>>> THE AUGUST 11, 2021 MEETING
OF THE LAND USE AND
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER.
I AM DAN STRAUSS, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> TRIPLE TEAM?
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> THREE ARE PRESENT.
>> EVERY COMMITTEE MEETING WE
START, WE START BY
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE ARE ON
THE TRADITIONAL LANDS OF
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HERE.
ME BEGIN WITH LAND
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
I SEE THAT TREND 14 -- TREND 14
-- COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS HAS
JOINED US NOW.
WE NEED TO STUART OUR WORK AS
GUESTS AS OUR TIME IS SHORT.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS
JOINED US NOW.
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
VOTE ON CB 120121 AND A
BRIEFING ON CB 120153, WHICH
UPDATES STANDARDS FOR SMALL
LOTS IN BELLTOWN. OUR NEXT
MEETING WILL BE WEDNESDAY,
SEPTEMBER 8. BEFORE WE BEGIN,
IF THERE WAS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN THE
REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
TODAY'S AGENDA.
WHILE IT REMAINS A STRONG
INTENT TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT
INCLUDED REGULARLY ON CITY
AGENDAS, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS
THE RIGHT TO END THIS AT ANY
TIME IF IT IS BEING ABUSED OR
IS NOT ALLOWING THE MEETINGS TO
GO EFFICIENTLY.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO
MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WILL CALL ON EACH SPEAKER BY
NAME AND IN THE ORDER THEY HAVE
REGISTERED ON THE WEBSITE.
YOU CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE END
OF PUBLIC COMMENT BY GOING TO
THE WEBSITE FOR THE COUNCIL.
IT IS LISTED FOR TODAY'S
AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL THE SPEAKER NAME, AN
AUTOMATIC PROMPT THAT YOU HAVE
BEEN UNMUTED WILL BE THE CUE TO
SPEAK.
BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME AND
THE ITEM YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS REMAIN.
WE ASK THEN THAT YOU PLEASE
WRAP UP YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS
FOR THE SPEAKERS DO NOT END
THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE
THE END OF TIME, THE SPEAKERS
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED TO
ALLOW FOR FURTHER SPEAKERS.
WE ASK THAT YOU DISCONNECT FROM
THE LINE AFTER SPEAKING.
YOU CAN FOLLOW THROUGH SEATTLE
CHANNEL OR THE LISTENING
OPTIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
THERE IS A SEPARATE HEARING FOR
CB 120121, WHICH ADOPTS
INTERIM REGULATIONS FOR
DOWNTOWN STOREFRONTS.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS
ITEM, SIGN UP FOR THE
APPROPRIATE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
OPEN.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP
TODAY.
WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.
WE HAVE ONE COMMENTS OR
NAGGING, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I AM COMMENTING ON CB 120153,
THE BILL TO ESTABLISH
ALTERNATIVE BUILDING
ESTABLISHMENTS IN DOWNTOWN
MIXED RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
YOU MAY PREDICT WHAT I HAVE TO
SAY, BUT I HOPE YOU CONSIDER
IT.
THIS BILL CREATES ENVIRONMENTAL
AND HUMAN HEALTH CONSEQUENCES
THAT NEED TO BE THOROUGHLY
VETTED AND STUDIED FOR
CONDITIONAL USAGE.
THAT ISSUE IS THE LOSS OF LIGHT
TWO ADJACENT BUILDINGS AND
NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS.
CURRENT BUILDING CODE PROVIDES
FOR GRADUATED UPPER LEVEL
SETBACKS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE
NEED FOR THEIR PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH.
IN TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION
ZONES JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY,
NEW PROPOSALS HAVE ALREADY
MIMICKED CONSTRUCTION DESIGNS
IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE ROI.
THEY BLOCK PLENTY OF LIGHT IN
ADJACENT BUILDINGS.
I LIVE IN THE BUILDING NEXT TO
SUCH A PROPOSAL WERE HALF THE
PEOPLE IN OUR BUILDING AND ONE
THIRD IN ANOTHER RESIDENTIAL
BUILDING WILL BE SEVERELY
IMPACTED.
THEN THERE IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS.
SDCI REPORTS DOWNTOWN
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IS AT
95% OF CAPACITY PROJECTED IN
THE LAST MAJOR UPDATE.
WE HAVE NOT STUDIED THE IMPACTS
OF MORE DENSITY.
BUT WE HAVE SEEN THE EVIDENCE.
THE HEAT MAP THE SEASONALLY
CITY RECENTLY PRODUCED IS
EQUIVALENT TO DOWNTOWN
INDUSTRIAL AREAS.
THIS IS DUE TO DENSE
DEVELOPMENT AND LACK OF TREE
COVERAGE FOR BY ALLOWING EVERY
SMALL DOWNTOWN BLOCK TO ACHIEVE
MAXIMUM DENSITY TO 145 TO 280
FEET, IT WILL NOT PRODUCE
LIVABLE AREAS DOWNTOWN.
IT WILL DO THE OPPOSITE.
DISPLACED MONETARY GAINS
WITHOUT PROTECTIONS FOR HUMAN
AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
PLEASE SEND THIS BILL BACK.
THANK YOU.
CONNECT THANK YOU, MEGAN.
I.T., CAN YOU CONFIRM WE HAVE
NO PUBLIC REGISTRANTS?
>> THERE ARE NO MORE PUBLIC
COMMENTS REGISTRANTS.
>> THANK YOU SEEING AS WE HAVE
NO ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS PRESENT,
WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
AGENDA ITEM.
PLEASE READ THE ABBREVIATED
TITLE INTO THE RECORD OF THE
FIRST ITEM.
>> CB 120121 ,AN ORDINANCE
RELATING TO LAND USE AND
ZONING; ADOPTING INTERIM
PROVISIONS BY AMENDING SECTIONS
23.76.004, 23.76.006, AND
23.76.032 OF, AND ADDING A NEW
SECTION 23.42.041 TO, THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE TO
FACILITATE OCCUPANCY OF STREET-
LEVEL SPACES DOWNTOWN DURING
THE COVID-19 CIVIL EMERGENCY.
>> WE ARE JOINED BY MEMBERS TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU KICKOFF THE OVERVIEW OF
THE LEGISLATION AND AMENDMENTS?
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE
SLIDES RESPONDING TO
COUNCILMEMBER QUESTIONS FROM
THE LAST MEETING.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
I WILL BRIEFLY REMIND THE
COMMITTEE WHAT CB 120121 WOULD
DO AND THE PREVIEW FOR
POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS.
AS THE COMMITTEE WILL WILL CALL,
CB 120121 WOULD NOT -- WOULD
MODIFY STREET-LEVEL USES TO
GENERATE PEDESTRIAN INTEREST,
ENCOURAGE PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY,
AND STRENGTHEN CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN FUNCTIONAL AREAS
DOWNTOWN.
HOW IS THAT IMPLEMENTED?
IT IS IMPLEMENTED THROUGH
STREET-LEVEL USE DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS THAT PRESCRIBE
ACTIVATING STREET-LEVEL USES.
CB 120121 WOULD EXPAND THE
LIST OF USES THAT ARE AUTHORIZED
ON AN INTERIM BASIS FOR UP TO
ONE YEAR.
IT WOULD BE ENACTED UNDER THE
AUTHORITY THAT ALLOWS LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS TO PUT IN PLACE
INTERIM DEVELOPMENT CONTROLS.
PROPOSED ADDITIONAL USES WOULD
INCLUDE FOOD PROCESSING AND
CRAFTWORK, ACCESSORY SPACES TO
DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL TOWERS AND
LODGING USES, AND OTHER
ACTIVATING STREET-LEVEL USES
THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE
ALLOWED UNDER CURRENT
REGULATIONS.
THE BILL WOULD AUTHORIZE THE
SDCI DIRECTOR TO ADMIT A TYPE I
DECISION, SO WE DECISION NOT
SUBJECT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT INCREASES PEDESTRIAN
ACTIVITY AND ALSO INCREASES THE
RANGE OF SERVICES DOWNTOWN.
IT WOULD RESERVE TO THE DEAL
WHEN DIRECTOR THE AUTHORITY TO
MAKE DECISIONS ON USES AROUND
PIONEER SQUARE.
THEY COULD ALSO BE EXISTING
USES ALONG THE AREA AS LONG AS
THAT USE IS AROUND. SO ENTITIES
THAT WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, WE NEED
TO ENTER INTO LEASES.
IT MAKES SENSE TO NOT HAVE THOSE
USES EXPIRE WHEN THE
REGULATIONS EXPIRE.
IT WOULD EXEMPT THE OWNERS OF
BUILDINGS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED
IN BONUS PROGRAMS LIKE THE
MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
PROGRAM OR OTHER REGULATORY
PROGRAMS THAT PRECEDED NHA.
IT WOULD ALSO AUTHORIZE
LEGISLATION. THERE ARE FOUR
AMENDMENTS PROPOSED BY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ONE BY THE
CHAIR AND THREE BY
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
THE HOUSEKEEPING AMENDMENT BY
THE COUNCIL WOULD BE ABOUT
CORONAVIRUS SPREAD AND MODIFY
SIX SECTION AFTER THE
APARTMENTS.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS HAS THREE
AMENDMENTS.
HE HAS AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD
EXPAND THE AREA WHERE THE
ITERATIVE CONTROLS APPLY TO
THE SOUTH LAKE UNION ZONE.
THAT IS OFF OF RILEY STREET,
THE AREA MORE OR LESS ACROSS
FROM THE PARK.
IT WOULD ALSO MAKE SOME
CORRESPONDING CHANGES TO THE
FINDINGS TO SUPPORT THAT
CHANGE.
THE SECOND AMENDMENT WOULD ADD
OFFICE WITH FOOTAGE AND LIGHT
MANUFACTURING AS USES AND
REMOVE CERTAIN LIMITATIONS.
THERE IS A DEFINITION ABOUT
MANUFACTURING THAT I CAN GO
INTO WHEN THE COMMITTEE TAKES UP
THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
FINALLY, THE THIRD AMENDMENT BY
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS WOULD
AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR TO MAKE
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS ABOUT
AUTHORIZING AND CONDITIONING
USES AT THE STREET-LEVEL.
THOSE ARE THE POTENTIAL USES.
I THINK OPCD AND SDCI HAVE A
PRESENTATION ON THE RESPONSE
USE IN QUESTION AND REQUEST
FROM THE LAST COMMITTEE
MEETING.
>> THANK YOU, MR. FREEMAN.
I SEEM NOT TO WITH US -- MAD THE
WITH US.
-- MAGDA WITH US.
>> WE HAVE HAD SOME PRODUCTIVE
WORK SESSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS
IN CONSIDERATION OF THE
AMENDMENTS.
THE PRESENTATION IS TO ADDRESS
THOSE ISSUES AND CONSIDERATIONS.
AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS HAVE.
>> AS RICO MENTIONED, A LOT OF
THIS INFORMATION WE HAVE PUT
TOGETHER IN RESPONSE TO WHAT
WAS REQUESTED LAST TIME.
JUST AS A BRIEF REMINDER OF THE
PERTINENT CHANGES THAT WE ARE
HOPING TO PURSUE, AND A
REMINDER FROM LAST TIME, THIS
IS REALLY JUST ONE APPROACH TO
THE NEED, A SHARED NEED IN
REALLY FILLING THESE CURRENTLY
VACANT STOREFRONTS DOWNTOWN.
WITH THIS CODE CHANGE, IT IS
ONE APPROACH.
IT WOULD BE TEMPORARY FOR 12
MONTHS.
THEN IT WOULD REMAIN IN %
PERPETUITY.
THIS IS A SLIDE THAT WE SHOWED
LAST TIME, WHICH IS BASED ON
THE AREA THAT WE WERE
ORIGINALLY PROPOSING.
THIS NEXT SLIDE IS A COMPARISON
SHOWING THE AREA INCLUDING
SOUTH LAKE UNION. WE WANTED TO
OFFER A BIT OF INFORMATION IN
TERMS OF CONTEXT.
THE USES, WHERE THE UNIT LAND
USE CODE RESTRICTS THE USAGE IS
MUCH MORE LIMITED.
THERE WAS ALSO A COMMUNITY
PROCESS, THE URBAN DESIGN
FRAMEWORK THAT REALLY LAID OUT
IN LOOKING WERE TO REQUIRE
STREET-LEVEL USES AND WHAT
TYPES OF USES SHOULD BE
LOCATED.
THOSE ARE PREDOMINANTLY LOCATED
AMONG THE HALF BLOCKS.
AND ALSO ONE POINT OF
INFORMATION, THE LATEST DATA
FROM DSA SHOWS THAT THE MORE
ACTIVE USES WITHIN SOUTH LAKE
UNION ARE BOUNCING BACK, WHICH
IS GOOD TO SEE.
ANOTHER CONSIDERATION THAT CAME
UP BEING PROPOSED IS THE OFFICE
AT STREET-LEVEL.
I WANTED TO PULL SOME
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO SHARE
IN THAT THERE IS CURRENTLY A
VACANCY THAT IS EXPECTED TO
REMAIN ABOVE 10% WITH OFFICE
USE DOWNTOWN.
THAT IS UNTIL 2024.
AS MIKE EXPLAINED LAST TIME,
ONE OF THE KEY DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN SOME OF THESE USES AND
WHERE WE ARE DRAWING THEM FROM,
WHICH IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD
DISTRICTS AND DOWNTOWN, THERE
IS A DIFFERENCE IN CONTEXT.
AS WE ALL KNOW, DOWNTOWN AT
SOUTH LAKE UNION, THERE IS A
VARIETY OF OFFICE SPACES.
THAT IS WHY WE DID NOT
ORIGINALLY INCLUDE THAT WITH
THE PROPOSAL.
WITH THAT, I WILL HANDED OVER
TO MIKE TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT THE USES AND TO DO A
WALK-THROUGH OF SOME OF THE
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE.
>> WE SHOWED THIS SLIDE LAST
TIME.
IT IS THE PROPOSED SUPPLEMENTAL
USES THAT ARE DRAWN LARGELY
FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS.
LET'S LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE.
AT THE LAST MEETING,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS ASKED US
TO PREPARE A CROSSWALK THAT
PREPARES AND COMPARES THE
DIFFERENT USE ALLOWANCES.
ON THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE IS
THIS COLUMN OF DOWNTOWN USES
THAT ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED.
AS WAS POINTED OUT, THEY ARE
EXEMPT FROM FLOOR AREA LIMITS
AND VARIOUS INCENTIVE ZONING
PROGRAMS.
IN THE MIDDLE IS THE MORE
EXPENSIVE USE OF THINGS THAT
ARE ALLOWED AT STREET-LEVEL IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS.
HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW ARE THE
USES THAT WE BORROWED FROM THIS
LIST TO PROPOSE TO USE TO
EXPAND WHAT IS ALLOWED DOWNTOWN.
ON THE FAR RIGHT -- AS WAS
POINTED OUT --
I AM SORRY?
I WILL CONTINUE.
SHOULD I CONTINUE?
ARE WE GOOD?
OKAY.
>>> I APOLOGIZE.
>> YEAH.
>> I AM SORRY.
THIS IS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
SOMETHING IS GOING ON.
YOU GUYS KEPT FREEZING.
IT IS MY INTERNET.
I APOLOGIZE.
>> THERE WAS SOME SORT OF ZOOM
INTERRUPTION THERE.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
IT CRASHED FOR ALL OF US.
CONNECT IT HAPPENED FOR ME, AS
WELL.
>> I AM NOT THE ONLY
KNUCKLEHEAD.
GREAT.
>> WE ARE IN THE SAME BOAT
TODAY.
>> SHOULD I REWIND A LITTLE
BIT?
>> YEAH, I MISSED.
>> YOU MAY WANT TO GO BACK
ABOUT TWO MINUTES OR SO.
>> THE DATA WE ARE LOOKING AT
IS THE CROSSWALK OF USES.
ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE IS WHAT
IS ALLOWED DOWNTOWN AT STREET-
LEVEL.
THESE ARE EXEMPT FROM FLOOR
AREA LIMITS.
THE MIDDLE COLUMN ARE THE LIST
OF USES ALLOWED IN THE BUSINESS
DISTRICTS.
THE ONES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED
IN YELLOW ARE THE ONES THAT WE
HAVE BORROWED TO EXPAND THE
DOWNTOWN LIST.
ON THE RIGHT IS THE CUMULATIVE
LIST OF WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING
TO ADD TO DOWNTOWN.
IT INCLUDES THE YELLOWED LIST
AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL ONES
THAT ARE SUGGESTED BY THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION
AND OTHER CONSTITUENTS, AS WELL
AS BORROWED FROM SOME OTHER
PARTS OF THE CODE.
THE PROPOSAL IS COMPOSED OF THE
YELLOW IN THE MIDDLE AND THE
GREEN.
THAT WOULD EXPAND THE LIST OF
USES DOWNTOWN.
WE ARE PROPOSING THESE
SUPPLEMENTAL USES IN REGARD TO
HOW THE FLOOR AREA LEVEL
EXEMPTION APPLIES TO YOU CAN
PICK AND CHOOSE AMONGST THE
BROADER RANGE OF LISTS TO HELP
FILL THE VACANCIES THAT CANNOT
BE FILLED WITH THE MORE
RESTRICTIVE SET OF USES
DOWNTOWN.
I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THE WAY
THAT EXEMPTION APPLIES, IT IS
JUST WHERE THE STREET-LEVEL
USES ARE REQUIRED.
75% OF THE BUILDINGS THAT FACE
THE STREETS ARE NAPPED ON THE
MAP THAT MAGDA SHOWED EARLIER.
SO TO NOT MAKE AN MHA PAYMENT
IS LIMITED TO THAT SPACE WITHIN
A BUILDING.
YOU CAN PICK AND CHOOSE FROM
ANY OF THE MENU ITEMS HERE ON
THE LEFT-HAND COLUMN AND NOT
HAVE TO MAKE ANY SORT OF
PAYMENT AND BE EXEMPT FROM THE
FLOOR AREA LIMITS.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO EXPAND THAT
LIST.
WITHIN THAT SAME SPACE, YOU
HAVE MORE TO CHOOSE FROM.
THEREBY, HOPEFULLY, FEWER
VACANCIES AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR ACTIVE USES AND DRYING
PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN AND MORE
LIVELY SIDEWALKS.
I WILL STOP THERE TO SEE IF
THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS, ALTHOUGH IT IS MORE
OF A CLARITY OF THIS TABLE.
THE ONE THING THAT JUMPS OUT TO
ME IS HORTICULTURE USES.
I KNOW WE HAD HORTICULTURAL
USES, AGRICULTURAL USES IN THE
VALLEY, WE HAD TO PASS A LAW.
WHEN COWS WANDERED SOUTH OF
65th, THOSE FARMERS WOULD GET
FIND.
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT
IS GOING ON WITH HORTICULTURAL
USES DOWNTOWN?
>> HORTICULTURAL USES ARE
SIMILAR TO, IT IS A NURSERY
WOULD BE THE MOST COMMON FORM
THAT WOULD TAKE.
THE THOUGHT WAS THAT WE ALLOW
THAT IN ANOTHER PROVISION IN
THE CODE THAT IS INTENDED TO
HELP FILL VACANT AND UNDERUSED
SITES.
SOMETIMES CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS,
WHEN THE ECONOMY IS NOT GOOD,
WHICH HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE, IT
CAN HAPPEN.
HORTICULTURAL USES WERE THOUGHT
TO BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE
PRODUCTIVE AND INTERESTING TO
PUT IN THERE.
ONE THING THAT CAME UP IS THE
FLOWER STALLS THAT SELL FRESH
CUT FLOWERS AT THE PIKE PLACE
MARKET AND DRIED FLOWERS DURING
THE WINTERTIME.
THEY MAY BE ABLE TO AVAIL
THEMSELVES OF A SPACE IN ONE OF
THESE VACANCIES, GROW THE
FLOWERS THERE, AND TAKE THEM TO
THE MARKET OR DO IT RIGHT HERE.
I THINK A NURSERY IS THE MOST
COMMON OUTCOME HERE.
>> MAYBE, NOT LIKELY TO BE THE
MOST COMMONLY USED, BUT WE
BORROWED IT FROM ANOTHER
PROGRAM THAT HAS HAD SOME
SUCCESS IN THE PASSED.
>> MIKE, I FROZE THERE.
ARE WE ALL BACK?
>> I AM NOT EXPERIENCING THE
FREEZE, BUT YOU PROBABLY MISSED
EVERYTHING I SAID?
>> NO, I CAUGHT IT, WITH THE
FLOWERS GROWING THEM AT PIKE
PLACE.
COPY.
I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER
QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
COLLEAGUES?
SEEING NONE, DO WE HAVE MORE
COMMENTS FROM DEPARTMENTS ON
THIS BILL?
DO YOU HAVE MORE SLIDES?
PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY.
>> ONE THING TO POINT OUT ON
THIS SLIDE IS THAT BEYOND THE
LAND-USE LEGISLATION, WHICH
WOULD PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY
FOR FILLING VACANCIES, THERE
ARE SOME PROGRAMMATIC THINGS
THAT ARE BEING DONE. SOME OF
THEM MORE BROADLY, THERE HAS
BEEN A LOT OF COLLABORATION
WITH THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND FEDERAL MONIES
THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP
PEOPLE IN THE RECOVERY AS WELL
AS OTHERS IN THE VARIOUS
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE
AFFECTED.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE
PERMIT SUPPORT.
AT SDCI, WE ARE LOOKING AT
EXPEDITING PERMITS STARTING
WITH DOWNTOWN, BUT ALSO
EXPANDING OUT INTO NEIGHBORHOOD
BUSINESS DISTRICTS AND
PROVIDING FOR A PERMIT
FACILITATOR WHO CAN HELP
UNDERSTAND EMERGENT NEEDS,
CONDUCT SURVEY WORK, PREPARE
LANGUAGE MATERIALS, AND BE
READY TO FACILITATE SMALL
BUSINESSES GETTING INTO THE
SPACES AND HITTING THE PERMITS
THAT THEY NEED FROM SDCI AS
WELL AS OTHERS LIKE PUBLIC
HEALTH AGENCIES.
THERE IS AN EXPANSIVE HEALTH
EFFORT HERE THAT EXPANDS BEYOND
THE LAND-USE ISSUES PROPOSED
HERE.
>> WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU, MIKE.
>> THAT IS WHAT WE WANTED TO
COVER.
I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
>> ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION, MR.
CHAIR.
I APOLOGIZE.
I WAS TRYING TO PRINT ALL OF
THIS OUT, BUT I GAVE UP.
IT IS AN INTERIM PROVISION FOR
A BUILDING, CORRECT, TO EXPAND
THE USES FOR DOWNTOWN?
AND YOU MENTIONED BUSINESS AND
GOING TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
DO YOU HAVE TO BE AN OFFICIAL
D.I.A.
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE
EXPANSION OF FILLING IN
STOREFRONT SPACES?
WE HAVE THOSE SPACES ALONG
AURORA LAKE CITY WAY AND
NORTHGATE.
>> MAGDA, CAN YOU GO BACK TO
THE CROSSWALK?
>> I JUST TEXTED MY STAFF TO
MAKE SURE THEY PAID ATTENTION
TO PAGE 6.
>> LIST DOWNTOWN IS MUCH MORE
LIMITED THAN WHAT IS ALLOWED IN
BUSINESS DISTRICTS OUTSIDE OF
DOWNTOWN.
THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE WOULD
LIKE TO CURE WITH THIS
LEGISLATION.
BUSINESS DISTRICTS ENJOY A MUCH
BROADER LIST.
WE DON'T EXPECT THAT THE LAND
USE CODE IS THE IMPEDIMENT
THERE.
IT IS PROBABLY OTHER THINGS.
>> RIGHT.
BUT IT IS JUST A BUSINESS
DISTRICT, RIGHT?
OR SELF-PROCLAIMED BUSINESS
DISTRICT, A BIA.
>> THIS LIST APPLIES WHERE THE
ZONING IS WITH THE PEDESTRIAN
DESIGNATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> YOU ARE WELCOME.
>> EXCELLENT QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> OKAY.
>> COLLEAGUES, OTHER QUESTIONS?
WE WILL HAVE MORE DISCUSSION
AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SEE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AT
THIS TIME, WE WILL MOVE INTO
THE PUBLIC HEARING.
BEFORE WE OPEN THE REMOTE
PUBLIC HEARING, I ASK THAT
EVERYONE PLEASE BE PATIENT AS
WE CONTINUE TO LEARN AND OPERATE
THE SYSTEM IN REAL TIME AND
NAVIGATE THROUGH THE GROWING
PAINS.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO FINE-
TUNE THIS PROCESS AND ALLOW FOR
FEATURES THAT ADD MORE
PARTICIPATION.
I WILL MODERATE THE HEARING IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO
MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WILL CALL ON SPEAKERS ONE AT
A TIME.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
TO SPEAK AND WOULD LIKE TO, YOU
CAN SIGN UP BY GOING TO THE
WEBSITE AT SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCIL.
THE LINK IS ALSO ON TODAY'S
AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL ON THE NAME OF THE
SPEAKER, YOU WILL BE GIVEN A
PROMPT THAT IT IS YOUR TURN TO
SPEAK.
PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD
RELATE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN -- EXCUSE ME.
IT SHOULD BE IN RELATION TO CB
120121, WHICH ADOPTS INTERIM
REGULATIONS FOR DOWNTOWN
STOREFRONTS.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS I LEFT OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME.
WE ASK YOU TO THEN WRAP UP YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENT AT THE END OF THE TIME,
THE MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED TO
ALLOW US TO CALL IN THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
WE ASK YOU ONCE YOU ARE DONE TO
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE AND
FOLLOW ALONG AT SEATTLE CHANNEL
OR THE LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED
ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC HEARING ON CB 120121
IS NOW OPEN.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
THERE ARE NO PUBLIC HEARING
REGISTRANTS CURRENTLY PRESENT.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CONFIRMED.
THERE ARE NO PUBLIC HEARING
REGISTRANTS.
>> THANK YOU.
BEING THAT THERE IS NOT A
NUMBER OF THE PUBLIC CURRENTLY
PRESENT, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS
NOW CLOSED.
COUNCILMEMBERS, GIVEN THIS IS
WHERE WE NOW HAVE TO MAKE A
DECISION, AT THE LAST MEETING
REGARDING THIS BILL, WE HAD
ASKED FOR A FAIR AMOUNT OF
INFORMATION.
I KNOW THAT SPECIFIC DATA HAD
BEEN ASKED FOR.
I WANT TO CHECK TO SEE,
COLLEAGUES, YOUR COMFORT LEVEL.
WE ARE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING
ON THE SAME DAY AS VOTING ON
THE BILL POSSIBLY.
WE WOULD NEED TO SUSPEND THE
RULES.
COLLEAGUES, IF YOU DO NOT FEEL
COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING THE
APPROPRIATE DATA THAT YOU FEEL
IS NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD ON
THIS BILL, WE CAN VOTE ON THE
AMENDMENTS TODAY AND PULLED THE
BILL FOR THE NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS
MOMENT TO GAUGE THE INTEREST OF
PEOPLE.
OR WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION AT
THE END OF THIS BILL.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, I SEE YOU
HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED.
>> I WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION TO
SUSPENDING THE RULES AND VOTING
ON THE FINAL PASSAGE OF THE
BILL TODAY.
THE DECISION OF THE CHAIR WILL
BE RESPECTED EITHER WAY IN
TERMS OF HOW YOU WANT TO
APPROACH THIS.
>> OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, I DID
HAVE SOME OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS
ON ONE OF YOUR AMENDMENTS THAT
I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I KNOW
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
HAVE THEY BEEN ANSWERED AT THIS
TIME?
I AM SEEING THUMBS-UP.
WONDERFUL.
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I MAY HAVE SOME ISSUES.
I DON'T KNOW IF I AM FEELING
IT, THINKING ABOUT IT.
IF COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA IS
IN, I AM IN, TOO.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET IT DONE.
>> GREAT.
IN THAT CASE, I WOULD MOVE TO
SUSPEND THE RULES AND VOTE ON
THE SAME DAY AS A PUBLIC
HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE WITH
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
AND COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SUSPENDED THE PUBLIC RULES ON
VOTING ON THE SAME DAY IS A
PUBLIC HEARING.
I AM PROPOSING THE FIRST
AMENDMENT, WHICH MAKES
TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS AND
REFLECTS THE CURRENT STATE OF
THE PANDEMIC.
MR. FREEMAN, IS THERE SOMETHING
ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ADD?
>> NO. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO
SHARE THESE AMENDMENTS AS WE GO
THROUGH?
>> YES, PLEASE.
YOU SENT AROUND THAT RATE
SUMMARY TABLE.
>> FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FOLKS
WATCHING, I CAN PUT THEM UP ON
THE SCREEN.
THIS IS COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS'S
PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
WE WILL MAKE SOME A
MODIFICATIONS TO THE FINDINGS
TO REFLECT THE CURRENT STATUS OF
AFFAIRS IN REGARDS TO THE
PANDEMIC.
IT IS ALSO ASSUMED THAT THE
COUNCIL WOULD HOLD A PUBLIC
HEARING AFTER THIS ACTION,
WHICH IS AN OPTION.
THE HEARING WAS HELD TODAY.
THIS JUST CONFORMS THE PROPOSED
BILL TO WHAT HAS ACTUALLY
HAPPENED.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS ON AMENDMENT ONE?
HEARING THE QUESTIONS, I MOVED
TO AMEND CB 120121 AS SHOWN IN
THE STRAUSS AMENDMENT ONE.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> FLY-IN FAVOR, UNOPPOSED.
>> MOTION CARRIES.
NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO LEWIS
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, TAKE IT
AWAY.
THEN MR. FREEMAN.
>> I WILL LET KETIL GO FORWARD
FIRST.
>> SOUNDS GREAT.
>> THIS IS COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS'S AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE.
IT WOULD EXPAND THE AREA WHERE
INTERIM CONTROLS WOULD APPLY TO
THE SEATTLE SOUTH LAKE UNION
ZONE AND MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR
UNION STREET ACROSS FROM LAKE
UNION PARK.
AND ALSO MAKES SOME
CORRESPONDING MOVE TO THE
FINDINGS REGARDING THE SOUTH
LAKE UNION CHAPTER.
>> MR. FREEMAN, THIS IS NOT THE
AMENDMENT THAT TAKES UP OFFICE
SPACE.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS,
ANYTHING TO ADD HERE?
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS AFTER
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> THANK YOU FOR QUEUING THAT
UP.
ONE THING I WANT TO PUT A FINE
POINT ON HERE IS, WHILE IT IS
TRUE THAT THE SOUTH LAKE UNION
NEIGHBORHOOD HAS POTENTIALLY
NOT FELT THE BRUNT OF THE COVID
PANDEMIC AS MUCH AS SOME OF THE
OTHER CORE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE
CENTER OF THE CITY AND
DOWNTOWN, IT IS CERTAINLY THE
CASE THAT THE ECONOMIC ECOSYSTEM
IN SOUTH LAKE UNION HAS BEEN
VERY MUCH DISRUPTED BY
EXTENSIVE STAY AT HOME WORKING
PATTERNS FOR LARGE SOLID WASTE
UNION -- SOUTH LAKE UNION
BUSINESS TENANTS.
THEY WOULD PATRONIZE OTHER
BUSINESSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND GO TO LUNCH WHEN THEY WERE
WORKING THERE.
WHILE IT IS NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT IS IN QUITE AS MUCH OF
DIRE STRAITS AS RELATED TO
DOWNTOWN, THERE IS INTEREST
FROM THE SOUTH LAKE UNION
CHAMBER AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
IN PUTTING SOME FLEXIBILITY TO
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO HAVE SOME
OF THESE INNOVATIVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT DIFFERENT
USES INTO SOME OF THESE
STOREFRONTS.
THIS LOOMS LARGER THAN EVER WITH
DELAYED RETURN TO WORK
SCHEDULES FROM A LOT OF LARGE
EMPLOYERS IN SOUTH LAKE UNION.
AMAZON ANNOUNCED THEY ARE
DELAYING RETURNING TO WORK UNTIL
2022.
WE COULD SEE THROUGHOUT THE
FALL EXPANDED STREET-LEVEL
VACANCY AND CONTINUED HARDSHIP
FOR BUSINESSES IN THIS AREA AND
INTEREST IN ATTRACTING NEW AND
DYNAMIC TENANTS THAT CAN
WITHSTAND THIS EXTENDED PERIOD
OF TOUCHING GO RETURN TO WORK.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE SURGING
OF THE DELTA VARIANT.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE
IMPORTANT CARVEOUT THAT MY
OFFICE PUT INTO THIS AMENDMENT
AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT.
THAT WAS TO CARVEOUT SOME OF
THE MORE FLEXIBLE STREET-LEVEL
USE ON VALLEY STREET, WHICH
WILL BE THE FRONTAGE THAT FACES
THE PARK.
THERE IS A VERY STRONG PUBLIC
INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT USE
IS GOING TO BE A DYNAMIC USE
THAT IS FACING THE PARK, ONE
THAT IS ENGAGING WITH THAT OPEN
SPACE AND PROVIDING A LOT OF
SPILLOVER OUT INTO THE SIDEWALK
AND ACTIVATING THE STREETS.
TO MAKING SURE THAT WE AREN'T
PUTTING A MAKER SPACE OR LIGHT
INDUSTRIAL OR SOMETHING IN THAT
FRONTAGE FACING OUT TOWARDS THE
PARK IS AN IMPORTANT POLICY
CONCERN.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE CARVING OUT
OF THIS PROPOSAL TO MAKE SURE
WE HAVE I DYNAMIC USE IN THAT
STOREFRONT INSTEAD OF SOMETHING
THAT IS MORE STATIC.
BEYOND THAT, IT IS CERTAINLY
TAKING THE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
FOR THE FLEXIBILITY IN THE
DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD AND
EXPANDING THEM IN THIS
CORRIDOR.
I WILL EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS
AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS STRONGLY
REQUESTED BY STAKEHOLDERS IN
THE SOUTH LAKE UNION
NEIGHBORHOOD INCLUDING THE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN
REQUESTED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD
ADOPT TODAY.
WITH THAT, I DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
I APPRECIATE THE BACKGROUND
AND EXPLANATION.
I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS
AMENDMENT.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION.
THIS IS WHY I ASKED THE
QUESTION DURING THE
PRESENTATION, BECAUSE OF THESE
AMENDMENTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
SPECIFICALLY CARVED OUT IN THIS
LEGISLATION TO ENJOY THE
EXPANSION, THE INTERIM
EXPANSION OF USES FOR EMPTY
STOREFRONT.
THAT IS WHY I ASKED, IF YOUR
AREA IS ALREADY ZONED FOR
BUSINESS, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO
ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF THIS
EXPANSION FOR STOREFRONTS FOR
OTHER USES, RIGHT?
NO ONE IS BARRED IF THEY ARE
NOT IN THIS LEGISLATION.
I DON'T HAVE TO DO AN AMENDMENT
TO PUT IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
I AM GUESSING, I UNDERSTAND, I
UNDERSTAND COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS'S CONSTITUENCY AND I GET
IT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T
HAVE TO HAVE 12 AMENDMENTS FOR
12 NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE
BUSINESSES THAT ARE ZONED FOR
BUSINESSES TO ENJOY THIS,
CORRECT?
>> I BELIEVE THAT IS CORRECT.
MR. FREEMAN, CAN YOU CORRECT ME
WITH MY NEXT STATEMENT IF I AM
WRONG?
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
SOUTH LAKE UNION AND SOME OTHER
PLACES HAVE MORE RESTRICTIVE
LAND USES THAN SOME OTHER AREAS.
SO OTHER DISTRICTS WILL BE
FINE.
>> I DID NOT WANT PEOPLE TO
SEND ME TEXTS SAYING I DON'T
UNDERSTAND.
