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Nearly a dozen tool libraries are operating in the Puget Sound region and Kirkland is aiming to join the club. Here's what tool libraries add to communities.
Recent Posts
Harrell’s Democracy Voucher Levy Proposal Sticks with Status Quo
This summer, voters will get a chance to show their support for Seattle’s innovative Democracy Voucher program when its funding levy comes up for renewal. While critics would like to see adjustments made, democracy vouchers have led to a more diverse pool of local candidates while giving more people a chance to donate to campaigns.
State House Approves Bill Mapping Out Amtrak Cascades Upgrades
The Washington House of Representatives has passed legislation setting goals that could more than double service and significantly shrink travel times on Amtrak Cascades. The Washington State Senate still needs to sign off on the legislation.
Washington House Approves Bill Capping Annual Rent Hikes at 7%
The rent stabilization bill that the Washington State House approved this week scaled back other protections for renters, including a cap on move-in fees and late fees. The bill now heads to the Senate.
King County Metro Installing ORCA Readers for All-Door Boarding Systemwide
King County Metro has added ORCA transit card readers at all doors on nearly 75% of its bus fleet and has a goal of finishing work by the end of the year. Until it does, Metro said all-door boarding is officially not permitted outside of RapidRide lines and Third Avenue. However, some riders have started anyway.
Seattle Gears Up to Fight Back as Trump Eviscerates Funding, Rights
Last week Seattle City Council heard from some of the groups most vulnerable to the new Trump administration: those representing LGBTQ+, reproductive, immigrant, and workers’ rights. This begins their examination of potential federal impacts on Seattle, which could include power outages and shuttered research programs at the University of Washington.
Katie Wilson Jumps In Seattle Mayor Race as Progressive Coalition-Builder
Transit Riders Union leader Katie Wilson jumped in the race to be the next mayor of Seattle today. Our interview with Wilson covers what's motivating her to run and how she would deliver results where Mayor Bruce Harrell has failed.
Facing Legal Appeals, Seattle Poised to Adopt Stopgap Middle Housing Upzones
An interim ordinance will allow Seattle to meet a state deadline, and decide how to allow four and six units on residential lots around the city. But exactly how to do that will likely be a hotly debated issue on the city council.
Join The Urbanist for Our March Social Events
Join The Urbanist for one of our many socials for some comp plan advocacy, or join one of the many local urbanist groups doing their own things.
Join The Urbanist for Our February Social Events
Join The Urbanist for our February social events in Seattle, Redmond, and Shoreline. Next up is our Big Time Brewery meetup on February 20.
Eastside Coffee Outside: Brewing Community, One Cup at a Time
Community members gather every Wednesday morning from 7am to 9:30am in Kirkland for Eastside Coffee Outside. Here's how they came together.
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Op-Ed: Why Your City Needs a Tool Library
Nearly a dozen tool libraries are operating in the Puget Sound region and Kirkland is aiming to join the club. Here's what tool libraries add to communities.
Newcastle Mayor Pushed to Scrub Climate Change, Equity from City’s Growth...
Newcastle Mayor Robert Clark pushed to remove references to promoting racial and social equity as "vague," "subjective," and "irrelevant," and called climate change "subjective." Many of his recommendations were adopted by the Newcastle Planning Commission.
Bellevue Pushes to Open Up Bus-Only Lanes to Private Shuttles
Framed as a way to increase the efficiency of new transit lanes being eyed for the RapidRide K Line, the move could give transit agencies across the state less control over one of the biggest tools they have to increase speed and reliability.
More Eastside Coverage posts »
Facing Legal Appeals, Seattle Poised to Adopt Stopgap Middle Housing Upzones
An interim ordinance will allow Seattle to meet a state deadline, and decide how to allow four and six units on residential lots around the city. But exactly how to do that will likely be a hotly debated issue on the city council.
Op-Ed: Single Family Zoning Is Keeping Seattle Inaccessible to Disabled People
For the last 30 years, Seattle has adopted an urban village approach to growth that has reserved 75% of the city for single-family zoning while concentrating growth into walkable urban centers. This has created de-facto housing segregation, where many people with disabilities can reside only in the minority of neighborhoods classified as urban centers, which are made expensive by their rareness.
Op-Ed: 10 Reasons Seattle Adding 30 Neighborhood Centers Is Smart Planning
Keeping all 30 proposed Neighborhood Centers is essential for a more affordable, sustainable, and thriving Seattle. If we chip away at Neighborhood Centers, we’ll be left with the same housing shortages, rising costs, and inequitable growth patterns we’ve seen for decades.
More One Seattle Plan posts »
Ryan Packer Talks Vision Zero, Traffic Safety on Hacks and Wonks...
Ryan Packer broke down local "Vision Zero" traffic safety campaigns on a recent episode of the Hacks and Wonks podcast.
Rian Watt Talks Primary Results on Hack and Wonks Podcast
The Urbanist's Senior Advisor Rian Watt discussed primary election results and the latest happenings at Seattle City Hall on a August 9 episode of...
Urbanist Publisher Doug Trumm Discusses Transportation Levy on Hacks & Wonks...
The Urbanist’s Publisher Doug Trumm was recently on Crystal Fincher's Hacks and Wonks podcast to discuss the Seattle transportation levy proposal, which came in well short of where safe streets advocates were pushing the mayor to go. The episode is a good primer on the levy debate.
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