West Seattle development: 14-house project, 8 years in the making

| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

From today’s Land Use Information Bulletin: A sloped site in East Admiral that was first proposed for a multi-house subdivision almost eight years ago is moving more deeply into the review/approval process. A 14-house proposal is now in the works for 3601 Fauntleroy Avenue SW, which is hard to find on online maps, but documents in the project file show it’s in the vicinity of 33rd SW & SW Spokane, just northwest of where Admiral Way meets the West Seattle Bridge, and you can get a better idea from this map in the plans filed online:

The land, currently undeveloped, is zoned single-family 5000. The LUIB notice says the application would require “administrative conditional-use” approval because of “clustered housing in a steep-slope area,” and an environmental determination. Comments on the revised application will be accepted through August 26th, says the city (unless someone requests and is granted an extension). It proposes 14 houses with offstreet parking for 28 vehicles, to be developed by West Seattle-based Inhabit LLC, which was also the applicant when this site appeared in DPD records as a possible 21-house project in August 2007, and is shown in county records as owning other undeveloped parcels nearby. You can comment via this form linked to the city notice, or via contacting the assigned DPD planner, Michael Dorcy, michael.dorcy@seattle.gov.

Diane August 13, 2015 (12:50 pm)

there is no date listed for comments on DPD land use sign; is that legal???

Diane August 13, 2015 (1:33 pm)

this DPD map is very deceptive; this is the steep down-hill one-lane shortcut to the bridge from upper Admiral/Belvidere, starting at 35th/Spokane on the left; from left to right is VERY steep, blind curves, VERY narrow road
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having endured 5 months so far of impacts from construction of 4 houses out my window, on wide paved fairly flat streets, with lots of trucks, cars (construction workers), tractors, big rigs (yesterday it was cabinets delivered; right now our entire street blocked by another big rig) and cranes, cement pours, etc; cannot imagine how 14 houses can be constructed in this area without severe impacts to the neighbors; or how the big construction equipment can even access that site
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also suspect this road would have to be closed for at least a year; bummer; this short-cut saves me avg 10 mins each time getting to the bridge from top of hill; and I never get stuck in traffic on Fauntleroy or Admiral; I really feel sorry for the neighbors down there

Neighbor of Development August 13, 2015 (3:27 pm)

Aha ! That’s the problem. The people who use this route for a shortcut up and down the hill, often at excessive speed. Maybe they could “dead end” the road at 34th and Hinds to prevent that. If not that, I would like to see the city replace the curved intersection at Manning and Fauntleroy Way with a normal intersection with a stop sign. At least that would slow people down.

Please August 13, 2015 (3:59 pm)

Agreed with Neighbor. The problem is with people using this road as an arterial to short cut traffic on SW Admiral approaching the bridge, not the development. The development is good for that area and will help clean out the illegal camping and dumping.

Neighbor August 13, 2015 (4:33 pm)

Would rather have a dog park.

Diane August 13, 2015 (4:44 pm)

not speeding, ever; I’m the little old lady going down that hill at 5mph
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and as I said above “I really feel sorry for the neighbors down there” who will be severely impacted during construction
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once it’s all done, may be lovely; meanwhile, having lived with demolition and construction out my windows for 3 yrs (first the house to the west; then the houses to the north), it’s the construction phase that is horrible

Diane August 13, 2015 (4:47 pm)

also, a LOT of people walk up and down this route to the buses on Avalon

McFudd August 13, 2015 (9:01 pm)

A friend of mine lives very near the proposed construction site, and is happy with the look of the development and personal interactions with the developer to this point. Not everything has to be a problem. We live in a popular and prosperous city.Change and growth is inevitable.

Margaret August 14, 2015 (6:37 am)

With no signage and rounded blind corners, this shortcut is a dangerous slalom course, with daily standoffs between cars racing downhill and cars chugging uphill. I know, because I live here. And so do an increasing number of people with young children and pets. Hopefully, the developer will help the neighborhood push for adequate signage at the very least. And though I do not look forward to the inconvenience construction will cause, if it cuts down on the through traffic of commuters in the rat race looking for a quicker way onto the congested West Seattle Bridge, then maybe the neighborhood can use this period to push for signage and other mitigation. My husband is getting tired of being the local traffic cop. You’ve probably seen him in our yard, waving his arms and shouting “slow down,” occasionally followed by expletives.

Sorry, comment time is over.