PLAN, PHASE 2, FOCUSING ON CORE
DOORS. TODAY WILL BE BROKEN INTO
TWO SESSIONS. SESSION 1 JUST
BEGAN, AND [ INAUDIBLE ] WILL BE
RESERVED FOR REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT. REGISTRATION STARTED AT
8:30 A.M. AND WILL REMAIN OPEN
UNTIL 10:30 A.M. OUR GOAL IS TO
GET THROUGH ALL SPEAKERS AND
RECESS AROUND 12:30 P.M., OR
EARLIER, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER
OF REGISTERED SPEAKERS. WE
DON'T GET THROUGH ALL REMOTE
SPEAKERS BY 12:30 P.M., THE
REMAINING SPEAKERS WILL BE
RECOGNIZED AT OUR SECOND
SESSION. SESSION 2 WILL BEGIN AT
3:00 P.M. AND IS RESERVED FOR
ANY REMOTE SPEAKERS , SHOULD
THERE BE ANY. CITY HALL WILL
REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 6:30 P.M.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD
LIKE TO PROVIDE COMMENTS DURING
A SESSION 1 OR 2 MUST REGISTER
DURING THE DEADLINE. DURING OUR
IN PERSON COMMENT PERIOD, IF YOU
ARE PART OF A GROUP WITH TWO OR
MORE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP, YOU
CAN COMBINE YOUR TIME. BUT THE
PEOPLE IN THAT GROUP WILL THEN
NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE SEPARATE
INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC COMMENT BUT IF
YOU WANT TO REVIEW OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT RULES, THEY'RE LISTED
ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING,
WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON OUR
WEBSITE OR AT THE PODIUM. AGAIN,
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS
HEARING DOES HAVE A REGISTRATION
DEADLINE. IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK
AT TODAY'S HEARING, HE MUST
REGISTER BEFORE THE HEARING.
DEADLINES ARE AS FOLLOWS, REMOTE
REGISTRATION OPENS THIS MORNING
AT 8:30 A.M. AND WILL CLOSE AT
10:30 A.M. IN PERSON
REGISTRATION AT CITY HALL WILL
START AT 2:30 P.M. AND END AT
6:30 P.M. FOR THOSE OF YOU
ATTENDING THE IN PERSON PORTION,
YOU CAN [ INAUDIBLE ] AT THE
GARAGE ACROSS THE STREET
STARTING AT 4:30 P.M. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM 1 INTO
THE AGENDA?
>> AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO LAND
USE AND ZONING, AMENDING CHAPTER
23.32 OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE.
>> THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW
OPEN. CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS
ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED?
>> CURRENTLY, WE HAVE AN
ESTIMATED 50 SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU. SO, EACH SPEAKER
WILL BE PROVIDED ONE MINUTE WITH
APPROXIMATELY 50 SPEAKERS, YOU
SHOULD HAVE A NUMBER WHEN YOU
REGISTERED. WE WILL BE STARTING
WITH NUMBER 2 ON OUR LIST. AND
WE WILL GO IN BATCHES, SEEMS
LIKE MOST OF THE EARLY NUMBERS
ARE PRESENT AND LOGGED IN. SO,
WE WILL BE STARTING -- I WILL
NAME A FEW NAMES HERE, JUST TO
GIVE PEOPLE A HEADS UP. WE WILL
START WITH RYAN TALLON AND
WILLIAM SCOTT, THEN EMILY PUNKY,
AND THEN SHEILA ALVAREZ. AND SO,
WE WILL START HERE WITH RYAN
TALLON.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL, MY NAME
IS RYAN TALLON, I AM A
REGISTERED NURSE AT HARBORVIEW.
I SEE THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY
OUR HOUSING CRISIS. [ INAUDIBLE
] HOMELESSNESS AND UNSTABLE
HOUSING AND THEIR SUFFERING IS
GRADUAL. I AM URGING THE COUNCIL
TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO STOP
PUSHING HOUSING ONTO ARTERIALS,
THAT IS TERRIBLE FOR HUMAN
HEALING, FOR HUMAN HEALTH. I
URGE YOU TO EXPAND HOUSING
DENSITY BEYOND ARTERIAL. [
INAUDIBLE ] THAT CAN INCREASE
FLOOR AREA RATIOS. [ INAUDIBLE ]
AND A HIGHER FLOOR AREA RATIO
AND MORE HOMES WITHOUT [
INAUDIBLE ]. AFFORDABLE UNITS
GET CREATED WITHOUT [ INAUDIBLE
] OR JUST INCREASE HOUSING
VARIETY, ALLOW SMALLER SETBACKS
[ INAUDIBLE ] . AND LASTLY,
GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS. GIVE
HIGH BONUSES [ INAUDIBLE ]
COUNCILMEMBERS, MY PATIENTS
CAN'T WAIT FOR ANY LONGER FOR
OUR HOUSING [ INAUDIBLE ] TO BE
FIXED. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, RYAN. WE WILL NOW
MOVE ON TO WILLIAM SCOTT.
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES. GOOD MORNING.
>> OKAY, YEAH, I'M BILL SCOTT,
I AM ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS WHO
ARE PETITIONING TO SWITCH THE LR
3 ZONING ALONG NORTHEAST FIFTH
STREET TO A BETTER LOCATION
WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE
PROBLEM WITH THE STRIP THAT IS
CURRENTLY IDENTIFIED BETWEEN
40th AVENUE NORTHEAST AND 45th
AVENUE NORTHEAST ON 42 STREET ,
FIRST OF ALL, [ INAUDIBLE ].
12% GRADE AND IT IS NOT CLOSE TO
ANY NEIGHBORHOODS , TRANSIT HUB,
AND HAS NO COMMERCIAL SERVICES.
THERE ARE MUCH BETTER LOCATIONS
THAT HAVE TRANSPORT HUBS, HAVE
COMMERCIAL SERVICES, ET CETERA.
[ INAUDIBLE ] THERE ARE MULTIPLE
TRANSIT OPTIONS, THERE ARE
HIGHER [ INAUDIBLE ], AND ALL
THESE THINGS MAKE THEM MUCH MORE
SUITABLE. AND ECONOMICALLY
VIABLE FOR DEVELOPERS [
INAUDIBLE ] AND THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BILL. NEXT UP,
EMILY PUNKY.
>> EMILY, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
>> OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
HI. GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS
EMILY PINKY, I'M A PARENT, AND
[ INAUDIBLE ] THE STREETS OUR
CHILDREN WALK TO SCHOOL EVERY
DAY ARE ALREADY UNSAFE. EVERY
MORNING ON 40th AVENUE, I SEE
DRIVERS SPEEDING THROUGH THE
FLASHING CROSSWALKS [ INAUDIBLE
] THESE STREETS ENCOUNTER ON OUR
SUNNY DAYS. STREETS ALONG THAT
CORRIDOR [ INAUDIBLE ] MAKE AN
ALREADY RISKY SITUATION WORSE. [
INAUDIBLE ] BLINDING SON THAT
DRIVERS CAN'T SEE PEDESTRIANS
THROUGH. I HAVE A SIMPLE
QUESTION, HOW MUCH MORE CAN
THESE STREETS ACTUALLY TAKE
CUSTOMER THERE ARE NO PASSING
LANES ON EITHER AND THERE IS
NOWHERE TO ADD THEM. [ INAUDIBLE
] WITHOUT A CLEAR PLAN FOR
SAFETY. [ INAUDIBLE ] NOT
MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT
EVERYWHERE. I WOULD LIKE TO
EXTEND AN INVITATION FOR EACH
MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL TO COME
WALK TO SCHOOL WITH ME AND OTHER
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO SEE [
INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU, EMILY. NEXT UP
WILL BE SHOW ALVAREZ, IF YOU
COULD CALL IN, SHOW ALVAREZ.
OKAY, MOVING ON. SO, NEXT UP, WE
WILL HAVE A FEW -- DYLAN, AND
THEN RICK , AND THEN LOGAN
SCHMIDT, AND THEN ANN TYSON.
NEXT UP, DYLAN.
>> DYLAN, YOU MIGHT BE MUTED ON
YOUR PHONE.
>> THERE WE GO. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW,
THANK YOU.
>> GREAT. HI, MY NAME IS DYLAN,
I AM AN ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER
AND A MEMBER OF THE SEATTLE [
INAUDIBLE ] COMMISSION.
>> SORRY, DYLAN, CAN YOU SPEAK
UP A LITTLE BIT? THANK YOU. WE
WILL RESET YOUR TIME.
>> OKAY, THANKS. MY NAME IS
DYLAN, I AM AN ARCHITECT AND
URBAN DESIGNER IN THE SEATTLE
PLANNING COMMISSION. [ INAUDIBLE
] I AM A 20 YEAR SEATTLE
RESIDENT FROM [ INAUDIBLE ].
BIKES AND BUSES ALL OVER THE
CITY. [ INAUDIBLE ] SPENT THE
PAST SIX YEARS STUDYING MAPPING
SMALL-SCALE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS
AND [ INAUDIBLE ]. IT'S THIS
NETWORK OF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS,
IT'S KEY TO [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR
EVERY RESIDENT LIVING WITHIN A
15 MINUTE WALK [ INAUDIBLE ].
THE CURRENT LEGISLATION PROPOSED
IS 30 NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
IT'S A GOOD START. [ INAUDIBLE
] LET'S CONTINUE TO BUILD ON
THIS . [ INAUDIBLE ] LESS THAN
HALFWAY TOWARDS BUILDING OUT
SEATTLE'S NETWORK [ INAUDIBLE
]. PLEASE PASS THIS LEGISLATION
AND CONTINUE TO BUILD ON IT BY
ADDING MORE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
[ INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU, DYLAN. NEXT UP,
RICK K.
>> LET'S BE CLEAR, [ INAUDIBLE
] ZONING IS NOT THE SAME AS
GROWTH. [ INAUDIBLE ] BRINGS
HIGHER COSTS AND SIMPLY
PRIORITIZES DISPLACEMENT. IT IS
NEITHER SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND
MORE COMPASSIONATE. CANCEL, YOU
HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW
THE TRUTH AND TELL THE TRUTH.
YOU DON'T GET TO HIDE BEHIND AN
EXCUSE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN MISLED
BY CITY STAFF AND LOBBYING AND
INVESTMENT. YOU HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO BE GOOD
STEWARDS OF THE CITY [ INAUDIBLE
]. CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR
DEREGULATION NOT ONLY --
>> THEY MUST HAVE DISCONNECTED
THEMSELVES.
>> OKAY. OKAY. MOVING ON TO THE
NEXT -- MOVING ON TO THE NEXT
SPEAKER. LOGAN SCHMIDT.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR LIN AND
MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS LOGAN SCHMIDT , [
INAUDIBLE ] WE ARE GLAD TO SEE
THAT MOMENTUM CARRY [ INAUDIBLE
]. WE MUST SEE LOWRISE STANDARDS
GO FURTHER THAN [ INAUDIBLE ].
RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN ACHIEVE [
INAUDIBLE ] AND YOU CAN IN LR 1
AND 2. THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. [
INAUDIBLE ] TO CREATE [
INAUDIBLE ]. WE ALSO URGE THE
COMMITTEE [ INAUDIBLE ] THROUGH
THE COURTYARD BLOCK AND GREEN
BUILDING BONUSES, AND EXPAND [
INAUDIBLE ] WE LOOK FORWARD TO
THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LOGAN, AND FOR ANY
MEMBERS , I THINK FOR RICK K,
YOU GOT MAYBE DISCONNECTED, IF
YOU WANT TO EMAIL US THE REST OF
YOUR COMMENTS, OR ANYONE ELSE
WHO IS NOT ABLE TO GET ALL THEIR
COMMENTS IN WAS SPEAKING, PLEASE
GO AHEAD AND EMAIL US THE
REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS.
MOVING ON, NEXT UP, WE HAVE -- I
WILL NAME A FEW, ANN TYSON, IF
YOU COULD CALL IN. DAVID HILL,
SARAH DAVIS, AND MELISSA. ANN
TYSON , [ INAUDIBLE ]. OKAY,
MOVING ON, DAVID HILL, YOU ARE
UP NEXT.
>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS
DAVID HILL. I HAVE LIVED IN
SEATTLE FOR 15 YEARS AND I AM A
MEMBER OF [ INAUDIBLE ]. LAST
YEAR, I MOVED TO THE ROOSEVELT
NEIGHBORHOOD, SPECIFICALLY
BECAUSE OF ITS DENSITY AND THE
FACT THAT IT IS THE NEXUS OF
SEVERAL MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR
IS. LIVING THERE, I SEE OUR
VISION FOR SEATTLE ACTUALLY
WORKING FANTASTICALLY, BOTH FOR
ME AND MY NEIGHBORS, BUT IT
SHOULDN'T BE A LUXURY. WE
SHOULDN'T TREAT OUR HOUSING
SHORTAGE LIKE A MYSTERIOUS
NATURAL DISASTER WHEN IT IS
ACTUALLY A POLICY CHOICE. I AM
ASKING YOU TO BUILD ON [
INAUDIBLE ] AND MAXIMIZE THAT
MODEL EVERYWHERE. PUSH THE
DENSITY LIMITS [ INAUDIBLE ] AS
FAR AS THEY CAN GO. BEYOND JUST
HOUSING, IF WE DON'T BUILD UP,
WE CRAWL OUT, WHICH IS THE WORST
THING WE CAN DO FOR OUR
ENVIRONMENT. IT'S TIME TO STOP
BEING TIMID WITH THE MAPS AND
MAKE IT LEGAL FOR MORE PEOPLE [
INAUDIBLE ]. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, SARAH
DAVIS.
>> HI, I AM A RESIDENT OF
NORTHEAST SEATTLE. I AM HERE TO
CALL OUT THIS PERFORMATIVE
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS [ INAUDIBLE
]. THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS HAVE
SUBMITTED COMMENTS AND PETITIONS
ASKING TO HAVE THEIR VOICES
HEARD IN HOW THEIR BELOVED
NEIGHBORHOODS GROW AND BECOME
MORE DENSE. [ INAUDIBLE ]
RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN TOLD BY
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT FIGHTING
THIS IS POINTLESS, THE VOTES ARE
NOT THERE, THE COUNCIL DOESN'T
CARE ABOUT [ INAUDIBLE ], THE
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR WANT A
MORE EXTREME PLAN, NOT A
MODERATE ONE. IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD, THE PEOPLE WHO
WILL BE DISPLACED ARE A SINGLE
MOTHER WITH TWO CHILDREN, AN
ELDERLY COUPLE, AND AN ELDERLY
WIDOW, A DISABLED VETERAN, OLDER
RENTALS -- RENTERS LIVE IN
AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS. [
INAUDIBLE ] WILL ONLY LEAD TO
LAWSUITS, DELAYS, AND MORE JUST
VISION. WE ARE SEEING I THE
NATIONAL LEVEL AND HERE IN
SEATTLE THAT PEOPLE IN POWER
DON'T ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, THEY ONLY
SPEAK FOR THEIR OWN POLITICAL
AGENDA. [ INAUDIBLE ] PRETENDS
TO HELP POOR PEOPLE WHEN IN FACT
IT MOSTLY HELPS RICH DEVELOPERS.
>> THANK YOU, SARAH. NEXT UP,
MELISSA NAIR.
>> GOOD MORNING, I'M EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF A.I. SEATTLE. AN
ORGANIZATION WITH 2600 MEMBERS
WHO ENVISIONS BATTLE AS A FIFTH
TEEN MINUTE LIVABLE THAT HE WITH
HOUSING, AMENITIES, AND TRANSIT
VISIBLE TO EVERYONE, INCREASING
THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING IS
ESSENTIAL TO THIS MISSION. WE
ASK THE COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER
KEY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CENTER
AND CORRIDOR IS LEGISLATION BY
INCREASING POTENTIAL PLACES FOR
NEW HOUSING BY EXPANDING CORE
DOORS, ADDING MORE NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS, AND MAKING SURE ZONING
IS CONSISTENT WITH THE RACIAL
AND [ INAUDIBLE ] INDEX. [
INAUDIBLE ] MAKING IT EASIER TO
CREATE HOUSING , AND CERTAINLY
UNDER THOSE CURRENT STRUCTURES,
MISSING PROJECTS ARE TOO COSTLY
FOR DEVELOPERS AND NOT BEING
BUILT, SO FUNDS ARE NOT BEING
RAISED. [ INAUDIBLE ] TO ADDRESS
THIS BARRIER. AND FINALLY, [
INAUDIBLE ] EVALUATE HOUSING
PRODUCTION ACROSS THE CITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MELISSA. RICK K, I
SEE THAT YOU HAVE LOGGED BACK
IN. SINCE YOU WERE DISCONNECTED
EARLIER, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND --
LET'S GO BACK AND START YOUR
TESTIMONY OVER, SO WE WILL GIVE
YOU ONE MINUTE.
>> THANK YOU. LET'S BE CLEAR.
ZONING IS NOT THE SAME AS
GROWTH. [ INAUDIBLE ] BRINGS
HIGHER COSTS AND SIMPLY
PRIORITIZES INFLATION OVER
INFILL, WHICH IS NEITHER SOUND
NOR COMPASSIONATE COUNCIL, YOU
HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW
THE TRUTH AND TELL THE TRUTH.
YOU DON'T GET TO HIDE BEHIND
EXCUSES BEING LED BY CITY STAFF
AND HEAVY LOBBYING AND
PROPAGANDA FROM THE INVESTMENT
COMPANIES. YOU HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO BE GOOD
STEWARDS OF THE CITY [ INAUDIBLE
]. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL NOT ONLY
DOES IT CAPTURE ZONING VALUE FOR
CURRENT PUBLIC BENEFIT, THEY
ALSO PREVENT FUTURE CITY
GOVERNMENTS FROM GETTING FAIR
VALUE [ INAUDIBLE ]. THE CURRENT
PLAN [ INAUDIBLE ] GIVEAWAY FAR
BEYOND WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE
FILLED, WITH NO PROMISE OF
ACTUAL GROWTH IN RETURN. ENABLES
THEM TO SUE THE FUTURE
ADMINISTRATIONS IF THEY TRY TO
MAKE THEM PAY A FAIR SHARE. NONE
OF YOU WILL BE IN OFFICE FOREVER
BUT IF YOU ONLY DO ONE THING AND
THIS TIME, PLEASE [ INAUDIBLE ].
THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS IS
FOR MONOLOG ONLY, NOT REALLY
ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS WHAT IS
NEEDED FOR ACTUAL CITIZEN
INVOLVEMENT AND NOT CORPORATE
CAPTURE.
>> THANK YOU, RICK. THE NEXT
GROUP OF SPEAKERS WILL BE -- AND
WE ARE UP TO NUMBER 12, SO, IT
WILL BE JEFF , JOHNSON, SARAH
SCOTT, AND MEGAN CRUZ, SO WE
WILL START WITH JEFF FRIEDMAN.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU, MY NAME IS
JEFF FRIEDMAN, I AM A PARTNER
WITH [ INAUDIBLE ] ARCHITECTS,
SPECIALIZING IN AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. [ INAUDIBLE ]
THROUGHOUT SEATTLE. IN
PARTICULAR, I WANT TO ADDRESS [
INAUDIBLE ] CENTER. [ INAUDIBLE
] THE ISAAC CULVER HOUSE, [
INAUDIBLE ] . THE ISAAC OVER
HOUSE IS PROVIDING SENIOR
HOUSING FOR 75 YEARS. [
INAUDIBLE ] 140 UNITS [
INAUDIBLE ] . CERTAINLY SPLIT
ZONES. [ INAUDIBLE ] OR THE REAR
PORTION OF THE PARCEL IS ZONED
FOR RESIDENTIAL. EXISTING USE
PREDATES THE ZONING
SPECIFICATION. [ INAUDIBLE ]
USUALLY CREATED BY ACCIDENT. THE
PROPERTY LINES ARE DIFFICULT [
INAUDIBLE ]. THEY ARE EXTREMELY
CHALLENGING TO DEVELOP. THE
CURRENT PROPOSAL DOES NOT
RECOGNIZE [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
PERPETUATES THE SPLIT ZONE. [
INAUDIBLE ] JUST ENOUGH TO
INCLUDE THE ENTIRE PARCEL [
INAUDIBLE ] .
>> THANK YOU, JEFF. NEXT UP,
JOHNSON.
>> THANK YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> THE RIGHT NOW, I AM LISTENING
TO A CHAINSAW. THEY ARE CUTTING
A LOT AND NEW YEAR WHERE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS TORN DOWN
FOR LUXURY DEVELOPMENT. [
INAUDIBLE ] DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT
HAS BEEN A PLAN OF
GENTRIFICATION AND DISPLACEMENT
DRIVEN BY [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
PRIVATE EQUITY. DENSITY ALONE
DOES NOT MAKE THE CITY
AFFORDABLE OR LIVABLE, AND [
INAUDIBLE ] SIMPLY PERPETUATES A
PATTERN OF ANY QUALITY. INSTEAD
OF BUILDING TALLER AND FASTER, I
URGE THE COUNCIL TO PAUSE. THERE
IS NO LEGAL DEADLINE TO RUSH
THROUGH [ INAUDIBLE ]. CHANGING
OVERNIGHT. THIS PLAN IS OUT OF
DATE ALREADY. 2025 [ INAUDIBLE ]
JANUARY, OVER 19,000. PAUSE,
STUDY HOW [ INAUDIBLE ] IS
WORKING, READ THE NEW RESEARCH,
LOOK AT CITIES LIKE CHARLESTON .
