOLIA
AND ALONG 10th AVENUE EAST IN
NORTH CAPITOL HILL. SO THOSE
AREAS NO LONGER MEET THE
DEFINITION OF FREQUENT TRANSIT,
SO WE REMOVED THEM FROM THE
PROPOSAL. AND THEN THERE ARE TWO
HISTORIC BOULEVARDS WHERE WE
ALSO MADE CHANGES. ONE IS 1070
WEST , WHICH HAS A PORTION OF
QUEEN ANNE BOULEVARD. AND THEN
ALSO BAKER BOULEVARD ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY. THIS
PICTURE IS OF QUEEN ANNE
BOULEVARD. YOU CAN SEE THE GREEN
IS THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION. SO
WE REMOVED THOSE AREAS THAT
ABUTTED IT AND TOOK ONE BLOCK TO
LR 2 AS A TRANSITION BLOCK.
LASTLY , SPLIT ZONE LOTS
BASICALLY MEAN LOTS WHERE THERE
ARE MULTIPLE ZONING DESIGNATIONS
ON ONE LOT. THESE CAN MAKE IT
MORE DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP THESE
SITES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE
ZONING IS DIFFERENT.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL AND
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL IN THE
SAME ONE. GENERALLY THESE
CHANGES INVOLVED US INCREASING
THE LOWER DENSITY ZONE TO MAKE
IT CONSISTENT. HOWEVER, ON
LARGER SITES, THERE WERE TIMES
WHERE WE HAD A MORE NUANCED
PROPOSAL FOR MANY REASONS. THE
PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS AN
EXAMPLE IN BEACON HILL. THOSE
TWO LOTS THAT ARE SHOWN IN
YELLOW OUTLINE ARE ZONED A
COMBINATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL AND NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL. THIS PROPOSAL WOULD
MAKE THEM CONSISTENT
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL SO IT
WILL BE MORE EASY TO DEVELOP
THEM. SO AS I MENTIONED, THERE
ARE ALSO CHANGES TO THE
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN
ADDITION TO THE RE-ZONES. FIRST
OF THE CHANGES TO LOWRISE
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS . LOWRISE
ZONES ARE MULTIFAMILY ZONES WITH
HEIGHT LIMITS OF 3 TO 5 STORIES
. IN THIS LEGISLATION IT WOULD
DO A NUMBER OF THINGS. ONE , IT
WOULD IMPLEMENT A STACKED FLAT
BONUS IN LOWRISE 1 AND LOWRISE 2
ZONES. THESE ARE THREE OR FOUR
STORY ZONES. SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS
RECENTLY ADOPTED FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
SO TODAY, A STACKED FLAT IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONE
COULD ACTUALLY BE LARGER THAN A
STACKED FLAT IN EITHER OF THOSE
LOWRISE ONE OR LOWRISE TWO
ZONES. OUR PROPOSAL IS SIMPLY TO
TAKE THE BASIC PROPOSAL OF
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL AND
APPLY IT ALSO TO LOWRISE 1 AND 2
ZONES. TO BE AT LEAST CONSISTENT
WITH WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR STACKED
FLATS. THE SECOND WOULD INCREASE
THE HEIGHT FOR LOWRISE 3 ZONES
OUTSIDE OF CENTERS TO FIVE
STORIES. SO TODAY, THE LOWRISE 3
ZONE IS VERY DIFFERENT IF YOU'RE
INSIDE A CENTER OR IF YOU ARE
OUTSIDE. IF YOU'RE INSIDE A
CENTER, IT ALLOWS FOR FIVE
STORIES OF HEIGHT. IF YOU ARE
OUTSIDE, IT ALLOWS FOR FOUR
STORIES. IT ACTUALLY IS VERY
SIMILAR TO A LOW RISE 2 ZONE. SO
THIS WOULD MAKE THEM CONSISTENT.
IT WOULD ALSO INCREASE THE
F.A.R. ACROSS ALL LOWRISE 3
ZONES TO 2.5. LOWRISE 3 HAS THE
LOWEST F.A.R. PER STORY ALLOWED
OF ANY ZONE IN THE CITY , AND SO
THIS WOULD MAKE IT MORE
CONSISTENT WITH OTHER ZONES.
LOWRISE 3 WOULD ESSENTIALLY
ALLOW WHAT IS ALLOWED IN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONE.
YOU CAN DO ONE MORE STORY OF THE
SAME SIZE. SO JUST TO KIND OF
TALK THROUGH WHAT THAT MEANS IN
TERMS OF THE SPECTRUMS OF ZONES
WE HAVE, THIS SLIDE SHOWS WHAT
IS ALLOWED TODAY IN TERMS OF
HOUSING TYPES AND HOW THAT WOULD
CHANGE. TODAY, A NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL ZONE. YOU COULD DO
THREE-STORY TOWNHOUSE STYLE
DEVELOPMENT OR A FOUR STORY
STACKED FLAT. IN A LOWRISE 1
ZONE, YOU COULD DO THREE-STORY
TOWNHOUSE. YOU COULD NOT DO FOUR
STORIES. IT ACTUALLY KIND OF
GOES DOWN. IT WOULD BE A DOWN
ZONE FROM NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL TO LOWRISE 1 TODAY.
LOWRISE 2 ZONES ALLOW FOR
TOWNHOUSE STYLE DEVELOPMENT AND
THREE-STORY STACKED FLATS
SIMILAR TO NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL. SLIGHTLY LESS
F.A.R. LOWRISE 3 ZONES OUTSIDE
OF CENTERS ARE ACTUALLY VERY
SIMILAR TO LOWRISE 2 ZONES AND
ALLOW TOWNHOUSES OF THREE-STORY
AND FOUR STORY APARTMENTS. LR3
INSIDE OF CENTERS ALLOWS FOR
FIVE-STORY ZONING, ALTHOUGH MANY
BUILDINGS ONLY GO TO FOUR
STORIES BECAUSE OF LOW F.A.R. SO
THIS PROPOSAL WOULD MAKE --
WOULD ALLOW LOWRISE 1 ZONES TO
HAVE FOUR STORY APARTMENTS
SIMILAR TO NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL LR2 . AND IT WOULD
ALLOW FOR FIVE-STORY APARTMENTS
IN LR3 EVEN IF THEY ARE OUTSIDE
OF CENTERS. NEXT WOULD BE THE
CHANGES TO OUR MIDRISE ZONES.
MIDRISE ZONES ARE JUST ONE ZONE.
THEY ALLOW FOR SEVEN-STORY
DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE PROPOSING
CREATING A NEW SIX STORY
RESIDENTIAL ZONE. MIDRISE ONE.
THE INITIAL WOULD BE CALLED
MIDRISE 2. APPLY BOTH TO THE
MIDRISE 2 ZONE BUT ALSO THE NEW
MIDRISE 1 ZONE. THE REASON IS
MIDRISE ZONES TODAY HAVE THE
MOST COMPLICATED STANDARDS OF
ANY ZONE OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
AND THEY HAVE THE KIND OF
STANDARD FRONT REAR SIDE
SETBACKS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE
UPPER-LEVEL FRONT SETBACKS. THEY
HAVE UPPER-LEVEL SIDE SETBACKS,
WHICH ARE UNIQUE IN THE CITY.
THEY ALSO HAVE A MAXIMUM WIDTH
AND MAXIMUM DEPTH REQUIREMENTS.
AND THE COMPLEX NATURE OF ALL OF
THOSE THINGS TOGETHER HAS
RESULTED IN THAT ESSENTIALLY
EVERY SINGLE PROJECT IN MIDRISE
ZONES HAS TO COME IN AND GET
DESIGN REVIEW DEPARTURES BEFORE
THEY CAN DESIGN THEIR PROJECT.
AND THOSE HAD BEEN GIVEN AWAY
CONSISTENTLY. I THINK WE LOOKED
AT FIVE PROJECTS AND EVERY
SINGLE ONE GOT AT LEAST DESIGN
STANDARDS DEPARTURES FOR AT
LEAST TWO OF THOSE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE UPPER LEVEL
SETBACKS ARE ESPECIALLY
PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE FOR STACKED
FLATS, PEOPLE TRY TO STACK THE
BUILDINGS . ALL THE STAIRS AND
PIPES ARE ALL IN A ROW. AND SO
BY THOSE UPPER LEVEL SETBACKS
MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DESIGN
THOSE BUILDINGS AND MUCH MORE
EXPENSIVE. SO WE WOULD PROPOSE
HERE TO KEEP THE FRONT SETBACKS
AS THEY EXIST , TO REDUCE THE
REAR SETBACKS THAT ARE MORE
SIMILAR TO OTHER MULTIFAMILY
ZONES TO 10 FEET WITHOUT AN
ALLEY AND ZERO FEET WITH AN
ALLEY. THE SIDE WOULD BE REDUCED
TO FIVE FEET, WHICH IS SIMILAR
TO OTHER MULTIFAMILY ZONES. AND
THEN WE REMOVED THE UPPER LEVEL
SETBACKS AND THE MAXIMUM WIDTH
AND DEPTH. IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND THIS WOULD NOT CHANGE
THE OVERALL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF
THE BUILDINGS BECAUSE IT WOULD
STILL BE LIMITED BY F.A.R. BUT
ALLOW FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY IN
BUILDING SHAPES AND DESIGN.
LASTLY, SOME MINOR CHANGES TO
SCREENING REQUIREMENTS TO
CLARIFY THEM AND TO MAKE OUR
F.A.R. MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
THE SAME . IT WOULD NOT CHANGE
F.A.R. IN ANY OF OUR MULTIFAMILY
ZONES , BUT IT WOULD MAKE THE
APPROACH IN NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL ZONES THE SAME AS WE
CURRENTLY USE IN MULTIFAMILY
ZONES . LASTLY, JUST WANT TO END
ON A NOTE ABOUT DISPLACEMENT.
WHEN THE COUNCIL WAS ADOPTING
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THERE
WAS A RESOLUTION TO THAT.
COMPANION RESOLUTION THAT ASKED
US TO COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT
HOW THIS REZONED PROPOSAL WOULD
IMPACT DISPLACEMENT. WE HAVE A
MEMO THAT WE SENT TO COUNCIL A
COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT LAYS THAT
OUT IN MORE DETAIL, BUT AT A
HIGH LEVEL , THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD HELP REDUCE DISPLACEMENT
BY INCREASING THE SUPPLY AND
DIVERSITY OF HOUSING IN
NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY ,
BY EXPANDING THE CAPACITY IN
AREAS WITH LOWER RISK
DISPLACEMENT AND SUBSTANTIAL
MAJORITY OF THIS REZONED IN
AREAS OF LOW RISK DISPLACEMENT.
IT WOULD ALSO GENERATE MORE
AFFORDABLE HOMES THROUGH
MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
AND THE MULTIFAMILY TAX
EXEMPTION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT WHILE IT IS AN OVERALL
BENEFIT, IT WILL ALSO RESULT IN
MORE DEMOLITION OF HOMES. THOSE
HOMES ARE PRIMARILY HOMES THAT
ARE DETACHED HOMES WHICH ARE
AFFORDABLE ONLY TO HIGHER INCOME
HOUSEHOLDS, BUT SOME OF THEM DO
INCLUDE RENTERS AS WELL. BUT THE
KEY THING HERE IS THAT THE NEW
AFFORDABLE HOMES THAT WOULD BE
GENERATED THROUGH THIS
DEVELOPMENT ARE ACTUALLY
SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE
NUMBER OF EXISTING RENTALS THAT
WOULD UNDERGO REDEVELOPMENT. SO
ON BALANCE WE WOULD BE CREATING
A LOT MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES EVEN
THEN THE NUMBER OF HOMES THAT
INCLUDES RENTALS THAT ARE BEING
DEMOLISHED. SO THAT IS OUR
PRESENTATION. AND HAPPY TO TAKE
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH . AND JUST
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE YEARS OF
WORK THAT WENT INTO ALL OF THIS
AND THAT IS ONGOING. AGAIN,
THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC AND COLLEAGUES TO COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH FOR
SHEPHERDING THE FIRST PHASE.
GOING TO DO MY BEST TO FILL
THOSE BIG SHOES. COLLEAGUES , I
AM CONFIDENT THERE MUST BE SOME
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. WHO WOULD
LIKE TO KICK US OFF? COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> FOR THE RECORD, THANK YOU,
ESTHER CHAIR. I ONLY WEAR A SIZE
10 IN MEN'S.
>> I CANNOT FILL THOSE SHOES.
>> UNDERSTOOD. JUST SAYING.
>> [ LAUGHTER ]
>> SORRY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT
WAS REALLY FUNNY. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE. CAN YOU ALL EXPLAIN
FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC THAT THE
COMMENTS ENGAGEMENT FOR PHASE
TWO HAS ALREADY PASSED ? SO THAT
WAS DUE IN 2024 IN DECEMBER.
