The Urbanist » Examining urban policy to improve cities and quality of life.

Sound Transit Explains NYE Service Hours, Mulls Extension

by Ben Crowther @BenCrowther on February 21, 2017

On New Years Eve, Seattle transit service stood out as exceptional among major North American metros, but for the wrong reasons. Unlike our peers in San Francisco, Portland, and Vancouver, transit service was not extended beyond 1am to serve the crowds of inebriated partiers.

Sound Transit received widespread condemnation for the decision. Fearing a lack of options, many worried that partiers would drive home drunk, endangering lives.

Defending its decision, Sound Transit pointed to the need to keep trains off the tracks for its nightly four-hour maintenance window.

“We do need four hours a night to maintain the tunnels and the tracks and the trains. That takes a great amount of work, and we only have limited tracks to operate on, so we only have a limited window in which to conduct that maintenance,” explained Kimberly Reason, a spokesperson for Sound Transit.

The Urbanist followed up with Sound Transit and Ms. Reason after New Years regarding the maintenance work completed that night in place of extended service. A detailed work log, available below, was provided.

Events

CNU Is Co-Hosting Local Design Workshops In Seattle And Tukwila

by Scott Bonjukian @NWUrbanist on February 20, 2017

Urban design experts will help leaders and advocates address local challenges in Seattle and Tukwila this month. A series of workshops focused on Tukwila International Boulevard, February 23-25, and Seattle’s Central Area, February 25-27, will invite residents to share their visions for future growth and development.

The non-profit Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) is co-hosting the events with private planning firms. Planning from Opticos Design will work with the Central Area Design Guideline Coalition and the City of Seattle, and local officials will be aided by PlaceMakers in Tukwila. Additional support will be provided by several other firms. Issues of neighborhood identity, displacement, culture and historical assets, and infrastructure needs will be addressed.

HALA/Housing/Inclusionary Zoning

Call To Action: Support The U District Rezone

by Doug Trumm @dmtrumm on February 20, 2017

A five-year process could finally be coming to fruition Tuesday as the Seattle City Council votes on the University District Rezone and Urban Design Proposal at its 2pm meeting. Passing the rezone would finally take Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) to a neighborhood-wide scale and give a serious boost to affordable housing production. The U District program alone is expected to generate 620 to 910 affordable units.

We encourage those able to go to City Hall to testify at the meeting. If you can’t attend, call your councilmembers. Tell them to pass the U District Rezone and to reject the amendment to shrink its size by excluding areas north of NE 50th St.

And if you’re ready to move on to the next battle, submit comments on the rest of the zoning changes across the city through the Consider It website the City has set up.

For more information on the U District Rezone, here’s some related articles:

Stephen Fesler dug into the last second changes today and some other late additions to the U District package earlier this month. Fesler also tackled an earlier batch of amendments in October.
Owen Pickford tackled displacement risk and dismantled the Seattle Displacement Coalition’s ridiculous displacement figures showing they are massively overestimating the displacement risk in the U District. Pickford also took The Seattle Times to task for giving credence to these made up numbers.

HALA/Housing/Inclusionary Zoning/Land Use & Development

U District Zoning And Development Regulations Could Get An Overhaul

by Stephen Fesler @safesler on February 20, 2017

The University District rezone and urban design framework may finally become reality–in part. Legislation to rezone and update development regulations throughout much of the University District could be passed at full Council tomorrow. Earlier this month at a planning committee meeting, seven of the city’s nine councilmembers were present to discuss and vote on legislation covering the topic. More than a dozen different amendments were also considered, including amendments to remove rezones on The Ave, add areas to the rezone, and increase set-aside and payment requirements for affordable housing.

Proposed rezones for the University District. (City of Seattle)

What’s In The Legislation

We’ve covered the rezone process at length over the past few years, including many of the finer details on proposed zoning and development regulations packaged into the University District legislation. Some of the details have changed over time as the proposal was refined through the public outreach and Council review processes, but the key elements of the legislation cover:

Development capacity increases (i.e., rezones);
Urban design standards (e.g., building height, bulk, scale, transparency, modulation, setbacks, stepbacks, and width);
Incentives for historic preservation, open space, and vulnerable masonry structures;
Other incentives for green building, childcare, transportation demand management, and human services; and
Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) set-aside and payment requirements.

HALA/Housing/Inclusionary Zoning

Seattle Takes A Conservative Legal Approach To Inclusionary Zoning

by Owen Pickford @pickovven on February 20, 2017

Editor’s Note: This article is largely informed by a comprehensive look at the legality of inclusionary zoning by Josephine Ennis which can be found here.

The legality of Seattle’s inclusionary zoning program continues to be questioned by a small, well-funded group of people. The complexities of land use law can lead to numerous avenues that could be pursued to prove (or challenge) the legality of a certain issue. Seattle is pursuing a conservative approach when it comes to inclusionary zoning, aiming to meet the strictest interpretation of the law.