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE INVITED TO
PARTICIPATE IN PLANNING TO
CREATE A TRULY AFFORDABLE AND
LIVABLE CITY, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, SARAH
SCOTT. NEXT UP , MEGAN CRUZ.
>> GOOD MORNING. I AM MEGAN
CRUZ, A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT WITH
TWO REQUESTS. THE FIRST IS TO
SIMPLY PUBLISH A FUTURE LAND USE
MAP FOR DOWNTOWN. [ INAUDIBLE ]
DECISIONS REQUIRE A TRANSPARENT
FRAMEWORK FOR RESIDENTS TO SEE.
SECOND, WE NEED LAND-USE
POLICY-BASED AND RESEARCH AND
FAX [ INAUDIBLE ]. A MAJOR
BUILDING BOOM HAS NOT PRODUCED [
INAUDIBLE ]. 27% OF UNITS
DOWNTOWN ARE [ INAUDIBLE ]
OCCASIONALLY OCCUPIED, TWICE THE
RATE [ INAUDIBLE ]. RESEARCH
WARNS THAT [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
RISING LAND PRICES, PUSHING
AFFORDABILITY EVEN FURTHER UP
AND OUT OF REACH. IT IS TIME TO
[ INAUDIBLE ] LAND VALUE
RECAPTURE, AND RESIDENTIAL
CONVERSION OF THE HISTORIC
BUILDING. DOWNTOWN WILL BECOME
SEATTLE'S LARGEST NEIGHBORHOOD
, AND IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO
ALL. [ INAUDIBLE ] POLICY NEEDS
TO BE TRANSPARENT,
EVIDENCE-BASED, AND FOCUS ON
REAL AFFORDABILITY OUTCOMES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AND WE ARE GOING
TO GO BACK TO AN EARLIER
SPEAKER, SHOW ALVAREZ, IF YOU
COULD PRESS*6.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> GREAT, THANKS. FELLOW
COUNCILMEMBERS, MY NAME IS
ALVAREZ AND I AM HERE TODAY ON
BEHALF OF THE SEATTLE PLANNING
COMMISSION. THE PLANNING %
COMMISSION ADOPTS -- SUPPORTS
THE ADOPTION OF [ INAUDIBLE ].
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NEW MODEL
[ INAUDIBLE ] MORE AFFORDABLE
HOMES NEAR AMENITIES, SERVICES,
AND JOBS, ALLOWS US TO [
INAUDIBLE ] MORE EQUITABLY TO
MEET THE FUTURE. [ INAUDIBLE ]
PREVIOUSLY EXPRESSED OUR
CONCERNS ABOUT CONCENTRATING ON
[ INAUDIBLE ] . WE WOULD LIKE TO
SEE [ INAUDIBLE ] THE MITIGATION
OF NEGATIVE PUBLIC HEALTH
IMPACTS [ INAUDIBLE ]. IT'S
FUTURE LAND USE MAP IS
FINALIZED. [ INAUDIBLE ] THE
COMMISSION FURTHERMORE SUPPORTS
[ INAUDIBLE ] AND THE BOUNDARIES
OF CORRIDOR ZONES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AND TO SARAH
SCOTT, IF YOU WANT TO CALL BACK
IN, WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO YOU,
BUT THE NEXT UP ON THE LIST IS
-- WE HAVE A FEW. OH, LOOKS LIKE
SARAH SCOTT, ARE YOU PRESENT? IF
YOU COULD HIT*6, YOU'RE NEXT.
>> HI.
>> OH, HI. YES, THANK YOU, GOOD
MORNING. I AM A SENIOR AND A
SINGLE MOM. MY SON, WHO HAS A
DISABILITY, AND I LIVE TOGETHER
ON A FIXED INCOME. I WAS BORN
AND RAISED IN SEATTLE. I RAISED
MY OLDER CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILY
AT HOME. I JUST WANT TO SAY, THE
DISPLACEMENT IS REAL FOR PEOPLE
LIKE US AND OTHERS, SENIORS,
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,
VETERANS, AND MORE. I AM TALKING
ABOUT A SMALL AREA ON NORTHEAST
45th BETWEEN 40th AND 45th
AVENUE. THIS AREA REALLY
DOESN'T EVEN FOLLOW INTO YOUR
OWN GUIDELINES. I WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW, WHY CAN'T WE SWITCH THIS
AREA, PLEASE? WHY IS IT STOPPING
US FROM -- WHAT IS STOPPING US
FROM SWITCHING THIS SMALL AREA
TO ONE THAT IS MUCH BETTER
SUITED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
LISTENING TO ME.
>> THANK YOU, SARAH. THE NEXT
GROUP OF FOLKS , WE WILL START
AT NUMBER 16, IT IS JUDY
BANDAGE, RUBY HOLLAND, MORGAN ,
JIM GANTZ, BUT ACTUALLY, BEFORE
WE GET TO THAT GROUP, I SEE A
PRIOR SPEAKER, ANN TYSON, IF YOU
ARE THERE, WE WILL GO TO YOU
FIRST. ANN TYSON, IF YOU COULD
PRESS*6.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES. GO AHEAD, ANN.
>> HELLO?
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. I KNOW YOU WANT
THE BEST ZONING SOLUTION AND SO
DOES MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN
NORTHEAST SEATTLE DISTRICT 4. IT
IS ALREADY BUILDING MORE THAN
1000 NEW UNITS AND THOUSANDS
MORE [ INAUDIBLE ]. SEVERAL
AREAS ARE PROPOSED FOR THREE OR
FIVE STORY BUILDINGS. [
INAUDIBLE ] MY NEIGHBORS HAVE
PETITIONED TO SHIFT ONE SMALL [
INAUDIBLE ] TO A DIFFERENT
LOCATION RIGHT INSIDE OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT CAN PRODUCE AS
MANY OR MORE NEW UNITS. WHY DO
WE WANT THIS SWITCH? A BETTER
LOCATION, IT'S CLOSE TO A
COMMERCIAL AREA WITH A PHARMACY,
GROCERY STORE, AND MULTIPLE
TRANSIT LINES. IT CONNECTS TO
OTHER LOWRISE [ INAUDIBLE ]
AREAS WITH SOME HIGHER HEIGHTS
ALREADY. DISPLACEMENT IS
UNLIKELY THERE. IN CONTRAST, THE
AREA NOW SLATED FOR UP ZONE, [
INAUDIBLE ], HAS NONE OF THESE
BENEFITS . IT'S CHALLENGING TO
WALK, LIMITED TRANSIT, AND
LITERALLY NO SHOPS. SO,
DISPLACEMENT ALSO IS A REAL
THREAT HERE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
ON FIXED INCOME. PLEASE SUPPORT
THIS SWITCH AND MAKE THE PLAN
MORE SUCCESSFUL BY LISTENING TO
THE GRASSROOTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ANN. NEXT UP,
JUDY.
>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS
JUDY, I SENT TWO LETTERS TO THE
COUNCIL. ONE ADDRESSING THE MAP
009 [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND LR-2 AND
LR-3 WOULD ELIMINATE A GREEN
PARK AREA THAT HAS BEEN IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WELL OVER 50 YEARS.
IT IS RIGHT IN BACK OF THE
COMMUNITY CENTER AND SENIOR
HOUSING, AND THAT SHOULD BE
REJECTED IN ITS ENTIRETY. THE
SECOND LETTER ADDRESSED THE MAP
095 THAT WOULD [ INAUDIBLE ]
LR-3 AND WOULD DRAMATICALLY
REDUCE THE SIZE OF [ INAUDIBLE ]
IN THE NORTH NATIONAL HISTORIC
DISTRICT, WHICH THE PREVIOUS --
ONE OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCILS IN
2019 UNANIMOUSLY VOTED NOT TO
UPSELL. SO, PLEASE LEAVE BOTH OF
THESE AREAS INTACT. AND I, ALONG
WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE ALREADY
SPOKEN, REALLY OBJECT TO THE
LACK OF PUBLIC NOTICE AND
OUTREACH, WHICH SHOULD HAVE
STARTED FROM THE GROUND UP, SO
THAT EVERYONE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JUDY. NEXT UP,
RUBY HOLLAND.
>> YES, MY NAME IS RUBY HOLLAND.
THE CORRIDOR [ INAUDIBLE ] STILL
USING THE URBAN VILLAGE [
INAUDIBLE ] MINORITIES AND
WORKING-CLASS HOMEOWNERS [
INAUDIBLE ]. SEATTLE WILL NEVER
HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IF THESE
RICH PEOPLE ARE THE ONLY ONES
ALLOWED TO OWN LAND. AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IS IMPORTANT TO
EVERYONE, BUT NOT AT THE CITY'S
EXPENSE. WE HAVE HAD OUR SHARE
OF UP ZONING AND DISPLACEMENTS.
[ INAUDIBLE ] MANDATED FOR
FORMER REDLINE COMMUNITIES. THE
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PLAN MENTIONED
[ INAUDIBLE ] IS INADEQUATE AND
UNTRUE FOR KEEPING PEOPLE
HOUSED. WE WATCHED MORE HOUSING
GET BILLED AFTER PASSING [
INAUDIBLE ] IN 2019, AND WE ALSO
WATCHED CITY COUNCIL APPROVED
$3181 RENT FOR A TWO BEDROOM [
INAUDIBLE ] LOW INCOME APARTMENT
IN NOVEMBER OF 2000.
>> THANK YOU, RUBY. NEXT UP, BOB
MORGAN.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> HELLO? GREAT. THIS COUNCIL
BILL WOULD USE THOSE LANES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY THROUGH THE
[ INAUDIBLE ] ZONE WHERE IT
SHARES BOUNDARIES WITH THE
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONE.
THIS ABRUPT TRANSITIONS ARE
CONTRARY TO THE CITY'S LAND USE
[ INAUDIBLE ] AN EXPLICIT
PROVISION AND LAND USE CODE THAT
COMPLIANCE WITH THE RECENT
CRITERIA CONSTITUTES CONSISTENCY
WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
ALSO, ANOTHER CODE REQUIREMENT
THERE IS THAT THE RECORD REPORT
INCLUDED AN EVALUATION OF THE
APPLICABLE REASONS. THESE
CONDITIONS MAKE THIS PROPOSAL
SUBJECT TO LEGAL CHALLENGE. WE
RECOMMEND WITHIN 50 FEET OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL LOT,
CHANGE-UP ZONES TO L1 OR L2. [
INAUDIBLE ] IF THESE TWO ITEMS
ARE INACCESSIBLE, PLEASE AT
LEAST LIMIT [ INAUDIBLE ] USE L2
NEXT TO NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
ZONES AND DEMAND [ INAUDIBLE ]
BY THE DIRECTORS REPORT. [
INAUDIBLE ] MORE DETAIL ON THESE
QUOTES.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. THE NEXT
GROUP OF SPEAKERS, WE ARE UP TO
SPEAKER NUMBER 20, IT IS LYLE ,
MAGGIE LEWIS, CHARLES, ALEXANDER
JOHNSON, AND PATRICK TAYLOR. OH,
SORRY, NEXT UP, JIM GANN
ACTUALLY, YOU ARE NUMBER 19.