>> YES, THAT'S RIGHT. THE
EXECUTIVE HAS STOPPED ACCEPTING
COMMENTS. WE DID THAT DURING THE
FOUR PHASES WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT. ESPECIALLY THE ZONING
ONE. SO WE ARE NO LONGER TAKING
ANY COMMENTS.
>> A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THAT
DESCRIPTION AS WELL, WHICH WAS,
THAT WAS THE FORMAL COMMENT
PERIOD DURING OUR FORMAL
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND HAD THE
WEBSITE UP. WE DID CONTINUE
DURING NEARLY A YEAR THAT YOU
ARE CONSIDERING THE COMP PLAN
LEGISLATION AND PHASE ONE OF THE
ZONING. WE DID CONTINUE TO HAVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD
STAKEHOLDERS EITHER COMMUNITY
COUNCIL TYPE ORGANIZATIONS,
NEIGHBORHOOD WALKS, AND A LOT OF
COUNCILMEMBERS HELPED TO CONNECT
US WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES. AND
THAT WAS ALSO PART OF TAKING IN
PERSPECTIVE ON THE FINAL
LEGISLATION.
>> UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. ALSO, I KNOW THAT THE
COUNCIL PASTOR LEGEND -- PASSED
A RESOLUTION ADDING DIFFERENT
THINGS. I CALLED IT THE JUNK
DRAWER. A BUNCH OF EVERYTHING
WENT INTO THERE. COULD YOU TALK
ABOUT -- AND I KNOW IT IS ONLY
MARCH, BUT COULD YOU TALK ABOUT
WHERE YOU ARE IN THAT PROCESS
IDENTIFYING NEXT STEPS FOR THAT
RESOLUTION?
>> YES. AND THANK YOU FOR THE
WORK AND GENERATING. IT WAS A
REALLY COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF
ISSUES RESPONDING TO YOUR
CONVERSATIONS LAST FALL. WHAT WE
CAN SAY TODAY IS THAT WE ARE IN
THE PROCESS OF REFINING OUR WORK
PROGRAM AND WORKING WITH THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION TO CHART A PATH
FORWARD, INCLUDING ONE OF THE
PRIMARY THINGS WE WILL BE
FOCUSING ON IS THE COMPANION
RESOLUTION TO THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN LEGISLATION THAT YOU ARE
REFERRING TO. WE ARE ACTIVELY
WORKING WITH THE NEAREST OFFICE
RIGHT NOW TO DEVELOP A PACKAGE
OF POTENTIAL CHANGES EITHER TO
THE COMP PLAN ITSELF OR TO
ZONING TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN .
YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD IT FROM
OTHER FORMS . A DISCUSSION OF
PHASE THREE OR PHASE FOUR. WE
ARE RETHINKING SOME OF THE
PACKAGING OF THAT AND WILL
LIKELY BE DOING SOMETHING MORE
INTEGRATED AROUND ITEMS IN THE
RESOLUTION. OTHER CONCEPTS THAT
ARE COMING EITHER FROM NEW STATE
LAW SUCH AS TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT BILL THAT WAS PASSED
A COUPLE OF SESSIONS AGO. HOUSE
BILL 1491 . UP ZONES TO EXISTING
URBAN AND REGIONAL CENTERS,
WHICH WAS A PRIORITY OF THE LAST
MAYOR AND IS ALSO FROM SOME OF
OUR WORK ON PLANS FOR OUR
REGIONAL CENTERS. AND OTHER
POTENTIAL CHANGES THAT REFLECT
BROADLY THE VISION FOR HOUSING
ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY AND
AFFORDABILITY ACROSS THE CITY.
SO WE ARE GOING THROUGH A
PROCESS OF ASSEMBLING WHAT THAT
PACKAGE MIGHT LOOK LIKE . THOSE
ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT
WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. LIKELY IN
A SUPPLEMENTAL EIS AND A
CONSOLIDATED APPROACH WITH
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS
SOMETHING WE WILL BE LOOKING TO
PUT TOGETHER FOR THAT. WE WILL
BE PREPARED A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
DOWN THE ROAD TO SHARE MORE
DETAILS ON THAT WITH COUNCIL. WE
ARE JUST NOT THERE YET.
>> THANK YOU. CHAIR, IF I MAY
ASK ANOTHER ONE, I WILL SAY I
REALLY APPRECIATE SLIDE 22 .
JUST HAVING THE SIDE-BY-SIDE
VISUALS FOR PEOPLE IS SUPER
HELPFUL. OFTENTIMES WE ARE
LOOKING AT OVERVIEW AND LOOKING
DOWN ON THINGS AND PEOPLE JUST
DON'T UNDERSTAND . YOU KNOW,
YOU NEED VISUALS TO HELP FOLKS.
THE MORE VISUALS -- I HAVE
TALKED TO Y'ALL ABOUT IT. Y'ALL
KNOW ME. MORE VISUALS YOU ALL
CAN HAVE THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE
KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING
PROPOSED , WHAT CAN POTENTIALLY
COME AND WHAT THE COUNCIL FOR
WHAT YOU ALL HAVE PROPOSED WITH
THE COUNCIL'S AMENDMENTS AND
EVERYTHING CAN POTENTIALLY LOOK
LIKE TO GIVE PEOPLE
VISUALIZATION BECAUSE WHEN YOU
WERE TALKING ON SLIDE -- I
BELIEVE IT WAS 21 -- ABOUT THE
F.A.R. AND THE LOW RISES, BEFORE
HAND I WOULD HAVE NO CLUE WHAT
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. BUT NOW
JUST BEING IN THE PROCESS, I DO.
BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE
GENERAL PUBLIC NOT KIND OF
KNOWING AND HAVING THE VISUALS
HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE
TECHNICAL TERMS COMPARED TO WHAT
IS VISUALLY HAPPENING. AND I
THINK THAT IS MORE PALATABLE FOR
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND TO BE
ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS. MORE OF
THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANT TO
THANK COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR TEA
AND UP THE QUESTION BECAUSE
REGARDING THE GRAPHIC I THINK MY
TEAM WAS ENGAGED WITH YOU. THANK
YOU MR. HUBNER AND STALEY FOR
JOINING US TODAY BECAUSE IT IS
HELPFUL, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE
ARE ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY,
WHICH AS MR. HUBNER KNOWS
BECAUSE HE IS BEEN TO A NUMBER
OF THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS. TIED
TO THAT THOUGH WHAT WOULD ALSO
BE VERY HELPFUL TO
COUNCILMEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC
BECAUSE I DO GET ASKED THIS
QUESTION A LOT . IN FACT, MR.