IF THEY ARE MORE RESTRICTIVE
BECAUSE OF ZONING, I UNDERSTAND
WHY YOU WOULD HAVE THE NEED FOR
THAT.
I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO SAY
IF WE ARE NOT IN THERE, WE
CANNOT USE OUR STOREFRONTS AND
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT
LEGISLATION.
I WANTED THAT CLARIFICATION.
I HAD A COUPLE OF TEXTS FROM
PEOPLE SAYING THE AMENDMENTS
WERE NOT ON THE SITE.
WHY THEY ARE SENDING THEM TO ME
AND NOT THE CLERK, I DON'T
KNOW.
I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE
THAT WITH YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I AM PULLING UP LEGISTAR
RIGHT NOW TO CHECK MYSELF.
>> I AM HAPPY TO SHARE INFO.
>> THEY WERE NOT CIRCULATED IN
TIME TO BE PUBLISHED.
THEY WERE SENT TO
COUNCILMEMBERS YESTERDAY.
WE WILL MAKE SURE TO UPDATE
LEGISTAR WITH THE APPROPRIATE
INFORMATION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THEY WILL ALSO BE ADDED TO
THE AGENDA FOR AFTER THIS
MEETING.
IT IS HELPFUL THAT MR. FREEMAN
IS SHOWING THEM ON THE SCREEN.
COUNCILMEMBER, I SEE VICE-CHAIR
MOSQUEDA AND THEN I WILL GO
WITH YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
CHAIR.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ FOR RAISING THAT POINT,
AS WELL.
I DID NOT ASK A QUESTION DURING
THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE DURING
THE TIME BETWEEN YOUR LAST
MEETING AND THIS MEETING, I
HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION RELATED
TO CHILDCARE.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT VARIOUS
NEIGHBORHOODS HERE.
I WAS WORRIED THAT IF WE DID NOT
EXPLICITLY CALL OUT CHILDCARE
AS A PERMISSIBLE USE, WE WERE
SOMEHOW MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO CONFIRM THAT WE ARE
MAKING ADDITIVE ADJUSTMENTS
HERE.
THE BASELINE OF WHAT WAS
ALLOWABLE WILL CONTINUE.
SO IF YOU DON'T SEE SOMETHING
LIKE CHILDCARE, IT IS ALREADY A
PERMISSIBLE USE.
I WANTED FOLKS TO KNOW THAT AS
WELL.
THIS IS NOT ALL-INCLUSIVE.
THESE ARE ADDITIVE PIECES.
AS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ WAS
SAYING, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THESE AREAS DOWNTOWN AND
NOW SOUTH LAKE UNION, THESE
AREAS WITH MORE RESTRICTIVE USES
CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS
LEGISLATION AND HAVE ADDITIONAL
FLEXIBILITY.
CHILDCARE WAS ALREADY ONE OF
THE ALLOWABLE USES DOWNTOWN AND
ACROSS OUR CITY.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
CHILDCARE IS AN ALLOWABLE USE
DOWNTOWN AND IN SOUTH LAKE
UNION.
IN NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS, IT IS NOT
AN AUTHORIZED STREET-LEVEL USE.
THAT COULD BE THE SUBJECT OF
FURTHER CONSIDERATION BY THE
COUNCIL IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO
MAKE THAT POLICY CHANGE.
>> CAN I CHECK ON SOMETHING
THEN?
I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT
AMENDMENT BECAUSE THE TITLE HERE
DID NOT PERMIT IT.
>> THAT IS RIGHT.
THE TITLE DOES NOT COVER 2347,
WHICH IS THE COMMERCIAL CHAPTER
THAT INCLUDES CHILDCARE.
I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I
UNDERSTAND FROM CONVERSATIONS
WITH MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE
WORKED IN DEPTH ON STREET-LEVEL
USE ISSUES.
I AM THINKING OF ALY HERE.
CHILDCARE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN
PART BECAUSE NOT TO RESTRICT
WHERE THOSE USES COULD BE
LOCATED, BECAUSE IT IS OFTEN
DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE
PROVIDERS TO MEET THE
TRANSPARENCY STANDARDS WITH A
LEVEL OF COMFORT THAT THEY NEED
TO FOR THEIR CLIENTS.
I WILL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF
EXAMPLES JUST TO SEE IF IT
HELPS.
IN THE KING COUNTY
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, A LOT
OF THE WINDOWS THERE ARE
BLOCKED TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM
LOOKING IN AT THE KIDS.
THAT IS WHAT THE PARENTS OF
THOSE CHILDREN EXPECT.
THERE ARE SOME WAYS IN WHICH
CHILDCARE IS NOT NECESSARILY A
GREAT STREET-LEVEL USE.
THAT IS NOT TO SAY IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE.
SOME CHILDCARE IS THAT THE
STREET-LEVEL.
THAT WAS A CONSIDERATION IN
EXCLUDING CHILDCARE FROM STREET-
LEVEL USES IN THE UPDATE TO THE
COMMERCIAL CODE FROM A FEW
YEARS AGO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA,
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
FOR THE TIME BEING?
>> YES.
I MAY HAVE SOME MORE WORK TO DO
WITH YOU ON THIS, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> LET'S DO IT.
I LOVE IT.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, DO YOU
HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT?
OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO WRAP THIS
UP WITH FINAL COMMENTS BEFORE
WE TAKE A VOTE?
>> WE CAN WRAP IT UP.
THE THING I INITIALLY RAISED MY
HAND FOR WAS TO MAKE SOME
CLARIFICATIONS ABOUT THE
SPECIAL STATUS OF DOWNTOWN AND
SOUTH LAKE UNION THAT
NECESSITATE THESE CHANGES. I
THINK THAT HAS BEEN WELL COVERED
BY YOUR SELF AND CENTRAL STAFF.
I AM READY JUST TO VOTE ON
THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
I MOVED TO AMEND CB 120121 AS
IS SHOWN IN, IS IT LEWIS
AMENDMENT TWO OR LEWIS
AMENDMENT ONE?
>> BUSINESS AMENDMENT ONE.
>> I MOVED TO AMEND CB 120121
AS SHOWN IN AMENDMENT ONE.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED TO AMEND CB 120121 AS
SHOWN IN LEWIS AMENDMENT ONE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> MOTION CARRIES.
NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE
SECOND AMENDMENT.
I WILL SHARE AT THE OUTSET THAT
I DO HAVE A SLIGHT CONCERN
ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT,
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OFFICE
SPACE.
I KNOW MY OFFICE REACHED OUT TO
YOUR OFFICE.
THEY WERE ONLY ABLE TO RESPOND
DURING THE COMMITTEE.
I HAVE HAD NO TIME TO FULLY
DIGEST THAT INFORMATION.
I WILL START WITH IT.
THAT IS THE VERY NARROW SECTION
IN WHICH I STILL HAVE
QUESTIONS.
EVERYTHING ELSE LOOKS GOOD TO
ME.
MR. FREEMAN, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE
IT AWAY?
>> I WILL JUMP IN FIRST JUST TO
GIVE AN OVERVIEW.
MAYBE I CAN MAKE MY ARGUMENTS
PITCHING FOR THIS ONCE IT HAS
BEEN MOVED IN FRONT OF US.
I WILL MAKE ALL OF MY REMARKS
NOW, ACTUALLY.
THIS AMENDMENT WOULD EXPAND
SOME OF THE NEW USES FOR STREET-
LEVEL USE TO INCLUDE LIGHT
INDUSTRIAL AND OFFICE SPACE.
THAT WOULD BE IN THE DOWNTOWN
AND SOUTH LAKE UNION
NEIGHBORHOODS.
FOR SOUTH LAKE UNION, WITH THE
CARVEOUT OF VALLEY, WHICH WOULD
NOT BENEFIT FROM THESE
EXPANSIONS.
I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE
CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN
EXPRESSED BY THE DEPARTMENT
REGARDING THE LACK OF DYNAMISM,
PARTICULARLY FOR THE OFFICE
SPACE USE, AS SOMETHING THAT IS
ALLOWED AT STREET-LEVEL.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS COME
FROM TALKING TO A LOT OF
STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE FACT
THAT THEY ARE SEEING MARKET
DEMAND FOR, IN SOME CASES,
HAVING OFFICE SPACE AS A STREET-
LEVEL USE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PUBLIC
POLICY ADVANTAGES ARE MORE
LIMITED VERSUS MORE DYNAMIC
STREET-LEVEL USES THAT WILL
HELP TO ACTIVATE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD MORE THAN OFFICE
SPACE, WHICH IS A FAIRLY STATIC
USE.
I THINK THERE ARE ADVANTAGES IF
A GIVEN STREET-LEVEL SPACE IS
GOING TO BE OFFICE SPACE OR
NOTHING.
CERTAINLY, IF OFFICE BASE IS
COMPETING WITH OTHER MORE
DYNAMIC USES, I WOULD HOPE THAT
MORE DYNAMIC USES WOULD BE
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A
TENANT
IS IN ALL OF OUR INTEREST TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE USING ALL OF
THE SPACE IN OUR DOWNTOWN CORE
TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE AND HAVING
THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF VACANT
SPACE THAT IS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THAT BOTH OF THESE
OPTIONS, EXPANDING AND ALLOWING
BOTH OF THESE OPTIONS IN
ADDITION TO SOME OF THE OTHER
THINGS THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING
WOULD BE DESIRABLE.
JUST TO TOUCH BRIEFLY ON THE
LIGHT MANUFACTURING COMPONENT,
ONE OF THE EXISTING USES THAT
IS BEING PERMITTED IN THE BASE
LEGISLATION IS CRAFTWORK
ESSENTIALLY.
SO IT WOULD BE LIGHT
MANUFACTURING THAT OCCURS
PREDOMINANTLY BY HAND.
THIS WOULD EXPAND TO INCLUDE
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, WHICH ALLOWS
SOME DEGREE OF MACHINE ASSISTED
PROCESS TO THE POINT WHERE IT
OBVIOUSLY ISN'T AS NOISY OR
DISRUPTIVE OR DIRTY AS HEAVY
INDUSTRIAL WOULD BE.
IT BASICALLY ALLOWS, AND MAYBE
KETIL CAN QUEUE UP SOME BETTER
EXAMPLES, BUT IT WOULD ALLOW
FOR MAYBE MAKER SPACE'S OR 3D
PRINTING KIND OF THINGS THAT ARE
MACHINE ASSISTED. SO MAYBE LIKE
LEATHER GOODS THAT ARE NOT MADE
ENTIRELY BY HAND.
I WILL TURN OVER TO KETIL TO
PROVIDE MORE TECHNICAL FEEDBACK
ON THIS AND THEN OPEN IT UP FOR
MORE DISCUSSION.
>> MR. FREEMAN?
>> ANOTHER THING THAT THIS
AMENDMENT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD
ALSO REMOVE LIMITATION ON USES
ACCESSORY TO LODGING AND
ACCESSORY USES.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE
COMMITTEE IS AWARE OF THAT
CHANGE.
WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFICE USE
PROPOSED HERE WITH THE STREET
FRONTAGE LIMITATION, THIS IS A
DEVELOPMENT STANDARD THAT IS
TRUE FOR PEDESTRIAN ZONES
OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
IT IS AN AUTHORIZED STREET-
LEVEL USE OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
DOWNTOWN IS MORE RESTRICTIVE.
OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN, IN
PEDESTRIAN DESIGNATED ZONES AND
COMMERCIAL AREAS, OFFICE USE IS
ALLOWED WITH THIS 34 STREET
FRONT LIMITATION.
WITH RESPECT TO LIGHT
MANUFACTURING, IT HAS BEEN
ALLOWED USE IN MOST DOWNTOWN
ZONES ALREADY.
IT HAS NOT BEEN ALLOWED STREET-
LEVEL USE.
THERE IS SORT OF, THE AMENDMENT
SHEET HAS A BRIEF DEFINITION.
THERE ARE EXAMPLES ON THE CODE,
WHICH I WILL REFERENCE IN JUST
A MINUTE.
EXAMPLES GIVEN IN THE CODE
INCLUDE ASSEMBLY, FINISHING,
AND PACKAGING OF ARTICLES FROM
PARTS MADE AT OTHER LOCATIONS.
