To support the revitalization of Seattle's neighborhood business districts through zoning changes, pedestrian enhancements and development flexibility, Mayor Nickels has released his Neighborhood Business District Strategy (NBDS) and associated Land Use Code amendments.

After more than a year in development, refinement, and considerable public comment, NBDS provides Seattle's first comprehensive review and amendments of neighborhood commercial development regulations since they were adopted in 1986. It is intended to advance Seattle's urban village strategy and the goals of many neighborhood plans.

NBDS seeks to improve the City's regulations for neighborhood business districts in order to:

• support job creation and business vitality
• protect and enhance neighborhood character
• improve the pedestrian environment
• provide for housing growth in neighborhood business districts
• achieve quality design through development flexibility
• support transit connections
• balance parking needs
• make the Land Use Code easier to use

In April the proposed amendments for a new Commercial Land Use Code (SMC 23.47) were made available. These code amendments are intended to implement the Mayor's strategy.

The recommended code changes have been widely reviewed by the public through a series of meetings held in 2004 and were the subject of a stakeholder advisory committee, representative of the many interests and objectives in Seattle neighborhood business areas. Among the key recommendations of NBDS are:

• zoning overlays to emphasize pedestrian-oriented commercial cores in business areas
• the elimination of unnecessary obstacles to housing development in commercial areas
• strengthening the pedestrian-orientation of commercial street fronts through both development standards and design guidelines
• refining and simplifying use and maximum size of business standards
• revised requirements for residential amenities
• control of building bulk by floor area ratios to encourage wider sidewalks, plazas, ground-level open spaces, or view corridors
• lowered parking requirements based on measured demand for parking to support transportation alternatives
• in Urban Centers and high capacity transit station areas, allowing the market rather than the code to determine appropriate parking supply
• combining the City's two Pedestrian designations into one, and mapping new Pedestrian designations in six neighborhoods
• simplifying the City's regulations so that they are easier to use and understand

In April, the following documents were published (see top right):

• an Executive Summary describing the Mayor's Neighborhood Business District Strategy and a summary of the recommendations for rezones and Land Use Code amendments
• a proposed ordinance containing a new Commercial Land Use Code; related amendments to other sections of the Land Use Code; and rezones to implement the code changes
• a Director's Report describing the proposed code changes and rezones