On May 3, the Seattle Hearing Examiner decided in favor of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and El Centro de La Raza when reviewing the appeal filed in late January by Frederica Merrell against the DPD regarding the Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS) of the North Beacon Hill neighborhood plan update process. (Previous coverage and discussion of the appeal can be found here.)
The full text of the decision is here. The decision is based on findings that DPD environmental reviews were adequate in regards to the proposed update to the North Beacon Hill Neighborhood Plan. It also states that the proposed updates do not significantly change growth targets or other aspects of the City of Seattle Comprehensive Plan with regards to Beacon Hill:
“There is no evidence in the record that the Plan Update would result in increased density within the North Beacon Hill Residential Urban Village beyond that anticipated in the Comprehensive Plan. The proposed goals and policies in the Plan Update and those in the existing Neighborhood Plan both anticipate greater density in the town center area and near the light rail station. The Plan Update is a document that begins the process of determining how the growth that is already anticipated by the Comprehensive Plan’s existing growth targets for the Residential Urban Village will be accommodated and shaped.”
To learn more and to become involved in planning the future of North Beacon Hill and the Neighborhood Plan Update, attend the Neighborhood Plan Update Action Team Kick-Off meeting next Friday, May 14 at Asa Mercer Middle School, 1600 South Columbian Way.
Hooray!
Great! Now what? What’s the next step for El Centro?
Yes, no excuses now for EC. Lots of neighbors would love to see some drawings of what they are thinking no matter how preliminary.
There are actually a few additional steps that need to happen before the zoning changes are incorporated into the land use map. Regarding El Centro’s plans, I was told that they actually passed out some information at an NBHC meeting several months ago. I must have missed that one, but maybe someone on here recalls or has a copy of what they distributed. It would also be good to hear if they are capable of starting the design/build process as soon as the zoning changes have been finalized.
This only means that DPD is free to discuss zoning to 65ft. Zoning won’t/can’t be changed until after the Update is adopted–March 2011.
Next steps for anyone who wants to develop are to participate in the “Action Teams” DPD/Dept. of Neighborhoods are putting together and work with the community to push for adoption of the proposed update in 2011.
El Centro lost a funding source to begin dreaming/visioning their future development when the appeal was filed. Their next step might be identifying another funding source to hire consultants & begin staffing community meetings.
The only planning they’ve done so far is a “white paper” with a narrative vision of what kinds of use they’d like to develop–not what it might look like.