SO ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES,
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.
JULIE MANUFACTURING, TOY
MANUFACTURING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. FREEMAN.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, I THINK
THIS IS A SMART AMENDMENT WITH
THE LIGHT MANUFACTURING.
I THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA.
I AM AGNOSTIC ON OFFICE SPACE,
BECAUSE I HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO
DIGEST THE INFORMATION.
I MIGHT ASK YOU JUST HERE ON
THE RECORD, REAL-TIME, WOULD
YOU BE OPEN TO HOLDING THIS
AMENDMENT FOR A FULL COUNCIL?
WE CAN DIGEST THAT OFFICE SPACE
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> YEAH, MR. CHAIR, IF YOU WANT
TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME
GRAPPLING WITH THIS, I AM HAPPY
TO HOLD THIS AMENDMENT FOR
FURTHER ALONG IN THE PROCESS
JUST SO WE CAN MAYBE GO OVER
SOME OF THIS AND MAKE SOME OF
THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE A
LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE
WITH IT.
I THINK THAT SOUNDS FINE.
>> I THINK YOUR EXAMPLE OF IGA
IS A GOOD ONE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE, AS YOU
SAID, AS WELL, THAT WE HAVE THE
MOST VIBRANT STREET USES AS
POSSIBLE.
I THINK YOUR LIGHT MANUFACTURING
IS A REALLY SMART MOVE.
COLLEAGUES, DO YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT
RIGHT NOW?
>> I WILL JUST WEIGH IN THAT I
AGREE WITH YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME ON
THE OFFICES, PROVIDED NO MORE
THAN 30 FEET.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE
LIGHT MANUFACTURING.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA
TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND
WALK IT OUT TO FULL COUNCIL ON
MONDAY.
>> THAT IS GREAT.
I AM SEEING A HEAD NOD.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS.
I WANT TO SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS . I APPRECIATE THE
OUTREACH THAT HE HAS DONE.
THANK YOU.
>> GREAT.
THANKS, COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
VICE-CHAIR MOSQUEDA, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IF THIS IS GOING TO BE
DISCUSSED AGAIN AT FULL
COUNCIL, I THINK SOME OF THE
THINGS I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
MORE ABOUT OUR HOW THIS
CONFORMS WITH THE INTENT OF THE
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BE
TRYING TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE
TO BE INTERACTING WITH THESE
STOREFRONTS, TO HAVE A MORE
PEDESTRIAN FEEL, TO HAVE A LOT
OF ACTIVITY ON OUR STREETS.
I WORRY ABOUT STOREFRONTS THAT
MAY BE FULLY COVERED IF IT IS
MANUFACTURING OR BUSINESS
OFFICES.
THE USUALLY DO COVER UP THOSE
WINDOWS.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
THAT I WOULD BE LOOKING INTO,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> I THINK COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA'S QUESTIONS ARE GOOD
FOR QUEUING UP A DISCUSSION AT
FULL COUNCIL ON THIS,
PARTICULARLY ON THE OFFICE
SPACE.
AS I WENT OVER A LITTLE BIT IN
MY INITIAL REMARKS, I THINK
THERE ARE, FROM TALKING TO
DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS, TWO
THINGS AT PLAY.
ONE IS WE WANT TO CREATE A MORE
DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE
IS A LOT OF INTERACTION WITH
STREET-LEVEL USE.
AS I TOUCHED ON, I THINK THERE
IS A SECONDARY POLICY ISSUE
HERE THAT I THINK HASN'T BEEN
ADDRESSED QUITE AS FORTHRIGHTLY
IN THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE
LEGISLATION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS
LEGISLATION IS NECESSARILY
DESIGNED TO CONFRONT THIS AS
ONE OF THE PRIMARY PURPOSES,
MAYBE MORE AS A TERTIARY
PURPOSE.
AS I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, THERE
ARE SOME BUILDINGS THAT WE JUST
WANT TO ACTIVATE IN SOME
RESPECT, REGARDLESS OF IF THE
STREET-LEVEL USE IS GOING TO BE
DYNAMIC OR NOT, RIGHT?
THERE ARE SOME BUILDINGS IN THE
DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR WHERE LONG-
STANDING VACANCIES AND NO USE OF
ANY TYPE, EVEN A STATIC USE, IS
RESULTING IN BUILDINGS BECOMING
EYESORES, BUILDINGS BECOMING
TARGETS OF GRAFFITI. THE
RESULTS OF THAT FROM THEN NOT
BEEN ACTIVATED IS THERE IS SORT
OF A DETERIORATING EFFECT TO
THE BROADER BLOCK.
IN A CASE LIKE THAT, EVEN
THOUGH OFFICE SPACE IS NOT A
DYNAMIC USE, IT IS STILL MORE
DESIRABLE THAN NOTHING BEING AT
THAT LOCATION.
FIGURING OUT A WAY TO STRUCTURE
A POLICY, AND MAYBE KETIL CAN
RESULT ON THIS BEFORE FULL
COUNCIL, FIGURING OUT THAT IN
SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, OFFICE
SPACE CAN COME IN AS A LAST
RESORT IS SORT OF WHAT MY
INTENTION IS.
I KNOW THIS IS MORE PERMISSIVE
THAN THAT.
THIS IS SORT OF LIKE LETTING
THE MARKET DECIDE.
BABY THAT WOULD RESULT IN AN
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GRAPPLING
WITH.
TO GIVE IT TO THE LIGHT
MANUFACTURING, THOUGH,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I DO
THINK LIGHT MANUFACTURING IN
SOME INNOVATIVE CASES COULD
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE AN
INTERESTING STREET-LEVEL
ACTIVATION.
I THINK OF THINGS LIKE, I KNOW
THAT COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND
I IN ADDITION TO OTHER
SIMILARITIES THAT ARE PERCEIVED
BY THE PUBLIC ON OCCASION
BETWEEN US, WE ALSO BOTH HAVE
THE SAME TYPE OF BRIEFCASE.
I THINK THE FACTORY IN THE SOTO
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT IS NOT A
STREET-LEVEL ACTIVATION, IT
COULD BE WHERE AS YOU GO UP THE
STAIRS TO GET INTO THERE, YOU
CAN LOOK OUT AND SEE THEIR
ENTIRE MANUFACTURING AREA WHERE
THEY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER
FILSON BRIEFCASES AND OTHER
THINGS.
I CAN SEE THE POTENTIAL OF A
TENANT LIKE FILSON OR
SOMETHING THAT MOVES INTO A
SPACE AND BIG WINDOWS WOULD
OPEN OUT TO THE STREET WHERE
THE PUBLIC CAN LOOK IN AND
WATCH THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
I COULD SEE HOW SOMETHING LIKE
THAT COULD HAVE AN INTERACTION
WITH THE STREET-LEVEL AND
CREATE A MORE DYNAMIC STREET-
LEVEL SPACE.
I THINK THERE COULD BE SOME
POTENTIAL WITH THE RIGHT
INDUSTRIAL TO SPELL OUT AND
HAVE THAT KIND OF EFFECT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO QUEUING THIS
UP AGAIN AT FULL COUNCIL.
I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO HOLDING
THE AMENDMENT UNTIL THAT TIME
OR TABLING THE AMENDMENT UNTIL
THAT TIME.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
THAT WAS REALLY WELL SAID.
WHAT I AM GOING TO ASK
COLLEAGUES, PLEASE CONVENE WITH
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS BEFORE
FRIDAY.
I WILL HAVE MR. AN WALKED THE
FLOOR TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS
COMFORTABLE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE
BRING AN AMENDMENT TO FULL
COUNCIL, THAT WE DO SO IN SHORT
ORDER.
I THINK COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS ,
YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT FILSON IS
CORRECT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE BEST.
ONE THING THAT COMES TO MIND
THERE IS THAT WE HAVE AN OFFICE
SPACE ON BALLARD AVENUE THAT IS
USED FOR OFFICE SPACE ON THE
STREET-LEVEL.
IT HAS NOT ALWAYS HAD THE MOST
ACTIVE, VIBRANT STOREFRONT.
THEY HAVE JUST PARTNERED WITH
THE UNITED INDIANS OF ALL
TRIBES TO HAVE THEIR STORE IN
THE SPACE.
THE OFFICE SPACE, THE
ARCHITECTS SHARE THEIR STORE
FRONTAGE WITH UNITED INDIANS OF
ALL TRIBES TO HAVE THEIR
STOREFRONT THERE.
IT ACTIVATES THAT FRONT AREA
AND ALLOWS FOR THE OFFICE SPACE.
THERE ARE SOME CREATIVE
SOLUTIONS THAT WE CAN BRING TO
THAT.
COLLEAGUES, SEEING NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE, I WILL
MOVE US ON.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR
QUESTIONS RESOLVED BY FRIDAY
AND MUNICH EIGHT WITH MR. AN.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, WOULD YOU
LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR THIRD
AMENDMENT?
>> YES.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
THIS AMENDMENT, I WILL LET
KETIL GO FIRST ON THIS
AMENDMENT.
>> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
DECISION-MAKERS ABOUT WHAT
STREET-LEVEL USES WOULD BE
ALLOWED.
THERE IS THE SDCI DIRECTOR,
WOULD BE ISSUING PERMITS AND
CHANGE OF USE PERMITS,
POTENTIALLY FOR MOST OF
DOWNTOWN.
THEN THERE IS THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS DIRECTOR, WHO HAS
REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER USE
DECISIONS AND PIONEER SQUARE.
SO BY WAY OF REMINDER, THE
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT IS NOT
INCLUDED IN THIS LEGISLATION.
IT IS EXEMPT.
THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD
AUTHORIZE THE DIRECTOR OF D.O.N.
TO ADMINISTRATIVELY MAKE
DECISIONS ABOUT STREET-LEVEL
USE DISPENSATIONS THROUGH THE
BILL.
IT ALSO LIMITS SOME
CONDITIONING AUTHORITY.
IT TAKES AWAY AUTHORITY TO
LIMIT BASED ON TRAFFIC,
PARKING, AND NOISE.
THOSE ARE NOT STRICTLY SPEAKING
RELATED TO THE SCALE AND
CHARACTER OF THE PEDESTRIAN
ENVIRONMENT.
IT ALLOWS OFFICE USES AS AN
ALLOWED STREET-LEVEL USE
SUBJECT TO A PERCENTAGE OF THE
FRONTAGE FOR LARGE BLOCKS.
THAT IS WHAT REPOSED AMENDMENT
THREE WOULD DO.
THIS AMENDMENT IS INFORMED IN
PART BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> I WILL PASS THIS OFF TO
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AS THE
SPONSOR.
DOES THE CONVERSATION ABOUT
OFFICE SPACE FROM THE LAST
AMENDMENT BLEED INTO THIS
AMENDMENT?
>> NO, WHICH IS THE -- WHICH IS
THE MENTIONED -- WE JUST
MENTIONED THAT ALLOWED OFFICE
SPACE.
>> I WILL PUSH THAT OVER TO
KETIL.
>> IT SEEMS LIKE THE POLICY
ISSUE IS WHETHER OR NOT WE
SHOULD ALLOW STREET-LEVEL USE.
IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THEN THEY
HOLD TRUE FOR PIONEER SQUARE
AND DOWNTOWN, UNLESS THEY ARE
DISTINGUISHABLE FOR SOME REASON.
OFFICE DEVELOPMENT AT STREET-
LEVEL MAY HAVE A DELETERIOUS
EFFECT.
RECOMMENDATION IS REFLECTED IN
PART.
I SHOULD I CALL IT HER
RECOMMENDATION.
THERE IS A PROPOSED
MODIFICATION TO COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS'S ORIGINAL CONCEPT THAT
IS REFLECTED HERE.
SARA, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS
ANYTHING YOU YOU WANT TO SAY
ABOUT HOW THIS MAY PLAY WITH
DEVELOPMENT AT PIONEER SQUARE.
>> CONSISTENT WITH YOUR COMMENT,
THE LANGUAGE THERE IN AMENDMENT
THREE REGARDING STREET-LEVEL
OFFICE USES IN PIONEER SQUARE,
THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE
ESSENTIALLY TO AMENDMENT TWO.
