Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 7, Issue 7, July 2003
Copyright 2003 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article and photos below in your research. Be sure to quote the Seattle Sun as your source.
LAND USE
By CLAYTON PARK
University lease lid removed
The City Council voted 6-3 to approve lifting restrictions on the University of Washington's ability to lease property within its immediate neighborhood.
Although Council member Nick Licata floated a compromise proposal which would allow the UW to increase leasing of property by more than 50 percent, the council majority instead followed the recommendation of Mayor Greg Nickels to eliminate the 25-year-old restriction.
The City is asking the UW to keep about 75 percent of its leasing activity within the designated University District urban center area to control spillover effects on surrounding neighborhoods.
After five years, the City will compile a study gauging the effects of university leasing and development in the neighborhood, including a review of the number of housing units created, the number of university jobs created, and the total space leased by UW.
In addition to removing the lease lid, the council also approved resolutions directing Nickels to prepare a revitalization plan for the University District and to create strategies to increase the amount of market rate housing in the neighborhood.
Ballard mixed-use building
The City's Department of Design, Construction and Land Use on May 15 received an application for a master-use permit that would allow the construction of a six-story building at 5600 24th Ave. NW that would include a 6,200-square-foot Ballard Eagles club, 5,500-square-feet of retail and a 2,500-square-foot restaurant on the ground floor, with 90 apartments in the upper floors. Parking for 70 cars would be provided in two levels below grade.
The project would include 20,000-cubic yards of grading and demolition of existing buildings.
For details, call Lisa Rutzick of DCLU at 386-9049.
Children's Hospital eyes expansion
Copies of an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Children's Hospital's proposed construction of a four-story, 168,194-square-foot Ambulatory Care Building and renovation of 79,848-square-feet of the hospital's main building are currently available to the public for review. The project would include demolition of a portion of the main building and grading of 53,400 cubic yards of material.
An environmental checklist and other material indicating the likely environmental impacts and the addendum to the Children's Hospital Master Plan EIS are available to be read at the DCLU Public Resource Center at 700 5th Ave., Suite 2000 of the Key Tower building. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
For more information, contact Carol Proud of DCLU at carol.proud@seattle.gov or call 684-8467.
Sam's Club expansion OK'd
DCLU granted a master-use permit on June 12 to allow for the future expansion of the Sam's Club warehouse store at 13550 Aurora Ave. N. The project will include construction of a 33,649-square-foot addition to the existing warehouse store building and a six-pump gas station that will also be located on the property. For details, call Scott Kemp of DCLU at 233-3866.
Business violates zoning
DCLU reported June 5 that it has determined that Northlight Communications' use of a facility at 11395 Fifth Ave. NE for administrative office use is in violation of the zoning for the property that was granted to Children's World Learning Center, a child care. Northlight is described by DCLU's bulletin as "a company that produces, publishes and distributes videos, books and music CDs related to teaching parents and their children pre-verbal communications techniques. "The production, publication and distribution of educational materials is a second principal use located on the subject site, and is not customarily incidental or accessory to a childcare use," according to DCLU. The department's interpretation of the land-use code for the property had been requested by an attorney representing Northlight.
Fremont apartments
DCLU received an application on May 19 for a master-use permit to change the use of an existing three-story motel at 3938 Whitman Ave. N into an 18-unit apartment complex. For details, call Colin Vasquez at 684-5639.
Stone Way mixed-use
DCLU's Design Review Board held an early design guidance meeting on June 16 to consider a developer's preliminary plans to build a four-story mixed-use building at 1205 N. 45th Street, between Stone Way and Midvale Ave. N. For details, call Lisa Rutzick of DCLU at 386-9049.
Wallingford change of use
DCLU received an application June 6 for a master-use permit to change the use of the portion of the second floor and mezzanine of a building at 2502 N. 50th St. from retail to apartments for a total of five units. A portion of the retail space would remain. Written comments may be submitted to DCLU through July 2. For details, call Michael Dorcy of DCLU at 615-1393.
Sidewalk cafe proposed
The owners of the Kangaroo & Kiwi pub/restaurant located at 7301 Aurora Ave. N submitted an application to DCLU on June 2 for a master-use permit that would allow them to establish a sidewalk cafe next to their business. For details, call Tammy Garrett of DCLU at 684-0976.