the downtown urban center neighborhood plan...downtown is now “entering a new cycle of office and...

The Downtown Urban CenterNeighborhood

City of Seattle

Plan

April 1,2, 1999’

as proposed by theDOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER PLANNING GROUP

I

I THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE PLANApril 12, 1999

Downtown Urban Center Planning GroupCatherine Stanford, Chair (Commercial Core Neighborhood)”Cindy Chirot, Housing Committee ChairAdrienne Quinn, Land Use N Urban Design Committee ChairBea Kumasaka, Transportation Committee Chair (Bel/town Neighborhood)Kate )oncas, Human Services Committee Chair (Commercial Core Neighborhood)

Carolyn Geise; Be//town NeighborhoodScott Species, Denny Triangle NeighborhoodDavid Tye, Denny Triangle NeighborhoodEdgar Yang, Chinatown International District NeighborhoodTrang Tu and Tom /m, Chinatown International District NeighborhoodDavid Brunner, Pioneer Square NeighborhoodCathryn Vanderbrink, Pioneer Square Neighborhoodand many others

Neighborhood Planning OfficeJohn Eske\in, Robert ScIMy, David Goldberg

ConsultantsBerryman H Henigar, Roger WagonerMAKERS, Gera/d Hansmire, Catherine ,MaggioPerteet Engineering, Michael StringhamCommunity Connection, Pat Strosahl, Tom GihringNakano Associates, Kenichi Nakano

]. Renee’ Tanner

DOWOW W~ CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD Pm

,, TABLE OF CONTENTSDOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER PLAN

I. INTRODUCTION & SUMMARY● DUCPG = Neighborhoods Roles. Comprehensive Plan Relationships. Summary of Recommendations

II. GOALS● Overall Downtown Goals including revised “Framework poficies~). Related Neighborhoods’ Goals

Ill. NEIGHBORHOOD POLICIES

Iv. LAND USE a URBAN DESIGN POLICIES

v . OPEN SPACE POLICIES (Including Green Streets)

w. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICIES

w. HOUSING a HUMAN SERVICES POLICIES

Vlll. TRANSPORTATION POLICIES

lx. IMPLEMENTATION WORK PROGRAM

APPENDICES● Land Use Code Abstract. Downtown Design Guidelines

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L I INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY

The Downtown Urban Center Planning.Group (DUCPG) is responsible for updatingthe 1985 Downtown Land Use andTransportation Plan (’85 Plan). While the ’85Plan has been updated periodically since1985, it no longer provides the policycontext established by the 1994 SeattleComprehensive Plan andsignificant changesto the downtown which have occurred inrecent years. The context for planning hasbeen influenced by the following

. The Comprehensive Plan established theDowntown Urban Center and furtherestablished five urban center villages witMnthe urban center (Denny Triangle, DennyRegrade, Commercial Core, Pioneer

Square, and International District). Theneighborhood planning process hasi,nvested the downtown neighborhoods withthe, mission of creating community visions,addressing geographically-specific problemsand opportunities, and producing plans forlocal improvements.

. Recent downtown development activi~ hassignificantly changed the” direction of theurban center’s role in the region.Downtown Seattle has become a majortourist and convention attraction, strongretail shopping magnet, center of culturaland entertainment activities, and a home toevolving high technology businesses. Thepast 10 years have seen a near shut-downof new office development, increasinginterest in downtown living and relateddevelopment of intensive residentialprojecs, construction of maior culturalfacilities, revitalization of the retail core andthe cetitral waterfront, and massiveinvestment in the south downtown area.

● On the heels of these activities, ,tiedowntown is now “entering a new cycle ofoffice and mixed-use development.Upcoming projects include approximatelyfive million square feet of new office spaceand over 4,000 new residential dwelling

. Major transportation changes are comingto the downtown. While the ’85 pIananticipated light rail service in the tunnel,the associated surface transit implicationswere not addressed in any quantitativeway. The monorail initiative has furtherimplications for downtown circulation. Inaddtion, interests of the residentialneighborhoods focused on pedestrianstreets and green streets have surfaced as amajor influence on decisions regarding useof our valuable rights-of-way. There is alsoa growing interest in providing” moreequitable treatment of bicycling within thedowntown. Effective management ofshort- and long-term parking assets in thedowntown needs to be coordinated withcirculation systems linking major terminals,destinations, and access poin~.

. Demographic and economic characteristicsof the downtown resident populationcontinue to shift, and this could result in anunhealthy combination of the very rich andthe very poor. The ’85 Plan is rightlyaimed at maintaining low-income housingopportunities for disadvantaged residents.At the same time, we acknowledge theneed to produce housing for low-moderateand moderate-income households in orderto maintain a balanced community. Withrespect to this, the Downtown Plan

recommends strong emphasis on housingprograms aimed at producing new units tofill the gap serving households in the 50-80% med[an income range. Human,recreational, educational, and retail seti[cesassociated with strong residentialneighborhoods of all economic levels arealso important to creating our vision ofdowntown.

. The urban environment of the downtown isa precious resource for employees,residents, and visitors. Preservation andenhancement of significant buildings, views,and landmarks need to be coupled withhigher design quality of the streetscape

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DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER iYHGHBORUOOD PLAN

environment and of Dnvate develo~ment.More open space and civic gathering placesare critical to providing breathing room,recreational opportunities, and celebratoryplaces that produce a humane city andpromote neighborhood identity.

. DUCPG recommends that a marketanalysis be prepared to investigate issuesassociated with overall downtown growthcapacity for tie future. The increasedcapacity proposed by the Denny TrianglePlan should be a major element of thisanalysis since the potential for additionaldowntown development is greatest in thatarea.

DUCPG has been working within this contextto unite common downtown interests andcreate an urban framework that willeventually result in a wholesale update to the’85 Plan. The new Downtown Urban Centerplan will collect and present the plans of therive urban center village neighborhoodswithin the umbrella of policies for land use,housing, transportation, human services,economic development, and capital facilitiesthat combine to produce the downtownSeattle urban center to which we all aspire.DUCPG recognizes that tfds will be an on-going proce~ which must deal with a fluidevolution of information and discussion thatwill continue as many ,separate initiatives suchas Sound Transit, the monorail, andsurrounding communities’ plans movetowards implementimion.

Thus, the following goals and policiesrecommended by DUCPG are bothpragmatic and visionary in nature. Pragmaticrecommendations bring together dowrrtown-wide program and project needs that haveemerged from the collective work of the fiveneighborhoods, the Downtown CirculationStudy, and the DUCPG Land Use,Transportation, Housing, and Human Set-vicesCommittees. These address more imminentprojects and program needs that thedowntown community feels should.beaddressed by the City in the near future.

The more visionary recommendations werealso formulated within the process and fromintensive work with City departmentsengaged in on-going downtown planning and,implementation. These are equallyimportant, but will require more broaddiscussion and analysis.

Making the Plan

The DUCPG process began in June of 1995with a series of informal discussions aboutdowntown-wide and individual neighborhoodissues. In November, 1995, a “kick-off”attracted 130 people and led to theformation of the DUCPG committee whichformalized the working group of,neighborhood representatives charged withthe downtown plan. During 1996, theDUCPG worked with the neighborhoods tocoordinate the phase one work of generatingvision statements and defining the scope ofwork for the planning. The overall visionstatement adopted by the DUCPG is:

“The downtown Urban Center is a mosaicof residential and mixed use districts,regional cultural facilities, civic and retailcores. Within a preeminent urban center isthe foundation for a vital Downtown.Respecting the unique identities of the fiveindividual neighborhoods is as important” asrecognizing the powerful forces which drivea larger regional vision for Downtown. Withthis foundation in place, there is greatpotential to refine the art of living andworking Downtown. ”

Each of the neighborhoods also adoptedvision statement$ and work programs for tfiephase two planning.

The DUCPG organized itseIf intn committeesaddressing land “use and urban design,housing, transportation, and human serviceschaired by DUCPG members.Representatives from the neighborhoods wereinvited to

pardcipate in the committee work and to

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - April 12,1999- Page 3


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ensure that there was communicationbetween the DUCPG committees and therelated commitie work at the neighborhoodlevel. The DUCPG met monthly during1996-98 to hear committee reports anddirect the production of the downtown plan.Special events including workshops on“downtown futures”, pedestrian and bicycletransportation, parking, human services andzoning were conducted. As alternativesemerged, the DUCPG held meetings andworkshops to present them to thecommunity.

A wrap-up validation mailer was distributedto 28,000 addresses within the downtown.k contained a response sheet and aninvitation to a November, 1998 event wherethe dratt plan was presented and discussed.In conjunction with the draft plan, theaPProval and adoption matrix was prepared,reviewed by the DUCPG and neighborhoodsand presented to the city executivedepartment for review and comment. Thematrix contains “key strategies” that arepresented as actions ranging from zoningchanges to further work necessary to create a

downtown urban design framework plan anda human services plan.

In January, 1999, the entire package,including the Mayor’s recommendations, willbe transmitted to the City Council which willhoId committee discussions and hearings andultimately adopt the plan in May or June.Individual councilmembers have attendedDUCPG workshops throughout the process.When the plan arrives at the Council, theywill also do a walking tour of the area whichwill be conducted by the DUCPG. Recently,the Mayor’s cabinet participated in a similartour to learn more about the plan priorities.Each of the downtown neighborhoods hasgone through this same process with theDUCPG providing support during the Councilreview and public hearings. The DUCPGchairs are also briefing individual Councilmembers on the plan.

Resources

The City provided over $500,000 for bothphases of the planning. This included a$148,000 grant from the Federal TransitAdministration which was used to fired adowntown circulation study that was foldedinto the downtown plan transportationelement. Most of the fundhrg went to aconsultant team which prepared analyses,developed alternatives, and helped thecommittees package their ideas. Consultantswere assigned to each of the standingDUCPG committees. A plan coordinatorconsultant worked with the DUCPG tocompile the pieces, coordinate with thecommittees and neighborhoods, produceevents, and facilitate meetings. Acommunications consultant was also retainedto assist tie DUCPG in formulating strategiesfor outreach to elected officials, keystakeholdem, the media, and the public.

A major downwwn property owner providedspace for the Downtown Resource Centerwhich rhe DUCPG used for meetings,enabled drop-in public access to work-in-progress, and contained work space for apart-time staff person who assisted inresearch, logistical support, andcommunication. This person also conducteda comprehensive survey of all downtownhuman service providers and developed adata base of the survey results to be used inthe preparation of a human services plan forthe community.

[n addition to the above resources, a largeamount of city staff time was investedincluding the Project Manager from theNeighborhood Planning Office and senior

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DOWNTOWN uRBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

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planners and analysts from the StrategicPlanning Office, and the Departments ofHousing and Human Services, Transportation,and Construction and Land Use.

These professionals worked closely with thecommittees providing information, analysis,and guidance to ensure that therecommendations worked with the complexinterrelationships of comprehensive plan goalsand policies, the regulatory framework, andthe provisions of on-going reiated programssuch as the planning for the new regional lightrail service, special’ housing funding programs,and design review procedures and guidelinesfor downtown development. Since many ofthe DUCPG recommendations w(I[ beimplemented though further planningrefinements by these city professionals, it wascrucial to develop a co[legia[ partnershipbetween tie volunteers and the staff so thatthe resulting plan has common ownership.

The Geography

Downtown Seattle is a crescent-shaped areabounded by Elliott Bay (of Puget Sound) onthe west, Interstate 5 and Rainier Avenue onthe east, Seattle Center and the South LakeUnion area on the north, and the Duwamishmanufacturing/industrial center on the south.The 945 acre area generally slopes downfrom east to wes~ Some slopes are quitesteep. The street grid bends twice to followthe waterfront, resulting is interesting north-souti arterial corridors and triangularintersections at the seams. Views to the westfeature the Bay and distant OiympicMoun~ins. The urban center containsapproximately five million square of retailspace (2,DD0 establishments) 28 millionsquare feet of office space, 8,000 dwellingunits, and 9,DO0 hotel rooms. Recentlycompleted or pending public and institutionalprojects include a symphony hall, artmuseum, main library, convention centerexpansion, federal courthouse, city justicecenter, and city hall. Private developmentincludes office buildings, apartments andcondominiums, hotels, and retail centers.

The downtown urban village neighborhoodsinciude:

● Dennv f@ra&LBeIko WQ) - a “hot” area,of residential growth featuring high-endhighnse condominium towers,apartments,, galleries, cafes, and offices.Some of thk neighborhood’s issuesinchrde protection of oIder iow-nseaffordable housing, provision of openspace to support the residents, and accessto the waterfront.

● Demw Triatsgle - a relativelyunderdeveloped area containing surfaceparking lots poised for substantial newor%ce and residential projects as well asthe new federal courthouse and a newpolice precinct station. Issues includeieveraghsg development capacity tostimulate a mixed-use community,provision of attractive pedestrian streets,and infrastructure capacity. The City andKhsg County are considering theapplication of an innovative program totransfer development rights from ruralareas into the Triangle.

. rcial Core - the traditional retailcenter of the region. Also includes thehistoric Pike Place Market, the civiccenter and most of the major culturalvenu,es. Issues include wise use of thelimited remaining development capacity,protection of historic and small-scalebuildings, and increased residentialdevelopment.

.

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● ✌ Pioneer SQWE - the originaI downtownof Seattle and a busy ar& andentertainment center. Now a historicdistrict with limits on developmentimposed to protect the character andscale of the early buiklings. Also thenorthern edge of the new sports complexcontaining the SeattIe Marhsem’ BaIlparkand Seattle Seahawks’ Stadium (replacingthe Kingdome). The rehabilitated historicKing Street Station is to be used as theCity’s Amtrak terminal and service ,othertransportation functions. Issues includesensitive inlll development to create newhousing, including artist’s lofts, protectionof area retailers from stadium congestion,and improved social service delivery toreduce impacts of the homelesspopulation.

. . .nternatronal Dwnct -,

Seattle’s historic t?atewav for Asianimmigrants. A ii~ely neighborhood ofrestaurants, shops and service businessessuppordng a low-income elderlypopulation as well as a regional culturaland entertainment destination. Issuesinclude protection of the existing housingand increasing the residential population,stadium impacts, and maintenance of therich multi-ethnic character.

Organization of the P/an

This PIan is a revision of the 1985 DowntownLand Use and Transportation Plan. Therevisions include elimination of goals andpolicies which have either been achieved oroutdated; inserdon of new goals and policiesdeveloped by the DUCPG and the downtownurban village neighborhoods; andreorganization into chapterx

. L Introduction

● H. Goals

. III. Neighborhood Policies

. IV. Land Use and Urban Design Policies

. V. Open Space Policies

. VI. Economic Development Policies

● VII. Housing and Human Services Policies

● VIII. Transportation Policies

● IX. Implementation Work Program

. Appendices

It should be recognized that the Downtown Planis a compilation of the five downtown urbanvillage neighborhood plans which containsignificantly greater levels of detail with respectto implementation actions and priorities.


.I

Downtown Neighborhoods

DOSVkOIWV URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

,,

II GOALS

This chapter includes overarching goalstatements that establish the purpose of theDowntown Plan.

Comprehensive Plan

The Seattle Comprehensive Plan establishesgoals for the Downtown Urban Center whichprovide the foundation for the DowntownPlan and the urban village neighborhoodplans. Key Comprehensive Plan goalsinclude:.

,

●

●

G20 Identify and reinforce concentrationsof employment and housing in locationsthat would support and have direct access tothe regional high capacity transit system.G33 Achieve the following 20 year growthtargets in Seattle’s urban centers

(Downtown: 14,700 households and62,700 jobs).G64 Establish in “downtown areas thebroadest mix of activities and greatestintensity of development in the reg’on.G74 Goals for the provision of open spacednd related facilities are as follows: (oneacre of open space for every 1,000households in each urban village PIUS oneacre of open space for every 10,000 jobsin each urban village.

Overa//.Downtown Goals

wmz Framewo k Goar Is are intendedKdwther de ne the d rectrfi i “on for downtownaowth and de [email protected]

GOAL A: PRE-EMINENT REGIONALC E N T E RM a i n t a i n d o w n t o w n Sea~e as the most . ..-

import.int of the region’s urban centers - acompactly developed area supporting adiversity of uses meeting the employment,residential, shopping, -, service andentertainment needs of the broadest range ofthe region’s population.

QQ4.Llh ECONC3MIC DEVELOPMENTEconomic development activities consistentwith these policies shall be promoted toattract and retain businesses and to expandemployment and training opportunities forSeattle area residents.

GOAL D: URBAN FORMPublic and private development shall make apositive contribution to the downtownphysical environment by 1 ) enhancing therelationship of downtown to its spectacularsetting of water, hills and mountains; 2)preserving important public views; 3)ensuring light and air at street level and inpublic parks; 4) establishing a high qualitypedestrian oriented street environment; 5)reinforcing the vitality and special characterof downtown’s many parts; 6) creating newdowntown parks and open spaces at strategiclocations; and 7) preserving downtown’simportant historic buildhygs to provide atangible link to the past; and B) adequatelymitigating impacts on the quality of thephysical environment. resulting from moreintensive redevelopment

CiQAl& C U L T U R E A N DENTERTAINMENTDowntown shall be reinforced as a center ofcultural and entertainment activities to fosterthe arts in the City, attract people to the


DOWNTOWN URBAN CEN7ER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

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area, create livable neighborhoods, and makedowntown an enjoyable place to be shared byall. Facilities for artists to live and work in thedowntown shall be encouraged.

GOAL F: NEIGHBORHOODSThe varied character of the neighborhoodswhich make up downtown shall be recognizedand enhanced. Actions shall be taken topresewe those characteristics determineddesirable, counter trends that are determinedundesirable and implement the adoptedneighborhood plans. Development in eachdowntown neighborhood shall be guided bya comprehensive set of poficies whichrecognizes the functional identity, relationshipto surrounding activi~, existing scale andcharacter of development, desired changes incharacter, transportation capacity, andhistorical precedents established by theneighborhood plan.

G.QWfZ OFFICE AND COMMERCIALCONCENTRATIONThe needs of a wide range of office andcommercial activities shall be met byconcentrating the densest office activity in acompactly developed core area bound by thegovernment center, 1-5, the retail core andthe lower intensity areas along Firtt Avenue.Areas for additional concentrations of officedevelopment, along with a mix of other uses,shall bound the office core to accommodateoffice expansion and provide a transition withless intensive development in adjacent areaslike Pioneer Square and the InternationalDistrict. Combined, these areas shallaccommodate the largest share of downtownemployment growth. Concentrations of officeuse shall occun where such concentrationsalready exist; where adequate infrastructureexists or can be made adequate; where theexisting and planned transportation systemhas the capacity to handle increased demand;where healthy concentrations of otherdesirable uses such as retail and housing willnot be displaced; and y&rRsJ@ ,“

~

mkzhborhood de elmmem ov tsiective~

CiQALJh RETAIL CONCENTRATIONThe concentrated shopping funcdon of theretail core shall be reinforced; the generalform and scale of the area shall be presewed;and the area shall be protected from highden@ uses that COnfliCt ~kh the primary . .retail function. Other concentrations of retailactivity sha]I be encouraged where theyalready exist or where such uses are desirableto encourage an active pedestrianenvironment or focal point of neighborhoodactivity.

GOAL 1: RES DENTIAL”A1 ND MIXED USEAS

Areas promoting a mix of housing,employment and related support activitiesshall be encouraged in a crescent surroundingthe office and retail cores. Areas which arepredominantly residential in character shall befostered within the International District andDenny Regrade. To meet neighborhooddevelopment objectives and accommodatedowntown growth targets for employmentand housing, adopted neighborhood plansshall further define the appropria~ mix ofactivities.

G.QALJ: SHORELINEThe City shall actively work to revitalize theHarborfront in order to strengthen maritimeactivities and enhance opportunities forpublic access, consistent with the shoreunesgoals and policies established in theComprehensive Plan Land Use Element.

GQAL_.K: TRANSPORTATIONTransportation improvements shall beplanned and built to complement andreinforce desired land use patterns; growth inpeak hour travel shall be accommodatedprimarily by transit; transit and pedestriantravel shall be encouraged as the primarymeans of internal circulation; and vehiculartraffic passing through downtown on surface

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DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PZ.AN

streets wi,th a destination elsewhere shall bediscouraged. The importance of theautomobile as a means of access todowntown for non-work trips shall berecognized.