AND THAT WAS COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS'S INTEREST IN EXPANDING
OFFICE USES GENERALLY.
IT IS NOT THAT THE DEPARTMENT
OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS NECESSARILY
ADVOCATING FOR EXPANDED STREET-
LEVEL OFFICE USES IN PIONEER
SQUARE.
WE WANT IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF
OFFICE USES WERE PERMITTED,
THERE WAS SOME SORT OF MAXIMUM
REGULATION THAT WAS APPLIED.
>> AND JUST TO JUMP IN ON THIS,
SARA AND KETIL, DUE TO THE
UNIQUE WAY THAT PIONEER SQUARE
IS CONSTITUTED, EVERYTHING
UNDER THIS AMENDMENT WOULD HAVE
THIS ADDITIONAL SORT OF
ADMINISTRATIVE GATEKEEPING.
IT IS A LITTLE DISTINCT FROM
OUR DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD
DISCUSSION.
THE DEAL WHEN DIRECTOR COULD
WITHHOLD APPROVAL OF CERTAIN
THINGS. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I WILL ASK GENNA TO SPEAK
MORE DIRECTLY TO THIS.
SHE IS THE ONE WHO COORDINATES
THE PIONEER SQUARE PRESERVATION
BOARD WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
GENNA, MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK A
LITTLE BIT TO WHAT GOES BEFORE
THE BOARD AT THIS POINT AND
WHAT IS HANDLED
ADMINISTRATIVELY AND HOW THAT
MAY CHANGE OVER THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS DEPENDING ON WHAT
HAPPENS WITH THE EMERGENCY
COVID PROTOCOLS.
>> SURE.
RIGHT NOW, WITH THE EMERGENCY
LEGISLATION, I ONLY REVIEW ANY
USE THAT IS IDENTIFIED AS A
PREFERRED USE ADMINISTRATIVELY.
ANY OTHER CHANGE OF USE GOES TO
THE BOARD FOR REVIEW.
WAS THERE ANOTHER PART OF YOUR
QUESTION THAT I DIDN'T ANSWER?
>> SO WONDER THIS LEGISLATION,
-- SO UNDER THIS LEGISLATION,
IT WOULD BE REVIEWED BY YOU AND
OTHERS.
THERE ARE OTHER DECISIONS MADE
UNDER THE BOUNDARIES OF THE
DISTRICT MADE BY THE BOARD.
IT IS NOT A FULLY
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS RIGHT
NOW.
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT IS VERY HELPFUL.
MR. FREEMAN, CAN YOU HELP ME
UNDERSTAND?
WHAT I AM HEARING IS THAT IF
LEWIS AMENDMENT TWO, OFFICE
SPACE, PASSES, THEN THAT IS WHAT
AMENDMENT THREE IS FOR?
OR DOES AMENDMENT THREE HAVE
ADDITIONAL EXPANSION?
CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION
CLEARLY FOR THE RECORD?
>> AMENDMENT THREE IS
SPECIFICALLY TO THE DECISION-
MAKING AUTHORITY IN PIONEER
SQUARE.
THIS OFFICE EXPANSION WHICH IS
SUPPLY IN THE PIONEER SQUARE
SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICT.
IT WOULD NOT APPLY OUTSIDE OF
PIONEER SQUARE.
LEWIS AMENDMENT TWO, WHICH
EXPANDED THE LIST OF USES TO
INCLUDE OFFICE, IS ONLY
APPLICABLE IN THOSE DOWNTOWN
ZONES THAT DON'T INCLUDE
PIONEER SQUARE.
THAT IS MOSTLY THE DOWNTOWN
OFFICE CORE ONE, DOWNTOWN
RETAIL CORE, EVERYTHING NORTH
OF PIONEER SQUARE AND THE
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.
IS THAT CLEAR, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS?
THIS LANGUAGE IN AMENDMENT THREE
IS SPECIFIC TO PIONEER SQUARE.
IT WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE STREET-
LEVEL USE OUTSIDE OF THE
PIONEER SQUARE SPECIAL REVIEW
DISTRICT.
>> THE SECOND PART OF THE
QUESTION IS, DOES THIS
AMENDMENT PROVIDE OTHER
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS?
OR IS IT JUST OFFICE SPACE?
>> NO, IT WOULD ALLOW, THERE IS
A DISTINCTION HERE BETWEEN
PIONEER SQUARE AND THE REST OF
DOWNTOWN IN THIS BILL.
THERE IS A LIMITATION ON THE
KINDS OF USES THAT CAN BE
APPROVED IN PIONEER SQUARE.
THERE IS BROADER AUTHORITY FOR
THE D.O.N.
DIRECTOR TO APPROVE USES.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE THE
PREFERRED USES THAT ARE
IDENTIFIED.
THEY CAN INCLUDE USES THAT ARE
NOT OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED IN
PIONEER SQUARE.
THE SDCI DIRECTOR IS NOT
SUBJECT TO THAT LIMITATION.
THE SDCI DIRECTOR CAN APPROVE
USES AT THE STREET-LEVEL THAT
MIGHT NOT EVEN BE AUTHORIZED BY
THE ZONE PROVIDED THEY MEET THE
TEST OF PROVIDING DIFFERENT
SERVICES AT AN ACTIVATED STREET-
LEVEL.
AS DRAFTED, THERE ARE ALREADY
STRONGER LIMITATIONS ON
APPROVING STREET-LEVEL USES IN
PIONEER SQUARE THAN THERE IS IN
THE REST OF DOWNTOWN.
>> OKAY.
COLLEAGUES, DO YOU HAVE OTHER
QUESTIONS?
I AM NOT SURE, I SUPPORT THIS
AMENDMENT GENERALLY. I GUESS I
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT
OFFICE SPACE.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> JUST TO JUMP IN ON THIS ONE,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, AND I
THINK KETIL DID KIND OF
ANSWER THIS, BUT TO PUT A FINER
POINT ON IT, I THINK THAT THIS
AMENDMENT, THIS AMENDMENT GIVES
A LITTLE BIT MORE POWER TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
DIRECTOR TO MOVE THINGS ALONG
THAT WOULD OTHERWISE THE SUBJECT
TO GETTING BOGGED DOWN IN A
BOARD APPROVAL PROCESS.
ONE THING THAT IS SORTA
DIFFERENT, I THINK, FROM THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT MAKING
OFFICE USE A BROADER USE IN THE
DOWNTOWN AND SOUTH LAKE UNION
NEIGHBORHOODS IS THAT THERE IS
THAT LAYER OF ADMINISTRATIVE
APPROVAL YEAR FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
DIRECTOR?
I WOULD NOTE THAT IN MOST
BUSINESS DISTRICTS ACROSS THE
CITY, WE ARE GETTING BOGGED
DOWN A LOT AT OFFICE USE AT THE
STREET-LEVEL.
IN MOST BUSINESS DISTRICTS
AROUND THE CITY, OFFICE USE IS
AN ALLOWABLE STREET-LEVEL USE.
THAT IS PARTLY GOING BACK TO
OUR FIRST CONVERSATION OF WHY
WE ARE NOT DISCUSSING A NEED TO
AMEND URBAN VILLAGE DISTRICT
ZONING REQUIREMENTS, FOR
EXAMPLE.
I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO, DO WE
WANT TO GIVE THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS DIRECTOR THE
ABILITY TO ADMINISTRATIVELY
APPROVE USE REQUESTS FOR STREET-
LEVEL OFFICE USE IN THE PIONEER
SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD?
IS THE PIONEER SQUARE
NEIGHBORHOOD MORE LIKE DOWNTOWN
OR MORE LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD
BUSINESS DISTRICT?
I THINK IN SOME RESPECTS,
PIONEER SQUARE IS AN
INTERESTING INTERMEDIARY
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE DOES HAVE A
LOT OF CHARACTERISTICS IN
COMMON WITH DOWNTOWN.
IT BLEEDS INTO THE DOWNTOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT ALSO, IN A WAY, IT SHARES A
LOT IN COMMON WITH URBAN
VILLAGE BUSINESS DISTRICT HUBS.
I THINK WHAT WE ARE SAYING WITH
THIS AMENDMENT, AND I WOULD
LIKE TO PURSUE VOTING ON THIS
AMENDMENT TODAY IF YOU ARE
SATISFIED, MR. CHAIR, JUST TO
CIRCLE BACK ON IT, THESE WERE
CHANGES THAT WERE REQUESTED BY
PIONEER SQUARE STAKEHOLDERS TO
GET SOME MORE ACTIVITIES IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS REALLY
SUFFERED DURING COVID.
I DO THINK THAT SOME OF THE
SAFEGUARDS AND PROTECTIONS IN
PLACE AND THAT INTELLIGENCE --
THE DILIGENCE OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD MAKES ME CONFIDENT
WE WILL HAVE A VIBRANT PIONEER
SQUARE.
I THINK WE SHOULD VOTE ON IT
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HAS
QUESTIONS.
KETIL, CAN YOU SCROLL DOWN TO
SEE THE FINAL ANALYSIS BOX?
>> YEAH.
I AM GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM
WITH THIS AND I WILL TELL YOU
WHY.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, THANK YOU
FOR PROVIDING THIS.
I HAVE THE AMENDMENTS LABELED
ONE THROUGH FOUR.
YOURS A LABELED TWO, THREE, AND
FOUR.
WE HAVE AGREED TO PULL BACK
AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE, WHICH
IS YOUR AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.
THIS IS JUST WHAT I THINK.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS WHY WE HAVE
COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND
DISCUSSION AND TRANSPARENCY.
I THINK THAT YOUR LAST
AMENDMENT IS LEGISLATIVELY AT
LEAST CONNECTED TO YOUR FORMER
AMENDMENT.
IN ORDER FOR THE LAST AMENDMENT
YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF US TO MAKE
SENSE, WE NEED TO PASS THE
PRIOR ONE.
I WILL TELL YOU WHY.
I WAS TRYING TO CATCH UP TO
SOME OF THIS AND GET COPIES OF
THIS.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS AND SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT GIVING YOU THE
SOLE AUTHORITY TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO
MAKE ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE
SCOPE WOULD BE AND THE TIMING
WOULD BE IF SOMEONE WERE TO
APPEAL.
I HAVE SOME BASIC QUESTIONS ON
WHETHER IT IS 30 FEET OR 50 FEET
OR THE SQUARE FOOTAGE.
SOME OF THIS JUST GOT THE STUFF
AT THE LAST MINUTE.
I AM TRYING TO CATCH UP.
I FELT COMFORTABLE VOTING ON
THE FIRST AMENDMENT, BECAUSE I
DID GET THAT ONE.
AND ALSO THE SECOND ONE NOW
THAT I HAVE SOME THINGS
CLARIFIED.
BUT FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK, I
DON'T WANT TO ABSTAIN, BECAUSE
I THINK YOU DESERVE A FULL
CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.
I AM NOT INCLINED TO VOTE IF
YOU WANT TO VOTE TODAY.
I AM NOT INCLINED TO VOTE YES
ON YOUR LAST AMENDMENT.
I THINK IT IS CONNECTED TO THE
ONE YOU ARE HOLDING FOR FULL
COUNCIL.
I KNOW THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
DOES NOT LIKE IT WHEN WE WALK
ON AMENDMENTS, BUT I WOULD
SUPPORT AND HAVE OUR OFFICE
ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND OUR COLLEAGUES TO DO THIS
WITH THESE LAST TWO SO WE HAVE
SOME TIME WITH THIS.
I REALLY AGREE WITH WHAT WE ARE
DOING HERE.
YOU WANT TO REACTIVATE ALL THIS
EMPTY SPACE.
IT IS A BIG LIFT.
I JUST WANT TO DO IT RIGHT AND
HAVE THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
RIGHT NOW, I CANNOT QUICKLY, ON-
THE-FLY, DEVELOPED SOME HALFWAY
INTELLIGENT QUESTIONS.
I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
I HAD STARTED WITH THE
INTENTION TODAY TO PASS THIS
BILL OUT. IT SEEMS LIKE WE WILL
HAVE LONGER.