HUBNER WAS THERE ONE TIME
REGARDING SETBACKS . AND THERE
IS THESE DIFFERENCES AND
DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES . HAVING
A VERSION LIKE SLIDE 23 TWO
COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S POINT ABOUT
SLIDE 22 WITH THAT GRAPHIC -- I
REALLY LIKE SLIDE 23 . TO BE
HONEST WITH YOU, I WOULD LOVE TO
HAVE IT FOR THE DIFFERENT AREAS
JUST TO UNDERSTAND NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL AND THE LOWRISE,
MIDRISE PIECES JUST SO WE CAN
SEE THE CONTRAST. THAT IS REALLY
HELPFUL FOR NOT JUST
COUNCILMEMBERS BUT FOR THE
PUBLIC AND OUR STAFFS BECAUSE
THERE'S SO MANY PIECES. AND I
CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY
AMENDMENTS WE HAVE RELATED TO
SETBACKS DURING PHASE ONE. IT IS
HARD TO KEEP EVERYTHING
STRAIGHT, PARTICULARLY WITH
DIFFERENT TYPES OF AREAS . MY
ASK IS , I LOVE SLIDE 23. YOU
CAN HAVE A VERSION OF IT FOR THE
OTHER TYPES, IT WOULD BE GREAT.
I REALLY ALSO APPRECIATE SLIDE
18 SINCE I AM -- MY DISTRICT AND
THE CITY OVERALL IS NOT FLAT. SO
I KNOW WHEN OLYMPIA PASSES THEIR
LAWS, THEY DON'T REALLY THINK
ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS . OR
MAYBE THEY DO, BUT THEY DON'T
WRITE IT DOWN. THE TOPOGRAPHY
PIECES ARE HARD. WE ALWAYS JOKE
THIS CAME UP RECENTLY TALKING TO
THE COMMUNITY THAT IF YOU GET UP
AT 15th AND YOU ARE HEADING
EAST, THAT IS NOT A HALF-MILE
WALK. THAT IS A CLIMB AND
THERE'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGES.
AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE AN
IMPACT. SO UNDERSTANDING THESE
PIECES ON SLIDE 18 IS ALSO VERY
HELPFUL TO HAVE AT THE READY.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME
ALONG THESE LINES WAS THE SIZE
OF THE STREET AND ITS IMPACT IN
TERMS OF THE ZONING DECISIONS
BECAUSE GOING BACK TO 15th, 15th
IS VERY WIDE. OBVIOUSLY IT IS A
MASS TRANSIT ROUTE. THE DRAVIS
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER GOING UP. WE
WILL DO QUEEN ANNE SIDE AS WELL.
IF 15th WAS ONLY HALF THE SIZE,
THAT IS A DIFFERENT DYNAMIC. SO
HOW DOES THAT PLAY INTO THE
DECISIONS RELATED TO ZONING AND
SO FORTH IN TERMS OF WHAT THE
STREET CAN HANDLE? BECAUSE
AGAIN, 15th IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
IT CAN TAKE A LOT. I THINK ABOUT
GOING INTO COUNCIL MEMBER
STRAUSS' DISTRICT. WHEN YOU HIT
MARKET STREET, IT IS VERY WIDE.
GOING VERTICAL THERE MAKES A LOT
OF SENSE. I WAS JUST CURIOUS
ABOUT THAT FACTOR.
>> YEAH. I WOULD SAY THAT STREET
WIDTHS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE
MANY THINGS WE TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT. THERE WAS NO CLEAR
FORMULA. THERE CERTAINLY WERE
PLACES WITH REALLY SMALL
RIGHTS-OF-WAY. LESS THAN 20 FEET
THAT WERE SIMPLY DISQUALIFIED
BECAUSE THE ENTIRE RIGHT-OF-WAY
WAS SO SMALL. AND THERE WERE
ALSO AREAS WHERE THE ROADS WERE
UNIMPROVED AND THINGS. AND THAT
WAS ALSO KIND OF A
DISQUALIFICATION. BUT OVERALL IT
WAS ONE OF MANY FACTORS
INCLUDED. OBVIOUSLY THE QUARTERS
PROPOSAL ARE ALL STREETS THAT
ARE SUBSTANTIAL TWO LANE TRAFFIC
AND ALL VERY APPROPRIATE FOR
DEVELOPMENT . ONCE YOU GET INTO
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, OBVIOUSLY
IT VARIES -- A LOT. THAT WAS ONE
OF THE MANY THINGS TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. WE MAY HAVE
FOLLOW-UPS ON THAT. ONE OF THE
THINGS I LIKE IN TERMS OF
CORRIDORS PARTICULARLY -- OUR
OPCD DIRECTOR DID NOT LIKE. THE
CORRIDORS HAVING NOT JUST THESE
PIECES BUT NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL. NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL IS NOT MENTIONED IN
THIS BRIEFING, BUT FOR
CORRIDORS, IS THAT AN OPTION WE
COULD LOOK TO YOU TO MAYBE
CREATE A NEIGHBORHOOD VILLAGE
TYPE OF OPTION?
>> YEAH. I WILL FIRST SAY THE
PROPOSAL ITSELF DOES NOT CREATE
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL. AS WE
ARE LOOKING AT WE CERTAINLY
HEARD A LOT FROM THE PUBLIC
INTEREST IN SHOPS AND SERVICES.
BUT WE ALSO HEARD A LOT ABOUT
THE AMOUNT OF VACANCIES THAT
ALREADY EXIST IN SPACES. AND SO
WE DID NOT AS PART OF THIS HAVE
A SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION OF
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL LARGELY
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA
TO SUGGEST WHAT THE RIGHT
BALANCE IS. WE CERTAINLY HEARD A
LOT FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT AN
INTEREST IN THAT. WITH THAT
SAID, THE PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF
YOU. YES. THAT COULD BE AN
OPTION THE COUNCIL COULD
CONSIDER TO CREATE MORE
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL IN
AREAS. WE DID NOT STUDY A HUGE
EXPANSION OF THAT , BUT
CERTAINLY ADDING SMALL AMOUNTS
OF AREAS IS THE KIND OF CHANGE
THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.
>> YES.
>> BRENNON, COULD YOU SPEAK TO
CHANGES EITHER MADE LAST YEAR OR
THIS LEGISLATION RELATED TO
COMMERCIAL USES ALLOWED IN
LOWRISE ? AND THEN ALSO ANY
CHANGES TO HEIGHTS IN
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL.
