Daily Plan It Office of Planning & Community Development

The Daily Plan It Blog

A OPCD Blog

Public input sought on guiding growth in Uptown Urban Center

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After more than two years of gathering public input on the future of Uptown, the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) today issued three options to guide expected growth in the Uptown Urban Center. The options important to the community include new design guidelines to improve walkability and connections to Seattle Center amenities, a vibrant streetscape with active retail businesses, diverse housing types and more affordable housing, and new employment opportunities in large and small businesses.

“Thanks to all the neighbors who have been so actively engaged in designing a bright future for Uptown,” said Sam Assefa, director of the Office of Planning and Community Development. “We look forward to more input, including new and diverse voices, as we finalize our recommendation on how to implement the community’s vision.”

Since 2014, the City of Seattle has worked with the neighborhood to develop the Uptown Urban Design Framework to guide future development in the Uptown Urban Center.  New Uptown-specific design standards are intended to protect important view corridors, and establish building characteristics and streetscapes that enhance the livability of the neighborhood as it grows.

Key recommendations include a study of a range of building height and zoning changes in the neighborhood, which would include required contributions to housing affordability currently being considered by the Seattle City Council and implementation of the community recommendations in the Urban Design Framework. No changes are proposed outside of the Uptown Urban Center or in single-family zones nearby.

The three alternatives considered in the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released today evaluate a range of building heights that were developed in collaboration with the community:

  1. “No Action” alternative, which maintains current zoning and building heights for the dozens of parcels in the neighborhood that are expected to be redeveloped, but does not include new neighborhood-specific design and development standards to guide that growth.
  2. “Mid-rise” alternative, with five- to seven-story buildings that would include mandatory housing affordability requirements, along with new Uptown design standards.
  3. “High-rise” alternative, featuring taller, thinner, more widely spaced 16-story buildings in areas of the Uptown Urban Center, also including mandatory contributions to housing affordability and the neighborhood design standards.

 

The preferred alternative will be developed based on community comments and input on these three options.

OPCD and Seattle Center are hosting an open house and public hearing from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 4 at the Seattle Center Armory, Lofts 3 and 4. The public will have an opportunity to learn more about the alternatives, ask questions and provide public comment.

At the open house, neighbors can also learn about the upcoming Seattle Center and Uptown Strategic Parking Study, the emerging Uptown Arts & Cultural District, citywide housing affordability policies, and proposed transit improvements.

Written public comment can also be submitted until Sept. 1 by writing to jim.holmes@seattle.gov.

The final EIS of the preferred alternative is expected to be completed in November. Additional public comments will be gathered at that time before any proposed zoning changes are sent to the Seattle City Council.

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Chinatown/International District/Little Saigon Sustainable Neighborhood Assessment Update

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A team from Global Green USA completed its site visit to Chinatown/International District, including Little Saigon, May 9-11. The site visit is part of their Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment for the Chinatown/International District based on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Neighborhood Development (LEED – ND) standards. The assessment will help the community develop a holistic approach to sustaining the Chinatown/International District/Little Saigon neighborhood’s cultural, economic, social, and historical qualities.

The Global Green team toured the neighborhood, interviewed community stakeholders and City staff, and then applied the LEED – ND tool over the two and a half days site visit. Global Green USA will provide a report summarizing their findings and recommendations by August 2016.

The assessment was awarded in 2015 to the Office of Arts and Culture in partnership with OPCD and the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation & Development Authority.

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Little Brook Creek Tour

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Little Brook creek 014Several city departments took a tour of Little Brook Creek in Lake City on May 26 to learn more about the environmental impacts to the creek. Led by Jonathan Frodge of SPU, the group was able to see the creek up close on both public and private properties, learning about the benefits of having the creek in the neighborhood, and how to support the preservation of it. A follow up meeting will be held with Parks to have a similar tour as part of the 2016 Thornton Creek Alliance Youth Program.

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Don’t Miss Our April Lake City Office Hours

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Lake City office hours POSTERStaff from Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods and Office of Planning and Community Development, and Chris Leverson, executive director of Lake City Future First (LCFF), will be hosting office hours at the Lake City library on:

  • Wednesday, April 6
    12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
  • Friday, April 15
    3:30 to 5:50 p.m.

We will be there to answer questions about the projects and plans underway as part of the Shared Vision for Lake City that Mayor Murray announced in February. The City is investing in new sidewalks and intersections, parks and open space, and human services and community safety. The office hours are a time for people to stop by and learn more about what’s underway, and let us know what other projects should be considered.

The office hours are part of ongoing outreach and engagement with the Lake City community that includes the LCFF Community Conversations. The next conversation will take place on April 6 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Lake City Community Center. The focus will be on Seattle Public Schools to gather information in advance of the Mayor’s Education Summit on Saturday, April 30, at the Garfield Community Center.