Background

Skepticism about Seattle’s inclusionary zoning program’s legality often references various cases, including federal cases. Since inclusionary zoning was first implemented in the 1970s and exists in more than 500 municipalities, it’s unlikely federal law poses a risk to the program. In fact, the US Supreme Court recently declined to hear a challenge to inclusionary zoning, effectively upholding it’s legality.

This means questions about the legality of Seattle’s program likely stem from state law, not federal law. The Washington State Supreme Court’s past rulings suggests to some people that inclusionary zoning might be illegal. The court consistently interpreted state law regarding development taxes and fees very strictly. These decisions prevented preservation of low income housing, tenant relocation assistance and open space set asides. Despite these rulings, there is a strong argument to be made the state constitution allows these programs. and the current court–with its makeup of different justices–might overrule previous interpretations.

Transit/Video

Sunday Video: Rails To Rubber

by Doug Trumm @dmtrumm on February 19, 2017

Transitioning Seattle’s transit network from streetcars to buses and trolleys was greeted as cutting edge in 1940. It doesn’t feel that way now. Regardless, this promotional video (by Cinema Screen Service Seattle) for the looting of the streetcar network offers plenty of interesting footage of what Seattle and its transit network looked like in the 1940’s.

What We're Reading

What We’re Reading: The Empire Strikes Back

by Doug Trumm @dmtrumm on February 18, 2017

DACA Holder Gets ICE’d: The white nationalist empire struck back as ICE detained Daniel Ramirez Medina, a DACA holder, on what appears to be trumped up charges. So far his lawyers still haven’t been able to free him. It is the first known case of a deferred action Dreamer being detained under the new markedly more xenophobic administration.

Uber End Around: The Uber empire may also strike back at Seattle if a bill working its way through the State Senate ends up passing. The bill could override Seattle’s more restrictive rules for app-based taxi companies in an apparent end round. (Check out our Uber feature here.)

Midtown Center Deal Flops: Lennar is backing out of plans to develop 475 apartments–with 30% affordable thanks to pressure from Africatown–in the heart of the Central District.

Segregating Texas: The Texas Legislature is considering a bill to make it much easier for neighbors to block low income housing.

High Speed Rail To Vancouver: Part One of Zach Shaner’s analysis of engineering challenges of building high speed rail to Vancouver focuses on the Seattle to Everett section.

Pining For Pike Connection: Presented with three lackluster options in One Center City, Seattle Bike Blog endorsed Option D to turn the Pike/Pine St corridor into a safe corridor for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Eastside Ride: The King County Council approved the Eastside Trail Master Plan plan 9-0 on Monday. (Our earlier coverage is here.)

Annexer’s Remorse: After aggressive annexations in the past few decades, Memphis is looking to de-annex some neighborhoods that proved too sprawled-out and rural in character to service in a fiscally sustainable way.

Driving Down Driving: Congestion pricing and higher parking fees could help make our transportation system fairer and help get more people out of their cars.

Civics & Culture/The View From Nathan's Bus

Seattle, Center Of The Modern Universe

by Nathan Vass on February 18, 2017

History is going to love this corner of our country.

By now you know that the Washington State Attorney General sued the Federal Government of the United States… and won. “This is the first time this administration has been reined in,” notes Governor Jay Inslee. Think about the power of that sentence. Seattle is now being described on national news outlets as “the epicenter of resistance to Trump’s Agenda.”

Which is to say, in the eyes of future generations: the leading edge.

It’s in times like these I’m reminded Seattle began as a frontier town. A place built by strong, willful men who understood that all great things are predicated on a maybe. Port cities are always a little wilder. Picture the prospectors and dreamers with their toughened steel resolve, who knew the meaning of calculated risk and did nothing but fail forward, bolstered by the fight, wrestling this metropolis into existence.

When faced with overwhelming odds, theirs is the ethic that realizes a hope and a prayer. You assemble the resources necessary, with discipline and foreknowledge. Then you execute.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson leads that charge now. Trump signed his executive order on a Friday. Over the weekend, Ferguson and his staff were able to finalize a nine-count lawsuit against the President and file it by Monday. Ferguson’s a former chess champion. Calculated risk, nimble execution. Noah Purcell, once a Franklin High School student, now a 37-year old Harvard Law graduate arguing the issues before the Ninth Circuit of Appeals. Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, calling a spade a spade (see timeline of highlights below).

As for James L. Robart, allow me to take a moment. A Republican federal judge in Seattle appointed by George W. Bush in 2004, and confirmed in a unanimous 99-0 Senate vote, Robart epitomizes the notion that upholding the rule of law need not be a partisan issue. Decency and integrity should transcend the reductively binary nature of our political system. Robart was former president, now trustee, of Seattle Children’s Home, a facility specializing in mental health rehabilitation and care. He was heavily involved with the Children’s Home Society of Washington, which addresses disadvantaged families and their children. He does pro bono work for refugees, to the point he’s become nationally known for it. Also, you’ve heard his words before. In a 2016 hearing, he recounted FBI data, saying, “Police shootings resulting in deaths involved 41 percent black people, despite being only 20 percent of the population living in those cities. Forty-one percent of the casualties, 20 percent people of the population.” He paused before saying, “black lives matter.”

These are the giants of the modern age.