Category Archives: Urban Planning

Urban Planning

Church has plans for surplus property on 14th Ave. S.

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The Beacon Lights blog at the SeattlePI.com website has a new writer, Daniel Scheer. Scheer has kicked off his tenure on the blog with an excellent story about Tuesday night’s North Beacon Hill Council meeting, at which the topic of Seattle City Light’s possible sale of a plot of land on 14th Avenue South drew a big crowd:

“Vacant since 1993, the former substation at 2107 14th Ave S suffered lead exposure until City Light cleaned it up. The Debre Medhanit St. Emmanuel Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, located next door, wants to buy the property to expand their already limited facilities. ‘We’re over full capacity and growing like crazy,’ said church member Maikele Mengesha. He added that the Church wants to build a big structure similar to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption on Capitol Hill. ‘We want it to be a landmark,’ Mengesha added.”

The sale of the 14th Avenue South site would be part of a surplus property disposition pilot project for City Light, which has more than 40 surplus properties, most of which are former substations. As part of this project, City Light will be doing public outreach meetings and collecting comments on the fate of this property as well as several properties in Northeast Seattle. There will be a formal hearing on the sale at El Centro de la Raza next month; we will post the meeting info as soon as we have it.


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Urban Planning

El Centro to present redevelopment concepts at open house

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This lot south of the main El Centro building is planned to become mixed-use transit-oriented development. Photo by Wendi Dunlap.
On Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to noon, El Centro de la Raza will hold a community open house to present the finalist design teams for the redevelopment of El Centro’s south parking lot into a mixed-use, “transit-oriented development” project. The finalist teams will present their site redevelopment ideas and concepts based on feedback from last year’s community meeting, and also on El Centro’s program needs and desires.

The two finalist teams, SMR Architects/Glenn and Glenn Architects/DKA Architecture and Weinstein A|U/Jones and Jones, were selected from an initial group of five teams. According to El Centro de la Raza, this was due to their “extensive experience in multi-family design, childcare and community facilities, and prior work with diverse organizations and communities.”

All interested neighbors are invited to the open house. Lunch, translation services and childcare will be provided. If you will be eating lunch, RSVP by noon on April 27 to 206-957-4605 or execasst@elcentrodelaraza.org. El Centro de la Raza is located at 2524 16th Ave. S.

Urban Planning

Application filed to build 5-story building at 12th and Holgate; appeals filed on South Beacon grading projects

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has announced a land use application to allow a 5-story, 22-unit residential building at 1814 12th Ave. S. Parking for 12 cars would be included below grade in the building. The existing 1922-built house on the 7,405 square-foot lot would be demolished.

The project will be required to go through the design review process, as well as a SEPA environmental determination. Comments on the project may be submitted to the DPD through April 15. You can submit your comments online via this link.


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On the far south end of the hill, appeals have been filed against the DPD’s recent Determination of Non-Significance with conditions (no environmental impact statement required), for a grading and vegetation removal project at three properties, as discussed on the Beacon Hill Blog recently. The appeal hearings for all three sites will be held on Wednesday, June 6 at 9:00 a.m.

The first is 8839 36th Ave. S. See the decision page here for more information. Here is the page about the appeal hearing.

The second project is nearby at 3400 Edward Dr. S. See the decision page here. Here is the page about the appeal hearing.

The third site is at 9025 Cecil Ave. S. See the decision page here. Here is the page about the appeal hearing.


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Urban Planning

North Beacon Hill rezoning passed by City Council

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Possible 65' development on Beacon Avenue, depicted in the Neighborhood Plan Update.
Monday, on an 8-0 vote, the Seattle City Council passed Council Bill 117375, an ordinance that rezones about 12 acres of land in the North Beacon Hill Residential Urban Village as well as expanding the boundaries of the North Beacon Hill Station Area Overlay District. The rezoned and expanded areas may be seen on this PDF. You can see video of the Council’s comments and their vote on this ordinance here.