Retail Concentrations .-. ..,. w,-‘-4/99

‘\“’\.

.-.

—

~ N o-oSCALE,. ma FEm

Shorelines —.*2/99


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G.QA4L HOUSINGHousing opportunities in downtown Seattleshall be significantly expanded for people ofall income levels with the objectives of: 1 )accommodating approximately 26,000households by the year 2014 with 30,000to 40,000 new residents; 2) at a minimum,maintaining the exi@sg number of occupiedlow income uni~ 3) developing a significantsupply of affordable housing opportunities inbalance with the market resulting from thegrowth in downtown employment. -Housingshall be allowed in all areas of downtownexcept over water. Public resources andincentives for private development, includingdensity regulations and developmentstandards that encourage housing, shall betargeted to promote the amount and type ofhousing development necessary to achievedowntown neighborhood housing goals. Theimpact of high density commercialdevelopment on the downtown housingsupply shall, in part, be addressed throughdensity incentives in the form of floor areabonuses and the transfer of ,developmentrights. 4) meeting individual urban villageneighborhoods’ housing targets and priorities.Housing shall be allowed in all areas ofdowntown except over water. Neighborhoodswhich are predominantly residential incharacter shall be fostered in areas defined by

neighborhood plans. Public resources andincentives for private development shall beconcentrated in these target areas. The Cityshall establish priority programs forsupporting the development of new housingserving households with incomes up to 80%of median.

@&!!JJL HUMAN SERVICESSupport the provision of adequate health andhuman services to meet the needs ofdowntown residents and workers.

CiQAL_N: PUBLIC SAFETYPublic safety shall be promoted throughconditions that contribute to a safe andfriendly urban environment, includingmaintaining streets and open spaces as active,

well designed public places; supportingtwenty-four-hour activity in a manner thatminimizes conflicts among different uses;accommodating a mix of peopIe from allincome, age, and sociaI groups; and providingfor needed human services within the limitsof a neighborhood’s capacity to supportthem.

“m: NEIGHBORHOODS

Five neighborhoods shall be recognized withinthe Downtown Urban Center for planningand growth monitoring purposes, includingBelltown, the Denny Triangle, theCommercial Core, Pioneer Square andChinatown/International District. The variedcharacter of these neighborhoods and otherdistinctive areas within downtown shall berecognized and enhanced. Actions shall betaken to implement adopted neighborhoodplans and to preserve desirable characteristicsand counter undesirable trends, asdetermined by these plans.

[11. DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD(URBAN CENTER VILLAGE) GOALS ANDPOLICIES

A. Be[ltownB. Chinatown/Internatiorial DistrictC. Commercial CoreD. Denny TriangleE. Pioneer Square

NEIGHBORHOOD GOALS

The following goals define the specific intentsof the downtown neighborhoods.

Housing

H I . A diverse residential neighborhoodwith a variety of housing types and an

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DOWNTOWN URBAN C-R NHGHBORHOOD PLAN

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even distribution of household incomelevels.

Land Use

LU1.

LU2.

A mixed-use neighborhood thatcombines commercial oftlce space,retiil sales and services, social andpublic services, open space, and a ,residential population in accordancewith the Denny Triangle targets.

Develop the air rights above/atConvention Place Station inaccordance with the Denny TrianglePlan.

Urban Form

UFI.

UF2.

UF3.

UF4.

A diverse, mixed-use character thatprovides a transit and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere.

Improve existing streetscape, toinc@de open space, landscaping,public amenities and art.

Design/develop green strees per theDenny Triangle Plan.

Integrate “way-finding”

Transportation

T1.

T2.

T3.

Reduce external transportationimpac~ while improving internalaccess and circulation.

Provide pedestrian friendlyenvironment to include improvementsto bus stops, pedestrian crossings, etc.

Integrate “way-finding”improvements.

Housing

G l : A neighborhood where growth,- provides a varied housing stock and a .

~wide range of affordability.

G2: A neighborhood with tools topreserve its housing stock and preventdisplacement of low and low-moderate income residents.

Land Use

G3: A neighborhood with a vibrantstreetscape.

G4: A neighborhood with a mixed usecharacter with an emphasis onresidential and smaI[ business activity.

G5: A Bel[town with neighborhood designguidelines and design review.

Transportation

G5: A circulation system that enablespeople to live, ‘work, shop, and playin Belkown and all of Downtownwithout a car.

(Pedestrian Environment)

G6:

G7:

A neighborhood with continuedpedestrian and bicycle access to thewaterfront and Myrtle Edwards Park,including at-grade access.

A neighborhood with a sense ofownership and seamless transitionbetween public and private space.

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(Transit)

G8: A neighborhood served by anefficient and easy to use transitsystem.

(Parking)

G9: A neighborhood with sufficientparkhrg to meet the needs of Belltownresidentr and businesses, and wherethe provision of adequate parkingdoes not encourage people to choosecar trips over other modes.

(Alleys)

G1O:

G i l :

A neighborhood with well designedand constructed green streetimprovements on designated greenstreets.

A neighborhood with alleys which areviable pedestrian and bicycle routesand business access points, whilemaintaining their function for serviceaccess.

(Green Streets)

G 12: A neighborhood with well designedstreerscapes tiat enhance thecharacter and function of Belltown’sstreets and avenues.

Community Enrichment and Social Services

G13:

G14:

A thriving, integrated community thattakes a stewardship role in thecommunity.

A neighborhood with a neighborhoodcenter that provides facilities andservices for neighborhood residents.

Public Safety and Neighborly Regulations.

G 15: A neighborhood where it is safe tolive, work and play. “

G 1: A major employment center, tourist andconvention attraction, shopping magnet,residential neighborhood, and regionalhub of cuIturaI and entertainmentactivities.

G2:-A unique neighborhood identity for theCommercial Core.

Open Space

G2: A community with a strong quali~ oflife through public art and cleanliness.

Public Safety

G: A community which invites pedestrianand tourist activity through a highlevel of civil behavior and cleanliness.

Housing

G: A diveme community with asignificant residential population.

Economic Development

G: A diverse and unique community withan eclectic mix of businesses andmajor community facilities

TransporQtion and Utilities

G: A community with an efficienttransportation system that providesefficient access to sites inside andoutside neighborhood boundaries.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PZ.AN

Gl: Thriving businesses, organizations, andcultural institutions.

Housing Diversity and Affordability

Gl: A neighborhood with diverse andaffordable housing

Safe and Dynamic Public Spaces

G l : Create Safe and Dynamic PublicSpaces

Accessibility

G: An accessible neighborhood witfrhrand to the neighborhood for alltransportation modes, whileencouraging less dependence on carsand greater use of transit, bikes andwalking.

111. NEIGHBORHOOD POLICIES

The following policies were drafted by the fivedowntown urban village neighborhoods toprovide implementation direction for-the goalslisted in Chapter Il.

Housing

PI.

P2. -

P3.

Seek an even distribution ofhousehold income levels.

.Implement bonuses, zoning, TDRprograms and Chy investment tostimulate housing developmentthroughout the Denny TriangleNeighborhood.

Maintain a balance in the SUOOIV oflow-income units in propoti”&”to thesupply of low-moderate, moderate,and market rate units in the DennyTriangle neighborhood throughout

the life of the plan.

Land Use

P].

P2.

P3.

Consider a variety of [and use tools,including increased height limi~ andfloor area ratios, TDRs design reviewprocesses, bonuses for public benefitfeatures and exempting housing andretail space from floor area ratio tostimulate both residential andcommercial development..

Encourage a mix of low, moderateand market rate affordable housingthroughout the neighborhood,incorporated into projects that mixcommercial and residentialdevelopment within the sameprojects.

SUDDOrt creation of “residentialen~iaves” of predominantly residentialdevelopment along key green streetcouplets at 9* and Terry Avenuesand Bell and B[anchard Streetsidentifiable as residentialneighborhoods by small parks,



improved streetscapes, retail tisnctionsand transportation improvements thatsupport neighborhood residents andemployees alike.

P.4 Develop air rights over/at ConventionPlace Station and redevelop as amixed-use, high density area.

Urban Form

PI.

P2.

P3.

P4.

P5.

P6.

P7.

Encourage the development of”gateway markers at major entrywaysto tfre neighborhood along DennyWay.

Encourage the creation of new majoropen spaces, including at WestlakeCircle and at the Olive/Howell wedge

Encourage redevelopment of smalltriangular parcels as neighborhoodopen space/parcel parks.

Designate and support thedevelopment of green streets in theneighborhood

Support redevelopment of WestlakeBoulevard as a boulevard.

Encourage the creation of open spaceas part of new public projects..

Improve existing streetscape per”theDenny Triangle Plan.

Transpomtion

PI.

P2.

P3.

P4.

P5.

Encourage the integration of WestlakeAvenue into the neighborhoodphysically, aesthetically, andoperationally, while maintaining itsarterial functions.

Use partnerships with transitprovidersto improve the basic transitroute structure, system access andconnectivity and improve bus stops tobetter serve the neighborhood.

Seek ways to improve safety andconvenience of bkyc[e travel withinand through the neighborhood.

Explore ways to improve pedestriansafety and convenience along andacross the arteriak in theneighborhood.

Consider development of trafticimprovement plans to lessen theimpact of regional automobile tra~con the Denny Triangle neighborhood.

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Apn’1 12,1999- Page 17.

Development Rights (TDR) and ,Bonusprograms.

Housing

PI:

P2:

P3:

P4:

P5:

P6:

P7:

P8:

P9:

Provide a resource to assist nonprofitdevelopers to develop new affordablehousing in the neighborhood.

Seek to preserve the exitingneighborhood scale and character bydeveloping tools which encourage theretention of existing and creation of avariety of small scale developmenttypes.

Develop methods to integrate andstabilize the current population,respect neighborhood character andserves as a catalyst for the rest of theplanning objective.

Support the neighborhood’s identifiedgoals for housing affordability.

Support projects that will increaseartist housing.

Encourage methods to improve the’effectiveness of the land use coderequirement that at least 1 O% ofunits in newly constructed buildings ofmore than 20 uni~ be provided andmaintained as affordable housing tohouseholds up to 150%.

Strive to increase the amount ofhousing production achieved throughtie Bonus and Transfer ofDevelopment Rights Program.

Strive to preserve the existing housingstock, including older buildings,subsidized units, and affordable,unsubsidized targets.

Use a variety a tools to create andpresewe affordable housing, such asincreased funding and regulatorymechanisms (i.e. Transfer df

Plo

P l l :

P12:

P13:

P14:

Develop tools for owners of existingaffordable rental housing to makeproperty improvements withouthaving to raise rerzt.s.

Strive to maintain the affordability ofexisting federally subsidized housing.

Create a forum for the ongoingmonitoring of housing affordaMity asthe market changes over time.

Develop programs to assist non-profitagencies to identify local propertyowners who might be willing to enterinto a first-right-of-refusal agreementfor sale of tieir property.

Research and re~ort tn thecommunity on housing issues relatedto specific sites where neighborhoodinput is appropriate.

Land Use

P15:

P16:

P17:

P18:

P19:

Promote pedestrian activity throughsuch methods as eliminating “deadspots” of street level activity.

Provide opportunities for artists andstart-up businesses through techniquessuch as live/work space and thetemporary use of vacant“transitional” buildings.

Promote human scaled architecture,particularly ground level retail uses.

Increase neighborhood involvement indesign review and developmentreview.

Strive to preserve and “enhance theintended residential character ofBel[town by limiting the amount ofoff-site commercial advertising in theneighborhood.


DOWNTOW tlmsm CEN2ZR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

‘P20

P21:

P22:

Maintain designated view cofidorx,

Develop public/private investmentstrategies for a healthy businessclimate that attracts and supports thetype of neighborhood businesses andother development desired to meetgrowth targets, provide jobs forresidents and to attract visitors for ahealthy business climate.

Promote opportunities for smallbusinesses to find affordable siteswithin Bel[town.

Transportation

(Overall Policies)

P22: Accommodate vehicular access,egress and parking supportingresidences, businesses, institutions anddestinations within Belltbwn.

P23: Manage routing and growth ofvehicular traffic that uses Belltown asa through-corridor and mitigateneighborhood impacts.

(Pedestrian Environment)

P24: Encourage citizens to view streets asfront porches; alleys as back doors,and parks (both public and private) asyards and gardens.

(Transit)

P25:

P26:

P27:

Explore methods to consolidate .transit service into major corridorswitlrin the neighborhood.

Develop well desified and managedmulti-modal hubs in theneighborhood.

.

Imrsrove transit access to otherneighborhoods, especially to CapitolHill and the University District.

(Parking)

P28: Strive to maintain adequate levels ofparking and provide additionalparking in the neighborhood forresidents and businesses whl[eenhancing street level activities andaesthetics.

P29: Maintain tie availability of parking inthe neighborhood for Be[ltownbusinesses and residents.

(Alleys)

P30: Promote well used, safe and cleanalleys.

P31: Promote the use and sense ofownership of alleys through the

consideration of tools such as namingalleys and allowing the numbering ofbusiness and residences whose entriesface alleys.

Community Enrichment and Social Services

P33: Encourage increased communicationbetween social service providers and “the community at large.

Public Safety and Neighborly Regulations

P34: Strive to increase participation in theBelltown Crime Prevention Council



P35:

P36:

and Block Watch Programs throughoutreach.

Promote awareness of CrimePrevention Through EnvironmentalDesign (CPTED) techniques.

Promote a safe neighborhoodenvironment to en~ourage day/nightand weekend pedestrian orientedactivity.

PI:

P2:

P3:

P4:

P5:

P6:

Explore revising [and use codes,public benefit bonuses and incentiveprograms to stimulate desirabledevelopment and suppotineighborhood goals.

Encourage variety in architecturalcharacter and building scale.

Strive to maintain the neighborhood’shistoric, cultural and visual resources.

Seek to provide housing affordable tohouseholds with a range of incomelevels.

Guide development and capitalprojects throughout the entiredowntown area through developmentof a unified urban design strategy thatprovides a vision for new publicfacilities, waterfront connections,pedestrian environments, transitlinkages and open spaces.

Strive to take advantage ofopportunities to develop new publicopen space, and encouragedevelopment of a system ofconnected green spaces and openpublic areas.

P7:

P8:

P9:

Plo:

P l l :

P12:

P13:

Use Green Streets and open space asa means to improve urban designcharacter and provide amenities that ‘support growth.

Seek to improve the cleanliness andsafe~ of streets and public spaces.

Seek to improve t@e pedestrian,qualities of streets and .pubIic spaces.

Seek to enhance pedestrianconnections between the CommercialCore and other neighborhoods.

Work with transit providers topromote convenient transit and publicaccess to and through tieCommercial Core.

Seek opportunities to improvemobility throughout the CommercialCore.

Seek to increase coordination amongdownti



,,

Mud Am.m

Open Space

Psi:

PS2:

PS3:

PS4:

Encourage the inclusion of an artjst inthe design of publicly fundedprojects.

Improve gardening, cleaning andmaintenance of Public Spaces withinthe Square through the coordinationof city departments and private ornon-profit cleaning companies.

Recognize the importance ofOccidental Corridor as the “center”of the neighborhood.

Strive to improve park areas withinthe Square through grant funding andtechnical assistance.

Public Safety

PS5: Maintain a high level of publicbehavior and civility standardsthrough police enforcement andparticipation by neighborhoodgroups.

PS6: Continue to support Good NeighborAgreemenE between existing socialservice providers and theneighborhood.

Housing

PS7:

PS8:

PS9L

Ps 10:

Encourage housing developmentthrough both new construcdon and ‘renovation of existing structures.

Encourage the retention anddevelopment of ardst live/work space.

Encourage the development ofhousing ~pportunities”for a mix of

.

incomes.

Encourage concurrent developmentof businesses necessary to supportresidents in new housingdevelopments.

Economic Development

Psll:

PS12:

PS13:

PS14

Recognize the Khsgdome North Lotdevelopment as a business anchor inthe neighborhood.

Encourage coordination betweendevelopment projeco, neighborhoodenterprise and the local labor pool -especially low-income and shelterresidents.

Strive to maintain local access toPioneer Square during major events.

Support neighborhood efforts todevelop business support andcommunication system.

Transportation and Utilities

PS15:

PS16:

Coordinate with other responsibleagencies to develop accessopportunities to the neighborhoodthrough transit and pedestrianmethods.

Strive to improve infrastructure toaccommodate increased pedestrianand traffic uses.



,,

PS17 Strengthen coordination of alleyimprovements among ci~ departmentand involved neighborhood groups.

PS 18: Encourage the development of acommunity parking program.

Cultural and Economic Vitality

PI:

P2:

P3:

P4:

P5:

P6:

Support marketing activities thatpromote neighborhood businesses,events and cultural opportunities.

Work with the Chinatown -International Dh.trict community todevelop business improvementstrategies to encourage greatercustomer patronage to individualbusinesses.

Encourage new business developmentand location within the neighborhood.

Emphasize night-time activity to tapinto a new market for businesses.

Support development of a multi-purpose community recreation centerwith space for community programsand associations.

Improve utility infrastructure, whenappropriate, m suaspo~ communicyneeds.

Housing Diversity and Affordability

P]: Seek to diversify housing stock toinclude more moderate income andfamily housing.

P2: Seek additional affordable housingstrategies to preserve existing low-income units and households.

P3: Explore resources and strategies forupgrading existhsg sub-standard andvacant buildings.

Safe and Dynamic Public Spaces

Pl :

P2:

P3:

P4

P5:

Support specific programming todeliberately activate the parks,especially Kobe Park.

Look for ways to incorporate designelements for crime preventionthroughout the neighborhood,especially in parks, parking facilitiesand alleyways.

Increase pedestrian safety by addingadditional stop signs and crosswalkstriping, where appropriate.

Build on partnerships which can worktogether to provide additionalpedestrian amenities such aspedestrian street fighting, street trees,street furniture and informationalkiosks that enhance tfre pedestrianenvironment.

Target Jackson Street, DearbornStreet and 5ti Avenue for pedestrianimprovements

Accessibility

Pl:

P2:

P3:

Seek to reduce auto congestion at keyintersections.

Work with Metro and Sound Transitto ,find ways to maximize service toresidents, customers and employees inthe neighborhood.

Improve bicycle route markings andrelated bicycle facilities, includingbicycle racks within theneighborhood.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CEhTIZR NEIGHBORROOD PLAN

P 4 :Increase short term parldngopportunities within. theneighborhood.

Figure 21 Outdoor Park Activities/Chess Table



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P/. LAND USE AND URBAN DESIGNPOLICIES

LAND USE

IntroductionSimplifying the arrangement of downtown landuse designations, acknowledging the need toaccommodate more mixed use developmentactivity, and stimulating greater privateinvestment in market-rate are primary objectivesfor downtown. As development interestscompete for a shrinking suppiy of developableland within the downtown, it is important thatregulations provide appropriate directions andincentives for the kind of development that ismost suitable and desirable” in downtown. Thefollowing goals have been designed to meetthese challenges:

+ Stimu/ate development desired byneighborhoods by revising and simplifyingthe zoning code bonus provisions.

Eliminate the existing bonus tieringsystem and replace it with a menu ofbonus features designed to implementeach neighborhood’s planning priorities.

. Eliminate unnecessary bonus featuresand replace them with new bonus featuresdesigned to implement neighborhoodplanning objectives.

. Reevaluate bonuses and their valuesevery five years to ensure bonuses areachieving neighborhood planning goals.

● Stimulate greater private investment inlow-moderate income housing (50%-80%of median income).

. Allow transferable developmentrights (TDRs) to be used for low-mocferate income housing.

. Institute a Housing Superbonus thatlinks job growth and housing .development.

t Create more oDen sDace, Green Streets,and pedestrian-orientecf street.$ indowntown.

. Assign one City departmentoversight and responsibility forimplementing Green Streets andpedestrian-oriented streets.

e Devise a fundingmechanism forimplementing the design, construction,and maintenance of Green Streets andpedestrian-oriented streets.

t Create a downtown-wide urban designmaster plan.

. The City should hire a privateconsultant to prepare a downtown-wideurban center master plan for street-right-of-ways and public places.

URBAN FORM

POLICY LU-1 : HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The preservation, restoration and re-use ofindividual historic buildings and groupings ofbuildings shall be encouraged throughdevelopment regulations, and incentives toencourage the retention of buildings mostthreatened by development pressures, andinfill development within historic districts.

1 Preservation ancjBoards and Ordinances


DOWNTOWN URBAN CEJVZZR NEIGHBORHOOD PZXV

!,

T!ze Boards responsible for evaluation andrecommendations regarding downtownlandmark structures shall be maintained andsupported. The effectiveness of locallandmarks preservation [eglslation andrelation to state and federal measures shaI[ bereviewed on a regular basis and changes madeas detinnined appropriate.

Imdementation Guideline 2 Additio~“1Landmark DesimratiomAdditional downtown buildings and groups ofbuildings that impart a strong sense ofcharacter and place through a combination ofhistoric importance, and significance in termsof architectural, cultural and/or social interestshall be considered for designation as SeattteLandmarki

Implementation Guidelhre 3 Transfer ofDevelopment Rk?hGThe transfer of unused development rightsfrom designated Seattfe Landmarks andLandmark Performing Arts Theaters locatedin those areas of downtown with the greatestdevelopment pressure shall be allowed to anyother downtown location subject to land useregulations on the sending and receiving sites.A condition of the development righrstransfer shall be the restoration andpreservation of the structure on the sendingsite. Public access shall be provided to thedesignated features of the landmark.

lmolementation Guid~ne 4 In-FillDeveloom~Within downtown historic districts not subjectto an urban renewal plan, transfer of unuseddevelopment rights shall be allowed from newdevelopment on sites vacant prior to January1, 19B4, to any eligible receiving site withindowntown, subject to land use regulations onthe sending and receiving sites and themechanisms established by Policy 24:Transfer of Development Rights.

lmdementation Guidefhre 5 Floor Ar~Bonus Limitation

Unless authorized by the LandmarksPreservation Board, development that resultsin the destruction of a structure designated asa Seattle Landmark shall not be allowed toacquire additional development rightsthrough a floor area bonus.

~tion Guideline 6 H!storicIn Resldentia[ AEM

. .

Designated Seattfe Landmarks located withbrdowntown residential zones shall be exemptfrom any restrictions on commercial densi~provided:

A. The building is restored and committedfor long term preservation.

B. After restoration the building containsresidential floor area equivalent to thatoccupied by housing as of January 1, 1974.

C. The gross floor area in nonresidential useis no greater than the total gross floor area ofthe structure prior to restoration.

-entation Guideline 7 Desiwr ReviewDowntown design review procedures anddesign guidelines shall be revised to reflectrecommendations of the Downtown UrbanCenter and downtown neighborhood plans.

POLICY LU-2: BUILDING HEIGHTThe height of new development shall beregidated to: 1 ) communicate the intensityand character of development in differentparts of downtown; 2) protect the light, airand human scale qualities of the street.environment in areas of distinctive physicaland/or historic character; and 3) providetransition to the edges of downtown tocomplement the physical form, features andlandmarks of the areas surroundingdowntown.

Mme tdion Guideline 1 Height LimitsSpecific ~eight limits shall be established forall areas of downtown. Building height shallalso be regulated through a maximum floor.area ratio. Height limits for the rest of

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Apn’1 12,1999- Page 25

DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBoRHOOD PLAN

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downtown shall be lower than that which isachievable in the office core and be in generaIconformance with the Height Concerx ma~(Map 15) and the fol[owi~g criteria:” “

A. Transition. Height limits shall taper froman apex in the office core toward theperimeter of downtown, to providetransitions to the waterfront andneighborhoods adjacent to downtown.

B. Existing Character. Height limits shallrecognize and enhance the existing scale andunique character of areas within downtownincluding the retail core, office core, the PikePlace Market, Belltown, the waterfront,Pioneer Square and the international Dktnct.

C. Development Regulations. Height limitsshall be compatible with allowed buildinguses, densities and other developmentregulations.

D. Boundaries. Height limits and [and usedistrict boundaries shall be coordinated.

E. Height Limits in Shoreline Areas. Buildingheights within shoreline areas shall be inconformance with the heigh~ established inthe Seattle Shoreline Master Program. Heightin shoreline areas shall be measured accordingto the Shoreline Master Program regulations.

F. Height Measurement. .The maximumbuilding envelope shall generally reflect thetopography of the site with allowancesprovided to reflect the street pattern andtopographic conditions.

G,. Exemptions to Height Limits for Roof-TopFeatures. The height, placement, coverage,and to a limited extent, design, of rooftopfeatures shall be regulated to allow normalbuilding or use functions and thedevelopment of solar energy.

Special roof-top features may be permitted toexceed tie height limits through a Councilconditional use. The request for additional

height shall be evaluated on the basis ofpublic benefits provided, the possible impactsof the additional height, consistency with the ‘City’s Land Use PoIicies, design review andthe folIowing specific criteria:

.

●

✎

✎

✎

The feature shall be compatible with andnot advemely affect the downtownskyline.

The feature shall not significantlyadversely affect the light, air, solar andvisual access of properties within a 300-foot radius.

The feature, supporting structure and theassociated building or structure below,shall be compatible in design elementssuch as bulk, profile, coIor and materials.

The feature shall not adversely affect thefunction of existing transmission orreceiving equipment within a 5-mi[eradius.

The increased size is required for thesuccessful physical function of the feature.

H. Exemptions to Height Limits for UrbanDesign Compatibility. The height of buildingsmay be perrriitted to exceed current heightlimits in DOC1 and DOC2 zones by up td20’%0, provided tiat there is no increase infloor area ratio density, through the designreview process. The request for additionalheight shall be evaluated on the basis ofpublic benefits provided, the possible impacts”of the additional height, consistency with theCity’s Land Use Policies, design review andthe following specific criteria:

. The additional height shaIl improve theurban design relationship of the buiklingto its neighbors by relating to the heightof adjacent buildings.

. The additional height shall improve thearchitectural aesthetics of the building by

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Ap?il 12,1999- Page 26

DOMLNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

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allowhsg options to squat, bulky buildingshapes.

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Ap”l 12; 1999- Page 27

Height Concept Map

AN —0 2 4 6 8 , 0w,, ,. Km FEm

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4199


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The additional heizht shall allow a moreefficient, functfon~ configuration of thebuilding tower.

. The addkiona[ height shall not adverselyaffect the prioritization of housing in tiebonus system.

POLICY LU-3: BUILDING SCALE

The form and arrangement of large buildingsshall be controlled to reduce shadow andwind impacts at the street level and promotea strong physical and human scale relationshipwith the pedestrian environment. In areaswhere consistency of building form isimportant to the maintenance of anidentifiable character and function, buildingbulk shall be regulated to achieve integrationof new and existing development. Inresidential areas the bulk of tall buildings shallbe limited to provide for light, air and viewsat street level and reduce the perceived scaleof the buildlngs.

Development standards to reduce impacts oflarge scale buildings shall vary by districtconsistent with the desired scale anddevelopment pattern in the area. Buildingbulk may be regulated through: upper levelrequirements, site coverage limits abovecertain height of structures, maximum walldimensions, view corridor setback, andminimum site size.

POLICY LU-4 STREET LEVEL VIEWS

Street level views of important naturalfeatures shall be identified and designated asview corridors. View corridors shall beprotected through regulations controllingactions within the public right-of-way andreasonable development standards forabutting property.

on Gu ideline 1 View CorridorsThe street segments tfrat provide views toElliott Bay, West Seattle, Mount Riinier andthe Olympic Mountains shall be designated

view corrfdors in” accordance with ViewCorridors Map. These designated Viewcorridors shalI be considered in evahrathrgstreet vacations and encroachments inaccordance with Policy LU-6: Uses of StreetSpace, and skybridges and aerial trams inaccordance with Policy T-4 PedestrianCirculation.

entatzon Gu ideline 2 View Corndor&ZbacksIn addition to any setbacks required toreduce building bulk, the upper portion ofbuildings shall be set back to provide a viewcorridor along street segments designated asView Corridors Setbacks.

The elevation and the depth of setback shallbe adjusted in relation to topography toenhance the scope of the view. The verticalelevation of the setback shaI[ be related to thelower height of existing development near thewaterfront, over which the pedestrianpresently has broad views. As streets risefrom the waterfront, the height at which thesetback must occur to maintain the scope ofview shall decrease.

The horizontal depth of tie setback shall alsovary. Uphill, where the elevation of thesetback is lowest, the depth of the setbackshall be the [east. Moving downhill, thesetback depth shall increase to maintain thewide scope of view down the street.This principle re[ating”topography andsetbacks, balances the setback requirements asthey apply to sites sequentially along eachstreet so that deep setback occur at highelevations and shallow setbacks occur at lowerelevations.

Downtown Urban Center Planrsittg Group - April 12,1999- Page 29

DOWNTOWN ~~ CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PM

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Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - April 12,1999- ,Page 30

AN “o-osm.,. ma Em

View Corridors . . . m W,,q2/99

DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NHGHBORHOOD PLAN

POLICY LU-5: STREET LEVELDEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

A strong relationship between buildings andthe sidewalk environment shall be establishedthrough specific street level developmentstandards and incentives. StreetwalIs, facadetransparency, blank walls, screening ofparking, street landscaping, and overheadweather protection shall be regulated.Standards shall be based on the pedestrianenvironment policies and the pedestrianstreet classification system.

The standards are intended to: 1 ) make thestreets an enjoyable and pleasant place to be;2) provide visual interest for the pedestrian;3) provide a comfortable sense of enclosurealong the street; 4) integrate individualbuildings witfrin the streetscape; 5) bring theactivity occurring within buildings into directcontact with the street environment; and 6)provide strong edges to clearly define publicopen spaces.

lmdementation Guideline 1 DevelopmentWndards in Soecial DistncKStreet level development within the PioneerSquare Preservation District, InternationalSpecial Review District and Pike Place ProjectUrban Renewal Area shall be regulated inaccordance with guidelines developed andadministered by the appropriate boards orCity department. Street level development ofwaterfront IOK shall be regulated inaccordance with Downtown Harborfrontpolicies.

lmolemenration Guideline 2 Pedestrian StreetClassificationThe Pedestrian Street Classification Systemand map included in tie TransportationElement shall form the basis for regulatingstreet level development. Standards shall varydepending on the classification of the streetand the predominant character of the area.

JmDCementation Guideline 3 Standards foreneral Street Walls

General street wall standards shall beestablished throughout downtown for theminimum required street wail height and the “maximum area that the street wall may be setback from the street property line.

ideline 4 Standards forLine St eet Wallsr

Where a consistent pattern has beenestablished by existing development, stricter .-”street wall standards shall apply at thoselocations identified on the Property LineStreet Walls map (Map 18).

entatson Gu ideline 5 Facade

visibili~ to building intetjors or display ,,windows shall be required inorder tomaintain an attractive and diverse pedestrianenvironment.

Implementation Gu ideline 6 8lank Wall~The length of blank walls shall be limited toprevent the disruption of existing patterns ofuse and avoid an uninviting streetenvironment.

~t on Gu@i “ eline 7 OverheadWeather Protecti“onA floor area bonus shall, be established toencourage the provision of overhead weaxerprotection along all Class I Pedestrian “Streetsin areas where floor area bonuses apply.

lttuzlementatkm Gu idelhre 8 Streetandsca~

Street trees shall be required on all downtownstreets as part of new development toprovide a visual amenity for pedestrians aswell as a psychological buffer from the noiseand dirt of street traffic. Deciduous trees shallbe preferred. Tree planting shall conform tothe Street Tree Planting standards of the Ckyof Seattle, subject to the followingmodifications

A. Street trees and other landscaping ondesignated view corridors within the public

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group. April 12,1999- Page 32.

DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD lZAN

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right-of-way shall be subject to standardsdeveloped to assure view preservation.

B. Street trees and other landscaping onGreen Streets shall be provided according tothe specific design for each Green Street.

C. Where areaways are located beneath thepublic sidewalk, provision shall be made forbelow grade planting containers toaccommodate the required streetlandscaping.

Implementation Guideline 9 Scre-fPac!dmParkhrg within structures at or above gradeshall be screened to ensure an active andvisually pleasing street environment. Type Iand 11 Pedestrian Streets shall be protectedfrom visual impact of parking. Parking atstreet level shall not be permitted in Type [Pedestrian Streets unless separated from thestreet by another use. In other locations,parking within structures at street level maybe allowed provided it is screened from viewat sidewalk level, and the street level wallshall be enhanced by architectural detailing,artwork, landscaping or features providingsimilar visual interest. Lighting shall beshielded to minimize nighttime glare affectingnearby areas.

Landscaping and a solid fence or wall or alandscaped berm shall be provided along tiestreet frontage of surface parking lots.

POLICY LU-6: USES AT STREET LEVELUses at street level which provide pedestrianinterest and generate activity shall be requiredor encouraged selectively in conformancewith policies for the pedestrian environment.Street level uses shall be promoted toreinforce and not dilute existing retailconcentrations, enhance main pedestrian linksbetween areas and establish new pedestrianactivity where appropriate to meet areaobjectives. Incentives for the provision ofstreet level uses and for shopper amenities

shall be provided by FAR exemptions or ‘aspart of the bonus program.

Retail and service uses shall be required at thestreet level of new development inaccordance with the Street Level Use map,where the continuity of retail activity hasbeen determined to be important.

Wh&e e&rior public benefit features aredeveloped in accordance with tie standardsof Poficy LU-22: Floor Area Bonus System,street level uses shall be in” conformance withthe criteria for the feature provided.

Uses which are accessible to the generalpublic, open during established shopping,hours, generate walk-in pedestrian clienteleand contribute to a high level of pedestrianactivity shall qualify for the use requirement.

A floor area bonus and exemption fromcalculation in allowed density shall” be grantedfor inclusion of specified street level use onall Class I Pedestrian Streets and GreenStreets in office, retail and mixed use areas.

Eligible locations for retail shopping andshopper amenity bonuses (shopping atriumsand shopping corridors) are shown on jthefollowing map.

POLICY LU-7: SIGNS

Signs shall be regulated to: 1 ) allow adequateidentification of businesses; 2) add interest tothe street level environment; 3) reduce visualclutter, and 4) enhance the appearance andsafety of the downtown area. All signs shallbe oriented to pedestrians and persons invehicles at street level.

Downtown Urban Cmter Planning Group - April 12,1999- Page 33

Special Review ~ N o!,SIX,,,. *W FEmOverlay Districts

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DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER iVEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

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A maximum height regulation for alldowntown signs shall be established. Signs onroofs and the upper floors of buildingsintended primarily to be seen by motoristsand others from a distance shall beprohibited.

The present policy of prohibiting the issuanceof permits for new billboards shall continue;existing billboards may be maintained andrepaired, but shall not be expanded orstructurally altered.

Signage within the Pioneer SquarePreservation District, International SpecialReview District and tie Pike Place ProjectUrban Renewal Area “shall be subject to theregulations and approval of the appropriateboards.

POLICY LU-8: LAND USE AREAREGULATION

To recognize and enhance the urban centerdesignation and the varied character ofdowntown’s many parts and providedirection for growth and change, downtownshall be divided into areas which establish aprimary land use function. All areas ofdowntown shall be classified with one of thefollowing primary functional designations● O f f i c e● Reta i l. Mixed Use Commercial● Mixed Use Residential. Harborfront

In addition, the designation shall be consistentwith tie furdon and purpose of specialdistricts as established by the City Council.

POLICY LU-9: USES

A wide range of uses shalI be alloweddowntown, consistent with the goals tomaintain downtown’s regional importance,create a strong residential community,improve the physical environment and addactivity and diversity to the areas of variedchar@er. Uses which conflict with thegeneral objectives for downtown shall beprohibited. Those that are not compatiblewith the desired character of specific areasmay be restricted or prohibited in an area

Imrslemen tation Guidel ine 1 Uses PermittedIhrouEhout DowntowmIn keeping with the goals for variety anddiversity of activity in downtown, a widerange of categories of uses shall be permittedthroughout downtown, provided such usesare compatible with the intended characterand fimction of the area and, subject to thedensity and development standards of eachIand use district.

mentation Gu ideline 2 Restricted U esWhere certain uses conflict with the inten~edcharacter and function of an area they shallbe restricted or su~ect to a conditional useprocedure.

. .Mementauon Guideline 3 P ted UsesrohibiThe following uses which would conflict withthe overall objectives for the downtownenvironment shall be prohibited: heavymanufacturing, and drive-in businesses,except accessory use gas stations.

[n certain areas some uses maybe prohibited:

o Residential uses and new hotels shall beprohibited in the Harborfront where suchuses may create conflicts with the water-oriented function of the area.

. Light manufacturing uses and heavy cargohandling facilities may be prohibited inareas where these uses are incompatiblewith the desired character of the dktrict.

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Apn.1 12,1999. Page 35

‘\“-l“\

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1 r Street Level Use Required

m S&:ew:r:veDR:#ted by

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Street Level Use !,JK,w 9.,, (-W.,2/99

DOWNTOWN URBAN CEN’17R NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

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Adult motion picture theatem and adultpanoramas are incompatible with theresidential character of residential, mixed useand special review districts, and theHarborfront

LAND USE DISTRICTS

POLICY LU-1 O: DOWNTOWNCLASSIFICATIONS AND OVERLAYDISTRICTS

In recognition of the diversity of downtown’smany parts, 11 land use district classificationsestablished to regulate uses and physicaldevelopment, as follows:.......●

✎

✎

✎

Downtown Office Core-1 (DOC- 1 ).Downtown Office Core-2 (DOC-2).Downtown Retail Core (DRC).,Downtown Mixed Commercial (DMC).Downtown Mixed Residential (DMR).Pike Market Mixed (PMM).Pioneer Square Mixed (PSM).International District Mixed (IDM).international District Residential (IDR).Downtbwn Harborfront- 1 (DH- 1 ).Downtown Harborfront-2 (DH-2).

Where past planning activities haveestablished special overlay regulations torecognize sensitive environmental, physical,historical or cultural qualities, the land usedistrict classification shall be coordinated withthe following overlays

. Pike Place, Project Urban Renewal Area.

., Pike Place Market Historic District.

. Pioneer Square Preservation District.

. International Special Review District.

. Seattle Shorelines Master Program.

Imi)lementation Guideline 1 DistrictClassificationEach classification shall establish the district’sfunction, criteria for determining boundaries,appropriate uses and density, and fieigh~ and

site development standards to regulatephysical form.

. .eline 2 Land Use

Locational criteria shall guide theestablishment of district boundaries.

A. F_unctionCertain areas are charati”nzed by a specificactiviW. UsuaI[y thk activity occurs becauseof factors critical to its successful operation,such as access to transportation,topographicconditions, or the presence of aparticular amenity. The office and retail coresare examples of areas identified by aparticular function.

Where it is desirable to protector promotespecific functions, uses related to orcompatible with that function shall beencouraged. Conflicting uses shall berestricted.

The maximum amount of space, or grossfloor area, allowed shall be established by[and use classification. In areas withoutoverlay regulations, the density of “uses whichgenerate employment shall be controlledthrough a floor area ratio (FAR), and thedensity of residential uses generally controlledthrough the combination of height and bulkregulations.

B. Scale and Character of DevelopmentAreas like Pioneer Square, the InternationalDistrict and the retail core are distinguishedby a consistent scale and character ofdevelopment. Land use district boundariesshall reinforce these special areas.Development standards for new developmentshall respect established patterns, both inphysical scale and nature of activity.

[n some parts of downtown a new characterwill be created. Direction for the scale andcharacter of development shall be providedto create the desired physical environment inthese areas.

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - AF”l 12,1999- Page 36


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C. Transportation and Infrastructure CapacityEmployment growth shall occur only whereadditional trips generated by newdevelopment can be accommodated by theexisting and planned transporkwion network.The location of I-5 and proposed

improvements to the transit system, includingthe transit tunnel, define those areas ofdowntiwn with the greatest accessibility.

D. Relationship to Surrounding ActivityEdges shall be a major factor in establishingthe boundaries of [and use disgics. DMrictdesignations shall create or reinforce areaswith distinctive functions in some cases,while providing desirabIe transitions between,different functions and levels of activity inothers.

Many identifiable edges distinguish where onearea of downtown ends and another begins.Features, such as I-5 and Denny Way, orsignificant changes in topography createabrupt, distinctive edges. Other edges aremore subtle, resulting from a gradual changein use or intensity of development.

Implementation Gu ideline 3 OverlayClassificationOverlay regulations have been established byearlier planning to further specific goals andobjectives for areas of downtown whereguidance is needed to protect and promotespecial qualities. These regulations shall becontinued and supported by underlyingzoning and coordinated to avoidredundancies or conflicts.

POLICY LU-11 : DOWNTOWN OFFICECORE- 1 (DOC- 1 )Downtown Office Core- 1 shall apply to tiearea of most concentrated office activity. Alarge share of downtown’s futureemployment growth shall be accommodatedwithin this district where the existing andplanned infrastructure can accommodategrowth. Although the area is intendedprimarily for office uses, other uses including

housing, retaiI, hotels and cukural andentertain-ment facilities shaIl be encouragedto add diversity and activily beyond theworking day.

This area shaIl have the highest aI[oweddensity wish development standardsregulating buklbsg design to reduce adverseimpacts on sidewalks and other pedestrianareas.

POLICY LU-12: DOWNTOWN OFFICECORE-2 (DOC-2)Downtown Office Core-2 sha[l apply bJ thoseareas adjacent to the office core determinedappropriate for office expansion or where atransition in density to mixed use areas is,desirable. The district shall be primarily foroffice use with a mix of other activitiesencouraged to add diversity, partictdarlybeyond the hours of the normal working day.The @trict shall provide scale and densitytransitions to adjacent areas and reducepressures for development of major officeuses in the retail core and adjacent residentialareas.

POLICY LU-13: DOWNTOWN RETAILCORE (DRC)Downtown retail core shall apply to the areacontaining the major department stores andhaving the greatest concentration of“downtown’s retail activity. The district shallbe the principal center of shopping for boththe downtown and the region. Uses otherthan retail shall be allowed to the extent thatthey augment but do not detract from .tfdsprimary function. An active and pleasantstreet level environment shall be maintainedthrough development standards specificallytailored to the unique function and characterof this area.

DowntoruJI Urban Center Planning Group - April 12,1999- Page 37


POLICY LU- 14: DOWNTOWN MIXEDCOMMERCIAL (DMC)Downtown Mined Commercial shall apply tothose areas surrounding the office core, oftlce‘expansion areas and retail core to provide atransition in the level of activity and scale ofdevelopment. The areas designated DMCshall be characterized by a diversity of uses.Office and commercial use shall bepermitted, but at lower densities than in theoffice areas. Housing and other usesgenerating activity without substantiallycontributing to peak hour traffic demand shallbe encouraged. To promote diversity andcompatibility witfr adjacent areas, one of fiveheight limits shall apply to each areadesignated DMC.

POLICY LU-15: DOWNTOWN MIXEDRESIDENTIAL (DMR)Downtown Mixed Residential shall apply tothose areas ourside special review districtsidentified for development of apredominantly residential community inconformance with the Framework Policies.While the primary use shall be residential,other compatible uses shall be allowed to theextent that they reinforce and do not detractfrom the primary function of the area.

One of two mixed use designation shall beapplied to achieve subarea objectives;DMR/R or DMR/C. The DMR/R designationshall apply to those areas now predominan~yresidential in character or containing largeamounts of underutilized land, non-residential

uses may be present but should be ,of modestscale, likeIy to change in the future, orneighborhood serving in character. TheDMIVC designation shall apply to those areascontaining housing or having housingpotential where larger scale, non-residentialserving commercial development now existsand it is likely to remain.

To promote diversity and’ harmony withexisting development and allow a variety ofhousing forms, multiple height, mix of useand density classifications shall be established.Development standards shall control towersand promote a pleasant street levelenvironment conducive to a high densityresidential environment.

POLICY LU-16: PIONEER SQUARE MIXEDAND SPECIAL REVIEW DISTRICT (PSM)Pioneer Square Mixed shall apply to thePioneer Square District area. This designationand the Pioneer Square Preservation Districtregulations shall recognize the historic natureof the area and allow flexibility and discretionin controls, regulations and guidelines bothfor present conditions and those which maydevelop in the future. The Pioneer SquareMixed designation and Preservation Districtregulations shall encourage mixed usedevelopment compatible in use and scale withexisting development in Pioneer Square.

POLICY LU-17: INTERNATIONALDISTRICT MIXED AND SPECIAL REVIEWDISTRICT (IDM)International District Mixed shall apply.tothose areas of the International SpecialReview District identified for mixed usedevelopment in conformance with theDowntown Framework Policies. The IDMdesignation and the regulations of theInternational Special Review District shallrecognize and promote the area’s uniquesocial, mix of use and urban design character.A wide range of uses, housing above thestreet level, and the rehabilitation of existingbuildings shall be encouraged. The IDMdesignation and 5pecial Review District

Downtown Urbati Centm Planning Group - April 12,1999- Page 38

DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER Ni51GB0RHooD PLAN

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regulations shall allow flexibility anddiscretion in controls, regulations, andguidelines both for present conditions andthose which may develop in the future.

Three height districts shall be establishedwithin the International District Mixed area asf o l l o w s

A. IDM 65 -150To maintain the predominance and characterof the historic Union Station structure, theheight of new buildings shall be limited to 65feet in the area bounded by South JacksonStreet, Fourth Avenue South, Airport Way

South and Fifth Avenue South. Within thisarea height may be increased to 150 feetthrough the planned community developmentprocess in accordance with Policy IM- 1:Planned Community Development.

B. IDM 75-85To ensure compatibility of scale in the coreof the district, new buildings shall be limitedto a height of 75 feet. The base buildingheight may be increased to a maximum of 85feet, if at least 50 percent of the gross floorarea of a project is in residential use.

C. IDM 100-120To provide compatibility in scale with thebordering areas of Pioneer Square and theInternational District hilltop, new buildingsshall be limited to a height of 100 feet in thearea bounded by South Jackson Street,Fourth Avenue South, Yes[er Way and FifthAvenue South The 100-foot base buildingheight may be increased to a maximum of120 feet if at least 75 percent of the grossfloor area of a project is in residential use, orthrough a planned communi@ developmentprocess in accordance with Policy 47:Planned Community Development.

POLICY LU-18: INTERNATIONALDISTRICT RESIDENTIAL AND SPECIALREVIEW DISTRICT (IDR)

international District Residential shall apply tothose areas of the International SpecialReview District identified for development asa predominantly residential neighborhood inconformance with the Downtown FrameworkPolicies. While the primary use shaI[ beresidential, other compatible uses shaIl be”allowed to the extent that they reinforce anddo not detract from the primary function ofthe area. The IDR designation and theregulations of the International SpecialReview District shall recognize and promotethe area’s unique social and urban designcharacter.

POLICY LU-19: DOWNTOWNHARBORFRONT-I AND SHORELINEENVIRONMENT (DH-1 )

Downtown Harborfront- 1 shall apply towaterfront lots and adjacent harbor areascovering the same area as the proposedUrban Harborfront Shoreline Environment.This designation and the Seattle ShorelinesMaster Program shall encourage economicallyviable marine uses to meet the needs ofwaterborne commerce, facilitate therevitalization of downtown’s waterfront,provide opportunities for public access andrecreational enjoyment of the shoreline,preserve and enhance elements of historicand cultural significance and presetve views ofElliott Bay and the land forms beyond.

A. Historic Character Area. An overlay tothe base regulations shall be established toprovide more detailed guidelines for thepresewation and restoration of groupings ofpiers having an identifiable historic character.

Location. An historic character area shall bedesignated in the Urban HarborfrontShoreline Environment inclusive of Piers 54through 59 but excluding the new Aquariumstructure, an area characterized by theconsistent, contiguous pattern of finger piersand historic transit sheds.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PMN

Development Regulations. Base regulationsshall be augmented by developmentguidelines to preserve and restore the historicmaritime character of this area. Guidelinesshall be developed for architectural form,building facade, fenestration, signage,landscaping, street furniture, and use ofbuilding materials in keeping with the historiccharacter of the finger pier and transit shedconfiguration.

B. Water Dependent Incentive. Thosewaterfront lots not located in the historiccharacter area shall be eligible for anincentive which provides regulatory flexibilityto encourage projects with a significant waterdependent component.

Incentives shall be provided to encourage theretention of existing and development of newwater dependent uses. For developmentwhich includes a significant water dependentcomponent, in addition to the requiredmoorage, development standards shall allowgreater development potential and designflexibility than permitted by the baseregulations.

POLICY LU-20: DOWNTOWNHARBORFRONT-2 (DH-2)

Downtown Harborfront-2 shall apply to thoseareas near the downtown shoreline wheredevelopment potential offers the opportunityto enhance public access and enjoyment ofthe waterfront. A mix of uses shall be allowedto facilitate the objectives of public access,enjoyment and recreation. Because the areasdesignated DH~2 are partially within ashorelines environment, developmentstandards shall include use and bulkregulations to carry out shorelines goals, andpreserve views of the water. A diversity ofuses and buildings of small scale shall bepreferred. Public open space shall be apriority in this area and incentives shall beoffered for provision of open spaceintegrated with an overall plan for publicaccess improvements in the Harborfront.

POLICY LU-21 : PIKE MARKET MIXED(PMM)

Pike Market Mixed shalI apply to the areaencompassed by the Pike Place Project UrbanRenewal Plan. This land use district shaI[recognize and preserve the unique character,scale_ and function of the Market and itssurroundings, and allow development of

.

compatible mixes of uses in conformancewith adopted plans and policies for theMarket. The Pike Place Project UrbanRenewal Plan and the Historic DistrictPreservation Plan shall guide development inthis area.

INCENTIVES SYSTEM

POLICY LU-22: FLOOR AREA BONUSSYSTEM

incentives for the inclusion of featuresdetermined to be of benefit to the publicbecause they mitigate tie impacts of newdevelopment, shall be provided by grantingadditional floor area in conformance withdowntown policies, density regulations of theappropriate land use district classification, anddesign review. The value of the bonus shalireflect both public priority for the feature’and the cost of providing it. The total of alladditional development rights granted forpublic benefit features shall be limited by amaximum floor area ratio.

Inidemen@tion GUideline 1: General Bonusures

Reevaluate, simplify and balance the menu ofGeneral Bonus Features. General bonusfeatures shall be established in order 1 ) toincrease housing production, 2) to prioritizefeatures that support housing, 3) to address


Lloc-1DOC-2DRCOMCDMR

Office Core-1Ofim core-zRetail CoreMixed CommercialMixed Rosiddial(RIR Residential)(WC Reside”tial!COmmerciall

PSMIDM

I D RPMMDH-1OH-2

(’)

P i o n e e r Square Mixedinternational Districl MixedInternatioml Dstricl Residential,FWe Market MixedHarbmfmm.1Harbor front-2base heighwrwx! mum heightheight requires City Council apprm WI 5 ROYA, BROLCHAU - ‘> 1

L: . . - U LW L._m_. ._iJ 1! U I

AN a0 2 4 6 8 , 0SC.,, ,. ,m FEET

Downtown Zoning Classifications w. #s,l,””#,.*

4199

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the demand created by increasedemployment densities downtown, 4) toprovide needed open space, 5) to improveurban design qualities, 6) to enhancepedestrian circulation, and 7) to improve theappearance of the cityscape and skyline.Additional development rights shall begrantdd for the. following features near targetpopulations, in “conformance with theregulations of the appropriate land use districtclassification and subject to design review

A. Human Services. To aI[ow facilities tolocate near target populations, this incentivebonus shall apply in all downtown areaswhere floor area increases are permitted.

B. Child Care Services. To allow facilities tobe in close proximity to places ofemployment and to encourage affordablechild care for the downtown work force, thisincentive bonus shall apply in all areas wherefloor area increases are permitted.

C. Cinema. To encourage activiW afierworking hours, this incentive bonus shallaPply in all areas where floor area increasesare permitted.

D. Shopping Atrium. To encourageintensification of retail shopping activity inthe retail core and adjacent areas, floor areaincreases shall be granted for public spaces ofvarying in sizes that provide a combination ofretail shopping and passive recreational spacesdirectly accessible from the street. These willbe interior spaces with high ceilings, seatingand landscaping surrounded by shops andservices which may be on several levels.

E. Shopping Corridor. To enhance pedestriancirculation as well as provide for additionalretail frontage, floor area increases shall begranted for through-block passages lined withshops connecting parallel avenues in the retailcore and adjacent areas.

F. Retail Shopping. Provision of space forretail shops, restaurants, personal services,

amusement establishments, galleries and otheruses that are retail in character shall begranted additional floor area. Banks, airline ‘ticket agencies, travel agencies and similaruses shall not qualify for this incentive.Qualifying uses shall be granted a “floor areaincrease in all areas, except tie retail core,when fronting on any Class I Pedestrian Street.and.along Green Streets in commercial areas. .

G. Parcel Park. SmalI landscaped open spaceswhich include retail activity and are suited toa variety of activities shall be grantedadditional floor area. The park shall be witfdn3 feet of the sidewalk level along the primarystreet frontage. To avoid disruption of thestreet wall, the street opening shall be limited,and only one parcel park shall be permittedper street front. Additional floor area shall begranted for parcel parks in all downtownoftice and mixed commercial areas.

H. Residential Parcel Park. Additional floorarea shall be granted for small landscapedresidential parcel parks to reinforce residentialareas, and provide neighborhood public spacefor passive and active recreational activities.Street frontage requirements shall be similarto parcel parks. Floor area increases for thisincentive shall be limited to mixed. useresidential areas where floor area increasesare permitted.

1. Green Streets. Additional floor area shallbe granted for participation in thedevelopment of green stree~ abutting newprojects in accordance with an adopted greenstreet development procedure. This incentiveshall be granted only for specifiedimprovements along designated green streetsin accordance with the provisions of theOpen Space Element..

J. Rooftop Garden - Street Accessible.Additional floor area shall be granted for theinclusion of open space on rooftops nearVreet level which improve the appearance ofthe cityscape from street level and the upperfloors of surrounding buildings. Street


DOWiVTOWiV URBAN CEN’IER NUGHBORHOOD PLAN

accessible rooftop gardens shall be landscapedopen space directly accessible and visiblefrom the street or other public open space.Additional floor area for this feature shalI begranted in all office and mixed commercialareas.

K. Rooftop Garden - Interior Accessible.Additional floor area shall be granted forlandscaped public open spaces located onrooftops to a maximum of 240 feet abovegrade. Rooftop gardens shall be directlyaccessible from the elevator lobby of thefloor on which they are located. Identificationof the location of the rooftop garden shall beposted at the main entrance of tie buildingand in each elevator. Floor area increases forrooftop gardens shall be granted in all officeand mixed commercial areas.

L. HilIclimb Assist. Additional floor area shallbe granted for pedestrian corridors thatincorporate mechanical features such aselevators or escalators, across sites with slopesof 10 percent or more, to aid pedestrianmovement up and down steep slopesconnecdng two parallel avenues.

M. Hillside Terrace. Additional floor areashall be granted for public open spaceextensions of the sidewalk on steeply slopingstreets which promote a better relationship,becween the building and sidewalk and maketravel on foot more pleasant. The terraceshall extend along the majority of the street

frontage of the site and include shoppinguses.

N. Harborfront Open Space. Additional floorarea shaI[ be granted for open space thatimproves public circulation between thewaterfront and up[and, areas and conformswith guidelines developed for the AlaskanWay_ Harborfront Public Improvement P[an.The open space shall have frontage,on .-Alaskan Way or have direct access to itthrough a public space.

O. Sidewalk Widening. Additional floor areashall be granted for sidewalk widening whenbuikihrgs are set back from the streetproperty line to meet the minimum sidewalkwidth requirement in accordance with thePedestrian Street Classification schedule ofImplementation Guideline 4, Policy 8: StreetClassification System.

P. Overhead Weather Protection. Additionalfloor area shall be granted for overheadweather protection that covers portions ofthe sidewalk. Included shall be nonstructuralfeatures like canopies, awnings and marqueesand structural features iike buildhsg overhangsand arcades. This incentive shalI apply alongall streets designated Class I Pedestrian Streetsin accordance with Policy 8: StreetClassification System.

Q. Voluntary Building Setback. Additionalfloor area shall be granted for voluntarybuilding setbacks which increase thelandscaped area along Green Streets in.mixeduse residential areas where floor areaincreases are permitted. To be eligible for thisincentive, the setback must reinforce thecharacter of the Green Street and provide aunifying element within the residential area.

R. Sculptured Building Tops. Additionalfloor area shall be granted for reductions inbulk within the upper floors of structures inoffice areas to improve tie appearance of thedowntown skyline and provide light and air tothe street. Additional floor area and building

Downtown Urban Center P[anning Group - April 12,1999- Page 43

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height shall be granted for the total amountof area by which each floor is reduced.

S. Short Term Parking. Additional floor areashall be granted for provision of short-termparking to meet shopper and visitor parkingneeds in retail areas. Short term parking shaIIbe marketed, priced or operated in such amanner as. to discourage itS use for parkingdurations longer than 6 hours.

T. Small Site Development. Additional floorarea shall be granted for development of sitesless than 15,000 square feet in area in officeand retail areas, and for existing structures onsmaller sites in mixed residential areas toencourage smaller structures that will adddiversity to downtown, reduce developmentpressures on older structures and preserve amore human scale in the streetscape.

Floor area ratio restrictions shall beeliminated on small sites (less tian one-fourthblock in area) provided ,tiat 1 ) the buildingarea is regulated by height Iimit$, 2) parkingrequirements are satisfied by optional fee-in-Iieu payment, 3) the project incorporatesoverhead weather protection, ground floorretail/commercial, sculptured building tops,and public benefit features or housingbonuses to achieve a building area greaterthan 15 FAR; and 4) the project undergoesdesign review.

U. Consider expanding Grocery Store bonusbeyond current level.

lmoiementation Guideline 7 Sdec~Certain bonuses shall be subject to specialcriteria and review by the Director of DCLUand will not be automatically granted.[Consider eliminating tiis implementationguideline, making the following featuresgeneral bonus features and including them inimplementation Guideline 1 of Policy LU-22:Floor Area Bonus System above.

A. Performing Arts Theater. To promotedowntown as a center for cultural and

entertainment activities, to foster the arts inthe City, and attract people to office areasduring evening hours, bonuses shall begranted for facilities expressly designed forthe production and presentation of legitimatefive performances. Theaters ranging in sizefrom 200 to 3,000 seats plus support areas.

such as the lobby, stage, and productionstora~e space shall be eli~ble to receive abonus .

.

Additional floor area shall be granted for therenovation and presentation of LandmarkPerforming Arts Theaters. Bonuses shall besubject to special evaluation criteria to ensurethat there is a long term demand for atheater of the proposed design and size, andthat there is a sound financial plan for longterm operation and management of thetheater.

B. Public Display Space. Bonuses shall begranted for interior public space used topreserve and exhibit natural, scientific,historical, cultural or literary objects ofinterest or works of art by public or privatenon-profit organizations. Bonuses shall not begranted for commercial gallery or displayspace or for building lobby space. This bonusshall be subject to special eva[uatio,n criteriato ensure that there is public demand for theproposed exhibit facility and a sound financialplan for long term operation andmanagement. [Consider eliminating thisfeature for the whole downtown, while stillallowing individual downtown neighborhoodsto provide this feature as a bonus item..]

C. Urban Plaza. Bonuses shall be granted forthe provision of major public open spacesintegrated with the downtown transit systemand open space network in areas ofconcentrated office development. Plazas shallbe strategically located to denote importantplaces within downtown, create a focus forsurrounding development, and increase lightand air within the public street environment.This bonus shall be subject to specialevaluation criteria to ensure locations where


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORFIOOD PLAN

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large opeo spaces would complement theproposed transit system, open space networkand an active street level environment.

D. Transit Station Access. To integrate thepedestrian network with the proposed transitsystem and to minimize sidewalk conflicts,bonuses shall be granted for provision oftransit station access associated with privatedevelopment. Bonuses shall be available forthree kinds of access:

1 ) mechanical access where the transit stationis generally below the access pointnecessitating elevators and escalators forconvenient travel; 2) grade level access wheretopographic conditions allow accessapproximately level with the stationmezzanines and opportunities for daylightinto stations; and 3) provision of an easementon the private development site for publicconstruction of the transit station access.

The bonus shall be granted in office and retailareas on sites proximate to the transit stationsup to a maximum of 30,000 square feet ofadditional floor area. Approval shall besubject to special evaluation criteria to ensurethat the location and design of the transitstation access is well integrated with thetransit system and street level pedestriannetwork.

E. Public Atrium. To provide weatherprotected space within office areas for passive

recreational activities, temporary arts eventsand other public gatherings, bonuses shall begranted for the provision of skyfighted publicatriums. This bonus shall be subject to specialevaluation criteria to ensure that the space isa functionally independent part of thebuikfhsg, separated from building lobbies andinternal circulation patfrs, and has directacce~ to a street or public open space.

F. Housing. Development of low and [ow-moderate income housing in accordance withPolicy 12: Housing Development shall qualifyfor a floor area bonus.

Implementation Guideline 3: CouncilConditional UseCertain bonuses shall be subject to review’ andapproval by ChY Council. Since thesebonuses allow exceptions to density, heightand development standards in highly sensitiveareas of downtown, they may be grantedoutright, granted witi conditions or denied.

A. Major Retail Store. Bonuses may begranted for development which includesspace for major new retail firms withestablished reputations that will attractcustomerz from a regional area. Bonuses shallbe granted only in the retail core for majorretail stores which must be at [east 80,000square feet in size; tie maximum floor areaeligible for a bonus shall be 200,000 squarefeeL Since this bonus allows exceptions todensity, height and setback regulations for theretail core, City Council review and approvalshall be required, in conformance with ,Policy30: Downtown Retail Core.

8. Perfomring Arts Theater in the RetailCore. To promote downtown as a center forcultural and entertainment activities, to fosterthe arts in the Cky, and attract people to theretail core during afternoon and eveninghours, bonuses shall be granted for facilitiesexpressiy designed for the production andpresentation of legitimate live performances.The same size, design and evaluation criteriashali be used as for the performing arts


DOWNTOWN URBAWCENlW7 NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

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theater bonus in Implementation Guideline 2;however, since in the retail core this bonuswill allow exceptions to height, density anddevelopment standards, Cky Council reviewand approval shall be required inconformance with Downtown Retail Corepolicies.

C. Water Dependent Incentive. To encourageretention and development of new waterdependent uses, height and Iot coverageexceptions may be granted for developmentwh[ch includes a significant water dependentuse on waterfront lots in the’ downtownharborfront. This bonus shall be subject todevelopment standards and performancecriteria of Downtown Harborfront- 1 andShoreline Environment poficies, and shallrequire City Council review and approval.

[implementation Guideline 4: SpecialIncentive Packages

A. Housing Super Bonus. A Housing SuperBonus incentive package shall be allowed inDOC1, DOC2 and DMC (of the CommercialCore neighborhood) zones in order to createnew housing units that setve low and [ow-moderate income households.

B. Historic Building Consemation SuperBonus. A Historic Building Conservation

Super Bonus incentive package shall beallowed in DOC1, DOC2 and DMC zones inorder to encourage retention of the city’sarchitectural heritage.

Implementation Guideline 5: Value of FloorArea IncreasesIn each area where bonuses are allowed, thevalue of floor area bonuses shall reflect 1 ) thebenefit provided to mitigate tfre impacts ofincreased development, 2) the cost toprovide the desired feature, 3) thegeographic location of the feature relative toneighborhood needs and to the location ofsimilar public benefit features, and 4)neighborhood goals

There shall be no tiering used to calculatemaximum floor area ratio allowances. Rather,bonus values shall reflect priorities established ‘by the neighborhood pIans. Housing shall bethe highest priority bonus feature.

The menu of bonus features, their priorities,utilization, and values shall be reassessedevery five years. The goals and policies that . .serve as the basis for determining bonusfeatures shall be reevaluated every ten years.Adjustments to tie bonus system shall bemade in concert with adjustments to TDRprograms.

tation Gu idefine 6: Art in Pubfic

To add interest and enrich the quality ofpublic spaces, each int&ior and exteriorpublic benefit feature that inchsdes acommonly accessible open space shall includeworks of art. The art shall be an integral partof the design of the open space and may beincorporated through a variety of means. Theart may be part of wall or paving surfaces,elements of landscaping, fountains, or freestanding sculpture.

Artwork shall be included in the followingpublic benefit features[Modify the following list to reflect changesto the General Bonus Features above.]. Shopping Atrium. Shopping Corridor. Parcel Park. Residential Parcel Park● Green Street. Rooftop Garden, Street Accessible”. Rooftop Garden, Interior Accessible

~. Hillside Terrace. Harborfront Open Space. Urban Plaza. Pubfic A t r i um● Performing Arts Theater

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Aw’I 12,1999- Page 46


[m~lementation Guideline 7 Floor AreaE emutr“omG~neraIly, features meeting the standards ofthe public benefit features rule, whethergranted a floor area bonus or not, shall “beexempt from the calculation of permittedFAR regardless of the maximum bonusablearea limitations. The floor area exemption forstreet level retail shall be governed by thedensity and use schedule of the land usedistrict where the bonus is allowed.

lmdementation Guideline 8 Street WaIIExemptionsAll street frontage along public open spacesmeeting the criteria of the public benefitfeatures rule whether granted a floor areabonus or not shall be exempt from therequiremen~ of Policy 18: Street LevelDevelopment Standards.

POLICY LU-23: TRANSFER OFDEVELOPMENT RIGHTS

A Transfer of Development” Rights (TDR)system shall be established to allow forvariations in building scale and to encouragethe pre~wation of buildings and uses that arescarce public benefit resources. 8ecause alimited market for development rights exists,the use of TDR shall be controlled based onthe following priorities: 1 ) retention andrehabilitation of low income and low-

moderate income housing throughoutdowntown; 2) preservati&r of S=attlelandmarks throughout downtown, especiallyin areas where development pressurethreatens these stmctures; and 3) a menu ofoptions that are equivalent in terms oforioritv level, includh=●

✎

✎

✎

Pr&ervation and ~aintenance ofLandmark Performing.Arts TheatersCompatible in-fill development in historicd i s t r i c t sRetention of varied building scaleCreation of open space

. . .el Low and Low-

~e HousingThe transfer of unused development rightsfrom structures in low and low-moderateincome housing use to sites located elsewherein the downtown shall be allowed accordingto conditions of Implementation Guidelines 5and 6. Development rights shall not betransferred from major parkhsg on the site.When this mechanism is used, the low andlow-moderate income housing shall bebrought into compliance with the housing andbuilding codes, if necessary. Consider makingthe transfer of development rights from lowand low-moderate income housing projectspart of the floor area ratio bonus systemwithout restricting their use as the only meansof achieving maximum floor area ratio.

entauon Guideline 2 SeattleLa dma ksTh~ tra~sfer of unused development righ~from designated Seattle Landmarks, locatedsouth of Vh@nia Street, and LandmarkPerforming Arts Theaters to sites locatedelsewhere in tie downtown shall be allowed.Transfers from designated Seattle Landmarksshall be subject to the limitations on sendingand receiving sites contained in Guidelines 5and 6. The structure from whichdevelopment righ~ are transferred shall bemaintained or restored as specified by theSeattle Landmarks Preservation Board, andaccording to the procedures in the PubficBenefit Features Rule.



. . . e 6 SmaII BuildingImdementation C@&lbse 3 SeattleLandm~The transfer of unused development rightsfrom designated Seattie Landmarks to otherdowntown sites shall be allowed tocompensate for inherent functional, structuralinefficiencies that fimit leasable area.Structural inefficiencies shall be calculated ata rate of four times the percentage ofbuilding inefficiency that exceeds 100~ of thebuilding’s net floorplate. Projects that arerestored as speciffed by the SeattleLandmarks Presentation Board shall be eligiblefor the Landmark Building ConservationSuper Bonus contained in ImplementationGuideline 4 of Poficy 23: Floor Area BonusSystem above.

lmrslementation Guideline 4 Historic Districthw~ll Develorsm~The transfer of unused development rightsfrom new development on sites vacant priorto January 1, 1984, located in an historicdistrict not subject to an urban renewal plan,to sites located elsewhere in the downtownshall be allowed. Buildings with abatementorders as of January 1, 1984, and parkinglots, including minor structures accessory toparking operations, shall be considered vacantfor the purpose of this transfer provision.Transfers from in-fill sites shall be subject tothe limitations on sending and receiving sites.

Sca Ie IncentiveWithin office and retail districts, the transferof unused development rights between siteslocated on the same block shall be allowedregardless of the use on the sending site. Thissame provision shall apply whenever a blockis located partially in an office district andpartially in any other district from whichdevelopment rights may be transferred. Bothtransfer provisions shall be subject to thelimitations on sending and receiving sitescontained in Guidefines 9 and 10.

PreservalitmFor existing small buildings (less than 8,000-square-foot floorplates) the transfer ofunused development rights to otherdowntown sites shalI be allowed. Unuseddevelopment rights shall be calculated at amultiplier of four times the allowable floorarea-ratio. Buildings shall be renovated incompliance with Landmark Board standards.

i?imw$kFor City-owned property, the transfer ofunused development rights to open spacesites located witishs the downtown shall beallowed. Proceeds from the sale of transferreddevelopment rights shalI be allowed to beearmarked to finance implementation ofGreen Streets.

~on Guideiine 8 ODen St)aceLFor sites retained or developed as openspace, the transfer of unused developmentrights to other open space projects locatedwithin the downtown shall be allowed. Openspace sending and receiving sites shallconform m the location and developmentcriteria established by the downtownneighborhood plans and the downtown urbandesign framework plan. Open spacedeveloped as part of a project’s bonus ~features shall not be eligible.

Jrrm[ementation Gu ideline 9 Limitations on~Development rights may be transferred onlyfor the purposes established by Guidelines 1,2, 4 and 5, from sites iocated in thosedowntown districts not designatedHarborfront or governed by an UrbanRenewal Plan. The amount of floor area thatmay be transferred shali vary by districtconsistent with the character, function anddensities allowed in the district.

~efine 10 Limitations onRece wmz S @s. .I i

.



Development rights may be transferred onlyto sites located withbs an office, retail ormixed commercial district not containedwithin a Special Review District. Limits on theamount and location of sites that mayreceived the transferred floor area shall varyby district consistent with the character,function and densities allowed in the receivinglocation.


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MAP OF EXISTING BONUSED PUBLICBENEFIT FEATURES

TO BE REVISED OR ELIMINATED


m Existing Park

_ Pmoosed O p e n SPace

= Neighborhood Open Space

0 0 0 0 0 G r e e n Street

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V. OPEN SPACE

IntroductionOpen space fulfills several objectives in creating adowntown which supports strong residentialneighborhoods and serves as the “living room” forthe region. Assuring adequate and appropriate openspace for recreation, visual amenities; .Arrd civic priderequires significant pub[ic and private investmentdirected by a progressive master plan whichcoordinates the design and development of openspace facilities throughout the downtown consistentwith the Downtown Urban Center neighborhoodplans.

POLICY OS-1 OPEN SPACEDowntown open space shall be expanded as acomprehensive network to: 1 ) promote anorderly, visually pleasing and active environmentfor workers, residents and visitors; 2) reinforcedesired land use patterns; 3) provide links amongareas within and surrounding downtown; and 4)improve pedestrian circulation. Highest priorityfor the development of new public open spaceshall be projects to enhance residentialneighborhoods, reinforce the retail core andimprove public access to and enjoyment of thedowntown waterfront.

J I ,(&i~

A public open space priorities plan shall beprepared as part of the downtown urbandesign framework plan. This priorities plan ‘shall identify open space priorities for publicinvestment based on the urban villageneighborhood plans and shall emphasizemajor pubfic open space development inconjunction with planned public facilities,maj~r street improvements, and relatedcapitid investment. The priorities plan shallalso identify strategic locations for open spacedevelopment using private contributions andfunds provided through the public featuresbenefit program.

The open space system shall be expanded bfidevelopment of new parks; ,adaptation of existing underutilized streetrights-of-way for open space andpedestrian circulation;incorporation of open space in all majorpubfic projects; anddevelopment of a system of incentives togain private development of open spaceas part of new downtown projects.

lmD lamentation Gu del ine 1: Maior New~Major new public open spaces shall bedeveloped in the Denny ReWade, DennyTriangle, Commercial Core,, Pioneer Squareand the International District to meet theobjectives established @r in each area’sneighborhood plan. The following majoropen spaces are also considered critical to theoverall downtown urban design framework:

A. Harborfront Park. A major public openspace or open spaces shall be developed inportions of the street and rail right-of-wayalong the Waterfront. This open space shallimprove public access to and enjoyment oftie shoreline, and should be integrated withboti tie proposed promenade from MyrtleEdwards Park to Pier 48 and the proposedeastiwest pedestrian connections to the restof downtown. Design and implementationstrategies for the park(s) shall be determined


DOWNTOWN URRAIV CENTJR NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

,!

as part of the urban design tlamework plan incoordination with the plans for theneighborhoods comprising tie waterfront area.

B. Westlake Mall. This open space shall beintegrated with the Westlake Mall project,provide a gathering place for day to day activitiesand special events, serve as a focus forsurrounding development and enhance theshopping activity of the retail core.

C. Westlake Circle. A pubfic open space shall bedeveloped at the downtown terminus of the newWestiake Boulevard in ~e area bounded by

Westlaker Stewart Street, Ofive Way and SixthAvenue. The public open space shall complementthe special character desired for WestlakeBoulevard, provide a formal approach to theretail core and complement the Westlake Mallproject. Design of thk open space andidentification of an implementation strategy shallbe determined considering the Commercial Core,Denny Regrade and Denny Triangle Plans, thePine Street design and the downtown urbandesign framework pIan

D. International District Community Gardens.The City shall complete acquisition of propertyfor the Community Gardens located in theInternational District hilltop. The CiV shallperpetuate the existing use of @se CommunityGardens while providing for public access.

Implementation Guideline 7. O~en SDace lISNew Public ProiectlMajor public projects including the DowntownLibraW, CiW Hall, and Convention Center shallcontain significant public open space, integratedwiti surrounding parks and public spaces asdetermined appropriate.

~tion Gukfelhse 3: Green StreetsPortions of existing street right-of-way shall beconsidered for development as active and passivepedestrian space, in accordance with thePedestrian Classification map of Policy ~:Street Classification System and the Green StreetsClassification Map. ~

In residential areas, Green Streets shall bedeveIoped to establish neighborhoodcharacter and provide landscaped recreation ‘space that functions as front yards forresidents. Neighborhood commercialactivities shall be encouraged at appropriatelocations along Green Streets to bring fife tothe space with outdoor cafes, stalls anddisp[ays.

Green Streets in oftlce and mixed use areasshall provide a focus for new developmentand add open space for the enjoyment ofworkers, residents and shoppers. Interestingstreet Ieve[’uses and pedestrian amenities shallbe encouraged to enliven the Green StreeKspace and lend a special identity to thesurrounding area.

.

The treatment of designated Green Streetsmay include wideningand landscapingsidewalk space and limiting traffic to localaccess or removing it altogether to providemore space for pedestrians. Vehicular accessand on-street parking shall be retained wheretiese functions are determined necessary ordesirable. The actual design for any givenblock shall vary depending on specificconditions of vehicular circulation and access,the open space needs of the adjacent area,and the functional requirements of abuttingdevelopment. A proposed development’s”shadow impacts on Green Streets shall beexempt from SEPA review.


Green Street Classifications WAKE- w, ([email protected],419F

DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN,4

A standard procedure shall be established forGreen Street development. This process shallinclude the development of design standards,approval mechanisms and maintenanceagreements to coordinate Green StreeKimplementation with adjacent privatedevelopment. The various street segmentscomprising ‘a Green Street shall be classifiedunder one of the three destinations in accordancewith the Green Street schedule.

. .


Class I Pedestrian Street

,,,,, s,,,, Class II Pedestrian Street

00000 Green Street. . . . . . . . . . . Undeveloped or vacated streets

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Pedestrian Street Classification w.. Om, ,+e,2 1 9 9

DOWNTOWN UR@4N CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN

T y p e s I H 111

Less auto more autooriented, oriented,more lesspedestrian pedestrianoriented oriented

Traffic profdbited one-block accessFunction access permitted

permitted on morethan oneblock

Truck limited byLoading

allowed, unrestrktedtime, use of alleys , alley usealleys encouraged encouragedencouraged

Emergency one block one block unrestrictedAccess only only , may be

part ofsystem

On-street prohibited allowed allowedParking

implementation Guideline 4: Ooen S~ace PublicBenefit FeaturesPrivate development shall be encouraged toincorporate pubfic spaces that will offset theadditional demand for public open space fromdowntown employment, reinforce the downtownopen space network and enhance the pedestrianenvironmen~ hrCentiVeS in tie form of additionalfloor area shall be granted to those projectswhich include features that have been determinedto be of significant public benefit in accordancewith pOliCY lJ&Z2 Floor Area Bonus Systemand the regulations of the appropriate downtownclassification and the Public Benefit Features Rule.Features for which additional floor area may begranted include:

A. Urban Plaza. Major public open spacesintegrated with the downtown transit system andthe open space network in areas of concentrateddevelopment.

B. Parcel Park. Smaller open spaces designed asquiet enclaves off the street to give people aplace to relax within intensely developed areas.

C. Public Atrium. lnterfor public spaces withsignificant amounts of natural light, serving afunction similar to the parcel park. -

D. Shopping Atrium. Large enclosed publicspaces intended to provide shopping areas aswell as passive recreation space in a weatherprotected environment.

E. Shopping Corridor. Pedestrian passagesthrough blocks in areas of concentrated retailactivity.

F. R60ftop Garden. Open spaces above street .-”level, which can capitalize on views andimprove the appearance of the cityscapefrom street level and the upper floors ofsurrounding buildings.

G. Hillclimb Assist. A pedestrian corridorthat incorporates a mechanical feature tc,aidpedestrian movement connecting two parallelavenues on steep slopes.

H. Hillside Terrace. Landscaped extensions ofthe public sidewalk on steep grades.

I. Green Street Improvement. Privatepaticipatfon in the development of GreenStreets in accordance with Guideline 3 andthe adopted Green Streets developmentprocedure.

J. Residential Parcel Park. Small, landscapedopen spaces which reinforce the residentialcharacter of downtown neighborhood areasand provide residents with public space forboth passive and active recreational activities.

K. Voluntary Building Setback. Ground levelsetbacks along Green Streets.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN,,

“~Space Reau emwirOpen space shall be required in all newresidential developments containing more than20 housing units equivalent to 5 percent of thetotal gross floor area in residential use. The openspace shall be available to all residents and maybe provided at or above ground level. Interior,recreational space available to all residents maysatisfy for a portion of the open spacerequirement. For sites abutting designated GreenStreets, a potion of the open space requirementmay be met through participation in thedevelopment of these public amenities.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGIDZORHOOD PLAN,,

VI. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

hrtroductionDowntown Seattle is the fargest urban center in thePuget Sound Region. It provides a rich variety ofemployment opportunities; is a significant gatewayfor both foreign and domestic trade; is a majortourist attraction; and serves the region as a culturaland retail magnet. These multiple roles are furtherreinforced by the strong emergence of downtownneighborhoods which provide further diversity andopportunity for living, working, learning and playingdowntown.

unemployed in jobs generated by new andexisting commercial development downtownand throughout the city.

The City shaIl work witi developers andbusinesses to gain first source referral andhiring on projects receiving public Vainingfunds or City assistance. The Cky shall alsoaddLess the training and employment needsof low income downtown residents. The Cityshall continue to monitor and enforcetraining, referral, and employmentagreements developed between tfre City andrelevant businesses.

POLICY E-1 : ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTThe City shall promote development consistentwith this plan. The impact on economicdevelopment will be considered when planningmajor public projects and public actions tofacilitate private development. Accordingly, theCity, where possible, shall provide assistance toencourage desired development and gain privatesector cooperation in implementing actions suchas training and employment for ti”rget populationgroups.

POLICY E-2: EMPLOYMENT AND TRAININGMore than 62,700 new jobs may be generatedin downtown between 1994 and 2014.Employment, training and placementopportunities shall be significantly expanded forSeattle residents with the objectives of: 1 )expanding opponunities to target employmentpopulation; 2) providing a mechanism for thecoordination. and fund[ng of training and referralprograms; and 3) encouraging public/privatepartnerships in employment and training.

lmdemei@on Guideline 1 Trainin@J%cW2emThe city, through its economic developmentwork program, shall coordinate with the PrivateIndustry Council (PIC), the Washington StateEmployment Security Department and the SeattieEconomic Development Commission, to targetemployment training and placement of Cityresidents, includkig minorities, and the

Eak!E?The City in conjunction with the PrivateIndustry Council and the Washington StateEmployment Security Department shall workto coordinate a job exchange to refer lowincome residents, inchrdhrg minorities andgraduates of training programs, toemployment opportunities withbs downtownand throughout tie city. The job exchangeshall serve as a mechanism to accept referralsfrom communi~based employment referralprograms and PIC funded training programsand shall provide a convenient source foremployers seeking quafified workers. Projectsreceiving City funds shall utilize the jobexchange as a first referral and hiring source.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN!,

VII. HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES

HOUSING

Introduction.Downtown’s five neighborhoods welcome greaterhousing density. The neighborh@d plans call fordevelopment of housing downtown sufficient toserve over 27,000 households by 20 t 6, overdouble today’s level. The housing policies arefounded on the foJlowing principles:

● Density and growth in all neighborhoods,not just a few

. Balanced and diverse income mix, w“thparticular focus on low-moderate housingserving downtown workers with incomesbetween 50-80% of median, a populationthat is not well served downtown today

. Preserve and enhance existing level of over7,500 low income units

POLICY HO-1 : PROVIDEincentives/FUNDS TO STIMULATECONSTRUCTION OF LOW AND LOW -MODERATE INCOME HOUSINGDOWNTOWN

lm~lementation Guideline 1 Su~erbuInstitute housing superbonus as described in LandUse Policy LLL+!2

lmdementation Guideline 2 Tax AbatementImplement the multifamily tax abatementprogram throughout downtown witi specialemphasis on downtown projects where at leastone thhd of units serve households at or below80% of median.

mulementation Gu deI i line 3 Low Interest LoansDevelop a low interest loan program forrenovation of existing non-subsidized multifamilyhousing currently serving low income and low-moderate households downtown.

lmrzlementation Guideline 4 GaIz FinanciMIncrease gap financing for new low-and low-rnoderate income housing downtown through any

new levies or reallocation of current funds.

Guide line 5 Utilitv Hook-ucI ‘E&esEliminate or reduce residential hook up feesfor new construction of low and iow-moderate income housing downtown andseek to reduce off site infrastructure costs ofiow qnd iow-moderate income unitsdeveloped on a pro rata basis.

.

~rrtation Guideline Section 8Proswam Preservati“onDeveiop a funding plan to preserve existingSection 8 units downtown, inciudirsgadvocacy with state and federai governments,increased public private partnerships and.creative use of existing city funds.

POLICY HO-2: INCREASE CITYCommitment TO DOWNTOWNHOUSiNG DEVELOPMENT

_wleme war Gu ideiine 1 HousingzCreate new downtown housing facilitatorposition within the office of Housing tochampion and expedite downtown projects topromote pro-housing strategies, marketdowntown to developers and coordinate cityefforts to streamline approvai procedures

POLiCY HO-3: INCREASE LivabilityOF DOWNTOWN AS ANEiGHBORHOOD

Im.ieme rztation Guideiine 1 Citv investmentinvest in facilities, residential parkingstructures, green streets and other amenitiesthat attract developers and attracthetainresidents and enhance residential “feel” andquaiity of iife in downtown neighborhoods.

mentat[on Gu ideiine 2 Neis!hborhoodSe!Mcesincrease recognition/responsiveness of citysetice departments to downtown mixed use24 hour neighborhoods - such as enforcing


DOWNTOWN URBAN CEN3ZR NEIGHBORHOOD Pz.AN,,

noise ordinances, keeping streetslalleys clean,improving resident safety and maintaining existinglandscaping.

POLICY HO-4; DEVELOP NEW MODELS FORDOWNTOWN HOUSING

lmdementation Guideline 1 Lkzht Rail StaticXIDevelopmentInclude a housing component in all light railstation area development plans to maximizeopportunities for high-density transpositioneffscient housing in tiese areas.

Im I i n i ”~ProeramsDevelop and implement models that encouragelow-moderate homeownership downtown for firsttime purchasers. Models could includecommunity land trusts, limited equity housingpartnership programs for employer astistedhousing and others.

mlm”~P“r m ” ”Streamline the permit process for approvedDemonstration Affordability Housing Modelprojects.

POLICY HO-5: ENSURE THAT DOWNTOWNHOUSING 1S AVAILABLE TO ALL INCOMELEVELS

lmolementation Guideline 1 Hous ma Tar@iHousing production within the Urban Centershall be keyed to the following targets:

il I~ belowi %5oo~ 9.180 3 4., ---50-800/. 6,750- 25above 80% 11,070 41

Individual neighborhood plan targets shall bebalanced to achieve tfrk overall target. The Cityshall take special care in the maintenance of lowincome housing affordable to households earningless than 50% or median income.

tion Gtudehne 2 Mo. . nitoringA. Monitoring System. City staff shallannually monitor alI downtown housing,reporting om

.

.

●

●

B.

Housing stock (condition, numbers andidentification of vacant stock).

~e~it data (units resuiting from thebonus, TDR and inciusionary zoningprograms).

Number of units resuiting from the City’shousing rehabilitation program andminimum main~nance programs.

Other reievant housing information.

Advisory Task Force: A DowntownHousing Advisory Task Force shaii be createdinciuding representatives of the downtownSeattle urban viiiage neighborhoods,,downtown Seattie bu$bress community,housing activists, property owners, non-profithousing organizations and downtown Seattleresidents. The Task Force shail report to theMayor, the Councii and the Director of theOffice of Housing. The Task Force shaii becharged with advising the City in monitoringhousing conditions, production targets;formulating innovative strategies forencouraging production through privateinitiatives and public investment; and advisingthe Mayor and City Councii on policychanges.

entation Guideiine 3 Existing HousingThe Chy shail deveiop regulatory and otherstrategies to achieve the replacement ofdowntown housing demolished or changed tonon residential use.

. . . e 4 Minim~Housnw Maintenance

. .

in order to prevent the deterioration andabandonment of sound housing units, theCky shaii establish a minimum maintenancerequirement for downtown housing to

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Ap”l 12,1999- Page 61


prohibit abandonment of sound housing andprovide incentives to discourage the neglect ofsound housing by providing Public funds in theform of loans or grants@ assist owners in caseswhere meeting the minimum maintenancerequirement is not economically feasible.

lmulementation Gu ideline 5 Transfer ofDevelo~The transfer of unused development rights shall.be allowed from downtown structures providinglow income and low-moderate income housing toother locations within downtown as provided inLand Use Policy LU-

ProgramsThe C[ty shall aggressively seek funds and targetprograms to rehabilitate existing structures,construct new low and low-moderate incomeunits and provide rent subsidies. Public housingresources and the findings of the housingmonitoring program shall be reviewed annuallyand programs targeted to the most cost-effectiveactions to achieve 9,000 low income units by theYear 2014.

When major public “projects which would have animpact on low income housing are proposed, the,@ shall seek new or rehabilitated low incomehousing as a mitigating measure.

Imdementation Guideline 7&ntown Busin.essCommitmtiThe City shall work with downtownneighborhoods and organizations including tieSeattle Housing Resources Group and similardevelopers to implement programs to developand maintain low income downtown housingunits.

POLICY HO-6: HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

The incentive system shall include provisions toencourage development of low and low-moderate

income housing throughout downtown, andall major new. ~esidential buildings shallprovide for a percentage of affordablehousing units. The CiW shall take allappropriate actions to expedite the permitand approval process for residential buildings,assist the production of low income housing.through existing programs, and gain changesin st@ iaw to allow development of newaffordable housing programs. The Cky shall

.

monitor the performance of the HousingBonus Program and make necessary changesto assure the intent of tlds policy is met.

~on Guidelhse 1 Hous imz BonusPromamWithhr the downtown, additionaldevelopment rights shall be granted for theprovision of low and low-moderate incomehousing through a floor area bonus asdescribed in Land Use Policy L&22, subjectto the following

A. The housing bonus shall be grantedoutright for the construction of new low orlow-moderate income units affordable tohouseholds with incomes less than BOVO ofthe median income for the Seattle area. Atleast 50% of the housing units must beaffordable to households with incomes below50% of the median income for the Seattlearea.

B. [n lieu of new construction, developersmay enter vohsntay agreements with the Cityor others to build new housing, rehab[ihatevacant structures, provide mortgage subsidiesfor the purchase of downtown units,contribute to a C@-approved housing fundor contribute funds to a Ckj-approvednonprofit housing developer in conformancewith City guidelines.

C. All housing actions for which a bonus isgranted must occur within the downtownarea as defined by Policy Lu- 10: DowntownClassifications and Overiay Oistricts. Housingbonus credit shall not be granted for any

Downtown Urban Centp Planning Group - April 12,1999- Page 62

DOWNTOWN URBAN CEh?CER NHGHBORHOOD PLAN,,

housing developed witfin the area subject to thePike Place Project Urban Renewal PIan.

D. The amount of bonus granted shall be basedon the dollar value” of the subsidy required icsassist in the creation of downtown affordablehousing based cm the amount of housingprovided and the income range of the occupants.Construction of low income housing, forexample, shall receive a larger bonus than low-moderate income housing assistance since lowincome housing is more costly for the developerto provide. Also the amount of bonus grantedshall reflect the value of the increaseddevelopment rights as determined by the price ofIand in the area where additional developmentrights are granted and shall be set to ensure thatthere is an incentive to use the housing bonus.

E. Bonus values shall be reviewed periodically toconsider changes in [and prices, housingproduction costs and household incomes toensure that the value of the bonus continues tobe fair and equitable.

HUMAN SERVICES

IntroductionThe provision of human services throughoutdowntown .Seattle is a function of public agencies,charitable organizations, non-profit corporations,churches and other providers. As a result, thepolicy basis for City actions has an incrementaltendency to address short-term and locational needswithout the benefit of a holistic view of moreovera// long-term solutions.

A day-long Human Services Forum sponsorti bythe Downtown Seattle Association provided a firststep towards this approach. The February 24,f 998 Forum brought together people involved indowntown human services provision and othersinterested in the issues. Presentations by downtowninterests, agencies, and researchers highlightedcurrent conditions and issues and pointed towardspotential models for new initiatives. A 1 9-personadvisory panel then compikd the ideas and

discussion and prepared a report defining threekey issues that need attention. These issues are:● Chronic mental health and substance abuse

conditions - How can the number ofchronically i/1 street people be reduced?

. Employment - What kind of employmentprogram will increase the self sufficiency ofthose hardest to employ?

● Housing- How should housing and supportsetvices be increased to relieve the stressesof home[essness?

The advisory panel framed preliminary strategiesthat should be considered in developing adowntown human services p/an.

The DUCPG sponsored a survey project whichproduced a detailed inventory and database ofinformation describing current services providedthroughout downtown. This involved writtenand telephonic collection of information fromall downtown providers, including privateorganizations such as churches. One hundredorganizations were surveyed. The resultingreport provides information about theseorganizations and their services broken down byneighborhood. Overall, the current level ofservices downtown includes:

c 576 housing units with on-site services;● 1,604 shelter beds,● 785 daiiy drop-ins,. 2,790 daily meals,. 379 daify hygiene users, and. 282 daify food bank distributions

The next step is to consider the effectiveness ofthese services within the context of the issuesand strate~”es raised at the Forum and to look atfuture demand based on forecasts of downtowngrowth.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENZER NEZGHZSORIfOOD PLAN

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POLICY HS -1: DOWNTOWN HUMANSERVICES PLAN

The C[ty shall prepare a downtown urban servicesplan to address the present and future serviceneeds through coordinated short-term and Iong-term strategies that will unite the efforts of allproviders.

POLICY HS -2: HUMAN SERVICES

Health and human services to meet the needs ofdowntown workers and residents shall besupported through direct public action andincentives to gain inclusion of these uses in newprivate development. Human services to thedowntown low income population shall bemaintained and expanded through public actionsand the encouragement of private participation.The relationship between low income housingneeds and human services shall be recognized.Shelter housing provided on an emergency basisshall be considered as a human service. As aminimum, ~ shelter beds shall be maintaineddowntown.

Guideline 1 Land Use

To promote a wide range of activity at streetIeve[ and encourage the provision of servicesin close proximity to downtown populations,health and human service uses shall bepermitted at street IeveI Jocations, and shallbe considered to meet aIl street level retailrequirements, where applicable. Such usesshall also be considered to meet requirementsfor retail use associated with bonused publicopen space; portions of bonused open spacemay be restricted to satisfy requirements foroutdoor space associated with facilities suchas ch[ld care centers.

. .mentatron Gu[del ne 2i Floor Area

BQ.rlusFloor areas bonuses shall be granted for tieon-site or off-site provision of space forhealth and human service providers and allchild care services as defined in Land UsePolicy JJ&22. Eligible services shall bedefined as direct services provided by publicor private, non-profit organizations which aredesignated as priority services and all childclay care services. Service providers shall notbe charged rent, but maybe required to payexpenses such as utilities, maintenance orinsurance which are directly related to theirfacility. Health and human services publicbenefit features shall be clearly competitivewith other public benetlt features allowed in aland use district.

entation Guideline 3 Child CarePuM ic Banefit Feature

The floor area bonus for child care spaceshall be granted based on thrdhrgs that theproposed child care facilities meet theintent of the is policy and the criteria inthe public benefit features rule provisionsof the Seattle Land Use Code including

a ~ordon of the day care sc)aces may bereserved for employees of he buildingwhere the facility is located;

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group. A@ 12,1999- Page 64

DOWNTOWN uRBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN,,

* services shall be provided at rates affordableto the range of income levels represented inthe downtown work force;

. an annual average of 20 percent of the daycare spaces shall be affordable to households

with incomes at and beIow 80 percent of themedian income of the Seattle SMSA.

Each facility shall show how the low incomeclient goal will be met according to repordrrgstandards established by the City.

lmdementation Guideline 4 Downtown Healthand Human Services Fun~A Downtown Health and Human Services Fundbased on the Human Services Plan shall beestablished to provide+pace ,for services to meetthe needs of low income residents and workers.

The floor area bonus for human service uses alsomay be granted based on a voluntary agreementwith the City to contribute funds to theDowntown Health and Human Services Fund.The amount of the fw+contnbution shall bebased on the construction cost of the space nototherwise provided. A fund contribution in lieuof child care space, shall not be permitted.However, after an operating period of at leastthree years, if it is determined by the City thatthe operation of a child day care center in thespace is no longer feasible or desirable, acontribution to the Fund in lieu of the provisionof space may be allowed.

lmdementation Guideline 5 ExlJe~Public FundsThe provision of health and human services forlow income downtown residerm and workersshall be a high priority for the use of federal andstate funds received by the City for health andhuman services programs.

~&erYk!3The needs of target populations shall beconsidered in locating human service facilitiesthroughout downtown. Based on the policies ofthe Downtown Human Services Plan, The

Downtown Health and Human Services Fundand other eligible City resources shall beadministered to insure coordination ofhousing and human services needs of tiedowntown low income population. The Cityshall avoid over concentration of humanservices facilities in any one area ofdowntown and encourage the location ofneeded facilities in areas lacking suchfacilities.

.

rstatron Gu ideline 7 Advisorv Task~r /The City shall establish a Downtown HumanServices Advisory Group comprised ofdowntown urban village neighborhoodrepresentatives, service providers, and otjserstakeholders to update information ondowntown human services. Issues, needs, andthe inventory of facilities and services withinthe scope established by the DowntownHuman Services Plan.

90,000

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DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORROOD PLAN!!

Priorities by Neighborhood

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Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Apil 12,1999- Page 66


,!

VIII. TRANSPORTATION

IntroductionTransportation solutions for downtown involve avery complex approach. The transportationnetwork is provided by the City, Sound Transit,King County Metro, Washington State Ferries,AMTRAK, and other providers. The network sewescommuters, downtown businesses and residents aswe[l as regional organizations and users who travelto and through the downtown. The DowntownPlan therefore must provide a strong and flexiblepolicy framework that can respond to these diversedemands whi[e also evolving as improvements arecompleted and growth in service demands increases.Major principles include

Improve Mobility Throughout Downtown● Revise and re-desigrrate street functions to a/igrr

with appropriate pedestrian, transit, bicycle andauto needs;

● Plan and improve pedestrian “arterial” corridors;

. Plan and improve principal transit arteriak and“hubs” in conjunction with Sound Transit,Metro/KC, and WSF service improvements;

. Develop a downtown-wide transit and way-finding signage system serving all modes andparking resources in a broad public outreachprogram;

Upgrade Pedestrian-,Oriented Streets and BicycleStreets●

●

●

Designate new Green Streets per neighborhoodplans;

Define City process, funding strategies, anddepartmental leadership for Green Streetimplementation;

Integrate pedestrian improvement programincluding hill-climbs with urban designframework plan, and design review;

c Designate and improve key bicycle streets(N-S 8! E-W) to avoid conflict with transit.

.-.

●

✎

Extend meter times in neighborhood “mainstreets” with night-time activity;

hrcrease enforcement and overtime fines,and use revenues for neighborhood .projects;

Assist neighborhoods in developing parkingfacilities to support new residentialdevelopment and short-term retail uses.

POLICY T-1 : REGIONAL TRANSITACCESSThe City/Sound Transit/MetropolitanServices Department of King County plan fora high capaci~ downtown transit corridors, asmodified by on-going planning andengineering studies, shall be an integralelement of the Downtown Plan. Theseimprovements shall: 1 ) provide capacity tomeet forecast transit growth through the year201 4; 2) reduce travel time by transit; 3)reduce transit congestion of surface streets;4) reduce transit rider crowcfbwon sidewalks:5) reduce diesel bus noise and ~dor; and 6) ‘provide an attractive and pleasant street



,.

environment for the pedestrian and transit rider.

lmD[ementation Guideline 1 SurfaceImrsrovemeulsSurface improvements to downtown streetsdesignated as primary transit streets, pedestrianstreets, green streets, and bicycle streets shall be”designed to: 1 ) facilitate surface transitoperations while maintaining auto circulation andloading needs; 2) provide a pleasant environmentto encourage pedestrian acdvity and transitridership; 3) reduce odor, noise and visualimpacts of surface transit .operatio~ 4) facilitateaccess to both the surface and tunnel transitoperations; and 5) facilitate the [and use, urbanform, street environment and internal circulationpolicies of the Downtbwn Plan.

I rz ementation Guideline 2 Rez~m lConnectiorssCompletion of regional transit improvementsshall be integrated with the Downtown Plan.Elements include:A. Transit access to the 1-5/1-90

interchange.B. Completion of 1-90 transit facilities.c. Exclusive transitlcarpool lanes on 1-5.D. Expansion of the trolley bus network.E. Additional transit service.

POLICY T-2: TRANSIT CIRCULATIONThe street level elements of the regional transitsystem shall be improved and expanded toprovide the primary mode of vehicular travelamong downtown activities. The system shall beintegrated with the transit tunnel,’ the pedestriancirculation network, peripheral parking facilitiesand other modes of travel to downtown includingthe ferry system, intercity bus and hztercity rail.

. . .Base Cwculau.tm

. .

&.L?mcementation [email protected] 1

A base circulation system consisting ofmodifications to existing service and additionaldowntown routes shall be developed. Thefollowing elements shall be considered as part ofthe base system:

A.

B.

c.

D.

E.

A local downtown circulator(separate from regional bus fines)providing easy access withbr andbetween neighborhoods.

East-west service improvements toconnect First Hill and othercommunities to the ferry terminal andd o w n t o w n .

Potential extensions of the WaterfrontStreetcar to serve other adjacentcommunities such as Seattle Center.

Rehabilitation and/or expansion ofthe monorail to improve service,safety and efficiency.

Improved routing, scheduling, signageand rider information S0 integrate a~public transportation services.

~tion Guideline 2 Lorw Ramze&stem and hxeno“ves AmeementA long range program of transit circulationimprovements, together with an incentivesagreement defining the appropriatemechanisms by which service as identified inthe downtown plan and the Seattle TransitInitiative will be added, shall be developedbetween the Metropolitan ServicesDepartment of King County, Sound Transitand the City. The following shall beconsidered as part of this work:

A. Expanded hours and frequency ofservice on the base system.

B. Addition of new types and levels ofservices.

tion Gu ideline 3 RI“de-Free ZoneThe ride-free zone shall be retained andexpanded based on on-going discussions anddemand analyses.

