WEST SEATTLE REZONING: Junction briefing, Q&A at JuNO meeting Tuesday

If you’re on that map and interested in a city briefing about the proposed rezoning that’s part of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda – Tuesday is your big chance. The Junction Neighborhood Organization has announced its meeting on Tuesday night will include a presentation by, and Q&A with, senior planner Nick Welch of the city’s Office of Planning and Community Development. JuNO leader René Commons says Welch will “present the upzoning plan for our neighborhood and provide detail around the timing and process of proposed rezoning for increased density.”

The HALA rezoning is toward the HALA goal of Mandatory Housing Affordability; it will affect all property in the city that is currently zoned multifamily and/or commercial, as well as single-family properties that are in urban villages.

Draft maps for all the urban villages in the city – including the four in West Seattle (The Junction, Admiral, Westwood-Highland Park, and Morgan Junction) – were released online last month without an announcement, and the “outreach” since then has been scattered. Besides this guest appearance at the JuNO meeting, your major chance to find out more about what is (or isn’t) proposed for your neighborhood is a citizen-led, West Seattle/South Park-wide event coming up on November 29th (here’s the announcement we published last Monday). Following that, the city has an open house-style event planned for 5:30 pm December 7th at Shelby’s Ice Creamery and Bistro in The Junction, but no presentation, and the maps aren’t the only topic planned.

So if you are in the Junction “urban village” or the areas planned for expanding its boundaries (see the map), come to the Senior Center/Sisson Building (California SW/SW Oregon) on Tuesday (November 15th) at 6:30 pm to get a briefing, and answers to your questions. The questions and comments received by the city regarding the draft maps are expected to lead to final proposals

Morgan November 13, 2016 (10:19 pm)

Folks, it’s reasonable to request step backs (not setbacks) accompany all this new proposed height.

ELLY November 14, 2016 (6:52 am)

Step backs are a good idea. Parking has to be addressed, and traffic of course.

I would like to see something done about excessive signage (that REMAX sign really brings down the new building in the AK Junction as does the giant LA FITNESS sign). And lighting is another big issue that should be addressed. I can see the rooftop lights from one of the new condo buildings are on all night and they are BRIGHT. As it is on-third of humanity can’t see the milky way due to light pollution: http://www.astronomy.com/news/2016/06/one-third-of-humanity-cant-see-the-milky-way

WSB November 14, 2016 (7:14 am)

This isn’t about design so signage isn’t part of it, though you could certainly ask the OPCD rep. As for parking, this is part of the HALA discussion, though more in the direction of lessening requirements further – see this page we linked from another story over the weekend: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/codesrules/changestocode/parkingrecommendations/whatwhy/default.htm

KGC November 14, 2016 (8:38 am)

I assume the meeting date is 11/15 rather an 11/14. Can you confirm?

WSB November 14, 2016 (8:42 am)

Yes, it’s tomorrow, Tuesday, November 15th, fixing that one erroneous digit.

Artsea November 14, 2016 (8:59 am)

I just saw that REMAX sign yesterday and found it disgusting. I just don’t know why that sort of thing is allowed. I guess anything goes these days.

WSB November 14, 2016 (9:05 am)

The city has sign regulations. You can read the code here. Two courses of action:

-If you’d like to see it changed, suggest that to your City Councilmember – lisa.herbold@seattle.gov

-If a specific sign offends you, contact the business directly.

**I should also add that if you believe a sign violates the code, you can complain to SDCI (formerly DPD) – http://web6.seattle.gov/dpd/complaintform/

Junction Lady November 14, 2016 (10:55 am)

Isn’t this area on your map already dense enough? Perhaps a moratorium regarding an extended break from new construction-you know, the noise, the mess, blocked lanes, portapotties, construction crew parking, the cranes, etc etc etc. West Seattle junction isn’t the only place to reside in Washington state.

98126res November 18, 2016 (10:34 am)

Agree with Junction Lady, the area has been inundated with construction the past year. Please take a break and re-evaluate how increases in traffic from the new housing impacts this bottleneck, esp. traffic. Did the City seriously consider other areas in west seattle with adequate services and transportation? They seem to have laser focus on this urban village regardless of common sense. And, the new construction is very big and bland for west seattle’s character.

Roxy November 14, 2016 (12:04 pm)

You can look for permits by address here: http://web6.seattle.gov/DPD/PermitStatus/

Fairmount Springs Mom November 14, 2016 (12:23 pm)

I don’t know about other neighborhoods, but I think it’s notable that the City has not notified the approximately 200 property owners in my neighborhood that they are proposing to change the zoning. A simple postcard would suffice, like the kind King County sends out letting property owners know that their property values or taxes have changed

WSB November 14, 2016 (1:05 pm)

No, they have not sent out any kind of individual notification and when I asked about that after the initial release of the maps, OPCD spokesperson Jason Kelly said the only kind of notification you can expect is something about the December 7th (date wasn’t set at that time but it is now, as noted above) open house/community meeting, which in general is described as “casual conversation.” If you think there should be more, contact the mayor’s office, as HALA is his program. – TR
- Bill November 14, 2016 (5:55 pm)
  
  ” “casual conversation.” ” — Is that code for: Do not bother to show up if you actually have any REAL concerns or anti-overbuilding complaints!

Diane November 14, 2016 (12:39 pm)

re: “REMAX sign really brings down the new building in the AK Junction”; could you please be more specific? where is this?

Craig November 15, 2016 (1:16 pm)

the Junction is already in dire need of pedestrian and bike upgrades. Will those be addressed in this plan?

old timer November 15, 2016 (1:55 pm)

Would this be a place to bring up concerns about the block of 42nd between Alaska and Edmonds?

With pedestrians crossing at will throughout the block, cars parking and entering Jefferson Sq., and very dim lighting, there is some serious injury awaiting an opportunity there.

Sorry, comment time is over.