Most notably, some areas immediately surrounding Beacon Hill Station have been rezoned to NC2P-65. This means Neighborhood Commercial 2 (“A moderately-sized pedestrian-oriented shopping area that provides a full range of retail sales and services to the surrounding neighborhood”), Pedestrian-Designated zone (“Preserves and encourages an intensely pedestrian-oriented, retail shopping district where non-auto modes of transportation, both to and within the district, are strongly favored”), 65 feet tall. (Information about the definition of the various commercial zones may be found here.) Previous zoning in much of this area was NC2-40 or NC2P-40, though the El Centro property which was also rezoned was previously zoned SF5000 (Single-family, 5000-square-foot lot size).

Some locations saw a change in their zoning from either LR2 (Low-Rise 2) or SF5000 to LR3. The definitions of the different low-rise zones may be seen in this chart.

This change means we could begin to see buildings up to 65′ tall in “downtown” Beacon Hill. Currently, we know of only two potential projects planned for the area; the 17th and McClellan apartment/retail building (which will be built to 65′ now that the zoning has changed) and the El Centro south lot project which is in the early planning stages.

Urban Planning

Clubhouse, station block development both cause controversy

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Susanne Rockwell of Seattle Parks discusses the planned new Jefferson Park Golf Clubhouse to a skeptical audience at last night's NBHC meeting. Photo by Wendi Dunlap/Beacon Hill Blog.
The locals were a bit restless at last night’s North Beacon Hill Council meeting. The agenda included presentations about the new Jefferson Park Golf Clubhouse plan and about the development planned for the southeast corner of the Beacon Hill Station block, and both projects seemed to raise some hackles.

The Golf Clubhouse caused the most ruckus. Susanne Rockwell of Seattle Parks and Recreation was there to present the plan, and started off the evening on a defensive note, introducing the plan by saying Jefferson Park “is not an Olmsted park,” and emphasizing that the improved views from the clubhouse would provide “more eyes on the street” — as well as views to the golf course on the other side of Beacon Avenue. One neighbor asked if the new views of downtown would only be enjoyed by those at the driving range, and Rockwell answered that passers-by on Beacon Avenue would be able to enjoy them too.

The plan presented seemed to be the same as the one previously discussed here, where you can find a link to presentation materials. Rockwell answered some general questions about the project, and mentioned that the likelihood of an addition of new parking parallel to Beacon Avenue, though it is in the plan, is “slim.” This brought applause from one member of the audience.

After this the tone of the meeting grew tense. Several members of the audience challenged Rockwell’s assertion that Jefferson park is not an Olmsted park. Rockwell replied “There was not an Olmsted plan for the park.” There was disagreement and shaking of heads in the room. One neighbor commented that the planned building is not attractive: “If the clubhouse was being replaced by something really beautiful, it would be an enhancement… [those drawings] look pretty crummy to me.” Later in the meeting, after Rockwell left, neighbor Roger Pence called the planned structure “a strip mall turned on its side.”
Continue reading Clubhouse, station block development both cause controversy →

Urban Planning

Applications filed to subdivide on Sturgus, expand at El Centro

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has announced two new applications for Beacon Hill projects.

El Centro de la Raza (2524 16th Ave. S.) has filed an application to allow the expansion of the existing child care center, consisting of two portable classroom buildings. The El Centro site is currently zoned as SF5000 (single-family residential) and so this institutional expansion requires an administrative conditional use permit.

According to the application, the child care center will have eight employees and will provide care for 68 children. Existing parking will be redistributed on the current site.

Comments on this application may be submitted through April 4. You can comment by filling out this web form.

At 1534 Sturgus Ave. S., an application has been filed to subdivide one site into four unit lots for the construction of residential units. Permits have already been granted to tear down a 1906 3-bed/1 bath home on the site (sold in December for $200,000) and construct two 2-unit townhouses, with one garage and three surface parking spots. The subdivision is for the purpose of allowing sale or lease of the individual unit lots.

