DEVELOPMENT: Early Community Outreach for Design Review edition – 8822 9th SW site tour, 2000 SW Orchard note, process primer

| Development | West Seattle news

Three notes today related to the city’s semi-new Early Community Outreach for Design Review process:

8822 9TH SW: For the first time since ECODR launched, we’ve received (rather than found) a community-meeting announcement for a project participating in the process. It’s 8822 9th SW. We first mentioned two years ago that townhouses were proposed there; under the address 8820 9th SW, it was a City Light surplus substation site. Now 9 townhouses are proposed (down from what the ECODR site mentioned last month) and the project team is hosting a site tour:

The tour is at 10 AM on January 19, 2019 at 8822 9th Ave SW, which is currently a vacant lot between 8816 and 8830. Anyone is welcome, no RSVP required. Our website has more information: the9seattle.com. Any questions about this event can be directed to mjwittman@gmail.com.

Here’s the flyer (PDF) they’ll be distributing in the neighborhood. Caveat: The website isn’t active yet but the project team expects to have it up within a day or two.

2000 SW ORCHARD: More than a year ago, we mentioned an early-stage plan for 18 rowhouse-style townhouses here. The latest indication the project is proceeding: It’s now noted on the ECODR blog-style website as planning to participate in the process. That means some kind of meeting will eventually be scheduled, though there’s nothing on the ECODR calendar yet.

PROCESS PRIMER: At a recent Southwest District Council meeting, local community advocate Cindi Barker presented a primer on ECODR. It’s complex and the city is interested in thoughts about how it’s going so far, as Department of Neighborhoods director Andrés Mantilla noted in his recent Admiral Neighborhood Association appearance. Here’s the slide deck (PDF) Barker created with highlights; other links you need to know include the ECODR “project blog” where items are posted when projects are added to the list of those that will participate in the process, and the calendar of events related to those projects. If you go to a meeting/site tour, Barker’s advice, as shared with SWDC:

Take notes

Ask what their outreach methods were

Give thorough input

Ask the developers to recap what they heard

The city address for feedback on the ECODR process: DREarlyOutreach@seattle.gov

craig December 21, 2018 (6:00 pm)

I wish that SDOT (and or Metro if they were involved given the bus stop)had asked for input before installing the newish sidewalk and trees at 2000 SW Orchard. Orchard/Dumar/Austin is one of a few opportunities for east/west bicycle routes in Delridge. According to the BMP, this segment is part of the future Citywide bicycle network. I asked SDOT about this after construction and was told that the cycling facilities were several years out. What a wasted opportunity given that a widened sidewalk on the north side of the street is the obvious installation imo. I hope that we have an opportunity to make suggestions regarding the ROW before construction. .

John December 21, 2018 (9:12 pm)

Great to see progress on the 8822 9th Ave project. This provides needed housing in what a few years ago was a run down vacant lot that was de facto parking and abandoned car lot for the next door run-down apartment building.I own property in the area and am pleased to see progress to add lower priced housing. I just hope the anti-development folks devote their efforts elsewhere.

Jody December 24, 2018 (1:35 pm)

Thanks John- echoing your perspective – Highland Park needs more good quality housing, and this could be a great upgrade to that part of the neighborhood!

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