MY SECOND REACTION WAS LET'S
SEND AMENDMENTS TO FULL COUNCIL
IF WE CAN KEEP THE CONVERSATION
SHORT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS MORE
CONVERSATION TO BE HAD.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> I AM HAPPY TO GIVE A LITTLE
BIT MORE TIME ON THIS
AMENDMENT, AS WELL.
I THINK FOR SOME OF THE REASONS
THAT I SHARED EARLIER, THIS
AMENDMENT IS DISTINCT AND
SEPARATE FROM THE OTHER
AMENDMENT THAT WE HAVE TABLED.
IF WE CAN IRON OUT SOME OF
THOSE QUESTIONS, IT MAY NOT BE
TIME-CONSUMING AT FULL COUNCIL.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD
OPPORTUNITY TO SOLICIT
FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND
TINKER WITH SOME OF THESE
AMENDMENTS TO IRON OUT THE
ISSUES.
I AM HAPPY TO HOLD THIS ONE TO
TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE
CONFUSION.
AND THEN WE CAN VOTE ON IT ON
MONDAY IF THE CHAIR IS OKAY
WITH THAT.
>> VICE-CHAIR MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MR. CHAIR, I WILL DEFER TO YOUR
PROCESS AND WHAT YOU FEEL MOST
COMFORTABLE WITH TODAY.
I DID WANT TO SIGNAL MY SUPPORT
FOR THIS LAST AMENDMENT, AS
WELL.
I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
IN CASE THAT HELPS WITH THE
FUTURE CAN DISCUSSIONS, I
APPRECIATE THIS AMENDMENT BEING
BROUGHT FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU.
THE POSITION I AM IN IS THAT IF
WE VOTE THIS BILL OUT OF
COMMITTEE, WE CANNOT BRING IT
BACK TO COMMITTEE TO MAKE
AMENDMENTS ON IT IN THE FUTURE.
IF WE WERE TO VOTE IT OUT TODAY,
THAT MEANS THAT ALL OF THE
QUESTIONS HAVE TO BE ANSWERED
BEFORE THIS COMING MONDAY.
OR WE CAN HOLD THE BILL UNTIL
SEPTEMBER 8 AND PASS IT OUT
THAT DAY.
THE REASON I HAD HOPED TO HAVE
IT PASS TODAY IS THAT SEPTEMBER
WILL BE A VERY BUSY MONTH AND
THERE IS NOT A LOT OF EXTRA
TIME.
THAT SAID, FROM THE
CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE HAD
TODAY, THERE IS CLEAR NEED FOR
MORE DISCUSSION NEED A.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, YOU ARE
COMING FROM THE RIGHT PLACE AND
THESE ARE GOOD AMENDMENTS.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY ARE FINELY CRAFTED.
>> JUST TO PUT A FINER POINT ON
IT, TOO, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
, IT SEEMS THAT THE MAIN
CONTENTION FROM WHAT I AM
HEARING IS THIS CONCERN ABOUT
STREET-LEVEL OFFICE SPACE AND
POTENTIAL USE.
THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CONSISTENT
ISSUE BETWEEN THE TWO
AMENDMENTS.
IF THAT IS SOMEHOW DEALT WITH,
I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE AN
ISSUE PURSUING BOTH OF THESE
AMENDMENTS AT FULL COUNCIL.
I AM NOT REALLY SENSING ANY
OTHER CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING
THESE TWO AMENDMENTS.
I GUESS I WOULD ASK FOR THAT
FEEDBACK NOW IN OPEN SESSION SO
WHEN WE GO BACK TO WORTH WITH
KETIL AND MY STAFF ON THIS, WE
CAN QUEUE UP EVERYTHING THAT IS
A POTENTIAL ISSUE TO COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE
PURSUE THIS AT FULL COUNCIL,
THAT IT IS A QUICK AND SMOOTH
AMENDMENT PROCESS INSTEAD OF
SOMETHING WHERE SOME OF THESE
ISSUES LIKE IT LITIGATED AGAIN.
THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME THINGS
. THAT MIGHT BE BETTER THAN
FEELING LIKE WE ARE PUTTING
PEOPLE IN A TIGHT SPOT TO VOTE
ON IT TODAY.
>> SURE.
GREAT.
THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, I SAW YOU
COME OFF MUTE.
>> I AGREE WITH WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS IS SAYING.
I THINK IT DOES GO AROUND
STREET-LEVEL OFFICES.
I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY
CONTROVERSY.
YOU CAN JUST BRIEF WAS OFF-LINE
AND WE WILL BE READY TO GO.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I
UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM DOING.
THAT IS ALL.
THAT IS IT.
THERE IS NO BIG THING HERE.
WE NEED TO GET THROUGH SOME OF
THESE QUESTIONS AND THE
AMENDMENTS.
THAT WAS MY MAIN CONCERN.
I DON'T SEE IS GOING THROUGH
SOME IN DEPTH CONVERSATION AT
FULL COUNCIL.
I AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS JUST SHARED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, WHAT I
WILL ASK IS THAT WE WILL HOLD
YOUR TWO AMENDMENTS, AMENDMENTS
THREE AND FOUR OR LEWIS TWO AND
THREE.
WE WILL HOLD THEM.
LET'S WORK TO MAKE SURE, AND I
WILL HAVE MR. AN FOLLOW-UP
WITH EVERYONE ON FRIDAY TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT SO
WE DON'T HAVE A LONG DISCUSSION
AT FULL COUNCIL ON MONDAY.
AT THIS TIME, I RECOMMENDATION
IS TO PASS THE BILL AS AMENDED
WITH AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO TO
GO TO FULL COUNCIL.
WE WILL BRING FORWARD LEWIS
AMENDMENTS TWO AND THREE MAYBE
AS JUST ONE AMENDMENT.
THERE MAY BE CHANGES THAT OCCUR
TO THOSE AMENDMENTS.
ALL COUNCILMEMBERS ON THIS
COMMITTEE NEED TO FEEL
COMFORTABLE.
OTHERWISE, WE WILL HOLD THAT
BILL UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD
GAME PLAN TO EVERYONE?
I AM SEEING NODS OF YES.
I WILL MOVE TO PASS CB 120121
AS AMENDED.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED.
MR. AN, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> CB 120121 IS PASSED AS
AMENDED.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS,
FOR YOUR AMENDMENTS.
WE WILL BE BACK BEFORE FULL
COUNCIL ON MONDAY FOR A VOTE .
WE TOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME
WITH THAT LAST BILL THAN
EXPECTED.
THIS NEXT ONE IS A BRIEFING ON
CB 120153.
MR. AN, CAN YOU READ THE
ABBREVIATED TITLE INTO THE
RECORD?
>> IT IS RELATED TO LAND USE AND
ZONING, PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR SMALL
LOTS FOUND IN DOWNTOWN MIXED
RESIDENTIAL ZONES.
>> THANK YOU.
WE ARE JOINED BY THE ONE AND
ONLY BRENNON STALEY FROM THE
OFFICE OF COMMUNITY PLANNING
AND DEVELOPMENT.
RUNNING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE
THIS AWAY? BRENNON , TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> HOPEFULLY YOU SEE THE
PRESENTATION.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME
PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE DMR
ZONES OF NORTH BELLTOWN THAT
ARE INTENDED TO HELP MAKE IT
EASIER TO DEVELOP ON SMALL LOTS.
THE ISSUE IS THAT IN THESE
ZONES IN NORTH BELLTOWN, THEY
REPRESENT A GREAT LOCATION --
SORRY.
>> DMR, CAN YOU EXPLAIN FOR THE
VIEWING PUBLIC?
>> DOWNTOWN MIXED RESIDENTIAL
ZONES.
WE HAVE A MAP THAT IS ABOUT 30
BLOCKS IN THE NORTH PART OF
BELLTOWN.
SO CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN, A LOT OF
AMENITIES, TRANSIT, ETC.
THE CHALLENGE IN BUILDING THESE
AREAS IS TWO THINGS.
ONE, THEY HAVE A HEIGHT LIMIT
OF 145 FEET.
ONCE YOU GET ABOVE 85 FEET, YOU
CAN NO LONGER DO WHAT
CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT MAKE
DEVELOPMENT IMPRACTICAL ON
SMALL LOTS.
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF
ADVANCES ON INNOVATIVE
CONSTRUCTION THAT MAKE IT MUCH
EASIER TO BUILD TO THESE
HEIGHTS, THINGS LIKE MODULAR
CONSTRUCTION WHERE YOU BUILD
THE BOXES OFF-SITE AND STACK
THEM.
ON THE LEFT, THAT PICTURE IS A
MODULAR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
DOWNTOWN.
BUT ALSO, PANELIZED CONSTRUCTION
WHERE YOU BUILD A GRID OUT OF
METAL AND HAVE PREMADE PANELS
THAT YOU INSERT INTO IT.
ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE SOME
EXAMPLES OF THAT PANELIZED
CONSTRUCTION.
BOTH OF THESE TYPES OF
CONSTRUCTION ACTUALLY HAVE THE
POSSIBILITY TO HELP BRING DOWN
COSTS AND TIME AND COULD BE
VERY HELPFUL IN THIS PARTICULAR
SETTING OF THESE DMR ZONES IN
BELLTOWN.
IT IS GOOD FOR HEIGHTS ABOVE 85
FEET AND LESS THAN 160 FEET.
THEY ARE USEFUL ON SMALL LOTS.
THE ALSO REQUIRE BUILDING
SHAPES THAT ALLOW FOR STACKING
OF UNITS.
YOU CAN THINK OF THEM LIKE LEGO
PIECES.
IT NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF
THAT SIMPLER BUILDING SHAPE.
AND OF COURSE, THESE TYPES OF
CONSTRUCTIONS CAN MAKE IT
FASTER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE.
THEY USE FEWER MATERIALS TO
CONSTRUCT.
THERE ARE LOCAL MANUFACTURERS
THAT ARE BUILDING IN WATER USE
AND SOLAR PANELS SO THAT THEY
HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY
THERE, AS WELL.
I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT
THERE IS ANOTHER TYPE, CROSS
LAMINATED TIMBER.
AT THIS POINT, WE ARE NOT
SEEING PEOPLE DO THAT YET.
WE THINK IN THE LONG TERM THAT
COULD ALSO BECOME ANOTHER TYPE
OF INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION THAT
COULD BE VERY USEFUL, AS WELL.
IT DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME
ISSUES WITH STACKING, BUT WOULD
BENEFIT FROM HAVING A SIMPLE
SHAPE.
THAT IS THE CONTEXT.
THE INTENDED GOAL OF THIS
LEGISLATION IS SIMPLY TO CREATE
MORE APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS FOR SMALL LOTS IN
ORDER TO CREATE ADDITIONAL
HOUSING IN BELLTOWN GENERALLY
AND TO SUPPORT THESE NEW TYPES
OF INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION THAT
CAN BRING DOWN COSTS AND MEET
ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
HOW DO WE DEVELOP THIS PROPOSAL?
WE STARTED THIS WITH INITIAL
CONVERSATIONS WITH BUILDERS IN
EARLY 2019.
BUILDERS WERE FINDING A LOT OF
AREAS OF BARRIERS IN THIS AREA
IN PARTICULAR.
BELLTOWN COMMUNITY COUNCIL,
DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION,
DENNY TRIANGLE NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATION, THE DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE ASSOCIATION, SOME LOCAL
DEVELOPERS, AND SOME LOCAL
PROPERTY OWNERS WERE MET WITH.
WE RELEASED OUR STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, AS
WELL.
THE PROJECT WAS PUT ON HOLD DUE
TO THE PANDEMIC.
THE PROPOSAL HAS NOT CHANGED
FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, BUT IT
WAS PUT ON HOLD BECAUSE OF
OTHER PRIORITIES DURING THAT
PERIOD.
OF WHERE THIS WOULD APPLY, THIS
WOULD APPLY IN THE DOWNTOWN
MIXED RESIDENTIAL ZONES OF
DOWNTOWN, AREAS THAT HAVE
HEIGHT LIMITS OF 145 FEET.
YOU CAN SEE THE AREAS IN GRAY
ON THIS MAP ARE THE AREAS WHERE
THIS WOULD APPLY.
