Shaping Proposed Downtown Zoning Changes Downtown Seattle
Shaping & Managing Growth
Growth is happening in downtown Seattle. People are choosing to live in Seattle’s most urban neighborhoods. New jobs are being created. Major transit investments are being made in this area. The challenge is to manage this growth wisely. The new zoning is good for housing, jobs, transit, historical preservation, and urban sustainability.
“We’re building a livable, walkable Center City by promoting affordable housing and encouraging smart growth.”
—Mayor Greg Nickels
June 2005
The New Zoning...
Housing
...strengthens a vital urban center
The capacity for housing downtown is increased. Both commercial and residential high-rises must contribute to affordable housing to make full use of development potential.
Jobs
The capacity for jobs downtown is increased, with the new growth directed to the commercial core and parts of Denny Triangle.
Vibrant Neighborhoods
More people living downtown means more active street life, more street-level shops and entertainment, and more residents dedicated to protecting and enhancing vibrant, healthy urban neighborhoods. Other City efforts are underway to strengthen and increase downtown parks and open spaces.
Green Building
Incentives for meeting LEEDTM certification have been added.
Historic Preservation Transit
Historic buildings have more development rights to sell to raise funds for restoration and rehabilitation.
More people and jobs in these neighborhoods directly support the new light rail, monorail and streetcar.
Urban Sustainability
Concentrating growth in these neighborhoods is the most economically and environmentally sustainable use of land and infrastructure.
Existing Zoning
W es
te r n Av
e Westlake Av
Ba yS Ea t gl eS Br t oa d C St Ce lay St da r Vi ne St St Ba Wal lS tte t ry St Bl Be an ll S ch t ar d Le St no ra Vi St rg in ia St ew St ar tS t
85
55
PMM var.
30 DOC 0/3 2 30
2 Bo M 1s 3 4t 5t 6t 7t 8t 9t Terr Ya t A nd A rd re ino h h h le Av Av h Av Av h Av h A ve ve Av y Av n A r A Av e ve e e e e ve ve e e e DMC R/R 125/65 DMC R/ DMC DMC 65 C 1 85 160 125 25 R/ /65 R1 R/ DMC 25 C2 240 /65 40 /12 5 R/ R/ C1 R1 25 25 DOC2 /65 65 DMC /65 300/330 R/ 240 R8 DOC2 5/6 300/360 5 R/ DH C8 2 5/6 5
ZONE
Denny Way
Base FAR 6
Existing Max. FAR 14
Existing Height Limits Basic: 450’ Max*: 540’ Basic: 240’ Max*: 288’
y Wa ve Oli t eS Pin e Pik St
DOC 1
Downtown Retail Core
DOC1 450/540
N
St ion Un t yS rsit St ive ca Un ne Se
Yesler Way S Washington St S Main St
Max*: 330’/360’/ St ion 390’ Un t yS rsit DMC Basic: 240’ ive 5 7 Un St 240 Max*: 288’/312’ ca ne Se t gS t rin DMC Basic: 160’ nS Sp 5 7 iso ad 160 Max*: 208’ St M n St rio Ma mbia lu t DMC Basic: 125’ Co yS 5 7 err t 125 Max*: 162.5’ Ch sS e St Jam rson ffe St Je * Additional height granted for meeting ace t err T rS specific conditions DOC2 lde A 240/288
100/120
IDR 150
DOC 2
5
10
Basic: 300’
C DM
e Av 6th e Av 5th e Av 4th e Av 3rd ve dA 2n e Av
PSM 345 PSM 100
e 125 Av rn ste We
1st
C1
DM 60
PSM 100/ 120
Proposed Zoning
W es
te r n 1s Av
34 DM 0/ C 40 0
Ba yS Ea t gl eS Br t oa d C St Ce lay St da rS Vi t n W e St Ba all tte St ry St Bl Be an ll S ch t ar d Le St no ra Vi St rg in ia St ew St ar tS t
2 Bo M 3 4t 5t 6t 7t 8t 9t Terr Ya t A nd A rd re ino h h h le Av Av h Av Av h Av h A ve ve Av y Av n A r A Av e ve e e e e ve ve e e e DMC R/R 125/65 R/ DMC 65 C 1 85 DMC 25 R/ /65 240/400 R1 R/ 25 C2 /65 40 /12 5 R/ R/ C1 DMC R1 25 340/400 25 /65 65 /65 R/ DOC2 R8 600 5/6 5 R/ DH C8 2 5/6 DMC 5 240/400 85 Downtown
55
Occidental Ave S
S Jackson St
Denny Way
ZONE DOC 1 DOC 2 DMC 340/ 400 DMC 240/ 400
Base FAR 6 5
Oli e Pin e Pik St
y Wa ve
Proposed Max. FAR 17 14
Proposed Height Limits 700’ 600’ 340’ for commercial uses; 400’ for residential and mixed use 240’ for commercial uses; 400’ for residential and mixed use
St
PMM var.
Retail Core
e Westlake Av
DOC1 700
N
St ion Un St sity t S ver i ca Un ne Se
Yesler Way S Washington St S Main St
PSM 345 PSM 100
St ion Un t yS rsit ive Un St ca ne Se St g t rin nS Sp iso ad St M n St rio Ma mbia u l t Co yS err Ch St es St Jam rson fe t Jef eS rac St C 0 Ter er DM/40 Ald 340
100/120
IDR 150
5
10
DM 25 C1
5
7
e Av 6th e Av 5th e Av 4th e Av 3rd ve dA 2n e Av
rn ste We
1st
C1
ACRONYM GUIDE
DOC = Downtown Office Core DMC = Downtown Mixed Commercial FAR = Floor Area Ratio. This is the ratio of the gross floor area in a building to the total area of the land on which it is built. For example, a building with 200,000 square feet on a 20,000 square foot site would have a FAR of 10 (200,000 divided by 20,000).
e Av
DM 60
PSM 100/ 120
Building Heights Comparison
Proposed vs. Existing
Timeline
1999 2001 2003 2005
Downtown neighborhood plans call for more housing and jobs Council adopts new incentive program that strongly supports affordable housing Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) begun for new zoning Draft EIS published January - Final EIS published May - Ordinance drafted, submitted to Council
For More Info
Proposed Code Changes Available
The proposed new downtown zoning legislation is viewable online at www.seattle.gov/dpd/planning/downtownzoning. Public review copies are available at Seattle libraries and neighborhood service centers. Both the proposed legislation, Final Environmental Impact Statement and summary documents are available at no cost at the DPD Public Resource Center, 20th floor of Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 Fifth Ave.
About the Center City Seattle Strategy
For information on all projects in the Mayor’s Center City Seattle Strategy, visit www.seattle.gov/dpd/planning/centercity.
City of Seattle
Department of Planning and Development www.seattle.gov/dpd
Printed on totally chlorine free paper made with 100% post-consumer fiber. Updated June 27, 2005