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Proposed Legislation Submitted for Bitter Lake Village

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We have sent proposed legislation to the City Council to amend development standards and to rezone land in the Bitter Lake Village Hub Urban Village. Our zoning proposals are based on an inclusive planning process that included the Broadview – Bitter Lake – Haller Lake Neighborhood Plan update and the Bitter Lake Urban Design Framework (UDF). Those documents clarify the community’s development vision for the Bitter Lake Village Center. The UDF defines land use and urban design recommendations, including land use regulations, streetscape design, and open space recommendations. Those recommendations will guide future development, while ensuring Bitter Lake Village becomes a lively center for the community.

Our proposed legislation will:

  • Rezone some Commercial 2 sites (C2) to Commercial 1 (C1) along Linden Ave. N
  • Add a Pedestrian designation  to sites on the east side of Linden Ave. N, between N 135th St. and N 130th St.
  • Rezone sites on N 130th St. between Linden Ave. N and Aurora Ave. N from C1 to Neighborhood Commercial 3 (NC3)
  • Rezone 2 sites on Aurora Ave. N from C1 to C2

The City Council is expected to begin discussion on the legislation in early April.

Questions?
David W. Goldberg
(206) 684-8414
davidw.goldberg@seattle.gov

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Implementing HALA Recommendations

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In 2015, the Mayor challenged a Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) advisory committee to create a plan to generate a net increase of 50,000 units of housing – 20,000 units of affordable housing and 30,000 new units of market rate housing – over the next ten years.  The committee developed more than 60 recommendations, recognizing that the solution to housing affordability must be a multipronged approach. Now the City is taking steps to put the HALA recommendations into action.

One of the City’s key upcoming actions is a renewal and expansion of the Seattle Housing Levy.  Since 1981 the Housing Levy has helped create over 12,500 units of affordable housing for low-income households. The 2009 Seattle Housing Levy expires at the end of 2016, and Mayor Murray has proposed renewing and expanding the levy to provide $290 million over seven years for affordable housing. Voters will have a chance to renew the Housing Levy on the ballot in August. The first public hearing about the Housing Levy before City Council is April 4 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

[Read more…]

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Staff and Community Celebrate Diane Sugimura

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On Monday, March 21, City staff and community members gathered at the Bertha Knight Landes room in City Hall to celebrate Diane Sugimura’s retirement. Diane is retiring after 38 years with the City of Seattle.

Former Seattle Mayors Norm Rice and Greg Nickels, as well as current Mayor Murray were in attendance. All three shared their kind words for her years of service. Words of gratitude were also shared by attorneys, former colleages and members of the community.

Diane was given a few parting gifts, notably a “Sugimura St.” sign from the Dept. of Transportation. Thank you Diane for your service and dedication, especially in your efforts around equity.

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New Seattle planning chief thinks outside the box with global perspective

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Sam Assefa working with Journey School kids on planning for the Boulder Civic Area Parks Plan in Boulder, Colorado in 2012.

You might not think that Addis Ababa, the capitol of Ethiopia, and Seattle would have much in common. But then you’re not Sam Assefa, the next director of Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development.

Source: The Seattle Times

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Mayor nominates Sam Assefa to lead Office of Planning and Community Development

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Mayor Ed Murray announced he is nominating Sam Assefa – the senior urban designer for the City of Boulder, Colorado – as the next director of Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD).

Prior to Boulder, Assefa served as Director of Land Use and Planning Policy for the City of Chicago, and as a deputy chief of staff to former Mayor Richard Daley.

“Sam Assefa brings leadership and a holistic approach to urban planning that integrates land use, transportation, design and sustainability,” Mayor Murray said. “Throughout his career, Sam has shown a passion for placemaking and a commitment to working with all communities to solve the challenges of growth. His experience will be invaluable to implementing our shared vision for building neighborhoods that are affordable, livable and equitable.”

OPCD was created to better integrate strategic planning across departments, while coordinating public investments in transportation, parks, housing and other areas.

Sam Assefa speaks at the Mayor's press conference.

Sam Assefa speaks at a press conference regarding Mayor Murray’s nomination as new Seattle OPCD director, March 9, 2016.

“I have always admired the City of Seattle for its natural beauty, innovative spirit and strong commitment to social justice,” Assefa said. “I am thrilled at this opportunity to help implement Mayor Murray’s vision for building thriving and vibrant communities through an integrated and equitable approach to city planning and community development.”

Since 2010, Assefa has worked for Boulder’s Department of Community Planning and Sustainability, where he was responsible for urban and building design policies and directed the City’s Sustainable Streets and Centers Program.

Prior to Chicago, he served the City of San Francisco as director of Special Projects for the Department of Planning and Development. He was responsible for the implementation of various urban design policies and redevelopment plans, including the Hunters Point Shipyard, the Trans Bay Center, Rincon Hill, and the Better Neighborhoods Program.

[Read more…]

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She is a civil servant and a servant for civil rights

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psbj-interview-diane-sugimura-01-horizontal-rgb-750xx4620-2602-0-0

The retiring director of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development talks about her tenure and growing up as a Japanese-American in post World War II Seattle.

Source: Puget Sound Business Journal

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