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Bank on Seattle-King County
There are an estimated 52,000 households in Seattle and King County that don’t have checking or savings accounts. This may not sound like a big deal until you think of what it costs in time and fees to cash a paycheck and draw money orders from check cashers and pay-day lenders. It can eat up maybe $800 a year. For a low-income person – heck, for anyone – that’s a lot of money to lose in a year.
Program in a nutshell: Former Mayor Greg Nickels and I gathered together local banks and credit unions to launch a program called Bank on Seattle-King County. So far more than 20 banks and credit unions in our area have signed on. Each has committed to eliminate certain fees, lower minimum balance requirements, accept alternative forms of identification and offer financial management education.
The initial two-year goal for 2009-2010 is to help 10,000 of the 52,000 unbanked households in King County gain stability and financial security through access to checking accounts, savings accounts, credit and financial planning education. As of December 2009 we’re half way there! This is a great part of our overall strategy to combat poverty and I’m thankful to those banks who have signed on and committed to helping low-income members of our community gain stability, pay less for their own money and build a better future.
The program’s website is available at everyoneiswelcome.org
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Neighborhood Character & Planning for the Future
Neighborhood Plan Updates
Back in the mid-1990s residents of 38 neighborhoods partnered with city government to create plans for how these neighborhoods should evolve through the year 2024. The plans (you can see them all here) are visions of what residents want to see their neighborhoods become. Now the plans are 10 years old or more and sometimes out of date relative to the changes communities have seen in the past decade. Across the city neighborhoods and neighbors have benefited from the planning done by thousands of Seattleites 10 years ago. Now it's time for us to step up to the task of checking in on the plans and updating them so they can help shape the next 10 years of change in Seattle's neighborhoods.
The neighborhood plan update process began in Autumn 2008 in three rapidly changing neighborhoods in South and Southeast Seattle - Beacon Hill, McClellan and Othello. Each of these neighborhoods is home to a new light-rail station and experiencing or expecting significant new population and business growth. By updating their neighborhood plans, residents can inform the city government, as well as property-owners, about what they’d like their neighborhoods to look like into the near future.
At the same time, the City Council directed city departments to gather information to create snapshots of each neighborhood compared to 10 years ago, including demographic shifts, zoning, housing units and affordability, transportation upgrades in the last decade, new parks, and a neighborhood plan implementation report. The status reports will help neighborhood advocates and the city recognize gaps and inform decisions about whether or how to update particular plans.
Moving ahead, neighborhood plans will be updated a few at a time. More information about updating neighborhood plans and neighborhood status reports is available here.
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Curbing the Spread of "MegaHouses"
Out-of-scale, out-of-character houses seemingly plunked into neighborhoods, overshadowing houses around them are sometimes referred to as "MegaHouses" or "McMansions." Working with Councilmember Richard Conlin, we adopted legislation to help curb the impact these massive structures create on neighborhood character.
Legislation in a nutshell: The rules will help by 1) adjusting the formula for how much of a lot may be covered by the structure; 2) better protecting neighboring homeowners from being overshadowed by removing the provision that currently allows a house’s height to be based on neighboring property if it is taller than 30 feet; 3) Limiting the location and visibility of garage doors that face a street; 4) reducing how much height for houses are allowed on lots on sloped sites; and 5) waiving parking requirements on lots of less than 3,000 square feet, thereby reducing the prominence of a garage as part of a structure.
People tell me that big-box houses block neighbor’s sunlight or limit the number of trees and yard space in their neighborhood. This legislation is a great start toward solving the problems associated with MegaHouses. I look forward to further refining the rules as more evaluation is conducted in the future.
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Master Use Permit Extension
As Seattle and the rest of the nation face the challenges of this economic recession, the Council has mapped steps we can take locally to support people crunched by the economic downturn and to support recovery. As part of that initiative, we put forward legislation to extend the life of master use construction permits. MUPS are required for larger size projects, ones you associate with big buildings that require complicated financing. That the kind of financing that at least temporarily has dried up leaving many great projects stuck with the clock ticking on their project permits.
