2006 Comprehensive Plan Amendments
The City Council is requesting public comment on proposed legislation to amend the City's Comprehensive Plan. After a public hearing on September 6, 2006, the Urban Development and Planning (UDP) Committee made a preliminary recommendation on the following seven amendments proposed by the Mayor:
- Add a 34 acre triangular area, bounded by Broad Street, Denny Way and Aurora Avenue, to the Uptown Urban Center.
- Replace the current goals and policies for the Roosevelt Residential Urban Village with a new set of goals and policies.
- Amend the First Hill Urban Center policies to remove reference to a light rail station, which has been eliminated from Sound Transit's plans.
- Amend the policy that guides open space requirements in urban centers to allow flexible methods for achieving open space objectives, such as the use of open space impact fees.
- Adopt a new Urban Center Plan for South Lake Union that would supersede the current South Lake Union Neighborhood Plan. Amend the Future Land Use Map for a portion of South Lake Union from Industrial to Commercial/Mixed Use.
- Amend shoreline policies to address the replacement of State Route 99 (Alaskan Way Viaduct) and Seawall.
- Amend the Future Land Use Map from Industrial to Commercial/Mixed Use for an area located between S. Dearborn Street, S. Weller Street, Rainier Ave S. and 12th Avenue S.
The Urban Development and Planning Committee is also requesting comments on the following four amendments to the Comprehensive Plan that were proposed by Councilmembers after the September 6 public hearing:
- Strengthen the City's commitment to the use of zoning incentives for affordable housing.
- Amend shoreline policies to prohibit aerial transportation structures on the Central Waterfront.
- Provide greater direction on priorities for pedestrian safety improvements.
- Amend Transportation policy T28 to encourage the expansion of pedestrian ferry systems.
The eleven amendments listed above are included in the proposed legislation. Two additional possible amendments are also proposed for public review and comment.
- Defer consideration to designate North Highline a Potential Annexation Area until certain conditions are met. The UDP Committee may consider PAA designation in December if the following conditions are met by that time:
- A Signed Interlocal Agreement between Seattle and King County in which King County indemnifies Seattle against all liability associated with the existing South Park Bridge and accepts financial responsibility for both the existing bridge and building a new bridge.
- A more certain funding plan for how to address the gap between revenues and expenditures if the state legislature does not allow Seattle to qualify for a state sales tax credit to cover the gap.
- Continuing discussions with the city of Burien (which has also indicated an interest in designating North Highline a PAA).
- More outreach to Seattle residents about the impacts of potential annexation of North Highline.
- Amending the shoreline policies to allow flexibility for the expansion of the Ferry Terminal at or adjacent to Colman Dock, including raising the height limit and allowing nonresidential non-water dependent uses.
Four companion resolutions are also being considered in addition to the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments. The four resolutions would:
- Recognize the South Lake Union Urban Center Neighborhood Plan;
- Recognize the Roosevelt Residential Urban Village Neighborhood Plan;
- Describe joint Mayoral and City Council guidelines to help guide the Washington State Ferries in preparing its redevelopment proposal for Colman Dock and Pier 48; and
- Affirm the City's support for the use of incentive zoning programs for creation of affordable housing.
The resolution addressing the Colman Dock is provided below. The other three amendments are expected to become available by November 21, 2006.
Information on all of the proposed and possible amendments and how to comment on them is provided below.
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