DCLU's new Comprehensive and Regional Planning unit has forwarded five sets of amendments to Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan to City Council. The amendments being recommended, which originated with proposals from citizens, City departments, and elected officials, would:

• Clarify the use of the Plan's Future Land Use Map to remove confusion between it and the City's Official Land Use (zoning) Map and rezone criteria;
• Add new language to recognize the importance of public stairways in the City's pedestrian transportation network;
• Amend the Housing Element to remove details currently also contained in the City's Consolidated Plan;
• Clearly state the City's sustainable building policies as they relate to capital facilities development and maintenance; and
• Recognize the City's adopted plans for the Piper's Creek and Longfellow Creek watersheds.

Additional amendments were proposed that would more fully describe the role of urban centers and villages and the concept of sustainability in the Comprehensive Plan. However, these will require additional analysis and public involvement, so DCLU is recommending that they be postponed until future reviews of the Plan.

Comprehensive Plan amendments are usually considered once a year. The amendment process is an opportunity for individuals, groups, or City departments to propose a policy change that will better address changing conditions, or reflect ongoing work or new information. Proposed amendments may include changes to policies, the future land use map, appendices, or other components of the Plan.

Submitting Comments
Further opportunity to comment on the proposal will be available at a public hearing before the Seattle City Council Land Use Committee this fall (the date has not yet been set). Written comments on the recommended amendments may be submitted through the public hearing date to:

Councilmember Judy Nicastro
Chair, Land Use Committee
Attn: Comprehensive Plan Amendments
1100 Municipal Building
600 Fourth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

Comments mail also be emailed to council@seattle.gov (please refer to "Comprehensive Plan Amendments" in the subject line).

Appealing the Environmental Determination
An environmental determination of nonsignificance has been issued on the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments. Appeals of the environmental determination must be received by the Hearing Examiner at the address shown below, no later than 5 p.m. on September 5, 2002. Appeals must be accompanied by a $50 filing fee in a check payable to the City of Seattle and sent to:

Hearing Examiner
Alaska Building, Room 1320
618 Second Ave
Seattle, WA 98104-2222

UPDATE (10/7/02): The appeal period for the environmental determination has passed, and the determination was not appealed.