THIS INCLUDES ABOUT 33 BLOCKS
IN THIS NORTHERN PORTION.
IN ADDITION TO BEING IN THOSE
AREAS, THE SITES WOULD HAVE TO
BE LESS THAN 14,500 SQUARE
FEET.
IN BELLTOWN, THIS AREA WAS
BUILT WITH LOTS AT AROUND 6400
SQUARE FEET.
IT WOULD BASICALLY BE WHAT WE
WOULD CALL SINGLE LOTS OR
DOUBLE LOTS, THOSE ONE SINGLE-
FAMILY HOME LOTS OR TWO OF THEM
PUT TOGETHER.
THE BUILDINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE
AT LEAST 75% RESIDENTIAL.
IN THESE AREAS, ALMOST ALL
BUILDINGS ARE RESIDENTIAL.
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE
MORE OFFICE IN THESE AREAS.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE
RESIDENTIAL.
ON THE MAP, YOU CAN SEE
HIGHLIGHTED IN COLORS ALL OF
THE LOTS WHERE THIS MAY BE
APPLICABLE.
THE ORANGE ONES ARE SINGLE LOTS
AND THE BLUE ONES ARE DOUBLE
LOTS.
AGAIN, IT IS 24 INDIVIDUAL
SITES IN THIS AREA.
WE DID DO ANALYSIS OF WHAT
EXISTS ON THOSE SITES TODAY.
WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT
DISPLACEMENT.
AS WE DID ANALYSIS, WE FOUND NO
RESIDENTIAL USES OF ANY KIND ON
THOSE SITES.
WE ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT
RESIDENTIAL DISPLACEMENT.
THESE ARE PRIMARILY ONE-STORY
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
IF THEY ARE DEMOLISHED, THAT
COULD RESULT IN SOME LOWER
AMOUNT OF COMMERCIAL. GENERALLY
IN THESE AREAS, NOT ALL OF
THEM, PEOPLE GENERALLY BUILD
RETAIL ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
WE COULD SEE MORE EXPENSIVE
SPACE, BUT PROBABLY NOT LESS OF
IT.
NO RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS WOULD
LIKELY BE DEMOLISHED BECAUSE OF
THIS PROPOSAL.
>> BRANDON, DO YOU KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT IS -- BRENNON , DO YOU
KNOW WHAT IS EXISTING ON THESE
COMMUNITY LOTS?
YOU JUST ZEROED IN ON SOMETHING
THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
WE NEED MORE RESIDENTIAL SPACE
DOWNTOWN.
THE REASON THAT DOWNTOWN FEELS
EMPTY RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE WE
HAVE AN OVERABUNDANCE OF OFFICE
SPACE AND AN UNDER ABUNDANCE OF
RESIDENTIAL.
BRINGING MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN
WILL MAKE DOWNTOWN THRIVE.
THIS IS NOT REDUCING
RESIDENTIAL TO REPLACE
RESIDENTIAL.
I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY IT
RIGHT BEFORE I JUMPED IN.
WOULD STOREFRONTS BE ALLOWED ON
THE FIRST FLOOR?
>> YES.
IN ALL THESE AREAS, YOU COULD
DO RETAIL ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
IN SOME AREAS, IT IS REQUIRED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE PROPOSAL ITSELF, THE
IDEA IS TO ALLOW HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT ON THESE SMALL LOTS
IN NORTH BELLTOWN.
THAT WOULD BE A SLIGHTLY
SIMPLER SHAPE.
THE IDEA IS THAT BY HAVING A
SLIGHTLY SIMPLER SHAPE, IT
ALLOWS THE FOR THE STACKING OF
UNITS THAT WOULD ALLOW
INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION
TECHNIQUES TO BE USED AND WOULD
MAKE IT MUCH EASIER TO DEVELOP
ON THESE SMALL LOTS.
THAT IS REALLY TWO THINGS.
WE HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF
REQUIRED UPPER-LEVEL SETBACKS
CURRENTLY, YOU NEED TWO BRAKES
WORK AT SMALLER.
WE WOULD REDUCE THAT TO ONE.
WE ALLOW UPPER FLOORS TO BE
SLIGHTLY LARGER WHILE ALLOWING
LOWER FLOORS TO BE SLIGHTLY
SMALLER.
IT WOULD ALLOW FOR A SIMPLE
SHAPE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
THE REGULATIONS ARE REALLY
UNIQUE IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
OTHER THAN ONE SPECIFIC ZONE IN
SOUTH DOWNTOWN, WE DON'T
USUALLY REQUIRE THIS COMPLICATED
WEDDING CAKE SHAPE.
THIS WOULD BE MAKING THE
STANDARDS MUCH MORE SIMILAR TO
OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
>> SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID,
BRENNON , THAT I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT.
THERE IS NO CHANGE TO RATIO OR
HEIGHT, SIMPLY THE SHAPE.
>> THANK YOU.
I HAVE FOUR EXAMPLES TO BRING
HOME WHAT THAT MEANS.
RIGHT HERE, WE HAVE THE MOST
EXTREME EXAMPLE, A SMALL LOT
THAT ALREADY HAS GREEN STREET
SETBACKS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THE FORM
REQUIRES THOSE TWO DIFFERENT
BRAKES.
IT GETS SKINNIER.
ON THE RIGHT, OUR PROPOSAL
WOULD REDUCE THAT TO ONE BREAK.
IT WOULD HAPPEN MUCH LOWER TO
THE GROUND.
THE BOTTOM FLOORS WOULD BE
SKINNIER.
THE TOP FLOORS WOULD BE A
LITTLE BIT WIDER.
THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE.
I HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHAT
THIS MEANS ON ANOTHER SINGLE LOT
THAT DOES NOT HAVE A GREEN
STREET.
THIS WILL BE THE MAJORITY OF
CASES IN BELLTOWN.
DEVELOPMENT TENDS TO GO TO THE
STREET ANYWAY.
THE DIFFERENCES WE ARE PROPOSING
WOULD ONLY AFFECT WHAT WOULD
GENERALLY BE IN A LIGHT WHILE
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THE BOTTOM WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
IT WOULD NOT AFFECT WHAT YOU
SEE FROM THE STREET IN MOST
CASES.
FOR GREEN STREETS, WE ARE ONLY
ALLOWING THOSE CHANGES ON THE
NORTH SIDE.
OVERALL, THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE EITHER
WAY ON THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT
HITTING THE STREET.
ON THESE EXISTING RULES, NOBODY
IS BUILDING THESE BUILDINGS
TODAY.
THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY THE
ISSUE, THAT THEY ARE SO
COMPLICATED THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT
ABLE TO BUILD THEM.
THESE EXISTING EXAMPLES I'M
SHOWING YOU ARE TOTALLY
THEORETICAL, BECAUSE NOBODY
FEELS THEY CAN BUILD THEM
TODAY.
THE PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW
DEVELOPMENT AT ALL ON THESE
SITES.
I HAVE TWO MORE EXAMPLES ON A
DOUBLE LOT.
YOU CAN SEE HOW IT IS A SIMPLER
SHAPE WITH MORE BREAKS.
ON A GREEN STREET, SIMILARLY,
YOU DON'T NOTICE MUCH CHANGE ON
MOST OF THE BUILDING.
THE CHANGE OCCURS ON HOW IT IS
BASED FROM THE BUILDING NEXT
DOOR.
IT IS MORE CONSISTENT.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, BRENNON . COLLEAGUES,
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR BRENNON?
VICE-CHAIR MOSQUEDA?
>> I THINK CHANGING CODE
REQUIREMENTS MAKES ALL THE
SENSE IN THE WORLD TO ALLOW
PEOPLE TO BUILD.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE SEE MUCH
CHANGES IN WHAT YOU HAVE SHOWN.
IF WE CAN BUILD MORE HOUSING
AND STOREFRONTS, ALL THE BETTER.
EVEN THOUGH THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD ALLOW FOR DIFFERENT TYPES
AND ALTERNATIVE BUILDING MODELS,
INCLUDING MODULES, THAT DOES
NOT PRECLUDE SOMEBODY COMING IN
AND USING A STEEL FRAME WAS
USING UNION WORK ON-SITE FROM
BEING ABLE TO BUILD TO THESE
NEW HEIGHTS AND NEW SETBACK
ACCOMMODATIONS.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A CERTAIN
KIND OF CONSTRUCTION.
I THINK ANY KIND OF
CONSTRUCTION WOULD BENEFIT FROM
THESE CHANGES.
INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION IS
ESSENTIALLY NOT FEASIBLE UNDER
THE CURRENT RULES.
WE ARE NOT SEEN ANY KIND OF
CONSTRUCTION, EITHER.
I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT
THESE ARE OPTIONAL STANDARDS.
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP BASED ON WHAT IS IN THE
CODE, OR YOU CAN USE THIS IF
YOU PREFER.
THIS SHOULD BENEFIT ALL TYPES
OF CONSTRUCTION.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, BRENNON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS
PROPOSAL AS SOMEBODY WHO WALKS
AROUND THE BELLTOWN AREA ON A
REGULAR BASIS AND SEES ALL
THOSE ANTI-PARKING LOTS SITTING
THERE WITH A POTENTIAL FOR
DEVELOPMENT THAT IS NOT
CURRENTLY BEING UTILIZED.
I THINK THIS IS A GOOD
STRATEGY.
I ALSO WANT TO BRIEFLY MENTION
SOME OF THE POTENTIAL CLIMATE
BENEFITS IN BEING ABLE TO PURSUE
, AS WAS ALLUDED TO EARLIER, AT
A NEW SCALE AND A NEW LEVEL AND
TO INCENTIVIZE IN A BIGGER WAY
ACROSS LAMINATED TIMBER
CONSTRUCTION AS A MORE VIABLE
OPTION IN THE DOWNTOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THESE BUILDINGS HAVE A WAY
LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT,
ESPECIALLY AS WE CONTINUE TO
SEE THE TRULY DRAMATIC IMPACT
THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAVING
ON OUR REGION AND THE WORLD,
ESPECIALLY WITH THIS SUMMER OF
UNPRECEDENTED WILDFIRES IN THE
WEST.
I APPRECIATE HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION TODAY.
I FEEL LIKE WE AS A COMMITTEE
ARE MOVING FORWARD A LITTLE BIT
ON A NEW POLICY THAT HAS
CLIMATE IMPLICATIONS.
EVERY MORNING WHERE WE CAN DO
THAT AS A COUNCIL AND TALK
ABOUT THAT IS A GOOD MORNING
TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE BALL
FORWARD ON WAYS WE CAN BE MORE
SUSTAINABLE AND DO OUR PART TO
COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE.
I WANT TO FOLLOW THAT UP WITH
SOME OTHER LOWER CARBON
INTENSIVE BUILDING STRATEGIES.
I THINK IT STARTS WITH THIS
PROPOSAL AND THIS IDEA AROUND
SMALL LOT DEVELOPMENT AND SOME
OF THESE CHANGES ARE THE FIRST
STEPS IN THAT DIRECTION.
I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
>> WELL SAID, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
COLLEAGUES?
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
THIS WILL BE BACK BEFORE OUR
NEXT COMMITTEE BEFORE WE TAKE A
VOTE. SEEN AS WE HAVE NO OTHER
QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, BRENNON
, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
PRESENTATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING
THIS UP BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE ON
SEPTEMBER 22.
WE ARE FINALIZING THE SEPTEMBER
SCHEDULE FOR BOTH MEETINGS NOW.
IF WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE THAT UP
TO SEPTEMBER 8, WE WILL DO SO.
COLLEAGUES, SEPTEMBER WILL BE A
BUSY MONTH FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
I AM HIGHLIGHTING THAT NOW.
BRENNON, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS YOU
WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
>> THANK YOU.
HAVE A GOOD ONE.
>> HAVE A GREAT DAY.
COLLEAGUES, IS THERE ANY OTHER
BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE,
ANYTHING FOR THE GOOD OF THE
ORDER?
SEEING NONE, THIS CONCLUDES THE
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2021
MEETING OF THE LAND USE AND
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE.
OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL
BE ON SEPTEMBER 8 STARTING AT
9:30 AM.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.