On January 13, 2015, Mayor Murray sent proposed changes to the City Council to encourage new and protect existing compact, walkable neighborhood business districts. The proposal includes 39 new or expanded areas to protect and promote pedestrian retail areas. The proposal also include modifications to current regulations that would apply to existing and new pedestrian zones to better meet the changing needs of our neighborhood business districts.
DPD will brief the City Council’s Planning, Land Use and Sustainability (PLUS) Committee on March 3. A public hearing will be scheduled in late March. For a complete and official list of the items before the PLUS committee, please see the committee agendas that are posted online 48 hours before scheduled meetings (www.seattle.gov/council/com_assign.htm#planning).
The Mayor’s proposal includes the following:
- Rezone 39 neighborhood commercial areas around the city to add or expand a pedestrian zone designation
- Expand the list of allowed active street-level uses
- Modify design review departures available in pedestrian zones for ceiling height, transparency requirements, and residential uses at street level
- Clarify the transparency requirements to specify that transparent areas must allow views into and out of the structure at eye level
- Add a standard to require overhead weather protection along 60 percent of the building facade for new development along a principal pedestrian street
- Eliminate waivers to minimum parking standards specific to pedestrian zones
- Add standards for live-work units
For more information, visit DPD’s website at www.seattle.gov/dpd/cityplanning/
completeprojectslist/mainstreetmapping/whatwhy/, or contact:
Aly Pennucci
(206) 386-9132
aly.pennucci@seattle.gov