PLEASE GO.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, I AM 100%
DISABLED VETERAN LIVING ON A
FIXED INCOME. I AM HERE BECAUSE
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT
DISPLACEMENT IN THE SMALL
RESIDENTIAL STRIP OF NORTHEAST
45th STREET, NOT JUST FOR ME,
FOR MY NEIGHBOR, ALSO A DISABLED
VETERAN, AND SEVERAL SENIOR
CITIZENS ON OUR BLOCK WHO WANT
NOTHING MORE THAN TO REMAIN IN
THEIR HOMES. UP ZONING THIS
SMALL STRIP COULD RAISE PROPERTY
TAXES AND FINANCIAL PRESSURE TO
A POINT WHERE PEOPLE LIKE US ARE
FORCED OUT. THIS ISN'T JUST A
NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S A COMMUNITY.
THESE ARE MY FRIENDS AND WE
BUILT OUR LIVES HERE TOGETHER,
AND THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE FOR
THIS KIND OF CHANGE. STEEP
SLOPES, NO SERVICES, LIMITED
TRANSIT. THIS AREA CANNOT
SUPPORT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A BETTER
LOCATION NEARBY THAT CAN HAVE
THE SAME NUMBER OF UNITS WITH
BETTER SUPPORTING
INFRASTRUCTURE, WITHOUT
DISPLACING PEOPLE LIKE ME.
PLEASE HELP PROTECT THIS
COMMUNITY AND MOVE THIS ZONING
TO WHERE IT TRULY WORKS. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JIM. NEXT UP,
LYLE. -- LYLE. IF YOU COULD
PRESS'S*6.
>> HI, I AM LILA, I AM A
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND I HAVE
RAISED THREE KIDS HERE ON QUEEN
ANNE. PLEASE SLOW DOWN. WHAT WE
ARE MISSING IS A GOAL OF
CITYWIDE PLAN FOR NEW PUBLIC
AMENITIES AND PUBLIC TREES THAT
WILL [ INAUDIBLE ] WRAP EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD IN A GREEN EMBRACE.
THE ONE SEATTLE PLAN HAS SHOWN
US HOW FUTURE GROWTH WILL BE
BALANCED. WITH THE PUBLIC
SPACES, WE NEED TO RETAIN THE
CITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE AND [
INAUDIBLE ]. AS NEIGHBORHOODS
PREPARE FOR GROWTH, WE NEED TO
SEE HOW LIVABILITY WILL BE
SUPPORTED WITH THE NEW PUBLIC
AMENITIES SUCH AS PAUSES,
COURTYARDS, PARKS, TRAILS,
BOULEVARDS, AND TREES. REDUCING
THE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS FOR
BUILDING AND HOUSES WILL LEAD TO
AN INCONSISTENT, CHAOTIC ZIGZAG
DESIGN [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU. AND BEFORE WE MOVE
ON TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, I JUST
WANT TO REMIND ANY MEMBER OF THE
PUBLIC WHO MIGHT WANT TO SPEAK
REMOTELY THIS MORNING, THE
SIGN-UP DEADLINE IS AT 10:30, SO
YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO SIGN UP.
NEXT UP, MAGGIE --
>> HELLO?
>> NEXT UP IS MAGGIE LEWIS. [
INAUDIBLE ]
>> HELLO. I'M SPEAKING FROM
WEST SEATTLE ABOUT MAP 184 ,
ABOUT THE EAST SIDE OF 46th
AVENUE SOUTHWEST BETWEEN
SOUTHWEST [ INAUDIBLE ], WHICH
IS PROPOSED TO BE UP ZONE FROM
NR TO LR-3. [ INAUDIBLE ] AN
INADEQUATE STREET TO SUPPORT THE
DEVELOPMENT OF FIVE-STORY,
MULTIUNIT STRUCTURES IN TERMS OF
SAFETY AND UTILITY SUPPORT. THE
STREET IS ONLY 16 FEET WIDE,
THERE IS ONLY ONE THREE-FOOT
WIDE SIDEWALK THAT HAS NO
PARKING STRIP. PEOPLE FROM
CANETTI RETIREMENT [ INAUDIBLE
]. EMERGENCY VEHICLES AND SIRENS
AT TIMES CANNOT MAKE THE TURNS
ON 46 SOUTHWEST OR SOUTHWEST
MYRTLE BECAUSE OF [ INAUDIBLE ].
IN ADDITION, REGULAR SIZED [
INAUDIBLE ] CAN'T SERVE THIS
STREET AND THE CITY MUST ALREADY
SEND SMALLER TRUCKS TO SERVE US.
BECAUSE OF THESE SAFETY --
>> THANK YOU, MAGGIE. NEXT UP,
CHARLES.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
CHARLES TRAFFORD, I'M SPEAKING
REGARDING THE ONE SEATTLE PLAN.
THE CITY NEEDS TO ADDRESS
DENSITY, BUT THE SCOPE OF THIS
IS FAR BEYOND WHAT IS
REASONABLE. WE NEED THOUGHTFUL,
WELL-PLANNED ZONING THAT OFFERS
BOTH DENSITY AND LIVABILITY. [
INAUDIBLE ] CONSIDER THE
INFRASTRUCTURE, NONE OF IT WAS
EVER DESIGNED FOR THIS. 35th AND
75th AVENUE ARE GRIDLOCKED AT
RUSH HOUR. HIS 75th, TWO LANE
ROAD, IS ONLY EAST-WEST ACCESS
TO THE FREEWAY FOR THE ROUGHLY
40,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN
NEIGHBORHOODS FROM I-5 TO LAKE
WASHINGTON. ADDING THOUSANDS
MORE WILL EXPONENTIALLY COMPOUND
THE PROBLEM. I SUGGEST REDUCING
THE SCOPE OF THE PLAN AND
REDUCING THE ZONING HEIGHT TO
FOUR STORIES AND MAXIMUM. I ALSO
SUGGEST CONSIDERING DEVELOPING
IN A NEIGHBORHOOD ON LAKE CITY
WAY [ INAUDIBLE ]. THIS AREA HAS
APPROPRIATE ACCESS AND IS
GREATLY UNDERDEVELOPED. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHARLES. NEXT UP,
ALEXANDER JOHNSON.
>> HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN, THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS, THANK YOU. I
NAME IS ALEXANDRA JOHNSON AND I
AM HERE ON BEHALF OF [ INAUDIBLE
] AND SPECIFICALLY TO COMMENT ON
THE PLANNED ZONING OF THE NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. THE SOUTH
PARK MEDIUM HOUSING INCOME IS [
INAUDIBLE ], AND LOW INCOME
RENTERS HERE ARE DISPLACED AT
FOUR TIMES THE RATE OF [
INAUDIBLE ]. YET, EVERY ZONING
CURRENTLY PROPOSED FOR OUR
CENTER [ INAUDIBLE ] REQUIRING A
MINIMUM 60% AMI, WITH
DEVELOPMENT MORE LIKELY TO
ACCOMMODATE [ INAUDIBLE ]. THAT
MEANS VIRTUALLY NOTHING BEING
BUILT WILL BE AFFORDABLE TO THE
FAMILIES THAT ALREADY LIVE HERE,
AND [ INAUDIBLE ] OR OWNERSHIP
INSECURITY [ INAUDIBLE ]. PLEASE
CONVERT ALL LR-1 ZONING TO LR-3.
RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS THAT [
INAUDIBLE ] TO SERVE ZERO TO 80%
AMI HOUSEHOLDS. THERE IS
CURRENTLY ZERO PLANNED ZONING IN
SOUTH PARK. WE URGE THE COUNCIL
TO ADOPT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
OVERLAY ZONES ACROSS ALL [
INAUDIBLE ].
>> THANK YOU, ALEXANDRA. WE ARE
UP TO SPEAKER NUMBER 24. I'M
GOING TO NAME OFF A FEW NAMES.
PATRICK TAYLOR, IF YOU ARE OUT
THERE, PLEASE CALL IN. BETH
BIRNBAUM, MARILYN SMITH, AND
COLLEEN. LET'S SEE, PATRICK
TAYLOR, LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT NEED
TO CIRCLE BACK TO YOU. SO, NEXT
UP, BETH BIRNBAUM , IF YOU COULD
HIT*6, PLEASE.
>> GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I
AM CALLING IN IS A NORTHEAST
SEATTLE DISTRICT 4 RESIDENT,
REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGE A
NORTHEAST 46th STREET FROM 40th
AVENUE NORTHEAST TO THE 48th
AVENUE NORTHEAST. NOT ALIGNED
WITH THE CITY PLAN, WHICH
PRIORITIZES [ INAUDIBLE ]
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS. IT IS NOT.
LOOKING AT A VERY STEEP GRADE.
SO, IT'S NOT WALKABLE, IT DOES
NOT HAVE NEARBY COMMERCIAL
SERVICES. [ INAUDIBLE ]
NEIGHBORS IN THE AREA REPORT
USING [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND IT'S A
MUCH MORE SUITABLE AREA FOR
BUILDING ADDITIONAL HOUSING
WITHOUT DISPLACING CURRENT
RESIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME.
>> THANK YOU. LET'S SEE. NEXT
UP, MARILYN SMITH.
>> GOOD MORNING. THE DIRECTORS
REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED [
INAUDIBLE ] AND CORRIDOR'S
LEGISLATION THAT IS BEFORE YOU
SAYS, "NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ARE
LOCATED ALONG EXISTING
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY AND FREQUENT
TRANSIT ACCESS" PRIORITIZE THE
WORD AND. [ INAUDIBLE ] WHERE
PEOPLE COULD WALK AND GET
TRANSIT TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR
DAILY NEEDS, SO THEY DO NOT HAVE
THE NEED FOR CARS. HOWEVER, THE
LEGISLATION YOU PASSED IN
DECEMBER DEFINES NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS AS PLACES LOCATED AROUND
A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR AND/OR
ACCESS TO FREQUENT TRANSIT. BY
THAT DEFINITION, A NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER CAN BE IN ANY PLACE WITH
FREQUENT TRANSIT, WHETHER OR NOT
IT HAS AMENITIES , OR PLACES
WITH SOME AMENITIES, WITH NO
ACCESS TO TRANSIT. I DON'T
THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU INTENDED.
PLEASE GO BACK AND AMEND THE
ORDINANCE AND TAKE OUT THE
AND/OR. IT CAN BE AND AND/OR.
>> THANK YOU, MARILYN. AND FOR
ANYONE WHO IS UNABLE TO COMPLETE
YOUR TESTIMONY, PLEASE GO AHEAD
AND EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OR
YOUR COMPLETE TESTIMONY. NEXT
UP, COLLEEN.
>> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL,
COLLEEN McALEER, REPRESENTING
3400 RESIDENTS IN NORTHEAST
SEATTLE AT OUR COMMUNITY CENTER,
AND WE REQUEST TO MAINTAIN THE
STAIN UNITS [ INAUDIBLE ] AND
NOT UP ZONE 55 FEET, MOVE THAT
TO A MORE COMPATIBLE LOCATION [
INAUDIBLE ]. THIS PARTICULAR
STREET IS AN ARBITRARY ZONING
EXTENSION, LOCATED ON A STEEP
SLOPE THAT JUST FUNCTIONS AS A [
INAUDIBLE ] FOR METRO DRIVERS.
THE ONE SEATTLE PLAN SAYS PHASE
26 DESIGNATES NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS [ INAUDIBLE ] WITH
DIVERSE HOUSING OPTIONS.
NORTHEAST 45th STREET EAST OF
40th AVENUE DOES NOT MEET THIS
CRITERIA. THERE ARE NO
COMMERCIAL SERVICES [ INAUDIBLE
]. A BETTER PLAN, LET THEM
PRODUCE THE AFFORDABLE UNITS [
INAUDIBLE ] . ANOTHER 120 UNITS
CAN BE PLACED ELSEWHERE IN VERY
UNDERDEVELOPED COMMERCIAL AREAS
RIDE ALONG [ INAUDIBLE ]. THANK
YOU SO.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEEN. THE NEXT
GROUP, WE ARE UP TO NUMBER 28,
IT'S GOING TO BE MARY DAVIS,
WINSLOW HAYNES, GREG MURPHY, AND
LEO KITCHELL, SO WE WILL START
OFF WITH MARY DAVIS. IF YOU ARE
PRESENT, PLEASE HIT*6.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> MY NAME IS MARY DAVIS, THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR YOUR
WORK ON A COMPLEX JOB OF
INCREASED DENSITY AND FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. FIRST, THE
CURRENT PROPOSED ZONING DOES NOT
REFLECT THE PROVISION FOR
TRANSITIONS THAT APPEARED IN THE
PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED.
TRANSITIONING FROM CB 121173
GOING FOR TO NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENTIAL [ INAUDIBLE ] WITH
THE CHARACTER OF OUR CITY AND
START PLACEMENT OF FIVE AND SIX
STORY BUILDINGS RIGHT NEXT TO 30
FOOT DWELLINGS. TRANSITIONING
ALSO ADDS GREATER CHOICES IN
TYPES OF HOUSING. PLEASE
TRANSITION BETWEEN ZONING
CATEGORIES WITHIN EXISTING AREA
BOUNDARIES. SECOND, I ENCOURAGE
THE COUNCIL TO CAREFULLY REVISIT
THE IMPACT OF ZONING NEXT TO OUR
WONDERFUL CITY PARKS. EACH IS
UNIQUE IN CHARACTER AND
OFFERINGS, TYPE OF LOCATION,
ADJACENT STREETS, AND NUMBER
TYPE AND FREQUENCY OF VISITORS.
EACH REQUIRES GENERAL ACCESS AND
SAFETY. PLEASE TAKE CARE IN
OFFERING [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, MARY. NEXT UP,
WINSLOW HAYNES. WINSLOW, IF YOU
COULD HIT*6. OKAY, WE ARE GOING
TO MOVE ON. WINSLOW, WE WILL
COME BACK TO YOU. OH. WINSLOW,
IF YOU COULD HIT *6, OTHERWISE
WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES, WE CAN, GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO?
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS WINSLOW
HAYES, SEATTLE RESIDENT SINCE
1984. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A
VERY SMALL [ INAUDIBLE ] ON 34th
AND 35th AVENUE , WHICH WOULD BE
ZONED TO Mc 255 [ INAUDIBLE ].
THIS STRETCH IS ONE CONTINUOUS
BLOCK OF NORTH EAST 81st STREET
AND NORTHEAST 84th STREET. THIS
PIECE OF LAND IS CURRENTLY ZONED
AT NR. THE LAST RUN FROM 25th TO
34th GRADE ON THE 35th ASIDE,
THERE IS A LONG LINE OF AT LEAST
73 MOSTLY EVERGREENS THAT WERE
PLANTED IN THE 1940s. THE 34th
SIDE, THERE ARE HOUSES, YARDS,
AND OTHER MATURE TREES. IF THIS
UP ZONING [ INAUDIBLE ] THAT
LONG LINE OF TREES WILL BE
REMOVED [ INAUDIBLE ] OR THE
TREES [ INAUDIBLE ] , WHICH
MAKES NO SENSE, SINCE 34th IS A
RESIDENTIAL STREET. PLEASE
RESTORE THE ZONING TO NR. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, GREG
MURPHY.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS
GREG MURPHY, I AM A RESIDENT OF
WEST SEATTLE. I LIVE IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS PROPOSED TO
BECOME A [ INAUDIBLE ]
NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT. AND I'M
CALLING IN TO ASK THAT YOU
MAINTAIN THE EXISTING
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONING
AND 36 AND 37th AVENUE SOUTHWEST
TO [ INAUDIBLE ] NEIGHBORHOOD
DISTRICT. THE REASON FOR THIS IS
THE PROPOSED CHANGE TO LR-3 IS
GOING TO BRING 50 FOOT TALL
BUILDINGS AS A PATCHWORK INTO
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF SMALL [
INAUDIBLE ] AND ONE AND A HALF
STORY HOMES, BLOCKING LIGHTS,
BLOCKING VIEWS, TO [ INAUDIBLE ]
OUR QUALITY OF LIFE IN THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD. ADDITIONALLY, I
DON'T THINK OUR INFRASTRUCTURE
IS SCALED FOR A 50 FOOT TALL [
INAUDIBLE ]. WE ARE ABOUT TWO
MILES FROM THE NEAREST RAPID
TRANSIT STATION. OUR STREETS ARE
NARROW, AND [ INAUDIBLE ]
RESIDENTIAL ZONING. THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, GREG. NEXT UP, LEO
KITCHELL.
>> HELLO, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS
LEO KITCHELL, A LONGTIME SEATTLE
RESIDENT LIVING ON CHERRY HILL.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO [
INAUDIBLE ]. I SUPPORT THE
PRIORITIES OF THAT COMPLETE
COMMUNITY COALITION. [ INAUDIBLE
] COURTYARD BONUSES IN LR ZONES.
[ INAUDIBLE ] AND EXPANDING
TRANSIT CORRIDOR IS BEYOND THOSE
NARROW BLOCK [ INAUDIBLE ] .
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD
WORK. PLEASE HELP END THIS
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS BY
ALLOWING [ INAUDIBLE ]. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LEO. AND JUST A
REMINDER FOR ANY OF THE
LISTENING PUBLIC WHO HAVE NOT
SIGNED UP TO TESTIFY, BUT ARE
INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING
REMOTELY THIS MORNING, YOU CAN
STILL SIGN UP UNTIL 10:30, SO 10
MORE MINUTES TO SIGN UP. WOULD
LIKE TO MOVE ONTO THE NEXT
GROUP, WE ARE ON NUMBER 32, I
WILL CALL OFF A LIST OF NAMES.
ORLA, SHAW, TINA, AND ROSA
CORTEZ. SO, ORLA. YOU ARE NEXT.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS,
MY NAME IS ORLA AND I AM HERE TO
COMMENT ON THE AFFORDABILITY OF
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS. OUR
CITY IS GETTING INCREASINGLY
WARMER [ INAUDIBLE ], AND WE
NEED OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS TO
BE COOL. AIR-CONDITIONING IS A
LUXURY THAT NOT ALL OF OUR
RESIDENTS CAN AFFORD, AND [
INAUDIBLE ] BY COOLING THE AIR
UP TO 10 TO 15 DEGREES. PLEASE
DO NOT OVERLOOK HOW TREES
NATURALLY COOL THE AIR FOR ALL
RESIDENTS. I AM ASKING FOR DENSE
FORESTS FOR DENSE HOUSING. [
INAUDIBLE ] TREES INSTEAD OF
JUST PAVEMENTS. AMEND THE [
INAUDIBLE ] , AND PILOT
ACCESSIBLE POCKET [ INAUDIBLE ]
TO INCREASE FREE PARKING. I AM
ASKING [ INAUDIBLE ] AND TO KEEP
SEATTLE ERECT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, NOLLIE
MATT SHAW. IF YOU COULD HIT*6.
OKAY.
>> HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> OKAY. I URGE COUNCIL TO ENACT
POLICY THAT PROTECTS TREES AND
PROMOTES HOUSING TOGETHER.
UNLESS COUNCIL INCLUDES STRONGER
REQUIREMENTS AND INCENTIVES TO
PROTECT TREES, IT WILL NOT
HAPPEN. IF WE COULD TRUST
VOLUNTARY ACTION, SEATTLE WOULD
HAVE A MUCH HIGHER TREE CANOPY
ALREADY. 100-YEAR-OLD TREES
CANNOT BE REPLACED WITH NEW
TREES. REQUIRING TREES DOES NOT
HAVE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
HOUSING WITH THE RIGHT POLICIES
IN PLACE. AS THE NUMBER OF HOT
DAYS INCREASE, IT IS IMPERATIVE
THAT SEATTLE INCLUDE TREES IN
PLACES THAT PEOPLE SPEND TIME.
ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, COURTYARDS,
COMMUNITY SPACES, PARKS, AND ON
STREETS. TREES MATTER IN THE
WINTER AS WELL, WE GET REALLY
HEAVY RAIN NOW. TREES BREAK UP
THE RAINDROPS INTO SMALLER
PARTICLES AND ABSORB THE WATER,
REDUCING FLOODING IMPACTS.
FINALLY, TREES ARE SO IMPORTANT
TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
SCIENCE SHOWS THAT PEOPLE
RECOVERING FROM SURGERY EVEN
RECOVER FASTER JUST BY LOOKING
AT TREES. JUST SPEND A FEW
MINUTES QUIETLY LOOKING AT A
TREE OR SITTING UNDER ITS CANOPY
OR EVEN THINKING ABOUT THAT AND
SEE HOW YOU FEEL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, TINA
BUCHER. TINA, IF YOU COULD HIT
*6.
>> THANK YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN. GREAT, MY NAME
IS TINA AND I LIVE IN DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE. I SUPPORT DOWNTOWN
GROWTH AND I SUPPORT HAVING MORE
HOUSING. BUT THIS PLAN RAISES A
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION, ARE WE
GROWING A NEIGHBORHOOD OR ARE WE
JUST [ INAUDIBLE ] ? THIS
DOWNTOWN IS GOING TO GROW WITH
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE
HAVE TO PLAN FOR HOW PEOPLE [
INAUDIBLE ] LIVABILITY, OPEN
SPACE, WALKABLE STREETS. [
INAUDIBLE ] AIR QUALITY ,
PRESERVING HISTORIC BUILDINGS,
AND SO ON. AND IT MEANS
NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITIES, GROCERY
STORES, CHILDCARE, PARKS. [
INAUDIBLE ] ADDING HOUSING IS
NOT THE SAME AS BUILDING A
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND A NEIGHBORHOOD
CAN'T BE [ INAUDIBLE ] WITHOUT
TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC SPACE,
AND AMENITIES ALL HAVE TO BE
PLANNED TOGETHER, [ INAUDIBLE ].
