The mayor’s Housing Affordability and Livability committee has released a preview of maps detailing proposed zoning changes across Seattle coming as part of the effort to link the creation of affordable housing with market-rate development in a legislative process expected to play out over the next two years. Included in the preview of the planned October release is a map detailing proposals for changes around First Hill and Capitol Hill including raising allowed heights by another story along Broadway and a new “midrise” designation in the area around Capitol Hill Station currently limited to three-story “lowrise” buildings.
The HALA announcement on the proposed Mandatory Housing Affordability zoning says the full package of proposals, shaped and vetted by stakeholder groups organized by the city, is expected to be released in October.
Based on our MHA Principles, we have maps illustrating a first draft of zoning changes in five example urban villages: South Park, Othello, First Hill-Capitol Hill, Aurora-Licton Springs, and Crown Hill. This first draft is intended to solicit your feedback and ideas for improving the zoning changes that will implement MHA affordable housing requirements. In October 2016, a full citywide draft zoning map will be available.
The full set of preview maps — and an easier to read view of the Capitol Hill map — is below.
Mandatory Housing Affordability — part of Seattle’s “Grand Bargain” — will link the creation of affordable housing with market-rate development by requiring all new multifamily buildings to make 5-8% of their units affordable to those making 60% of the area median income — or require developers to pay into an affordable housing fund. That part of the program has already been approved by City Council. The related process to upzone portions of the city likely won’t come as quickly as a long public process to educated the community on the proposed changes, gather feedback, and ultimately legislate the new heights plays out.
MR / MR (M) is not listed in the legend. What is it? That makes up a significant portion west of Broadway.
Speaking of Broadway, guess it’ll change. It looks so nice with the low-rise buildings now, too bad.
LR, MR, and HR are multifamily residential Lowrise, Midrise, and Highrise. MR | MR means the area is currently zoned as Midrise and would continue to be zoned as Midrise if the proposed changes are accepted. Eyebleeding detail at https://www.municode.com/library/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT23LAUSCO_SUBTITLE_IIILAUSRE_CH23.45MUMI
The maps are virtually impossible to read. :(
Don’t give up. If you click the one up top, you get this big version. Good nuf?
probably medium density residential