For the past year and a half, a city-convened stakeholders’ group has been talking about the future of Seattle’s industrial/maritime lands and policies. They issued a report last week with recommendations; and the city announced it here. Now, the next step – an Environmental Impact Statement. Before that’s prepared, the city is asking for your input on the scope of what should be studied. A notice was published in today’s Land Use Information Bulletin; we’re publishing the notice in its entirety because West Seattle has such a significant stake in the city’s maritime/industrial future (as the map above, from the report, shows):

Seattle’s industrial and maritime policies are more than 35 years old. With changing trends, there is an opportunity to build an updated comprehensive strategy to strengthen and grow Seattle’s industrial and maritime sectors for the future. As part of this strategy the City of Seattle is studying a proposal to update its industrial and maritime policies and industrial zoning. Four alternatives, including the no action alternative have been identified for study in an Environmental Impact Statement.

The proposal addresses all lands zoned Industrial General (IG1 and IG2) zones, the Industrial Commercial (IC) zone, and the Industrial Buffer (IB) zone and land within two Manufacturing Industrial Centers (MIC): Seattle’s Greater Duwamish Manufacturing and Industrial Center (Duwamish MIC) and its Ballard Interbay North Manufacturing Industrial Center (BINMIC).

The Director of the Office of Planning & Community Development has determined this proposal is likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment. An environmental impact statement (EIS) is required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c) and will be prepared. The lead agency has identified the following areas for study in the EIS to determine if there are any significant environmental impacts: * Biological Resources and Resiliency: Water Resources/Climate Change, Soils/Geology, Plants and Animals
* Environmental Health and Compatibility: Contamination, Noise, Light and Glare, Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases
* Mobility and Freight
* Land and Shoreline Use
* Housing
* Open Space and Recreation
* Historic and Cultural Resources
* Public Services: Police, Emergency Services, and Schools
* Utilities

Materials related to the proposal including alternatives may be reviewed at OPCD’s offices or on the department’s website:
seattle.gov/opcd/ongoing-initiatives/industrial-and-maritime-strategy#whatwhy.

Agencies, affected tribes, and members of the public are invited to comment on the scope of the EIS. You may comment on the proposal, the alternatives, probable significant adverse impacts, and licenses or other approvals that may be\ required. More specifically, comments should focus on the elements of the environment that should be addressed in the EIS, analysis that should be done and the alternatives that the City proposes to study, including any reasonable alternatives to those proposed.

Comments may be submitted by letter to OPCD at the address below; by email to PCD_Industry_And_Maritime_Strategy@seattle.gov ; or at a virtual scoping meeting to be held on Wednesday July 21 at 9:00 a.m. or Monday July 26 at 6:00 p.m. Meeting details will be posted at: seattle.gov/opcd/ongoinginitiatives/industrial-and-maritime-strategy#whatwhy.

The deadline for agencies, tribes and the general public to submit scoping comments is 5 pm, August 8, 2021.