WE SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR HOW
PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE THERE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, TINA. NEXT UP,
ROSA CORTEZ. ROSA ? ROSA, IF YOU
COULD HIT*6. OKAY. ROSA, WE
WILL COME BACK TO YOU. NEXT UP,
WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS, WE ARE
UP TO NUMBER 37. WE HAVE ETHAN,
RUTH WILLIAMS, CAROLINE
VILLANOVA, AND ZACH HOWELL.
ETHAN, YOU ARE UP NEXT, IF YOU
COULD HIT*6.
>> HELLO. SEATTLE IS
UNFORTUNATELY A VICTIM OF [
INAUDIBLE ] VAST MAJORITY OF
AMERICA. [ INAUDIBLE ] I WOULD
BET 1 MILLION BUCKS THAT WHEN
YOU GET THERE, THE FIRST THING
ON YOUR MIND IS, WOW, [
INAUDIBLE ] ONLY MIXED-USE
DEVELOPMENTS AND SIDEWALKS TO
MAKE ROOM FOR A SIX LANE
HIGHWAY. [ INAUDIBLE ] BEING
ABLE TO WALK OR BUS FROM ONE
NEIGHBORHOOD TO ANOTHER, I WOULD
ORDER A $60 UBER INSTEAD. THIS
IS A REALITY THAT WE LIVE IN,
AND [ INAUDIBLE ] ZONING LAWS
ARE ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL
ISSUES DRIVING [ INAUDIBLE ].
HIGH DENSITY, MIXED-USE
DEVELOPMENT IN POOR
NEIGHBORHOODS, IMPROVING
AFFORDABILITY BY [ INAUDIBLE ].
ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC GROWTH BY
INCREASING [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR
RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES. MY
UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT
PROPOSAL IS THAT THE HOUSING
WOULD ONLY BE UTILIZED [
INAUDIBLE ]. I ASK US TO EXPAND
INTO A FIVE-MINUTE [ INAUDIBLE ]
AROUND THE CORE DOORS. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ETHAN. NEXT UP,
RUTH WILLIAMS. RUTH, IF YOU
COULD HIT*6. RUTH , WE WILL
COME BACK TO YOU. CAROLINE
VILLANOVA. CAN YOU HIT *6?
CAROLINE, YOU MIGHT BE MUTED,
SO, IF YOU WOULD TRY AGAIN.
>> HI, IS THIS GOOD?
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT,
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
CAROLINE VILLANOVA AND I AM THE
DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
FOR SEATTLE [ INAUDIBLE ]. WE
ARE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE NEED
FOR ADDITIONAL HOUSING IN
SEATTLE. WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT IS THE LACK OF FOCUS ON
THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE
SURROUNDING THIS HIGHWAY. THE
COMMUNITY PROCESS FOR THIS HAS
BEEN INADEQUATE. [ INAUDIBLE ]
AGENCY AND ELECTED LEADERS TO
SIT DOWN AND HAVE DIRECT
DIALOGUES WITH COMMUNITIES THAT
WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE
CHANGES. SEATTLE PARKS
THANKFULLY WORKS WITH OVER 130
GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY GROUPS,
INCLUDING A NUMBER OF
NEIGHBORHOOD [ INAUDIBLE ], AND
WE ARE HAPPY TO ASSIST THE CITY
IN REACHING PEOPLE THAT CARE
ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS. PEOPLE
WANT TO LIVE NEAR GREEN SPACES.
THESE REQUIRE PUBLIC SPACE AND
PUBLIC AMENITY IMPROVEMENTS TO
EVERY REGIONAL AREA AND
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. THESE ARE
PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY
ENJOY OUR CITY. AND THE LAST [
INAUDIBLE ], OR CITY LEADERS [
INAUDIBLE ]. SPECIFICALLY PARKS,
SUCH AS CAL ANDERSON PARK. WE
REQUEST AN AMENDMENT TO THE [
INAUDIBLE ] SYSTEM WITH TREE
REQUIREMENTS AND [ INAUDIBLE ] .
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
CAROLINE. WE ARE GOING TO GO
BACK TO RUTH WILLIAMS, I BELIEVE
YOU WERE TRYING TO CALL IN. RUTH
WILLIAMS, IF YOU WOULD HIT *6.
>> HELLO, GOOD MORNING, MY NAME
IS RUTH WILLIAMS, IN SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF HORTON CREEK ALLIANCE.
BARTON CREEK IS THE LARGEST
WATERSHED IN BOTH SEATTLE AND [
INAUDIBLE ]. THE SEATTLE PORTION
IS LARGELY IN D5 AND B4. A LOT
OF PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, BUT
NOW THE CITY FOCUS ON PAVEMENT
AND NEW CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY
CONFLICTS WITH THE CITY'S
LONG-HELD STANDARD GOALS, AND
WILL BRING INCREASED WARM,
CONTAMINATED STORM WATER, AND
THE LOSS OF TREE CANOPY WILL
FURTHER THE HARM WITH WARMER,
DRIER AIR. [ INAUDIBLE ] NOT
CONSISTENT WITH SALMON RECOVERY,
BUT YOU KNOW THAT. THEY ARE NOT
CONSISTENT WITH THE GOAL OF
HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT YOU
KNOW THAT, TOO. HAS ANYONE
CONSIDERED WHAT THE LACK OF
PLANNING FOR OFF SPECIES AREAS
IS GOING TO DO? THE STATED GOAL
IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. HOW IS
THAT WORKING? ARE YOU AWARE THAT
STSCI IS NOW REQUIRING
HOMEBUYERS TO SIGN NO PROTEST
AGREEMENTS AND AT LEAST ONE
NEIGHBORHOOD? THIS IS A
COMMITMENT NOT TO PROTEST WHEN
THE CITY IMPOSES AN L I.D. ON
THE RESIDENTS.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE ARE
GOING TO GO TO ZACH HOWELL, AND
AFTER THAT, WE ARE GOING TO
CIRCLE BACK TO PATRICK TAYLOR.
ZACH HOWELL, CAN YOU HIT *6?
>> HELLO. I'M ZACH HOWELL, A
LONGTIME SEATTLE RENTER AND
RECENT HOMEOWNER. IT SHOULD BE
INCREDIBLY OBVIOUS HOW MESSED UP
IT IS TO FORCE [ INAUDIBLE ]
ONTO BUSY ROADS WHILE
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES LIE ON NICER
AND QUIETER STREETS. PLEASE
EXTEND THESE CORE DOORS TO AT
LEAST A FEW BLOCKS IN EACH
DIRECTION. WHOEVER DECIDED THAT
APARTMENTS CAN ONLY GO WITHIN
HALF A BLOCK OF TRANSIT
CORRIDORS HAS CLEARLY NEVER
WALKED TO A BUS STOP IN THEIR
LIFE. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE
NOVEMBER VOTERS WHO VOTED [
INAUDIBLE ] OVER ENTRENCHED
HOMEOWNERS AND CAR -- AND THE
PREVIOUS CAR DRIVING
ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ZACH. NEXT UP,
PATRICK TAYLOR. PATRICK TAYLOR,
IF YOU COULD HIT *6. PATRICK
TAYLOR, YOU ARE NUMBER 24. IF
YOU ARE PRESENT, IF YOU COULD
HIT *6. OKAY, PATRICK, WE CAN
CIRCLE BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU
ALL AGAIN TO EVERYBODY FOR
CALLING IN, AND AGAIN, IF YOU
ARE UNABLE TO COMPLETE YOUR
COMMENTS, GO AHEAD AND EMAIL US.
YOU CAN EMAIL THE ENTIRE COUNCIL
AT COUNCIL @ SEATTLE.GOV. THE
NEXT GROUP OF SPEAKERS, WE ARE
UP TO NUMBER 41. WE ARE GOING TO
NAME 41 THROUGH 45. IT IS
BECAUSE SUE , HANS RASMUSSEN,
SCOTT ROBERTS, GABRIEL KENNEDY
GIBBONS, AND MONACO LONG. LOOKS
LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ] MAY NOT BE
PRESENT, BUT IF YOU WOULD CALL
BACK IN . HANS RASMUSSEN, SAME
THING, IF YOU WOULD CALL BACK
IN.
>> HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> HELLO, IS THAT PATRICK?
>> YEAH, THIS IS PATRICK, SORRY.
>> GO AHEAD, PATRICK.
>> MY NAME IS PATRICK TAYLOR, I
AM A HOMEOWNER [ INAUDIBLE ]
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. [ INAUDIBLE
] I'M CALLING IN TODAY TO
SUPPORT NEW HOUSING
OPPORTUNITIES. [ INAUDIBLE ] THE
HOUSING CRISIS, THE ROOT OF
WHICH IS NOT ENOUGH HOUSING, [
INAUDIBLE ]. I WOULD ALSO LIKE
TO MAKE A PLEA FOR LESS [
INAUDIBLE ]. THE PROCESS IS
EXHAUSTING. YOU HAVE HEARD [
INAUDIBLE ]. LOBBYISTS [
INAUDIBLE ] PEOPLE WANT TO BE
WITH THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR
FRIENDS, WATCHING REALITY TV, OR
ANYTHING BUT [ INAUDIBLE ]. NOW
IS THE TIME [ INAUDIBLE ].
PLEASE PASS THE REST OF THE PLAN
[ INAUDIBLE ] AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, PATRICK. NEXT UP,
NUMBER 43, SCOTT ROBERTS, IF YOU
COULD HIT *6.
>> HI. I LIVE ON 39th AVENUE
SOUTHWEST IN WEST SEATTLE. I
URGE YOU TO MAINTAIN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONING
ON THE WEST SIDE OF 39th AVENUE
SOUTHWEST. THE CURRENT ZONING [
INAUDIBLE ] . ONCE YOU PUT THE
SWITCH TO LR-2, IT'S PERMANENT,
WE CAN'T UNDO [ INAUDIBLE ].
THIS REZONING IGNORES THE
ECONOMIC VALUE. [ INAUDIBLE ]
UNATTRACTIVE FOR AFFORDABLE
DEVELOPMENT. I AM PUSHING FOR
LR-2, YOU'RE CREATING FEAR IN
THE COMMUNITY, [ INAUDIBLE ]
BECAUSE THE MATH DOESN'T WORK
FOR BUILDERS. ADJUSTING THAT
MATH REQUIRES HIGHER PRICES. WHY
TRADE OUR COMMUNITY STABILITY
FOR A PLAN [ INAUDIBLE ]?