>> YEAH. THAT IS A GREAT
QUESTION. NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIALS ARE KIND OF OUR
WORKFORCE COMMERCIAL SPACE
DRIVER BECAUSE IT ALLOWS FOR A
LOT MORE GROUND FLOOR. IT GOES
RIGHT TO THE STREET. BUT IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT UNDER
CHANGES IN RECENT YEARS AND NOW
WITH NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
UPDATE , WE DO NOW ALLOW
COMMERCIAL IN ALL OF OUR
MULTIFAMILY ZONES . NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL, LOWRISE
MULTIFAMILY, AND HIGH-RISE. IT
IS LIMITED IN TERMS OF SIZE. SO
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET GROCERY
STORES IN THOSE KINDS OF PLACES.
THAT IS THERE. WE OBVIOUSLY DID
EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL
ZONES OFTEN LOOK AT INCREASING
THE HEIGHT TO ALLOW FOR MORE
HOUSING ON TOP OF THOSE SPACES
AS THEY REDEVELOP .
>> OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. EVERY
QUESTION MR. HUBNER ASKS IS A
GREAT QUESTION. MY LAST
QUESTION, CHAIR , AS IT RELATES
TO DISPLACEMENT , I THINK THIS
IS A SUPER IMPORTANT SLIDE.
SLIDE 25. AND WE REALLY NEED TO
BE CAREFUL IN THIS. IN A LOT OF
WAYS, THEY ARE A GREAT WAY TO
ALLOW MULTI-GENERATIONS TO
REMAIN IN PLACE AND NOT GET
DISPLACED. SO THIS IS AN AREA
THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE
CAREFUL ABOUT AND REALLY TRY TO
PROMOTE IN SOME WAYS. I'M NOT
SURE EXACTLY HOW, BUT WE SHOULD
BE LOOKING TO PROMOTE THOSE
OPTIONS AND WAYS TO GO ABOUT IT.
BY THE WAY, I SEE AN FTE.
OBVIOUSLY MFTE JUST GOT UPDATED
AND THERE'S LOTS OF TALK ABOUT
NH AS WELL. SOME OF THESE THINGS
MAY HAVE A FACTOR OVER THE NEXT
10 YEARS. OF COURSE THIS COMP
PLAN PROCESS MIGHT GET US TO THE
NEXT 10 YEAR SPOT GIVEN THE NEXT
PHASES ARE STRETCHED OUT AS THEY
ARE. SORRY FOR THAT EDITORIAL
COMMENT. BUT I THINK
DISPLACEMENT . SLIDE 25.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ IS NOT
HERE. OH, SHE IS ONLINE. SHE HAS
GOT US ALL TRAINED TO LOOK FOR
SLIDE NUMBERS. AND SO I WANT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ FOR
TRAINING HER COLLEAGUES ON THAT
POINT . BUT AGAIN , THIS SLIDE
IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I THINK WE
AS A BODY SHOULD BE LOOKING TO
BE VERY CAREFUL WITH IT. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND I AGREE. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, FOR
TRAINING US. COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK
YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION
TODAY. I'M GOING TO DIVE INTO
JUST THREE QUESTIONS FOR TODAY.
VERY EXCITED TO BE ENGAGING ON
THE NEXT PHASE OF THE COMP PLAN.
I'M SURE IT WILL BE JUST AS
THRILLING AS THE LAST PHASE WAS.
TAKING US TO SLIDE 14 BECAUSE
I'M ALSO TRAINED BY COUNCIL
MEMBER JUAREZ ON SLIDE NUMBERS ,
I JUST WANTED TO DIVE INTO THIS
POINT QUICKLY. AS A POINT OF
CURIOSITY, ARE THERE ANY
REMAINING LR OR MR ZONES THAT
DON'T HAVE REQUIREMENTS AND IF
SO IS THERE A REASON NOT TO
APPLY TO THEM?
>> YEAH. THE ONLY ZONES THAT
DON'T HAVE THOSE MHR HISTORIC
DISTRICTS AND AREAS ON THE
SHORELINE. THOSE ARE AREAS WE
PURPOSELY CHOSE NOT TO APPLY
THEM BACK WHEN NHA WAS IMPLEMENT
IT. WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROPOSALS
TO MODIFY THEM NOW.
>> INTERESTING. TAKING US TO
SLIDE 20 , CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHY
SPLIT BROADLY REMOVED FROM THE
PROPOSED ZONING CHANGES AND WHAT
THE PLAN IS TO REMEDY THESE IN
THE FUTURE?
>> SORRY. THE CHANGE THAT WAS
MADE WAS PRIMARILY TO ADDRESS
SPLIT ZONE LOTS. PROPOSED ZONING
CHANGES IN AREAS THAT WERE SPLIT
ZONE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT SPLIT ZONE LOTS OCCUR
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THERE ARE
LOTS AND LOTS OF EXAMPLES. WE
ONLY CHOSE TO ADDRESS THOSE ONES
THAT WERE KIND OF IN THE SCOPE
OF THIS, I.E., IN OR DIRECTLY
ADJACENT TO NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF
SPLIT ZONE LOTS THAT WOULD NOT
BE ADDRESSED BY THIS BUT WE DO
HAVE AN INTEREST TO POTENTIALLY
DO THAT AS FOLLOW-UP
LEGISLATION. SO THE CHANGES FROM
OCTOBER 24 WERE PRIMARILY TO
ADDRESS MORE SPLIT ZONE LOTS. I
AM AWARE, HOWEVER, THERE WERE A
COUPLE PLACES WHERE THE PROPOSAL
SHRANK AND SO WE DID NOT ADDRESS
SPLIT ZONE LOTS IN THOSE AREAS.
PRIMARILY WE INCREASED THE
NUMBER OF SPLIT ZONES THAT ARE
ADDRESSED.
>> UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU FOR
CLARIFYING THAT. AND MY LAST
QUESTION IS ALSO ON SLIDE 22
BECAUSE I AGREE WITH CONSUL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH. IT IS
REALLY HELPFUL TO SEE THESE
CHANGES ACROSS . BUT WHEN I LOOK
AT THIS, I SEE NOT A LOT OF
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NR, LR 1, AND
LR2 NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT
HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED. THEY LOOK
NEARLY IDENTICAL. IS THERE CAUSE
TO MAYBE CONSOLIDATE LR ZONES
SINCE THERE IS SO LITTLE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM , OR IS
THERE SOMETHING I AM MISSING
HERE?