The legislation in a nutshell: Normally, a master use permit that isn’t acted on within three years will expire. The adopted legislation extends the life of building permits obtained until the end of 2012 to six years, so workers can begin building as soon as financing is available (instead of going through a nearly-year-long process all over again before those construction employees can get back to work).
Check out the full economic recovery plan is available here.
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Removing Derelict Housing
Abandoned homes prove to be trouble magnets in many neighborhoods, as anyone who has lived next door or across the street from one knows. At best you have an eyesore. At worst, your own home may be endangered if squatters lose control of a fire inside a boarded up house.
Legislation in a nutshell: After touring some abandoned homes with some concerned residents in the Delridge neighborhood, Councilmember Tim Burgess and I put forward legislation to allow quicker demolition of a single family house. Before, you couldn’t demolish a home unless you had a plan and permit to rebuild. This concept makes sense in protecting housing stock and should be retained for multi-family areas. In single-family zones the requirement prevents owners who want to do the right thing from removing derelict homes. Now, if a house has been vacant for a year, an owner can tear it down without needing a permit for a replacement structure.
It’s not a perfect solution. I would rather see these houses reclaimed and lived in, but for some neighbors the wait for the perfect solution has already been too long. DPD tracks abandoned buildings and when necessary tracks down absentee owners to hold accountable. DPD can force someone to make a structure safe and to clean it up to certain standards, but they can’t force them to make it lived in. If you know of a problem property, report it here.
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North Lot – Revitalizing Pioneer Square
For years people have wondered what should happen to the old Kingdome north parking lot. It’s well-used on game days and by commuters, but is it the best use of premium space in Pioneer Square? Residents and business-owners in Pioneer Square have dreamed of more housing, shops and even a grocery store there.
Working together with King County (the land owner), we were able to reach an agreement for use of the site. The adopted legislation provides for more housing (helping to meet growth management goals through transit-oriented development next to the King Street Station), environmental cleanup of the site, as well as creating a more attractive, albeit taller, set of structures that leaves room for an open area mimicking Second Avenue south of King Street.
This was a great opportunity to make huge improvement to an asphalt desert and to the greater Pioneer Square community, activate the area with new residents, and to agree on good design to match the character of the area.
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Georgetown Truck Working Group
The Georgetown and South Park neighborhoods in South Seattle are fantastic and different from the rest of the city. They have great character thanks to the odd, sometimes uncomfortable adjacency of residential and industrial uses. Georgetown and South Park face some situations that most neighborhoods don’t have to think about – specifically semi trucks serving the Port of Seattle and Seattle's manufacturing and industrial businesses that park overnight, sit and idle or regularly rumble by single-family homes. Starting up a rig at 5 a.m. startles sleepers, idling trucks leave layers of soot inside and out, and long-term diesel emissions can harm resident health.
After meeting with neighborhood residents to talk about their concerns, Port of Seattle Commissioner Gael Tarleton and I convened a South Harbor Truck Parking Work Group, made up of representatives from the neighborhoods, trucking industry, truck drivers, Port of Seattle, environmental organizations, the City of Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and others.
The group developed some smart recommendations for how we can limit the impacts of semis on businesses and single family homes in these neighborhoods, some easier than others to execute. SDOT is at work on better signage in the neighborhoods to clarify parking rules. The Port has developed a parking lot to provide off-street alternatives for truckers. I expect many of the proposed changes will make both neighborhoods more livable for everyone.
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Historic Preservation
Pike Place Market Levy
The Pike Place Market is one of the most valued historic assets in Seattle. The nation’s oldest continuously operating farmers market is a prime example of what historic preservation and restoration can do for a City. The Market was saved from destruction by development pressures in the 1970s, but more recently the Market faced destruction by other forces – dilapidated infrastructure.
In 2008, I led Council’s review of a levy proposal to fund repairs at the Pike Place Market for seismic and electrical upgrades, improving the HVAC systems, new elevators, and more restrooms. It was important to retain the historic character of the market – the focus was to upgrade the stuff behind the walls and under your feet.
