Vacant and underused lots and those awaiting development in and around light rail stations in Southeast Seattle may pose a safety hazard as well as create an unsightly condition. In addition to the issues raised by the recession, concerns have been raised that ridership of the new Sound Transit Link light rail system has been lower than projected.
Archives for June 30, 2010
Vacant Lot Pilot
DPD is proposing legislation to establish a pilot program to promote more active use of vacant and underused lots.
Washington State Delays Effective Date of 2009 State Energy Code
On June 11, 2010, the Washington State Building Code Council (WSBCC) voted to delay the effective date of the 2009 Washington State Energy Code (WSEC) until at least October 29, 2010. There was no change in the text of the 2009 WSEC that the WSBCC had previously adopted on November 20, 2009.
EPA Lead Paint Rule Delayed
The Environmental Protection Agency will delay enforcing a new rule that requires contractors to take extra precaution when making renovations that could expose children to dust from old lead paint.
DPD Permit Turnaround Times
DPD is committed to providing good customer service to its applicants. The permit turnaround data is updated monthly online and can be viewed at http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/resourcecenter
Side Sewer Code Update Status
DPD and Seattle Public Utilities have been working on revisions and clarifications to the Side Sewer Code (SMC 21.16) and its associated Director’s Rules.
Update on 2009 Seattle Building, Existing Building, Residential, Mechanical, and Fuel Gas Codes
The 2009 editions of the Seattle Building Code, Seattle Existing Building, Seattle Mechanical Code and Seattle Fuel Gas Code are tentatively scheduled to take effect this August, followed by a 60-day period during which applicants are allowed to choose whether to use the 2006 or 2009 codes.
Holding Patterns: Cascade of Ideas for Stalled Construction Sites
The results are in on the Seattle Design Commission’s call for ideas for vacant project sites. The response to our call was overwhelming—we had 83 entries! The ideas for how to temporarily use stalled project sites covered a broad gamut and it was clear that people had gone to amazing effort to think through and put down their ideas.
Public Meeting: Pike/Pine Amendments and Supplemental Design Guidelines
A public meeting with the Pike/Pine Urban Neighborhood Committee and the Capitol Hill Design Review Board is scheduled for July 7, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to explain, and to hear public comment on, proposed legislation developed by DPD as the second of a two-part process, sponsored by Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, to protect the character of the Pike/Pine neighborhood.
Public Hearing on Code Changes for Urban Agriculture
The City Council’s Regional Development and Sustainability Committee will hold a public hearing to take comments on DPD’s proposed code changes to support urban agriculture on July 21, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. The hearing will be held in the Council’s Chamber, 2nd floor, Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue.