What a Pike/Pine development might look like in the future

We recently shared the latest proposals for zoning changes and rules to help preserve the character of Pike/Pine. The city's team of planners and politicos behind the plans met with neighborhood stakeholders last week to discuss the latest changes as they prepare to take the legislation to a spring city council vote. Here are the changes they highlighted for stakeholders. Ya'all are stakholders, right? Here are the highlights for you, too.

1. Replace the limit on lot size with a limit on the size of the upper floors in a structure
   This element is shaking out as one of the two key components of the plan. In an effort to avoid the cobbling together of contiguous lots to build massive structures, the plan will attempt to limit the bulk of tall structures by requiring 40-foot breaks. The basic explanation works out this way -- if a developer plans a structure 35 feet high or under, they can build on any size lot they can pull together. Any structures with with portions above 35 feet are limited to maximum square footage under 15,000 sqft and structures above the 35-foot mark cannot run the length of the lot. Instead, they must have 40-foot breaks to create open space in the building and not form a massive wall.
   
   
2. Distinguish among character buildings to prioritize buildings considered to be of
   greater historic value.
   This element is envisioned as an incentive program that will encourage developers to maintain the 'character' of specific buildings in the Pike/Pine area. Plan is to leverage Seattle Department of Neighborhoods' list of 26 landmark buildings in the area. Here is a complete list of Seattle landmark structures. Development of these structures that is determined to 'preserve the character' of the buildings will qualify for incentives such as increases in the percentage of the lot the developer can build on and height limit increases. Unfortunately, the list is being planned as a hard list that will be written into the rules leaving the plan for future additions to the landmark list in question.
3. Eliminate the provision that exempts development from limits on non-residential
   use in specified area.
   This is a way to roll back some existing zoning around Broadway for consistency through the Pike/Pine area.
4. Allow auto retail sales and service uses in existing structures
   As these 'preservation' plans have been formed, somebody realized that existing businesses in the area would be deemed illegal. So, in spirit of preserving character, existing businesses would be grandfathered in and allowed to continue in Pike/Pine. You'll still be able to test drive Ferraris on your lunch break.