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - A@ 12,1999- Page 68

— Transit P r i o r i t y Nelvfmk(adopted in Seattle ComprehensivePlan, July 25, 1994)

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POLICY T-3: VEHICULAR ACCESS ANDCIRCULATIONThe efficiency of the regional highway systemand major arteriais witfrin downtown shall bemaximized for vehicular access and circulation;through-traffic within downtown’s residential andshopping areas as well as those surroundingdowntown shall be discouraged to facilitate peak-hour traffic which provides access to the regionalhighway network. The adopted regionai trafficaccess and circulation improvements containedwithin the Regionai Transportation Systems Pianshall be integrai elements of the Downtown Plan.

Imuleme ntation Guideline 1 Downtown Accessand CircuiationThe following projects shail be undertaken toimprove access to and local traffic circulationwithin downtown.

A.

B.

c.

D.

E.

F.

Ferry Terminal. Expand the Washington StateFerry Terminal at Coiman Dock, inciudingadditional off-street storage for waitingvehicles.Alaskan Way. Continue actions that re-emphasize the use of Aiaskan Way bythrough traffic between the Ferry Terminaiand Pier 70Westlake Boulevard. Develop WestlakeAvenue benveen Oiive Way and ValleyStreet as a two-way boulevard and revisecirculation patterns in the general area as partof a comprehensive community developmentprogram for the Westiake Bouievard/SouthLake Union area.Stewart Street/Denny Way Intersection.Grade separate the intersection of StewartStreet and Denny Way.Consider alternative traffic flow utilization ofthe north-south arterials as part of theplanning for enhanced transit service speedand reliability.Signal improvements. Upgrade tire

downtown traffic signal system to improvethe flow of traffic and improve transitoperations.

POLICY T-4: PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATIONPedestrian circulation shali be the principalmethod of movement within downtown. Thestreet ievel environment shaii be improved asthe primary component of the pedestriannetwork. Wherever possibie, the pedestriannetwork shall be accessible to the elderiy anddisabied.

uideline 1 Pedestrian. .

~aon GCircuiation ImmovemerrtsA comprehensive program of publicimprovements to streets and sidewalks shalibe undertaken in coord[natfon with thetransportation, open space, iand use andurban form policies-ef the urban designframework plan. Pedestrian circulationimprovements shall inciude:

A,

B.

c.

D.

E.

Downtown Transit Corridor. Deveiopsurface pedestrian improvements alongThird Avenue and pine Street, integratedwith the transit tunnei as part of planningfor station area development.Spot Improvements. Undertake aprogram of iocation specific pedestrianimprovements at major bus stops andhigh voiume pedestrian locations.Green Streets. Deveiop green streets indowntown neighborhoods for addedpassive and active pedestrian space inaccordance with the neighborhood plansand the open space eiement of “theDowntown Plan.Denny Regrade Boulevard. Develop alandscaped transitipedestrian boulevardwith widened sidewaiks along ThirdAvenue (in accordance with the BelltownStreetscape Guidebook) through theDenny Regrade as an extension of theDowntown Transit Corridor.Westlake Boulevard. Deveiop alandscaped boulevard with widenedsidewalks along Westfake Avenue betweenOlive Way and Vailey Street consistentwith tie Denny Triangie,-CommercialCore and South Lake Unionneighborhood pians.



F: Waterfront Linkages. Retain and imDrovepedestrian conne~ons and access &roughdowntown east-west and between downtownand the waterfront including additional hill-climb opportunities as part of both public andprivate projects.

lm~lementation Guideline 2 Incentives forPedest an .Cri irculation Imr)rov-The floor area bonus system shall includeincentives for features such as widened sidewalks,overhead weather protection, through-blockconnections and elevators and escalators on steephills.

lmrrlementation Guideline 3 Pedestri~s Iwbridges, Aerial Trams and Turin+Pedestrian grade separations, whether byskybridge, aerial tram or tunnel, may be allowedonly when their development conforms with Citycode requirements and meets all the followingcriteria:

A.

B.

c.

D.

Street Level Views will not be adverselyaffected.Topographic and functional conditionsrequire pedestrian circulation above or belowthe street or an unsafe or congested conditionexists at tie street level.or detract from a reasonable level ofpedestrian activity on the street.Direct Dhvsical and visual access to/from thefacility”w~l be provided to adjacent sidewalks,open spaces or public plazas.

POLICY T-S: BICYCLE CIRCULATIONBicycle access to and within downtown shall beencouraged and enhanced. Bicycles shall beallowed use of all downtown streets; routes orcorridors to connect downtown with the citywidenetwork of bicycle routes shall be established;and bicycle storage facilities shall be provided inmajor new public and private development.

lmolementation Guideline 1 Bicvcle La e.sOpportunities to create lane separated ~icycieroutes along key bicycle streets identified in thedowntown bicycle transportation plan shall be

explored as part of the proposed communiWdevelopment activities for tiese areas.

Specific improvements shall be determined byimplementation studies and could includesigning or actions to increase bicycle safety,such as modifying storm sewer grates toprevent entrapment of bicycle tires.

n Gu deli ine 2 Bicvcle ParkingBicycle parking and storage facilities shall berequired in major new developments.

POLICY T-6: STREET CLASSIFICATIONSYSTEMDowntown’s streets shall be classified inaccordance with standards defining thefunctional relationships of the various uses ofthe right-of-way. This classification systemshall integrate multiple vehicular andpedestrian needs, minimize modal conflicts,reflect and reinforce adjacent land use, andprovide a basis for physical changes andimprovements.

Irmlementaion Gu ideiine 1 Classification

Downtown streets shall be classified by fourcategories: 1 ) traffic function, 2) transitfunction, 3) pedestrian function and 4)bicycle fiznction. This system shall be used toidentify and prioritize capital improvementsand operating changes.

Downtown streets shall be classified inaccordance with the Traffic StreetClassification Table and designated inaccordance with the Traffic StreetClassification Map.

Downtown Urban Cmter Planning Group - April 12,1999- Page 73

- Freeways/Expressways

— Trafic Arwials

Vehicular Network Hierarchy2/99

DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD “PLAN,!

kmCementation Guideline 3 Transit ClassiticatiqnDowntown streets shall be classified in accordancewith the Trairsit Street Classification table anddesignated in accordance with the Transit StreetClassification map. The primary intent of thissystem is to ensure that high volumes of buses arelimited to streets with adequate sidewalk spacefor waiting riders.

[mdementation Guideline 4 PedestnauClassificationDowntown streets shall be classified in accordancewith the Pedestrian Street Classification table anddesignated in accordance with the PedestrianStreet Classification map. Downtown pedestrianclassifications represent much more intense usethan comparable classifications elsewhere in thecity.

lmolementation Gu ideline 5 VehWlar Access tQAbuttirw ProoertyVehicular access shall be coritrolled through thedowntown design review process to ensure ttratpedestrian safety and security is maintained.

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POLICY T-7: PARKINGActions shall be taken to ensure an adequatesupply of parking to meet forecast needs,balanced with incentives to encourage the useof transit, vanpools, carpools and bicycles asalternatives to commuting by auto. Aminimum parking requirement shall beestablished to mitigate the transportationimp@ of new non-residential development; .short term parking shall be preferred to meetshopper and visitor needs; and new long termparking facilities shall be encouraged in areaswhere traffic impacts can be mitigated.

lnmlemenf-au“on Guideline 1 Minimumarkm~ Reouirement

Mlnimurn parking requirements shall beestablished for new non-residentialdevelopment throughout downtown both forlong term parking (commuters) and shortterm parking (visitors and shoppers) Longterm parking shall be required based onforecast year 2014 transit and ndesharinguse and shall vary by area depending on theavailability of transit service andneighborhood plan priorities. Short termparking requirements shall vary by use only.Required parking shall be provided withinwalking distirrce from the principal use.

A percentage of the parking spaces providedto meet the long term parking requirementshall be resewed for carpo,ols in order toencourage travel in high occupancy vehicles.

“ n~xim

In order and to encourage the use of transitand high occupancy travel to mitigateincreases in traffic impacts, long termaccessory parking shall be limited and may beallowed to be increased above the limits onlythrough administrative review procedures.

. . eline3 Off-Strefi

To accommodate building service anddelivery needs without disrupting traffic andstreet level pedestrian activity, new

Downtown Urban Center Manning Group - April 12,1999- Page 75

DOWNTOWi’v URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN,,

development shall be required to provide off.street loading spaces.

Iml” i i~se Parking

Principal use parking shall be limited to onlythose ,areas designated on the Principal UseParking Map and governed by the following:

A. To facilitate shopping and access to personalservices, short term parking garages may bepermitted as identified in neighborhoodplans.

B. Long term parking garages maybe permittedthrough administrative criteria and reviewprocedures only in those areas where thetraffic generated by the parking facility willnot cause serious congestion or negatively

impact adjacent pedestrian and land useactivities, or discourage transportationmanagement programs established to reducetravel in single occupant vehicles.

C. Surface parking lots disrupt the pedestrianenvironment at street-level, reduce the levelof activity desired downtown, and facilitatesingle occupant vehicle travel. Permanentsurface parking lots may be permittedthrough administrative criteria and reviewprocedures only in the areas of downtownshown on the Principal Use Parking map,where the impacts associated with these usesmay be mitigated. In other areas, permanentsurface parking lots would be inconsistentwith the short and long term parking policies,and policies concerning the pedestrian andstreet level environment

D. Principal use parking garages dedicated toresidential parking ,may be permitted inresidential districs through administrativecriteria and review procedures.

.

entation Guideline 6 DowntownParkirw FundThe downtown parking fund shall facilitatethe construction of parking facilities. PotWtiaIfund sources include contributions in lieu ofconstructing required accessory parking oissite, revenues from existing and future publicparking facilities, property or businessassessment districts formed to constructdowntown parking, and proceeds from thesale of revenue bonds or other bonds forparking construction.

Parking facilities shall be developed inaccordance with the following priorities basedon the neighborhood plans and the ParkingDevelopment map:

A. Parking to serve residential needs where itis determined that such actions cansignificantly assist the production ofaffordable housing.

B. Long term parking on the periphery ofdowntown facilitated by contributions tothe parking fund in lieu of providingrequired accessory parking on site.

C. Facilities to serve the international Districtand Pioneer Square in conjunction withmitigation programs associated with theballpark and football stadiums and otherneighborhoods in conjunction with theirplans

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Afnil 12,1999- Page 76


POLICY T-8: TRANSPORTATION PROJECTPRIORITIESPriorities for downtown transportationimprovements shall be established. The City,through its own Capital Improvement Program orthrough intergovernmental lobbying efforts, shallgive highest priority to transit and highoccupancy vehicle improvements that servecommuter travel, transit and pedestrianimprovements that serve internal circulation, andstreetscape projects that improve the quali~ ofthe pedestrian environment in residential andshopping areas.

Imrzlementation Guideline 1 Trans~omationCcLt!@aThe following criteria shall be considered foridentifying and prioritizing downtowntransportation improvements:

A. Highest priority shail be given to projectsthah. Improve tie capacity and attractiveness

of transit and other high occupancymodes for peak hour. travel to downtown;

. Improve transit, pedestrian and bicyclecirculation among downtown areas; and

. Enhance the street level environment forpedestrians in areas targeted forresidential, retail and open spacedevelopment.

8. .Secondary priority shall be give to projectsthafi. Reduce vehicular congestion on

downtown streers;

., Better utilize the capacity ofdowntown arterials and facilitatetraffic bypassing the downtown;

. Address neighborhood needs; and

. Address long term parking needs onthe periphery of downtown.

POLICY T-9: USE OF STREET SPACEStre@s, alleys and other przbIic rights-of-wayshall not be vacated unless it is demonstratedthat the vacation wi[l result in a publicbenefit. Permanent use of any potion of thestreet right-of-way which allows the area ofthe abcrtdng building to be enlarged shallrequire a street vacation. Temporary privateuse of the public street right-of-way shall beallowed oniy where it will add interest andvitality to the street environment, ,increasepedestrian comfort, and not contlict with thecirculation function of the street or seriousiyobstruct views. The design and placement ofbus sheltem, street “furniture, utilities andlandscaping shall promote a high qualitypedestrian oriented street environment.

. . .errtatron Gu]dehne 1 Street and Alley

VacationsMost downtown streets and many alleysprovide needed circulation space, access toprivate property, utility corridors, fight, airand open space. Only when achievementgoals and policies of the downtown plan wiilbe facilitatedrshal[ a vacation be granted.

The foilowing shall guide consideration ofspecific street or alley vacation petitions

A. Streets.. Streets designated as arterials shall not

be vacated.. Streets designated as green streets

shall not be vacated unlesscomparable pubIic open space andpedestrian circulation connections areprovided. Improved green streetsshall not vacated unless such vacationis in the interest of the communiW asidentified in the neighborhood plan.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN,!

.

.

.

View corridor streets designated in PolicyLU-22: Street Level Views shall not bevacated except when conditions areplaced on the vacation which will ensurepreservation of the view corridor.Vacation of any street which could resultin increased shadows on public parks shallnot ‘be granted except when conditionsare placed on the vacation that willprevent shadow impacts greater thanthose possible under tfie zoning rulesprior to the vacation.Vacation of a portion of a street right-of-way to allow enlargement of building areainto the street right-of-way shall not bepermitted a) on view corridor streetsdesignated in Policy_: Street LevelViews, orb) where there would beadverse impacts on street level publicopen space and light and air provided bythe street.

B. AlleysGenerally, alleys in the downtown urbancenter provide a wide range of functionsranging from loading and service topedestrian access to the interiors of blocks.As a result, alley vacations shall bediscouraged , and:. Alleys which are part of the primary

pedestrian circulation system (such asPost Alley) shall not be vacated unlesscomparable public pedestrian circulationis provided and the pedestrianenvironment along the corridor isimproved.

● To ensure compatible scale and characterof infill development, alleys in historicdistricts shall not be vacated.


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBoRHOOD PLAN,,

IX. IMPLEMENTATION

WORK PROGRAM

The Downtown Urban Center Planning Grouphas identified a number of detailed analyses andimplementation planning programs which areneeded to achieve the Plan goals. The foIlowingdefines the work program scopes for theseprograms.

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DOWNTOWN URBAN DESIGN FRAMEWORK~

The Draft Downtown Plan prepared by theDowntown Urban Center P/arming Group,(DUCPG) contains recommendations for land use,transportation, housing, and human, servicesimprovements to downtown. Theserecommendations are related to-, and consistentwith the recommendations of the five downtownurban village neighborhoods. Many of therecommendations rely on further arrafysis, planningand design associated with the wide range ofinitiatives that are proposed within the downtownurban center. Therefore, the DUCPG recommendsthe development of an urban design framework planthat will coordinate these on-going efforts with thevision and principles of the downtown communityas well as provide a more structured basis formaking incremental implementation decisions at theproject level. The following describes the proposedscope for this work.

Objectives

= Create a highly visual, unifying framework thatenhances the unique character of each downtownneighborhood and reinforces a sense of place.

= Establish a hierarchical network of connectionsand activity nodes that strengthens connectionsbetween downtown neighborhoods.

= Address the relationship between public andprivate space and develop policies and designstandards for public and private development.

M Coordinate work w“th Sound Move, SouthDowntown Plan, Washington State Ferry plan,Port of Seatt/e waterfront plan, Pine StreetPlan, Municipal Center Urban Design Plan,and other planning efforts.

= Be directed by a strong advisory committeeof neighborhood representatives, designprofessionals, Af/ied Arts, etc., and include apublic outreach process.

# Address the following issues and othersidentified by the advisory committee:

● Civic Facilities– Seattle Civic Center– King County Administrative Center– Seattle Public Library– Light Rail Station Areas

● Public Space– Urban Form– Open Space– Pedestrian Streetscapes– Green Streets– Great Streets– Transit Streets– Sky Bridges and AfIey Vacations– Waterfront and Alaskan Way

● Design Standards and Maintenance

—’

—

Streetscape Design StandardsSidewalk PavementObjects in the Right of WayPublic ArtStreetscape FixturesLandscape ElementsPublic Graphics/WayfindingDesign GuidelinesRepairs and RestorationUtility Coordination.Maintenance

● Implementation– Scope of Work– Plan Coordination



,,

Downtown Framework

While current comprehensive plan policies,land use regulations, and design standardsprovide a tools and components of an overallframework for the downtown; these elementsneed to be organized, prioritized, andexpanded into a “blueprint” for downtownthat will stand as a long-term statement ofprinciples and standards.

These principles and standards must addressthe collective vision of the downtowncommunity as well as functional andeconomic practicality. It will define andshape future public and private actions;clai’ify city administrative, regulatory, andinvestment roles; and illustrate howdowntown should be improved within therange of individual neighborhoods’ need forexpressing their unique charactem while at the,same time, doing so within an overaliDowntown Seattle Urban Center sense ofplace.

This can only be achieved witldn an openprocess which engages all constituents of thedowntown. .

Civic Facilities

Seattle Civic Center - Planning for the newSeattle Civic Center should establish a uriique,visible, and appropriate image for the seat ofSeattle’s municipal government.

King County Administrative Center - Planningfor improvements to King County’s courthouseand administrative and corrections facilitiesshould be closely coordinated with planning forthe adjacent Seattle Civic Center, which isproceeding on a parallel schedule.

Seattle Public Library - The new Seattle PublicLibrary is envisioned as a “state-of-the-art’ )

facility at the heart of the downtown. Planning

should consider the library’s potential forincreasing open space and impacting housingand retail services as well as it’s relationships tothe streets.

Light Rail St.ition Areas - Transit-relatedplanning around stations should consider theneighborhoods, desires to concentrateemployment and housing along high-capacitytransit corridors. Station area planning shouldintegrate the neighborhmdsz strategies formeeting job growth targets and increasingdevelopment capacity. The Urban Design Planshould address the urban design impacts ofstation area development within the context ofthe adopted neighborhood plans.

Public Space

Urban Form - The i 985 Downtown Land Useand Transportation Plan outlines urban formpolicies for the downtown including: HistoricPresewation; Building Heights, Building Sea/e;Street .Leve/ Views; Street Level DevelopmentStandards; Uses at Street Level; Use of StreetSpace; Signs; Open Space. The Urban DesignPlan shou/d review and update these policies andprovide more detailed design direction. [naddition, the Urban Design Plan should furtheraddress urban form issues including: SkyBridges; Alley Vacations; Landmarks andDestinations; Gateways and Connections;Waterfront Pedestrian Connections; and WaterViews.

Open Space - Open space planning should becoordinated with open space plans of thedowntown neighborhrmds. The overalldowntown open space p[an should provide arange of active, and passive open spacecomponents consistent with the ComprehensivePlan open space goals and policies. Thepotential for converting underutilized streetright-of-ways into open space shou/d beexplored.



Gateway Connector and Special Use Streets -Two of downtowm Seattle’s main gateway andconnector streets are Second and FourthAvenues. Both streets also have individualcharacteristics of abutting building p/aza/entrycourts, public open spaces, public institutionstructures and strong links to adjacentneighborhoods. These, and other streets shouldbe individually anaiyzed for their uniquecontributions to the form and function of thedowntown. This analysis should be the basis fordeveloping urban design standards for individualstreets that wi// define their unique characterand guide their future development for bothpure functional and urban form purposes.

Pedestrian Streetscapes - Attractive streets withpedestrian circulation capacities related to actualand projected demand. are essential. Mdowntown streets should emphasize thepedestrian as a vital functional component of acomprehensive transportation plan. Light railand job growth will bring thousands ofadditional pedestrians into downtown, increasingthe need for gracious, safe, well-designedfunctional sidewalks.

Green Streets - Green Streets (existing andnew) should be identified as part of the UrbanDesign plan, with emphasis on streets that

connect to the waterfront and to adjacentneighborhoods. Mechanisms are needed forfunding both conceptual planning and laterdesign and construction, and administering theimplementation of Green Streets. Thesemechanisms should include specific urbandesign, engineering, construction, and long-termmaintenance components. The DUCPG hasrecommended that Green Street programmanagement be assigned to a single Citydepartment.

Great Streets - The Mayor’s office hasdesignated Westfake Avenue as a Great Street,or a major transportation corridor withopportunities for housing development andintensive $treetscape improvements. The Mayor

has instructed SEATRAN to begin planning forimplementation and identifying funding for theproject. Westlake is an important link betweenthe downtown and South Lake Union. Thestreet’s w“dth suggests boulevard treatment andits diagonal orientation offers opportunities forcreating connecthsg Green Streets and reiatedopen spaces. The Urban Design Plan shouldspecifically address Westiake’s role and characterand should provide urban design direction toguide streetscape improvements in coordinationw“th the plans of the adjacent neighborhoods.

