• Allow additional height and revise the height measurement technique
• Increase the interior allowance for mechanical systems necessary for laboratory spaces
• Allow increased rooftop mechanical equipment, with setbacks to address height, bulk and scale impacts
• Assign a lower, more appropriate, parking requirement for research and development laboratories
• Clarify the definition of research and development laboratories

Background
During recent years, a number of buildings have been converted or constructed for biotechnology uses or biotech research and development laboratories. A study of these buildings showed that Seattle's Land Use Code did not recognize the unique features of biotech uses and created a competitive disadvantage when compared to office and other uses.

On Wednesday, December 10, 2003, Mayor Nickels signed the legislation and praised the City Council, the Office of Economic Development (OED), and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) for their efforts. The Mayor also acknowledged biotech/high-tech businesses and institutions that have made a commitment to Seattle in or near South Lake Union, such as the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, and the University of Washington. The event was held in front of the nearly completed Rosetta Inpharmatics biotech laboratory in South Lake Union.

The Land Use Code amendments are a part of the Mayor's larger action agenda for the South Lake Union neighborhood, a vision that projects South Lake Union as a regional hub for Biotechnology and other sciences, bringing thousands of jobs and households to the area by 2020.

"This is another positive step for the South Lake Union neighborhood," said Nickels. "We're working on ways to create a great area to live, work and play by bringing more housing, creating more open spaces, improving transportation systems and increasing infrastructure to support a thriving biotech sector."