FINALLY, THE PROCESS [ INAUDIBLE
]. MOST OF THE NEIGHBORS IN MY
COMMUNITY ONLY HEARD OF THIS IN
JANUARY. [ INAUDIBLE ] YOU
REJECTED THE COUNCILMEMBERS
AMENDMENT THAT WOULD HAVE [
INAUDIBLE ] REQUIRED MAILERS. BY
DOING SO --
>> THANK YOU, SCOTT. NEXT UP,
GABRIEL KENNEDY GIBBONS.
GABRIEL, IF YOU COULD HIT*6.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, MY
NAME IS GABRIEL, I AM A STUDENT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
STUDYING ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE.
WHEN I WAS READING THROUGH THE
DRAFT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN,
I WAS VERY ALARMED TO SEE THAT
IT INADEQUATELY ADDRESSES
STREETS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT
REQUIRE AMENITY AREAS TO HAVE
TREES, EITHER PLANTED OR
OBTAINED. PLEASE AMEND THE GREEN
FACTOR WITH TREE RETENTION AND
PLANNING, AND AT A FLEXIBLE
OPTION OF POCKET FORESTS IN
PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS. WE KNOW
THAT WE CAN HAVE TREE DENSITY
WITHOUT SACRIFICING HOUSING.
THIS IS ONE OF MY FIRST TIMES
CALLING INTO COMMENT BECAUSE OF
HOW IMPORTANT THIS ISSUE IS. AND
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT MY
HOMETOWN OF SPOKANE IS DOING
BETTER JOBS THAN SEATTLE RIGHT
NOW WITH THE TREE CANOPY COVER
GOAL. AS MY PEERS AND I PREPARE
TO GRADUATE, WE ARE GOING TO BE
WATCHING CLOSELY AT WHAT THE
COUNCIL DOES AND IF YOU
PRIORITIZE HAVING TREES OR NOT,
WHEN WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS
MORE LONG-TERM ABOUT WHERE WE
WOULD LIKE TO LIVE, SO PLEASE
PROVIDE FOR URBAN DENSITY,
MAINTAIN OUR URBAN TREE COVER AS
WELL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, GABRIEL. NEXT UP,
MONICA WONG. MONICA?
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, MY
NAME IS MONICA HONG, I'M A
RENTER IN D2 AND I AM ALSO A
MILLENNIAL. THE HOUSING SURGE
HAS NOT ONLY AFFECTED [
INAUDIBLE ] TO START OUR OWN
FAMILIES, BUT ALSO [ INAUDIBLE ]
OUR AGING PARENTS [ INAUDIBLE ].
MY MOM IS IN HER 70s AND
RECENTLY MOVED BACK TO BE CLOSER
TO HER ONLY CHILD, AND THE
CURRENT HOUSING SHORTAGE HAS
LIMITED WHERE SHE CAN LIVE AND
WHAT QUALITY-OF-LIFE SHE CAN
HAVE IN HER LATER YEARS. SHE
CAN'T REALLY SAFELY DRIVE
ANYMORE, SO THE LACK OF PUBLIC
TRANSIT HAS REDUCED HER SENSE OF
AUTONOMY, HER ABILITY TO GET TO
MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS ON HER OWN,
RUN ERRANDS, OR JUST SIMPLY MAKE
NEW FRIENDS. [ INAUDIBLE ] SHE
FEELS TRAPPED IN HER APARTMENT.
I AM URGING YOU TO SUPPORT
WIDENING THE TRANSIT CORRIDORS,
SO OUR PARENTS CAN LIVE ON WIDER
STREETS AND ACCESS PUBLIC
TRANSIT THAT THEY DEPEND ON.
I'M ALSO ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT
COURTYARD BLOCKS TO PROVIDE
FAMILY-FRIENDLY GREEN SPACES TO
INNOVATE [ INAUDIBLE ]. AND
LASTLY, I AM ASKING YOU [
INAUDIBLE ] NOT JUST FOR OUR
AGING PARENTS NOW, BUT FOR
GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MONICA. AND FOR
MEMBERS OF THE LISTENING PUBLIC,
WE HAVE ABOUT 10 TO 15 MORE
SPEAKERS, SO, WE WILL GO THROUGH
THE REMAINDER OF THE LIST AND WE
WILL CIRCLE BACK TO ANYBODY WHO
WE MISSED EARLIER. WE ARE UP TO
NUMBER 47 . I WILL CALL OFF A
LIST OF NAMES. JESSICA DIXON,
CAVE MEANT , KATE RUBIN,
CRYSTAL. SO, NEXT UP, JESSICA
DIXON , IF YOU ARE ABLE TO CALL
IN -- I WILL GIVE YOU A MOMENT,
OTHERWISE WE WILL CIRCLE BACK TO
YOU. WE WILL GO ON TO THE NEXT
SPEAKER, DAVE MENTZ, IF YOU
COULD HIT *6.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING. CAN I BE
HEARD?
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> YES, OKAY, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBERS, FOR YOUR
ATTENTION TO THIS. I THINK
APPROPRIATELY STATED EARLIER,
THIS IS REALLY COMPLEX. I ALSO
AGREE WITH A POINT MADE EARLIER
ABOUT THIS IS A REALLY GOOD
START, ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE
PUSHED FURTHER, AND I WOULD
ADVOCATE A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN EXPRESSED, ONE OF THEM
BEING THE COURTYARD BONUS, WHICH
IS A REALLY GOOD ATTEMPT TO
BALANCE THE TREES VERSUS
DEVELOPMENT DILEMMA. AND I AGREE
THAT THE TREES VERSUS
DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY [
INAUDIBLE ]. SECOND THING I
WOULD ADVOCATE FOR WOULD BE THE
HEIGHT BONUSES FOR GREEN
BUILDINGS, LIKE [ INAUDIBLE ]
TYPE STRUCTURES. AND THEN ,
AGAIN, AS HAS BEEN EXPRESSED ,
ALLOWING MORE MULTI FAMILY
HOUSING ON SIDE STREETS, AND I
AGREE FULLY WITH THE STATEMENT
THAT THOSE WHERE RENTERS ARE
OCCUPY NEW HOUSING SHOULD NOT BE
THE ONLY ONES FORCED TO LIVE [
INAUDIBLE ] IN HIGH-TRAFFIC
AREAS. MY INTEREST IN THIS STEMS
FROM MY EXPERIENCE --
>> THANK YOU, DAVE. GO AHEAD AND
EMAIL US THE REST OF YOUR
COMMENTS IF YOU'RE ABLE TO AT
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV. NEXT UP,
KATE RUBIN. GO AHEAD, KATE.
>> MY NAME IS KATE RUBIN, I AM [
INAUDIBLE ] DIRECTOR OF THE
HOUSING [ INAUDIBLE ]. A RENTER
IN DISTRICT 2, AND FOR
IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES, [
INAUDIBLE ]. I URGE THE COUNCIL
TO [ INAUDIBLE ] WALK AROUND
FREQUENT TRANSIT, SO RENTERS CAN
LIVE ON QUIETER, SAFER, AND [
INAUDIBLE ]. ON ARTERIALS AND
BLOCKING THEM FROM AREAS OF LOW
DISPLACEMENT AND HIGH
OPPORTUNITY WOULD CONTINUE TO
PERPETUATE SEATTLE'S RACIST
HISTORY OF EXCLUSIONARY [
INAUDIBLE ]. A LOT OF FEAR
AROUND GROWTH INFORMALLY A
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. [ INAUDIBLE
] NEIGHBORHOODS MORE DYNAMIC AND
WELCOMING. RENTERS NEED HOUSING
THAT IS AFFORDABLE AND
DESIRABLE. SEATTLE RESIDENTS ARE
STRUGGLING AND THE CONFERENCE OF
AND MUST REPRESENT COMMUNITIES.
I ALSO [ INAUDIBLE ]. THESE
CHOICES WILL SHAPE THE CITY FOR
DECADES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, KATE. I WOULD LIKE
TO CIRCLE BACK TO A PRIOR NAME.
HANS RASMUSSEN, IF YOU ARE
PRESENT, CAN YOU HIT*6?
>> GOOD MORNING, ALL.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> I AM AN ARCHITECT AND I WOULD
LIKE TO EXPRESS STRONG SUPPORT
FOR THE COURTYARD HOUSING BONUS.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO
MERGE THE TWIN POLITICAL GOALS
OF TREES AND MORE HOUSING, AND I
THINK THAT WE SHOULD REALLY BE
CONSIDERING THAT NOW. THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS,
AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN GOING ON
FOR MANY YEARS, AND LOWRISE
ZONES RIGHT NOW AREN'T REALLY
GETTING BUILT IN. IT IS NOT
COST-EFFECTIVE OR ECONOMICALLY
FEASIBLE TO DO SO. I THINK
ADDITIONAL UP ZONES WILL UNBLOCK
THAT CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE SPENT
DECADES PLANNING FOR , AS MOST
LO-RES ZONING IN OUR URBAN
VILLAGES. AND THAT IS WHERE
THERE ARE ALREADY EXISTING,
AMENITY RICH RESOURCES,
BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS,
TRANSIT, SO WE CAN UNLOCK A LOT
MORE HOUSING WITH THAT, AND ALSO
A LOT MORE TREES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MONS. WE ARE GOING
TO GO TO SPEAKERS STARTING AT
SPEAKER 51, IT'S JOANNA, AND
THEN SHIRLEY LEON, AND DEB
LESTER, AND LYNN. JOANNA:, COULD
YOU PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX?
JOANNA CULLEN, IF YOU ARE THERE,
COULD YOU HIT *6? OKAY,
JOANNA, WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO
YOU. NEXT UP, SHIRLEY.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SHIRLEY, AND
IN MY 15 YEARS LIVING IN
SEATTLE, I HAVE MOVED FIVE TIMES
TO SAY HOUSING I CAN AFFORD. NO
MATTER WHERE I HAVE MOVED, IT
HAS ALWAYS MEANT LIVING ALONG A
HIGH TRAFFIC HIGHWAY. THIS HAS
CONTRIBUTED TO MY ASTHMA GETTING
PROGRESSIVELY WORSE TO THE POINT
WHERE I HAVE TO USE MY INHALER
EVERY SINGLE DAY WHERE I
LITERALLY CAN'T BREATHE, AND I
KNOW I AM NOT ALONE. [ INAUDIBLE
] PUTTING DENSE HOUSING ALONG [
INAUDIBLE ] INCREASES RATES OF
ASTHMA AND DEMENTIA. BUT YOU ALL
HAVE AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY
TO END THE PUBLIC HOUSING
NIGHTMARE AND HELP COUNTLESS
SEATTLEITES INCLUDING ME, SIMPLY
BY ALLOWING MORE HOUSING TO BE
BUILT ON QUIETER NEIGHBORHOOD
STREETS. SO, PLEASE EXTEND THE
WIDTH OF CORRIDORS TO AT LEAST
HALF A MILE WIDE IN EACH
DIRECTION, AND [ INAUDIBLE ], SO
THAT MANY MORE SEATTLEITES [
INAUDIBLE ] CAN LIVE LONG AND
HEALTHY LIVES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SHIRLEY. THE NEXT
FEW, WE ARE GOING TO DO DEB
LESTER, LYNN, I WOULD LIKE TO
CIRCLE BACK TO JESSICA DIXON, I
SEE YOU ONLINE. BUT NEXT UP DEB
LESTER. DEB, IF YOU COULD HIT
*6. OKAY. MOVING ON, DEB, WE CAN
COME BACK TO YOU. LYNN, IF YOU
ARE THERE,*6.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LYNN.