Comments on this application may be submitted through April 4. You can comment by filling out this web form.

This house has survived a century, but it looks as if it won’t see another one:


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News, Urban Planning

DPD approves short subdivision on 14th Ave. S., grading on South Beacon Hill

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The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has announced a few new decisions related to Beacon Hill.

At 2706 14th Ave. S., on 14th two blocks west of the Red Apple, DPD has granted a short subdivision to create four unit lots out of the existing single site.

The planned development on the site would eventually be two duplex townhomes with four surface parking spaces. You can see the status of construction permits for the site here, and see the decision page here for more information about the site subdivision. If you wish to appeal this decision, the deadline to submit an appeal is March 26.


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On the far south end of the hill, DPD has made a Determination of Non-Significance with conditions (no environmental impact statement required), for a grading and vegetation removal project at three properties. The first is 8839 36th Ave. S. See the decision page here for more information.

The same decision was given for the nearby project at 3400 Edward Dr. S. See the decision page here.

The same decision was given for the nearby project at 9025 Cecil Ave. S. See the decision page here.


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Urban Planning

DPD issues decision on project at 1751 18th Ave. S.

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The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has announced a Determination of Non-Significance decision regarding 1751 18th Ave. S. (the southwest corner of South State Street and 18th Avenue South), where a land use application has been filed to build three 3-story single family residences, demolishing the existing house on the site.

A Determination of Non-Significance indicates that the proposal has been determined not to have a significant adverse impact upon the environment, and so an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required.

You can read the decision here. For further information, see the Notice of Decision here.


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Urban Planning

Second early design guidance meeting next week for 12th Ave. S. apartment project

The Design Review Board is convening on Tuesday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. for a second early design guidance meeting regarding the apartment development at 1814 12th Ave. S. The proposal for the site is to demolish the existing single family residence and construct a four-story, 23-unit apartment building with underground parking for 12 vehicles.

There was a previous early design guidance meeting in December, when this proposal was presented.

This document describes the public commentary and the comments and guidance given by the Design Review Board at the December meeting.

At an early design guidance meeting such as this one and the one in December, applicants present information about the site and the project. Public comment is then allowed, and the members of the Design Review Board will give their comments and suggest guidelines for the continuation of the development project.

The meeting will be held at the WellSpring Family Services Center community room, 1900 Rainier Ave. S. For further information, contact planner Bruce Rips, at 206-615-1392.


The site of the proposed apartment building. View a larger map at Google Maps.

Urban Planning

Deadline approaching for public comment on golf clubhouse project

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(This story was supposed to post on the website on March 2. Because of an error, it did not post when it was scheduled to in the blog software. We apologize for the delay. — Ed.)

A proposed design for the new Jefferson Park Golf Clubhouse, as viewed from the Beacon Avenue side.
The Seattle Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has published a notice of application for the new Jefferson Park Golf Clubhouse, as follows:

“Council Land Use Action to allow a new 19,800 sq. ft. two-story clubhouse and driving range structure (Jefferson Park Golf Course). Project includes new field lighting up to 90 ft. in height, netting/net poles up to 140 ft. in height, and 63 additional surface parking spaces for a total of 80 parking spaces. Existing clubhouse and driving structures to be demolished. Review includes a 4,100 sq. ft. single-story cart storage structure and 20,000 sq. ft. of paving improvements located on the eastside of Beacon Avenue South (DPD #3013107: 4100 Beacon Avenue South). Determination of Non-Significance prepared by the Seattle Parks & Recreation.”

Currently, the project still needs to complete the SEPA environmental review process, and the City Council must approve the expansion of a public facility in a single family zone. SEPA is the State Environmental Policy Act, which requires public agencies to consider the environmental impacts of a proposal before it can be approved.

The deadline for public comment on the project is less than two weeks away: March 13. You can comment online here.