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Staff Biography

Ryan Packer

Contributing Editor

Ryan Packer lives in the Summit Slope neighborhood of Capitol Hill. They are on the board of the Friends of Pike Place Market and write about transportation issues at Capitol Hill Seattle. They believe in using Seattle’s history to attain the vibrant, diverse city that we wish to inhabit. Follow them on Twitter @typewriteralley or email at ryan [at] theurbanist [dot] org.

Recent Articles

Growth Plan Falls Short of Seattle’s Needs, Planning Commission Says

The Seattle Planning Commission has given the proposed One Seattle Comprehensive Plan a once-over. The reviews are not good.

Port Townsend Just Quietly Ditched Its Off-Street Parking Mandates

Small but mighty Port Townsend appears to be the first city in Washington State to have fully ditched its off-street parking requirements.

Land Use Chair Tammy Morales Takes Aim at Proposed Seattle Growth Plan

In the first chance to discuss the Harrell administration's planned growth strategy, Morales was leagues ahead of her colleagues in articulating changes she wanted to see made, such as higher growth targets and more multifamily zoning, before earning her vote of approval.

New Alki Elementary School Draws Another Appeal, Even After Adding Parking Lot

Even after plans for a new Alki Elementary were redesigned to add parking, the project is caught in another appeal alleging there still isn't enough proposed parking. The delays triggered by the appeals have cost the school district at least $3 million so far.

Year of Housing 2.0 Mostly Fizzles Out at Washington Legislature

The state's 60-day legislative session wrapped on March 7 with only a few housing bills headed to Governor Inslee's desk. Rent stabilization, transit-oriented development, lot-splitting, and a builder's remedy all failed to pass.