Under Councilmember Tom Rasmussen's sponsorship, the City adopted legislation to establish a transfer of Development Potential (TDP) program for the Pike/Pine neighborhood. The goal is to provide a further incentive to maintain the neighborhood’s existing “character structures” (buildings that are at least 75 years old) while continuing to protect the area’s special character.
The adopted legislation is the last part of a three-part project. Phase I (completed in June 2009) expanded the Pike/Pine Overlay District, renamed it to add “Conservation” to its title, and added provisions to encourage new projects to retain existing character structures and to provide spaces for small businesses and arts facilities. Phase I legislation was adopted by Ordinance 123020 on June 29, 2009, and became effective on August 7, 2009.
Phase II (completed in September 2010) adopted revised Neighborhood Design Guidelines for Pike/Pine (Pike/Pine Design Guidelines Ordinance) to support conservation goals and update the text and illustrations to clarify community priorities. (Download the Pike/Pine Design Guidelines.)
You can download the adopted ordinance for review. Background information on the proposal is provided in the DPD report, Proposal to Establish a Transfer of Development Potential (TDP) Program in the Pike/Pine Neighborhood. The SEPA analyssi of the proposal is also available, including the environmental checklist and the decision. Paper copies of the documents may be obtained at the DPD Public Resource Center, Suite 2000 in the Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Avenue. The Public Resource Center is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. In addition, in 2010, DPD prepared a Draft Background Report for Public Review that examines the challenges and possibilities of creating a transfer of development potential (TDP) program to maintain character structures within the Pike/Pine Conservation Overlay District.
Questions regarding the proposal may be directed to Dennis Meier of DPD at (206) 684-8270 or via email at dennis.meier@seattle.gov, or to Rebecca Herzfeld of Council Central Staff at (206) 684-8148 or at rebecca.herzfeld@seattle.gov.
Action Timeline for Phase III
The schedule for review and adoption of a TDP program is summarized in the table below.
| Previous Actions | Date |
| Publication of DPD background paper on TDP | June 7, 2010 |
| End of public comment period for TDP Background Paper | December, 2010 |
| Proposed Actions | |
| DPD publishes draft Pike/Pine TDP program report and draft legislation for public review | April 28, 2011 |
| Public meeting on draft TDP program legislation | Week of May 23, 2011 |
| End of comment period on draft TDP program legislation | June 6, 2011 |
| DPD submits legislation for TDP program to Council, and publishes notice of: 1. the Council public hearing on TDP legislation; and 2. the environmental determination about the proposed legislation. | July 14, 2011 |
| Public hearing on proposed TDP legislation | August 15, 2011 |
| COBE review of TDP program | August - November 2011 |
| Council adoption of TDP program | December 12, 2011 |
| Effective date of ordinance | January 18, 2012 |
Cultural Overlay District Advisory Committee
A related effort that affects Pike/Pine is the work of the Cultural Overlay District Advisory Committee, or CODAC. The City Council established this committee in June 2008 to devise creative ideas for the long-term promotion and preservation of cultural, arts, and entertainment activities and spaces in Seattle neighborhoods. CODAC includes three representatives from Pike/Pine. The final recommendations of the CODAC were submitted to the City Council, and a resolution to accept the recommendations was adopted on August 12, 2009 (Resolution 31155).
January 17, 2012