DURING THIS LAST YEAR, SEATTLE
CUT DOWN 1000-YEAR-OLD TREES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU OUGHT
TO BE ASHAMED OF. IT'S BECAUSE
OF THE POORER TREE POLICIES THAT
SEATTLE HAS. YOU ALSO HAVE A
CLIMATE POLICY THAT SAYS BUILD
UP, NOT OUT, WHICH I AGREE WITH.
YOU HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
POLICY, WHICH I AGREE WITH, BUT
YOU WILL NOT GET AFFORDABLE
HOUSING BY LETTING PEOPLE BUILD
ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE EDGE OF
THE PROPERTY AND LEAVING NO ROOM
FOR TREES. YOU WILL GET HOUSING
THAT IS INHOSPITABLE FOR PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN IT, LIKE THE WOMAN
WHO JUST TESTIFIED BEFORE ME
ABOUT ASTHMA, TREES TAKE
POLLUTANTS OUT OF THE AIR, BUT
THEY HAVE [ INAUDIBLE ]. THEY
PROTECT AGAINST HEAT ISLANDS, [
INAUDIBLE ] BY THE AMOUNT OF --
[ INAUDIBLE ]. I THINK THAT THAT
WAS MY TIME. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> THANK YOU, LYNN, YEAH. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. IF YOU COULD EMAIL
US THE REST OF YOUR COMMENTS TO
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV. THAT DINGED
IS FOR OTHER FOLKS, USUALLY WHEN
YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS REMAINING,
YOU WILL HEAR A DING. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, LYNN. JESSICA DIXON, IF
YOU ARE PRESENT, COULD YOU HIT
*6? JESSICA DIXON?
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
>> YES, WE CAN, THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I
WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY DENSITY
ALONE DOES NOT CREATE HEALTHY,
WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND
SEATTLE'S NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
NEED FORESTS FOR DENSE HOUSING,
SO PLEASE MAKE THE FOLLOWING
CHANGES TO BUILD [ INAUDIBLE ]
WHILE RETAINING HOUSING GOALS.
REQUIRE AMENITY AREAS TO HAVE
TREES , NOT JUST PAVEMENTS.
AMEND [ INAUDIBLE ] TRAY
RETENTION ENTRY PLANNING. AND [
INAUDIBLE ] FOREST OPTIONS TO
REPLACE STREET PARKING. AS
PLANNED, NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS
WILL BE 100% HARD SCAPE WITH NO
SPACE FOR TREES. [ INAUDIBLE ]
WOEFULLY INADEQUATE TO MEET
CURRENT GOALS. ADDING THESE
CHANGES [ INAUDIBLE ] DOES NOT
AFFECT HOUSING CAPACITY AND
WOULD BUILD HEALTHY, WALKABLE, [
INAUDIBLE ] NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTERS. FOR FUTURE SEATTLEITES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JESSICA. I WOULD
LIKE TO CIRCLE BACK A COUPLE
NAMES THAT WE CALLED EARLIER,
JOANNA CULLEN AND DEB LESTER.
JOANNA CULLEN, IF YOU'RE
AVAILABLE, CAN YOU HIT *6?
OKAY, MOVING ON TO DEB LESTER.
IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE, COULD YOU
HIT *6?
>> HELLO, HI, MY NAME IS DEB
LESTER, I'M SPEAKING ABOUT
PROPOSAL [ INAUDIBLE ] OUR LOCKS
WILL ESSENTIALLY BE 100%
IMPERVIOUS WITH [ INAUDIBLE ].
USABLE GREEN SPACE, NOT LIMITED
TO NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CITY
PLANNED STREETSCAPE WILL
MITIGATE TREE LOSS, HOWEVER, [
INAUDIBLE ] THIS IS NOT
PALPABLE. [ INAUDIBLE ] WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF A FEW AREAS ON
ROOSEVELT NORTHEAST, [ INAUDIBLE
] THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY NO
STREET TREES ON SIDE STREETS [
INAUDIBLE ] NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER
CURRENTLY. 90% OF ALL TREES IN
THE MAPLE LEAF NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER ARE PRIVATE PROPERTY. [
INAUDIBLE ] PLEASE REQUIRE
AMENITY AREAS [ INAUDIBLE ]
AMEND THE GREEN FACTOR [
INAUDIBLE ] AND PLANNING. WE CAN
HAVE DENSITY AND TREES, AND WE
ALSO NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S NOT REALLY HAPPENING WITH
THE CURRENT PLAN.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A FEW MORE
SPEAKERS, AND THEN WE WILL
CIRCLE BACK TO ANYBODY WHO WE
ALREADY CALLED ON THAT DIDN'T
GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK. SO, NEXT
UP, THE NEXT FEW SPEAKERS ARE
BONNIE WILLIAMS, MICHAEL
ELIASSON, AND CHRISTINA PEARSON
. BONNIE WILLIAMS, IF YOU COULD
HIT*6.
>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS
BONNIE WILLIAMSON, PRESIDENT OF
[ INAUDIBLE ] COUNCIL. MY
REQUEST -- EXCUSE ME, MY REQUEST
IS ABOUT CREATING BETTER HEIGHT
TRANSITIONS IN PHASE 2, RELATING
TO THE ONLINE MASS BUFFER
PROPOSALS FOR [ INAUDIBLE ] , NO
CHANGE FROM THE ORIGINAL MAP
PROPOSALS IN OCTOBER 2024. WE
ASK THAT YOU CHOOSE TO RETAIN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL
PERMANENT ADOPTION THAT PASSED
IN DECEMBER, HE NOW INCLUDES
FOUR STORY FLATS FOR THE LOTS
ALONG [ INAUDIBLE ] 31, 32, AND
62. [ INAUDIBLE ] HAS
DEMONSTRATED NO FLEXIBILITY [
INAUDIBLE ] FROM OUR INTERACTION
THE PAST FEW YEARS. IT IS UP TO
YOU, THE COUNCIL, TO PLAN FOR
GROWTH FOR NEWCOMERS AND
LONG-TERM RESIDENTS. IN PHASE 2,
WE WERE TOLD [ INAUDIBLE ] NEED
TO NEGOTIATE THE HEIGHTS, AND
THAT NEGOTIATION HAS NOT
HAPPENED. I WILL SEND A LOCATION
MAP OF THE ACTUAL LOCATION TO
THE COUNCIL. AND --
>> THANK YOU, BONNIE, PLEASE GO
AHEAD AND SEND THAT TO US. NEXT
UP, MICHAEL ELIASSON.
>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS
MICHAEL ELIASSON, I AM DIRECTOR
OF DESIGN AND POLICY FOR SEATTLE
[ INAUDIBLE ] DEVELOPERS . [
INAUDIBLE ] CONFERENCE A PLAN 1,
AMEND CORRIDOR [ INAUDIBLE ] SO
FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS IN LIVING
HEALTHIER, QUIETER ENVIRONMENTS.
[ INAUDIBLE ] AROUND PARKS AND
SCHOOLS FOR THE SAME REASON.
PLEASE CREATE A PERMANENT
AMENDMENT [ INAUDIBLE ] FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS [
INAUDIBLE ] BETTER LEVERAGE
PUBLIC DOLLARS AND ADD MORE
HOMES. [ INAUDIBLE ] SETBACKS IN
LOW AND MIDRISE ZONES, THESE
SUBSTANTIALLY [ INAUDIBLE ].
CREATE AMENDMENTS LIKE THE
COMPLETE COMMUNITY COALITION
COURTYARD AND PASS OUT BONUSES.
I WOULD LOVE TO HELP REFINE
THOSE BASED UPON MY EXPERIENCES
LIVING AND WORKING IN GERMANY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MIKE. NEXT UP,
CHRISTINA PEARSON.
>> HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS
CHRISTINA PEARSON, I AM [
INAUDIBLE ] . WE ACT ON BEHALF
OF THE [ INAUDIBLE ] TRIBE. IS
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE,
THE ORIGINAL STEWARDS OF THIS
LAND, WE URGE YOU TO LISTEN TO
THE VOICES OF THE RESIDENCE BACK
REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES
AND ZONING AROUND HOUSING .
HOUSING IS A FUNDAMENTAL
NECESSITY, IT IS VITAL THAT ANY
CHANGES [ INAUDIBLE ] COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO LIVE HERE. [
INAUDIBLE ] UNDERSTOOD THE
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY,
BELONGING, AND [ INAUDIBLE ] .
HONOR THAT LEGACY. MANY
RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES ARE
DIRECTLY IMPACTED [ INAUDIBLE ].
WE ASK THAT YOU PRIORITIZE OUR
VOICES, ENSURING THAT THE
POLICIES ENSURE ACCESS TO
HOUSING AND RESPECT OUR CULTURAL
HERITAGE AND STEWARDS OF THIS
LAND, AND ALSO, PLEASE, [
INAUDIBLE ]. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO
CIRCLE BACK TO JOANNA CULLEN.
JOANNA CULLEN, IF YOU'RE THERE,
COULD YOU HIT *6 ? JOANNA
CULLEN . AND WE ARE ABOUT TO
END. THERE WAS A FEW OTHER NAMES
WHO REGISTERED, BUT IT LOOKS
LIKE YOU ARE NOT DIALED IN, BUT
IF YOU GET A CHANCE, WE WILL
GIVE YOU JUST ONE MORE MINUTE
HERE TO ROSA CORTEZ. [ INAUDIBLE
]. CRYSTAL BUTTE . OR JOANNA
CULLEN. JOANNA, IF YOU COULD HIT
*6 IF YOU ARE WITH US. OKAY.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL --
>> [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> GOT IT, OKAY. AND TO OUR
LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS, THANK YOU
FOR JOINING WITH US WE ARE GOING
TO BE IN RECESS HERE SHORTLY,
AND SO, WE NO LONGER NEED YOUR
SERVICES. AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL ,
EVERYONE WHO WAS ABLE TO DIAL
IN, FOR JOINING US , FOR
SUBMITTING PUBLIC COMMENT.
AGAIN, APOLOGIES TO ANYBODY WHO
IS NOT ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK,
FINISH YOUR COMMENTS. PLEASE GO
AHEAD AND EMAIL US, TO
COUNCIL@SEATTLE.GOV. WE WILL BE
HAVING AN ADDITIONAL IN PERSON
PUBLIC HEARING THIS AFTERNOON.
SO, IT IS NOW 10:54. A.M. AND IF
THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, THE
SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL BE IN
RECESS UNTIL 3:00 P.M. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THIS MEETING IS IN