Transit Streets - Additional surface bus traffic isanticipated when light rail operations displacebus traffic from the tunnel to surface streets.This high-volume surface bus traffic could bedetrimental to the pedestrian-orientedenvironment. As part of the Urban Design Plan,coordinated downtown-wide transit planningshould consider the strong pedestrian focus andshould include measures to mitigate negativeimpacts of surface transit on pedestrians. Thesemeasures should include intensive pedestrian-oriented streetscape improvement, such aswell-designed bus stops “with she[ters that do notimpede pedestrian flpws on sidewalks.

Sky Bridges and Alley Vacations ,- increasingly,developers are petitioning the City right-of-wayvacations that grant use of the public right-of-ways for private development. Sky bridges andalley vacations are becoming commonplace,with little debate over the long-termcostibenefit impact on the street-levelpedestrian environment and circulation system.The Urban Design P/an should develop clearpolicies for limiting street vacations inconjunction with the specific objectives ofindividual neighborhoods’ visions for alley uses.

Waterfront and Afaskan Way - The UrbanDesign Plan should highlight the downtown’sspectacular natural setting and address therelationship of downtown Seattle to its mostprized feature: the central waterfront alongElliott Bay. Currentfy, the entire downtown is

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Apn’1 12,1999- Page 81

DOWiVTOWN tUtBtliY CENTER NHGHBOREZOOD PLAN,,

cut off physically and visually from thewaterfront by the intimidating and noisy

Afaskarr Way viaduct, arterial and raihoad.Critical components of the Urban Design Planshou[d be: development along Afaskan Way

“piers; Port of Seattle development plans; viewsof the water; pedestrian access to thewaterfront area; opportunities to access to thewater itself; waterfront transportationconnections (commuter rai~ freight mobili~,

etc.); and waterfront connections betweendowntown neighborhoods as well as the vahrableconnections provided by the waterfrontpedestrian and bicycle trail and the streetcar.

Design Standards and Maintenance

Streetscape Design Standards - Jfre UrbanDesign Plan should review and update Citystreetscape design and construction standardsand customize them for the neighborhoods asappropriate with streetscape standards thatreflect their characters and functions. Sidewalkwidths should meet level-of-service standards,i.e., sidewalks should be wide enough toaccommodate pedestrian volumes. Sidewalksshould also accommodate some outdoor uses ofadjacent businesses and provide a bufferbetween pedestrians and vehicle traffic.Streetscape design standards should address:required setbacks from the curb to the walkingzone; curb treatments/types; corners layouts(i.e., corner turning radi~ ADA ramps, brassinlaid street names); inlaid sidewalk art; utilitygrates (type and placement); utility “boxes(typeand placement); utility pole consolidation; andsidewalk pavement.

Sidewalk Pavement - Because they are typicallydeveloped in conjunction with abutting privatedevelopment, consist of a hedge-podge ofdifferent types and qualities of pavement.Sidewalk treatments vary greatly from site-to-site and block-to-block. As a result, there is nounified pavement character. Becausemaintenance of so many pavement types isdifficult, many sidewalks have been

inappropriately repaired. The Urban DesignPlan should establish unifying standards forpublic sidewalk pavement while honoringspecific neighborhood Visions and providingsome degree of flexibility for individualexpressions.

Objects in the Right-of-Way - Poorfy locatedutility poles, utility boxes, parking meters,newspaper dispensers, garbage receptacles,sandwich boards, public art, bus shelters,planters, and other objects often obstruct theflow of pedestrian traffic in the walking zone ofdowntown sidewalks. These objects areespecially hazardous for people with visionimpairment. Objects in the right-of-way shouldbe simplified, clustered, consolidated, aligned,relocated, or eliminated wherever possible. JheUrban Design Plan should develop policies foraddressing these issues.

Public Art - Public art can celebrate itsenvironment or it can degrade it. The UrbanDesign Plan should develop a strong publicinvolvement process and criteria for selectingand incorporating art in the public right-of-way.Public art shouid reflect the area’s uniquecontext and character.

Streetscape Fixtures - Pedestrian lights,roadway lights, trash receptacles, recyclingreceptacles, bicycle racks, benches, drinkingfountains, newspaper dispensers, kiosks, treegrates, planters, utility grates, utility boxes, andbus shelters are all pieces of furniture in thepublic living room. Yet these streetscape.fixtures are typically treated more like industrialstructures than like functional and aestheticelements in our public home. Too often, theirdesign and materials are low quality and theirplacement is haphazard. Jhe Urban DesignPlanning effort should inc/ude research of streetfixture manufacturers used by Portland andother cities with high urban design qualities.The Urban Design Plan should identify a set ofstreetscape fixtures appropriate for use in thedowntown.


DOWNTOWN WZRAN CENTER NJXGID30RHOOD PLAN

!!

Lmtdscape Elements - Not orsfy does vegetationaesthetically softeri the urban environment, butit provides environmental benefits as well. Forexample, street trees mitigate glare by providingshade, improve air quality by filtering carbon-monoxide-polluted air, reduce stormwater rurs-off byproviding soil for water to filter through,and provide a physical buffer betweenpedestriarrs and vehicle traffic. The UrbanDesign Plan should address ways to strengthenboth the aesthetic and environmental qualitiesprovided by natural elements. It shouldestablish policies and design standards for theplacement and installation of street trees andother vegetation.

Public Graphics/Wayfinding - Wayfinding signs,street signs, bus stop signs, transit station signs,and other public signs need to be designed in anintegrated manner. The Urban Desigfl Planshould provide design guidelines for acoordinated system of public graphics. The1998 Wayfinding Project administered bySEATRAN provides an excellent basis forcontinued refinement of this concept. No,coordination with the downtown neighborhoodsshould be initiated within the context of theUrban Design Framework to bring this tofruition.

Design Guidelines - The City is in the process ofdeveloping design guidelines for privatedevelopment projects. These should becustomized to be consistent with theneighborhoods’ design visions. Revised designguidelines for the downtown are currently inprocess. The Urban Design Plan shouldcoordinate with this process and should address “,specific neighborhood design guidelinespertaining to pedestrian qualities, especially therelation of buildings to the street. These issuesshould include building entries, setbacks,windows, courtyards, and continuous fa$adetreatments.

Building Form and Massing - The existingzoning and land use code contains provisions

dictating setbacks, open space requirements,and required modifications of building form.The intent of these provisions is to create more ‘interesting building forms. When uniformlyapplied, however, the provisions also promotethe repetitive building solutions. The UrbanDesign P/an should look at developingalterations or periodicd revision of these form‘~ing provisions. These alterations and periodic . .changes could promote the development ofevolving building types and create a morediverse and interesting urban s/@ine.

Repairs and Restoration - Any construction thattakes place w“thin rights-of-way greatly impactsthe image of the City that is experienced bythousands of pedestrians every day. The UrbanDesign Plan should establish criteria for timelycompletion of sidewalk and roadway repairs thatdo not undufy disrupt business, retail, andtourism activities. In addition, when pavementis repaired, it is frequently constructed to muchlower design and materia[ standards than theorighral roadway. The Urban Design plan shouldestablish criteria and standards for restoringdisrupted sidewalks and roadways in keepingwith their orifl”nal design and materials.

Utility Coordination - Roadways areconstructed and reconstructed by many entities.[n addition to SEATRAN, various public andprivate utilities frequently access sub-surfaceareas in the roadways. The Urban Design Planshould establish requirements for schedulingcoordinated street work, and standards forpavement restoration.

Maintenance The Urban Design Plan shoulddevelop a policy and funding mechanism toassure long-term maintenance and upkeep ofexisting and new public spaces.

Implementation

Scope of Work - The first steps in creating theUrban Design Plan should be securing fundingand hiring a consultant to develop a detailed



,,

scope of work in cooperation with thedowntown community and city departments.The scope of work should include acomprehensive work program, a phasing plan to”produce increments of the work program, and adetailed budget and schedule.

Plan Coordination - The Urban Design Planshould build on the DUCPG andneighborhoods’ recommendations presented inthe plans. The Urban Design Plan should alsocoordinate with: Seattle Civic Center, KfrrgCounty Administrative Center, Seattle PublicLibrary planning, and Sound Transit station areaplanning; Monorail and Downtown Circulationplanning; Green Streets imp[ementation;Westlake Great Street implementation;downtown Wayfinding project; DowntownDesign Guidelines development; South LakeUnion planning; and City capital improvementprojects.

DOWNTOWN TRANSPORTATION PfAN

.

.

.

.

Coordinate public outreach program withUrban Design Framework Plan processCoordinate key recommended strategies ofthe Downtown Circulation Study, andSeattle Transit Initiative with designdevelopment plans for both interim andlong-range Sound Transit, K.C. Metro,Washington State Ferries, Port of Seattle,AMTRAK, and others’ sewiceimprovemermDevelop a comprehensive priorities actionplan for high profile projects such as GreenStreets, Key Pedestrian Streets, GreatStreets, hill-climbs, and other pedestrian andbicycle improvements identified in thedowntown planCoordinate public street right-of-wayimprovements with new major projects suchas the Library, Civic Center, FederalCourthouse, Link tunnel stations, and FertyTerminal to establish downtown pedestriantheme

.

.

Conduct anafysis of origin-destinationpatterns and projections for alltransportation modes including pedestrians ‘Develop means for balancing freightmobility ~“th DUCPG and urban villagetransportation objectives.

BONU.W7DR SYSTEM ECONOMICANALYSIS

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●

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Conduct downtowrr-w”de anafysis todetermine fair market values of pub[icbenefit features and development rightstransfer system including superbonus, smalfsite and small building and open spaceprovisions‘Establish values of ,bonuses and TDRs on ageographic (neighborhood) and zoriingdistrict basisIncorporate anafysis ,of the proposedSeattle-King County rural land TDRprogram in Denny TriangleDevelors streamlined manaE’ement D/an forimplementation and monit~ring of thesystem

HUMAN SERVICES PLAN

Two major 1998 accomplishments haveprovided extensive groundwork for theformulation of ‘an action plan for thecomprehensive provision of human services indowntown Seattle.

The Downtown Human Services Forum ofFebruary 24 brought together a large audienceof stakeholders to hear presentations fromexperts and practioners in human services. Ateam of f 9 Advisory Panelists representingfunders, agencies, e[ected officials,academicians, and the downtown communitythen crafted strategies for issues identified inthe presentations.

—Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - Aptil 12,1999- Page 84

DOWNTOW URBAN CENTER iW@GHBORHOOD PJMiV

,1

The DUCPG conducted a survey of alldowntown human service providers to create abaseline “snapshot” of the universe of facilitiesand programs currentfy operating in thedowntown. This inventory should be used toestablish a process aimed at the followingactions:.

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Establish human services task force ofservice providers, funders, downtownneighborhoods and other stakeholdersDevelop work plan addressing informationneeds and forecastsPrepare and evaluate alternative strategiesDevelop phased plan for serviceimprovemerrfi, facility siting standards, etc.

This plan should address” the key issues identifiedin the Forum which were:.

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Addressing mental health and substanceabuse chronic conditions;Creating employment opportunities that willincrease self sufficiency for those hardest toemploy; andLink housing supply expansion to socia/services.

DOWNTOWN PARKING MANAGEMENTPLAN

● Study feasibility of alternative parkingmanagement system options

. Target programs for developmeirt ofneighborhood-serving parking facilities

. Revise land use code to address needs forresidential parking and short-term parking.

POLICY [M- I : COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT

The City shall undertake a comprehensive”community development program toencourage and preserve mixed incomeresidential neighborhoods withcomplementary small retdl and commercialuses. Greatest priority shall be placed on thedevelopment of new affordable housing, the

presemation of low income housing, theretention and restoration of hk$oricstructures, and improvements to the streetlevel environment needed to create a sense ofneighborhood.

tion Gu idelirre 1 HousingPrormamsThe .Gty shall focus available resources toassist affordable housing production throughthe rehabilitation and preservation of existingunits and construction of new units. ExistingBlock Grant and Section 312 fundedprograms shall be targeted to areasdesignated for maior housing concentrationsin the urban village neighbo~hood plans. Toassist construction of new low-moderate andmiddle income units, the city shall activelyseek federal funds. The Cky shall alsopromote use of State Housing FinanceAgency multifamily bonds for new rentalconstruction and shall extend the taxexemption program throughout theDowntown as feasible.

tion Guideline 2 H istoricPresemtk2isHistoric Character Areas shall be established

within neighborhoods as defined in the plansand the urban design framework plan.Commercial uses shall be permitted outrightin non-residential landm%k structures, inaccordance with Policy _ HistoricPreservation, to provide an incentive for “therehabilitation of structures in which housingmay not be a feasible economic use.

tation Guideline 3 Neighborhood~sThe development of street levelneighborhood commercial uses shall beencouraged by targeting loans to smallbusinesses needed to support an in-cityresidential neighborhoods. ~

-ntation Guideline 4 StreetJmlmvements


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN,)

A comm’ehensive Drogram of streetimprovements Shail be-implemented.Included shall be Green Streets identified inneighborhood plans, pedestrian amenities andlandscaping along key pedestrian streets, thedevelopment of Third Avenue as a transitand pedestrian boulevard and improvedpedestrian connections to the waterfront.These improvements shall be a high priorityfor public capital investment to reinforce andencourage desired residential development aswell as improve overall street levelenvironment consistent with neighborhoodplans.

[molemen tation Guideline 5 Immedia@Action ProwamThe Cky shall implement a six year programof immediate actions to “attract federal andprivate funds, stimulate new affordablehousing development and presewe existArglow income housing. This program shallcoordinate housing resources to rehabilitateexisting housing units and construct new [ow-moderate and middle income units, assistrental and condominium developers toconstruct additional housing, and includecapital improvements that are highly visibleand targeted to build confidence indowntown neighborhoods, improveneighborhood appearance, and increasesafety and security.Implementation Guideline 69: ParkingStructures for Residential UseThe City shall consider partnering and/orbuilding neighborhood parking stictitresprimarily intended for use as” parking fornearby residential buildings. This wouldfacilitate low cost housing by eliminating theneed to provide on-site parking.

POLICY IM-2: HARBORFRONT

As part of the Urban Design Framework Plan,The City shall continue the communitydevelopment program for the Alaskan WayHarborfront to achieve the Downtown Plan’svision for the area as an active marineenvironment providing public access and

recreation opportunities in harmony withmaritime commercial use of the shoreline

The City shall work to divert train trafficfrom the waterfront to the downtown tunnel.The Ci~ shall work with the railroads to ~efiminate surface train traffic through thewatqfront south of Stewart Street. The City .shall insure that the train diversion will notcreate an overall increase in safety hazards.Space currently occupied by the railroadtracks shall be “reused to provide additionalparking, landscaping, open space and bicyclepaths.

Jmr)iementation Guideline 2 P a r k i n gAdequate parking shall be planned. Bothaccessory and principal use parking demandsshould be met on upland lots. Additionalshort term parking, independent of orintegrated with upland lot development, shallbe considered.

~W rfr nt

The waterfront streetcar shall continue ksoperations along the waterfront and PioneerSquare and the International District. Furtherextensions shall be comidered in theDowntown Transportation Plan.

. . . e 4 Pedestrian

Additional Pedestrian routes shall bedeveloped between the downtown and thewaterfront as identified in the neighborhoodplans and the urban design framework plan.Opportunities for provision of hill climbassists within private projects shouid beencouraged. Eagle and Vhre shall bedeveloped to connect with the DennyRegrad&

1 “kmentation Guideline 5 eBicvci

A bike path shall be developed, integratedwith the pedestrian promenade, from Myrtle


DOWNTOWN URBAN CENTER NHGHBORHOOD PLAN

Edwards Park on the north to Pioneer Squareon the south.

Imr)lementation Guidwe 6 O~en SWDevelopment of major and minor publicopen spaces, integrated with the pedestrianstreet system shall be included in thedowntown urban design framework pIan,consistent with the neighborhood plans.

POLICY IM-3: WESTLAKEBOULEVARD/SOUTH LAKE UNIONAs part of the urban design framework plan,The City shall undertake a comprehensivecommunity development program tostimulate and guide major changes in the areacentered on Westlake Avenue from the retailcore to Lake Union. This effort shall includedevelopment of Westlake Avenue as a“Great Street”,, resolution of thetransportation problems in the MercerCorridor, and determination of appropriatedevelopment on the South Lake Unionshoreline as identified in the South LakeUnion neighborhood Plan.

. . .me 1 WestlaK

BoulevardWestlake Boulevard shall be developed as alinear urban design element from WestlakeMall in the retail core to the south end ofLake Union. The design of the boulevardshall provide a pedestrian amenity, and forma functional and visual linkage from thedowntown core to the lake.

~Guidelbte 2 Traffj.cC&@@2flVehicular circulation patterns shall bechanged to emphasize the importance. ofWestlake Boulevard as an entrance todowntown. Westlake shall be converted to atwo-way street for its entire length. Trafficcirculation changes on Westlake and theproposed conversion of Sixth Avenue to atwo-way street will “consolidate traffic

circulation in the area. This will allow manyof the complex intersections to be simplified,easing vehicular and pedestrian movement.Landscaping, selected sidewalk widening andthe development of open space atintersections where cross street right-of-way isno longer needed can occur.

. . eline 3 De e[oumentBy directing through.traffic to ~estlakeAvenue, Sixth Avenue and Denny Way thestreets withhs the triangular area bounded bythese thoroughfares will become needed onlyfor local access. since most land in the area isin a single private ownership, an opportunityto plan development as a single unit ispresented. Consideration shall be given toexchanges of public right-of-way and privateland to facikate new development andprovide needed public open space alongWestlake Boulevard.

POLICY IM-4: PLANNED COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT

A planned community developmentprocedure shall be established to allowflexibility in the application of regulations andstandards for major development on largesites or areas of downtown. This procedureshall apply only where proposals for majordevelopment would change the character ofan area or be of significant public benefit asidentified in neighborhood plans. The CityCouncil shall consider the public benefit andmay impose conditions which would mitigatenegative impacts prior to approval of anyplanned community development.

. .eline 1 Procedure

A planned community development may beinitiated by a city agency, other governmentalagency or private paw; however, noapplication shall be considered which doesnot include participation by the Cky. Ckyparticipation may be by a variety of means asappropriate to the development, but shallalways include a role in project planning.

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Following administrative review andevaluation of the application, arecommendation for approval or disapprovalinchsdhg modifications and conditions shallbe issued. Final approval of the plannedcommunity development shall be by CityCouncil action. Where community or specialreview boards have jurisdiction theirrecommendation shall be incorporated withthe administrative recommendation made toCky Council.

transportation, parking, energy, and publicservices, as well as such environmental factorsas noise, air, light, glare, and water quality.Mitigation of adverse impacts shall berequired to protect areas nearby and thepublic interest.

~ 2 Proiect PlanniwThe development shall be planned as a totalproject consistent with the downtown policiesas well as the policies for adjacent areas if theproject is likely to impact areas adjacent todowntown. The proposal shall becomprehensive and specify all elementsincluding the requested departures from the[and use code.

A minimum site size shall be established toassure a project of sufficient extent to affectthe character of the surrounding area andwarrant the proposed exceptions. The areaof any existing public right-of-way or publicright-of-way vacated less than five years priorto the planned community developmentapplication shall be excluded from calculationof the minimum site size.

To take advantage of the opportunitiesafforded by comprehensive development oflarge sites, exceptions may be allowed fromcertain provisions of the Iand use code.

~on Guldebne 3 Evaluar,ioo. . .

A project proposed as a planneddevelopment shall be evaluated on the basisof the public benefit provided with regard tohousing, particularly low-income housing,services, employment, revenue,neighborhood cohesion, pedestriancirculation and urban form. The impactsconsidered shall inchzde effects on housing,particularly low-income housing,



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APPENDIX

The following map: are currently part of tieSeattle Land Use Code used to directdevelopment within the downtown.Implementation of this proposed DUCPGPlan will require review and revision of theseMaps in conjunction with the recommendedchanges to the bonus system, transpor@onfacilities, etc.

Downtown Urban Center Planning Group - April 12,,1999- Page 89

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