Sometimes enjoying the chaos of sounds, color and flavors at the Market, we forget that the land and the buildings that make up Pike Place Market belong to the public. I’m thankful to Seattle voters who voiced their support for the Market by generously approving the levy in November 2008 with 61% of the vote. Over the next few years you’ll see work on the floors, roofs and walls. Sometimes construction will make getting around the Market a little tough. Don’t be daunted – support Pike Place Market merchants and your support the heart of the city.
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PI Globe Landmark Nomination
It was a sad day in Seattle when we learned the PI Newspaper would cease print productions. While the PI remains a solid presence in the online world, the fate of the globe that sits atop the PI building remained in question. Councilmembers Tim Burgess, Jean Godden and I (the Council’s 3 former news reporters) have supported development of an application to designate the PI Globe as a historical landmark by the City’s Landmarks Preservation Board. If accepted the designation would provide protection for this 18-ton, 3-story high historical visual icon as long as it remains in Seattle.
With any luck the Board will approve the nomination in 2010 and then send legislation to the Council to approve the terms and conditions of the designation.
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Pike/Pine Conservation Overlay District
In 2009 I collaborated with Councilmember Tom Rasmussen on legislation he developed to retain the historic character of buildings in the Pike/Pine neighborhood on Capitol Hill. New development can sometimes displace old buildings whose character can define a neighborhood, and the Pike/Pine neighborhood on Capitol Hill is covered with buildings that are filled with history and more than three-quarters of a century old.
The legislation in a nutshell: To encourage preservation of the character buildings, incentives were developed to retain and incorporate buildings older than 75 years into new development. It’ll promote new development that is compatible in scale with the existing buildings, encourage small and diverse business, and retain the facades of buildings that define the neighborhood.
This was phase 1 of a larger work program that will be continued into 2010. Check out the webpage for more information.
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Cultural Overlay Advisory Committee (CODAC)
The Seattle arts scene is a national draw and its one that makes Seattle a great place to live. Seattle has one of the highest artist populations in the United States, but in the face of ever-growing rent costs art professionals report they are being priced out of the city.
Councilmember Nick Licata and I grew particularly concerned, so we partnered with the community to create a "Cultural Overlay District Advisory Committee" that would advise the City on the best steps to take to retain Seattle’s strong art scene. The primary responsibility of the group is to identify creative incentives and regulations that can help preserve and promote spaces for art, culture, and entertainment in Seattle, beginning with the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
There are many artists and a lot of energy in the Capitol Hill neighborhood and it’s where I hope we see the first official arts district. We’ll continue to receive feedback from the Advisory Committee, and work to see how we can implement those recommendations, and whether we can take those recommendations into other neighborhoods in the future. CODAC’s website is available here.
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Meetings in the Community
I make an effort to take the committee I chair out of City Hall and go into the neighborhoods at least once a quarter to make the City Council more accessible to the public. Sometimes I’ll host a special event with guest speakers and presentations to learn more about complex issues; other times my committee carries out its regular business. For these off-site meetings, substantial time is always dedicated to hearing from the attendees. Sign up here to receive meeting agendas for notice of upcoming special meetings.
Community Public Safety Forum
February 2008 – Mount Baker
Following a series of crimes in Southeast Seattle, I sponsored a public safety forum in the neighborhood to bring together police officers, concerned neighbors, Councilmembers and police staff to explain what was happening in the neighborhood and how the city was responding to those incidents. The community’s interest in partnering with police to help improve their neighborhood was inspiring.
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Neighborhood Planning Forum
University District - March 2008
In partnership with former Mayor Norm Rice and the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, I hosted a forum on the future of our neighborhood plans in Seattle. At the time of the forum, we were still deliberating how to go about updating neighborhood plans, and the information I learned at the meeting was instrumental in developing a way to move forward.
After some inspiring presentations from civic engagement experts in the morning, we transitioned into small group discussions where I gleaned some of the most important information. Attendees provided invaluable feedback for how and why to update our neighborhood plans, but mostly, they provided a strong reminder that updating plans is more than updating words on paper. It is yet another opportunity for community building and stronger neighborhoods.