>> SO, FIRST OF ALL, TO
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, WE WILL
PUT TOGETHER A SLIDE THAT HAS
ALL OF THE ZONES TOGETHER IN ONE
PLACE. WE HAVEN'T TODAY FOR
LOWRISE ZONES AND WE HAVE IT FOR
MIDRISE BUT NOT ALTOGETHER. SO
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. THERE ARE
SMALL BUT MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN SOME OF THOSE ZONES. THE
BIGGEST ONES ARE BETWEEN
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL AND LOW
RISE . NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
HAVE LARGER SETBACKS. THEY HAVE
A DENSITY LIMIT WHEREAS LOWRISE
DOES NOT HAVE A DENSITY LIMIT.
IT HAS SMALLER SETBACKS. THE
DIFFERENCES ARE PRETTY MINOR.
THERE IS SOME F.A.R. DIFFERENCES
FOR TOWNHOUSES. WHETHER IT WOULD
MAKE SENSE TO COMBINE OR NOT IS
KIND OF A POLICY CALL THAT WE
DON'T HAVE A POSITION ON THAT
RIGHT NOW. YEAH. IT COULD BE A
VALID QUESTION TO DISCUSS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. THOSE ARE
MY QUESTIONS FOR TODAY. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, AND THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, PRESENTERS. REALLY
EXCITED TO KICKOFF MY FIRST
EXPERIENCE WITH COMP PLAN. I
WANTED TO DO A QUICK FOLLOW-UP
ON ONE OF MY COLLEAGUE'S
QUESTIONS REGARDING SPLIT ZONES.
IN THOSE INSTANCES WHERE YOU DID
THE CLEANUP ON AREAS THAT WERE
SPLIT ZONE, DID WE SORT OF
DEFAULT TO A HIGHER CAPACITY
ZONE OR LOWER CAPACITY ZONE IN
THOSE INSTANCES? AND CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT HOW OPCD IS TRACKING
THE WAY THOSE CHANGES IMPACT OUR
OVERALL DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY AS
WAS PREVIOUSLY STUDIED?
>> YEAH. THE VAST MAJORITY OF
CASES, WHEN THERE ARE TWO ZONES,
WE TOOK THE LOWER DENSITY ZONE
AND INCREASED IT SO THEY ARE
BOTH HIGHER DENSITY ZONE. BUT
THERE WERE SOME PLACES IN WHICH
WE DID NOT INCREASE IT ALL THE
WAY UP. FOR EXAMPLE, REALLY
LARGE SITES OR SITES WHERE THERE
WERE SOME CONDITIONS THAT
SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE ONE SITE
SHOULD NOT GO ALL THE WAY UP. SO
SOME PLACES WE LEFT IT SPLIT BUT
REDUCED THE DEGREE OF SPLIT .
AND THERE WERE A REALLY SMALL
NUMBER OF SITES, FOR EXAMPLE,
THAT ACTUALLY THE SUBSTANTIAL
MAJORITY OF THE PARCEL WAS THE
LOWER DENSITY ZONE. THE SLIVER
WAS THE HIGHER DENSITY ZONE
WHERE IT DID ACTUALLY BRING THE
HIGHER DENSITY ZONE DOWN . BUT
THOSE WERE A VERY SMALL NUMBER
OF CASES . AND SO I WOULD SAY
OVERALL WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
CHANGE WE TALKED ABOUT, MOST OF
THE CHANGES REDUCED THE CAPACITY
OF IT, BUT IN TERMS OF SPLIT
ZONING WAS THE ONE THAT DID
INCREASE THE CAPACITY. WE ARE
TRYING TO WORK ON SOME STATS TO
HELP WITH THAT. WE DON'T HAVE
ANY TODAY . YEAH. BUT OVERALL,
IT HELPED TO INCREASE CAPACITY
WHEREAS THE OTHER CHANGES
REDUCED IT.
>> YES, WE ARE WORKING ON THE
CAPACITY ANALYSIS PIECE . I WILL
SPARE THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE THE
DIRTY DETAILS, BUT IT IS
ACTUALLY QUITE COMPLICATED GIVEN
ALL OF THE RANGE OF THE TYPES OF
CHANGES THAT WERE MADE BETWEEN
THE DRAFT AND THE FINAL TO GET
TO A SET OF NUMBERS. WE ARE
QUITE CLOSE. I WILL SAY THAT THE
NUMBERS BEAR OUT THE GENERAL
UNDERSTANDING OF THAT IMPACT OF
THE CHANGES THAT IF YOU COMPARE
WHAT DID THE DRAFT QUARTERS DO
VERSUS WHAT DOES THIS FINAL
VERSION TRANSMIT TO COUNCIL TO
ADD CAPACITY . THE CHANGE IS
QUITE SMALL. ROUGHLY BETWEEN
FIVE AND 10% DECREASE IN OVERALL
CAPACITY. AND MUCH OF THE
CAPACITY THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY
WERE AS BRENNON WAS SHOWING YOU
MANY SITES THAT WERE ACTUALLY
VERY DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP
ANYWAY. SO EVEN THAT IS AN
OVERSTATEMENT OF THE LIKELY
FUTURE POTENTIAL OF THOSE SITES.
SO THERE IS A MEANINGFUL BUT
QUITE SMALL CHANGE. WE CAN GET
THOSE NUMBERS TO COUNCIL QUITE
SOON.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
APPRECIATE YOU ALL DOING THE
DIRTY DETAILS AND GIVING US THE
UPDATE . LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT. I WANTED TO CALL BACK TO A
CONVERSATION. ANOTHER ONE WITH A
COUNCILMEMBER. I APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE'S
QUESTIONS AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL OR CORNER STORES. AM
I CORRECT IN UNDERSTANDING THERE
ARE STILL SOME LOCATIONS IN LR 1
WHERE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO
DEVELOP CORNER STORES ?
>> AS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL UPDATE , THE
STANDARDS PUT IN PLACE FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL WERE
ALSO PUT IN PLACE FOR LOWRISE
ZONES ACROSS THE BOARD. SO THEY
ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME IN
TERMS OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH
COMMERCIALS ALLOWED.
>> GOT IT. SO THEY ARE MIRRORING
EACH OTHER IN WHAT WE ARE
PERMITTED TO DO IN NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL BETWEEN THOSE ZONES.
>> WORTH NOTING THERE ARE ALWAYS
ALSO AN RC OVERLAY WHICH IS KIND
OF BEYOND THAT. PRETTY LIMITED
AMOUNT OF SPACE. IF YOU ARE NOT
IN THOSE -- GIVES YOU MORE. IF
YOU'RE NOT, IT IS THE SAME
BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD AND LOWRISE
ZONES.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. ANY OTHER COLLEAGUES
WITH QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ?
