Zoning changes for Triangle/east Junction? Official hearing set

We’ve been reporting for months on the city planning process that could result in zoning changes for The Triangle and the east side of The Junction, including a larger area where buildings up to 85 feet would be allowed, and changes in commercial zoning. Now, the date is set for an official hearing before a City Council committee, and if you have anything to say before these proposals become law, that’s your chance. Here’s the short description of the proposal:

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) is proposing to amend Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 23.32, the Official Land Use Map, and Section 23.47A.013, and enact a new Section 23.47A.009, to rezone areas within the West Seattle Junction Hub Urban Village (West Seattle Triangle planning area).

The DPD proposal would: (1) rezone areas from Commercial 1 (C1) to Neighborhood Commercial 3 (NC3), (2) establish a pedestrian (P) designation along SW Alaska Street between 36th Avenue SW and 41st Avenue SW, (3) increase allowable heights to 85 feet in certain commercially-zoned areas west of 38th Avenue SW, (4) introduce new development standards in the proposed NC3 85 zone to control the bulk of new structures and increase pedestrian circulation, (5) apply incentive zoning provisions within the 85 foot zone, and (6) resolve “split-zoned” lots by rezoning a portion of three lots to NC3 65.

The hearing will be at 6 pm October 11th at the Senior Center of West Seattle (if you want to speak, signups will start at 5:30), California/Oregon in The Junction. If you absolutely can’t be there – you can e-mail your thoughts in advance (deadline 5 pm 10/11) to Councilmember Sally Clark, whose Committee on the Built Environment is holding the hearing, at sally.clark@seattle.gov.

2:07 PM UPDATE: The Land Use Information Bulletin is out now with a city link to the notice. You can also read the proposed zoning-change (etc.) ordinance on the city’s Triangle-planning website – go here.

6 Replies to "Zoning changes for Triangle/east Junction? Official hearing set"

  • Huski September 8, 2011 (10:37 am)

    Thanks for the map!

    • WSB September 8, 2011 (10:54 am)

      I’m working to get the exact ordinance. If you click TRIANGLE under the headline and scroll down a bit, you’ll get our previous stories … but since DPD has issued the official notice of this today, the ordinance has to be available somewhere. The 85-foot change, at least in the draft version, involves mostly the west side of Fauntleroy immediately south of Alaska – for example, a few of the ex-Huling sites such as the one that now holds West Seattle Produce and the one that used to hold Automotive Solutions. Stand by for link(s) as soon as I get them … TR

  • JanS September 8, 2011 (1:30 pm)

    So…TR…rumor has it that WS Produce is moving…maybe because of this ordinance, and that Huling wants to sell or build on the property where WS Produce now sits. So..there’s another story for you…heard anything about the presumed move?

    • WSB September 8, 2011 (1:41 pm)

      Already commented on that somewhere. No, we haven’t heard any such thing. But of course the lot will SOMEDAY become something else – as will lots of other lots in the area. There was a proposal for it even before WSP took the north side of it – but given the way things are moving, even if a proposal surfaced tomorrow, it would be a few years. I know the place has lots of passionate fans, so I hope they are all showing their love by shopping there! – TR

  • Diane September 8, 2011 (2:49 pm)

    lots of comments/rumors re WS Produce in Trader Joe’s story

    • WSB September 9, 2011 (12:25 pm)

      I will post this here and there: Patrick went over to WS Produce to ask them in person. And it’s exactly what I suspected – yeah, they know they will have to move “someday” whenever there is a development proposal for that site, but that “someday” is not currently in sight, so they have no moving PLANS … just keep going to see them on Fauntleroy Way until and unless you hear otherwise – TR

Sorry, comment time is over.