The event brought together a great diversity of voices and opinions for discussion of what makes great community planning. You can see the report from that meeting here.
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Townhomes: Can the Patient Be Saved
Capitol Hill - June 2008
Have you noticed townhomes propagating in your neighborhood? Not thrilled with much of what you see? Curious why this happens? If you're like me, you answered "yes" to each of those questions. These questions inspired me to put together a meeting to talk about what makes awful townhouse design and how we might go about fixing it.
The morning started with a few examples of the good, the OK and the fatally wounded. Then we heard from a panel of developers, neighborhoods activists, architects and planners with suggestions and ideas for remedies. The meeting was a great chance to talk proactively about housing choices, affordability and neighborhood-friendly design, and was a kickoff discussion for future legislation that will change townhouse design for the better. You can watch that meeting here.
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Public Hearing on the Pike Place Market Levy
Pike Place Market - July 2008
As we went about reviewing the proposed Pike Place Market levy and whether to put it before voters, I hosted a Public Hearing in the heart of the Market to hear from interested residents, food vendors, craft makers, and even fish throwers.
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What Did You Do on Your Summer Vacation? A highlight of Youth Engagement and Intervention Programs from Summer 2008 in the Central District and Rainier Valley
Rainier Beach - September 2008
After summer vacation wrapped up for Seattle Public Schools, I pulled together a meeting at Rainier Beach High School to hear from local student leaders who highlighted available summer- and after-school programs offered by the Seattle Parks Department, Department of Neighborhoods and Human Services Department. We had students and parents in the audience to learn about opportunities to make next year’s summer vacations more meaningful. We also learned about the Seattle School District’s Southeast Schools Initiative, which is designed to improve academic achievement in certain Southeast Seattle Schools. Students were able to connect with program organizers, program participants, representatives from the Seattle School District, and Councilmembers to learn how to connect to programs that keep students engaged, safe, off the street, and in school. You can watch that meeting here.
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Trains, Density & Change: Can rules about transit-oriented communities build great neighborhoods?
Central District - February 2009
While Seattle neighborhoods were stepping into updating neighborhood plans, legislators in Olympia were considering House Bill (HB) 1490. One element that had garnered attention was a proposed requirement that zoning allow for a minimum average of 50 homes per acre in the half-mile circle around light rail station areas (present and future). Smartly planned, dense communities can be good things. So, what does 50 units per acre look like? What’s the current zoning in some of these areas? How does this legislation relate to the current neighborhood planning update efforts in regard to change, affordability, walkability, and safety?
I moderated a panel with proponents of the legislation, critics, and representatives of Seattle’s Urban Land Institute explained basic planning and density principles. The legislation did not pass out of the legislature, but it was a fascinating discussion. You can watch that meeting here.
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Townhouse Design – Multifamily Code Update
Delridge - June 2009
This was the first of two working meetings I took into the community regarding regulations around lowrise development in multifamily zones (namely, townhomes). We continued working through the wonky legislation at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in the Delridge neighborhood. Half the meeting was dedicated to hearing from the public. You can watch that meeting here.
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Free Ice Cream or Better Buildings? Why Not Both!
Central District - August 2009
I hosted this summer meeting outside in Dr. Blanche Lavizzo Park, kicking off the meeting with free ice cream for all attendees (don’t worry, I used my own money). We briefly transitioned from the lowrise discussion of the multifamily code to focus on the midrise and highrise elements. We had a good discussion about design, affordability, and height, all in the summer sun. You can watch that meeting here.
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Mobile Townhouse Tour in Central City
Various Neighborhoods - October 2009
Sometimes the best way to understand land use legislation is to go into the neighborhoods and see it for yourself. I organized a "meeting on wheels" to check out townhomes in various Seattle neighborhoods. The architects and builders who designed them came along for the ride and explained the hindrances and opportunities for design under both the current and proposed multifamily code.
Each of the four sites on the tour was selected to highlight different qualities and characteristics the proposed multifamily code update might offer. It was the most hands-on opportunity we had to see the structures up close, interface with the designers, and to understand the potential changes we'll make to development in our low-rise multifamily zones.You can watch that meeting here.
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