OKAY. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS MYSELF . JUST WANT TO
GO BACK TO SLIDE EIGHT . JUST
THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE.
AND JUST WANT TO AGAIN JUST
THANK YOU FOR THE YEARS OF HARD
WORK . AGAIN, TO THE COLLEAGUES,
THE PUBLIC FOR ENGAGING IN THIS
REALLY EXTENSIVE PROCESS. AND,
YOU KNOW, WE DID -- IT GOT
DELAYED LONGER THAN WE HAD HOPED
, BUT I THINK IT ALSO JUST
SPEAKS TO THE LEVEL OF WORK THAT
WAS INVOLVED . YOU KNOW, I HAVE
NOT BEEN PART OF PRIOR MAJOR
UPDATES , BUT I THINK IT IS SAFE
TO SAY THAT THIS MAJOR UPDATE
WAS A SIGNIFICANT BODY OF WORK
THAT REALLY TOUCHED ALL PARTS OF
THE CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAD
THINGS LIKE HOUSE BILL 1110 THAT
WE HAVE NOT HAD TO DEAL WITH IN
PRIOR MAJOR UPDATES. AND SO I
JUST MENTIONED THAT AND THE
SENSE OF -- IT IS A LOT OF WORK.
AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THAT MANY MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC STILL FEEL LIKE THEY
WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE MORE
ENGAGEMENT. AND I THINK THERE
CAN BE MULTIPLE . I ALSO WANT TO
CALL UP SOME STATISTICS THAT AS
WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF OUR
CITY, LOOKING BACK AT PRIOR
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, WE LOOKED AND
THESE MIGHT NOT BE EXACT
NUMBERS. AS I THINK ABOUT THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR CITY IN
1960, WE WERE AROUND 560,000 .
AND THEN I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE
BILLBOARD WHERE IT IS, TURN OUT
THE LIGHTS FOR THE LAST PERSON.
TURN OUT THE LIGHTS. THERE WAS
ACTUALLY A DIP IN POPULATION.
AND THEN IN 2000 WE WERE BACK TO
AROUND 560,000. SO FROM 1960 TO
2000, WE HAD ABOUT THE SAME
POPULATION . AND THEN FROM 2000
WE WENT FROM AROUND 560 TWO NOW
WE ARE OVER 800,000. AND SO I
JUST THINK AGAIN TO RECOGNIZE
THAT FACT OF THE INTENSE GROWTH
AND THE REAL IMPACTS THAT GO
ALONG WITH THAT. WHETHER IT IS
IMPACTS AROUND HOUSING COSTS,
HOMELESSNESS, IMPACTS TO
NEIGHBORHOODS , AND WHY THERE IS
-- I THINK WE HAVE STRUGGLED IN
MANY WAYS TO DEAL WITH -- TO
ACCOMMODATE ALL THAT GROWTH. AND
I THINK WE HAVE DONE AN
INCREDIBLE JOB. AGAIN, I JUST
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL
THE HARD WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE
TO HELP US AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO
HOPEFULLY TRYING TO CATCH UP IN
TERMS OF GETTING HOUSING
PRODUCED . ANOTHER THING I JUST
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS JUST
BECAUSE WE INCREASE THE ZONING
DOES NOT MEAN HOUSING GETS BUILT
OVERNIGHT. WE HAVE SEEN HUGE --
WE HAVE MADE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS
HERE IN MAJOR UP ZONES IN MAJOR
CAPACITY. AND AT THE SAME TIME,
WE SEE HOUSING PERMITS ARE
ACTUALLY WAY DOWN. AND THERE IS
A NUMBER OF FACTORS . SOME ARE
INSIDE OUR CONTROL AND SOME ARE
OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL. THINGS
LIKE INTEREST RATES. THINGS LIKE
THE EMPLOYMENT , WHICH WE HAVE
SOME ROLL IN, BUT IT IS NOT
ENTIRELY WITHIN OUR CONTROL.
THINGS LIKE TARIFFS AND LABOR
COSTS. SO I JUST WANT TO ALSO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JUST BECAUSE AN
AREA IS UP ZONED DOES NOT MEAN
THERE'S GOING TO BE IMMEDIATE
REDEVELOPMENT OVERNIGHT. ONE
OTHER SLIDE I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
A LOOK AT IS THE LR ZONE. I
THINK IT WAS SLIDE 22. AND WE
HAD SPOKEN ABOUT IT, BUT JUST
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN. ONE
OTHER THING . WE HAVE HEARD FROM
DEVELOPERS . FOLKS WHO HAVE
CONCERNS ABOUT MHA IN THE LR
ZONES. I JUST WANT TO KIND OF
HIGHLIGHT THIS SLIDE SORT OF
CALLS TO ATTENTION THAT CONCERN,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO LR1
AND LR2. WHEN WE BASICALLY DO AN
UP ZONED OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL AS RICK WIRED BY
HOUSE BILL 1110, WE DID NOT
ADOPT MHA IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL. WE DO HAVE MHA
CURRENTLY IN THE LR ZONES,
INCLUDING LR1 AND LR2. BUT AS
THIS SLIDE POINTS OUT, AT LEAST
CURRENTLY LR1 POTENTIALLY HAS
LESS -- YOU CAN BUILD LESS IN
LR1 THAN NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL . THERE WOULD BE A
SIMILARITY BUT NOT A HUGE AMOUNT
OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LR1 AND
LR2 ADD NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL. BUT WE DO HAVE THE
MHA DIFFERENCE. SO IT CALLS INTO
ATTENTION THAT OBVIOUSLY I THINK
THERE WILL BE A BODY OF WORK
THAT WE NEED TO LOOK INTO.
FINALLY, JUST ON THE POINT OF
ENGAGEMENT, COULD YOU JUST SPEAK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO IF COUNCILMEMBERS
WANT YOU TO SHOW UP AT
NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS TO ADDRESS
SORT OF QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS IN
THE COMING MONTHS OR TWO . COULD
YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
>> YES, I CERTAINLY CAN. AND
YES, INDEED. WE ARE -- SUPPORT
YOU. STATING THE OBVIOUS THAT
LEGISLATION HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED
TO COUNCIL INFORMALLY .
ENGAGEMENT WITH YOUR
CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND
EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS
INDIVIDUALLY IS WHERE THE ACTION
IS RIGHT NOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING
TO WANT TO HAVE MEANINGFUL AND
INFORMATIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH
FOLKS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. WE
ARE AVAILABLE, HOWEVER, AS WE
DID LAST YEAR IN 2025 AFTER
TRANSMITTING THE COMP PLAN AND
PHASE ONE LEGISLATION. WE ARE
AVAILABLE AND ACKNOWLEDGING VERY
MUCH THAT THIS IS COMPLEX
LEGISLATION. THERE ARE A LOT OF
DETAILS HERE. AND WE ARE A
RESOURCE FOR YOU TO HELP ANSWER
CONSTITUENT QUESTIONS, TO MAKE
-- TO PRESENT THE LEGISLATION,
TO PAINT A PICTURE FOR FOLKS AS
TO WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT MEANS,
AND TO JUST BE OUT THERE TALKING
TO PEOPLE. SO PLEASE REACH OUT
TO OUR OFFICE . SARAH GRAVES,
OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, IS
TAKING IN REQUESTS . WE HAVE
ALREADY STARTED SCHEDULING.
THOSE COUPLE OF YOU THAT HAVE
STARTED REACHING OUT TO US. WE
ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO SO.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE -- PLEASE
LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE IDEAS
FOR MATERIALS THAT COULD BE
HELPFUL. ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT
WE HEARD EARLY HERE WAS TO
UPDATE NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE THE ONLINE
INTERACTIVE MAP . THAT IS NOT
ALWAYS A TOOL THAT WORKS FOR
EVERYBODY. IT MAY NOT WORK IN A
PUBLIC MEETING. WE HAVE MADE
AVAILABLE PDF ZOOM IN MAPS FOR
DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
OR AREAS OF MORE INTENSIVE
CHANGE UNDER THIS ZONING
LEGISLATION. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL
BE HELPFUL. IT WAS HELPFUL TO US
IN THE FALL OF 2024. IF YOU HAVE
ANY OTHER IDEAS -- TABLE FIGURE
THAT COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE WAS
DESCRIBING. THAT WOULD ALSO --
SOMETHING WE COULD PUT ON A
POSTER AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO
YOU. SO LET US KNOW WHAT WOULD
BE HELPFUL WITHIN OUR CAPACITY.
WE CERTAINLY CAN DO MEANINGFUL
THINGS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND ON THAT POINT, I THINK WE
CAN HUDDLE ABOUT THIS OFF-LINE ,
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME
GRAPHICS WITH THINGS LIKE WE
HEARD SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT
HOW TO INCREASE DENSITY THAT
WOULD ALSO ALLOW THINGS LIKE
COURTYARDS AND ALLOW TREES . I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME GRAPHICS
THAT WOULD SOMEHOW GIVE US AN
IDEA OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK
LIKE . WHETHER IT IS IN OUR
EXISTING ZONING OR WHETHER WE
MIGHT HAVE SOME COUNCIL
AMENDMENTS THAT MIGHT HELP
ELUCIDATE THAT. WE ALSO AS WE
LOOK AT GRAPHICS NEED TO TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT ACCESSIBILITY
CONCERNS. AND SO JUST FOR MY
COLLEAGUES, JUST WANT TO POINT
THAT OUT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE ALL OF THESE GRAPHICS THAT
WE INCLUDE NEED TO BE
ACCESSIBLE. AND SO THAT MAKES IT
SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO DO. THAT
IS ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ?
OKAY. YES, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST WANT
TO ECHO WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT
GRAPHICS RELATED . WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT UP ZONING HERE. WE
ARE NOT REALLY HAVING THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW URBAN
FORESTRY FITS INTO THIS. I KNOW
THERE IS AN URBAN FORESTRY
COMPONENT TO THE COMP PLAN. AND
IT JUST FEELS A LITTLE BIT
DISJOINTED TO HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS . IT IS SILOED .
AND I THINK IT WOULD REALLY HELP
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS CHAIR
SAID CAME TO CHAMBERS TODAY.
FOLKS OR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE
HEAR FROM. WHAT ARE THE PLANS
FOR URBAN FOREST AND GREEN
SPACES WITHIN ALL OF THIS UP
ZONING THAT WE ARE DOING ? AND
THEN ALSO INFORMATION ABOUT
DECISIONS. THERE IS NO
INFORMATION IN THE MATERIALS
ABOUT HOW YOU MADE DECISIONS TO
DO FIVE STORIES NEXT TO
SINGLE-STORY SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES
ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS. SO THAT
IS TO SAY ALONG THE CORRIDORS
YOU CAN BUILD UP TO FIVE
STORIES, BUT BEHIND IT IS GOING
TO BE A SINGLE FAMILY. THERE IS
NO TRANSITION. SO THAT HAS AN
IMPACT. I THINK WE HEARD FROM
PUBLIC COMMENTERS ABOUT THAT AS
WELL. SO HOW ARE YOU MAKING
THESE DECISIONS? AND HOW DO WE
HELP ENSURE APPROPRIATE
TRANSITION WOULD BE HELPFUL .
AND IF YOU ARE ALREADY -- THAT
IS PART OF THIS I HAVE NOT SEEN
IT. SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF
THINGS. I DID NOT ASK MORE
QUESTIONS BECAUSE I'M GOING TO
ASK FOR A FORMAL BRIEFING ABOUT
ALL THIS BECAUSE I HAVE ALL
THESE QUESTIONS. I DID WANT TO
ECHO WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE
URBAN FORESTRY PIECES BECAUSE
THAT IS REALLY CRITICAL
THROUGHOUT THE CITY,
PARTICULARLY AS A KID WHO GREW
UP IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT IN A
FIVE STORY WALK-UP ELEVATOR
BUILDING AND NEEDING TO HAVE
ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES. THAT IS
IMPORTANT. ADD PLAYGROUNDS AND
THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. ANY OTHER? OKAY. THANK
YOU AGAIN TO OUR PRESENTERS, TO
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, TO MY
COLLEAGUES. OUR NEXT SELECT
COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED
FOR MONDAY, APRIL 6th , 2026, AT
9:30 A.M., AT WHICH TIME WE ALSO
PLAN TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON
LEGISLATION. THE MEETING WILL
PASS PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THIS
COMMITTEE. WE ACCEPT REMOTE
COMMENTS STARTING AT 9:30 A.M.
AND THEN IN THE AFTERNOON WE
PLAN TO ACCEPT IN PERSON
COMMENTS. AGENDA HAS NOT BEEN
PUBLISHED, BUT WE PLAN TO ISSUE
SHORTLY. SO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.
WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF
TODAY'S MEETING AGENDA. IS
THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE WE ADJOURN? HEARING
NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE ARE