A recently published white paper written by the Seattle Planning Commission calls on the city to follow in the footsteps of the city of Minneapolis and the state of Oregon.
Doug Trumm reports on a white paper published by the Seattle Planning Commission calling on the city to make dramatic changes to the city's zoning.
The commission's "Growth Strategy White Paper" builds on work begun with the commission's Neighborhoods for All report published last year. The paper makes an explicit call for Seattle to follow in the footsteps of Minneapolis, the state of Oregon, and Cancouver, British Columbia in legalizing three of four units per residential lot.
"Switching base zoning to triplexes or fourplexes will be viewed as revolutionary to many Seattleites," writes Trumm. "A draft recommendation of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) report was scuttled for less. But other cities have led the way and shown it’s possible, and conditions in Seattle–including the city council–have changed."
Among the changes in Seattle listed by Trumm: continuously rising housing prices and uneven growth around the city. On that latter point, Trumm notes that the city's "urban villages have shouldered an incredible load when it comes to infill development despite representing a tiny fraction of the overall land." Also, writes Trumm, "[t]he planning commission notes a whopping 80% of Seattle’s housing growth over the past decade or so has been within Urban Villages."
FULL STORY: Seattle Planning Commission Urges City to Get Ambitious with Growth Strategy
Seattle Works To Revise Comprehensive Plan
The city has developed five concepts for updating its comprehensive plan to increase density and reverse the legacy of exclusionary zoning.
Seattle’s Upzoning Plan is Ambitious, Light on Details
The city passed a ‘bare-bones’ framework to comply with state housing laws that paves the way for more middle housing, but the debate over how and where to build is just getting started.
Are ADUs New Jersey’s Affordable Housing Solution?
Accessory units can bring gentle density increases and boost the housing supply with minimal impact on local infrastructure.
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
Tenant Advocates: Rent Gouging Rampant After LA Wildfires
The Rent Brigade says it's found evidence of thousands of likely instances of rent gouging. In some cases, the landlords accused of exploiting the fires had made campaign donations to those responsible for enforcement.
Seattle’s Upzoning Plan is Ambitious, Light on Details
The city passed a ‘bare-bones’ framework to comply with state housing laws that paves the way for more middle housing, but the debate over how and where to build is just getting started.
DOJ Seeks to End USDOT Affirmative Action Program
The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program encouraged contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses in the transportation sector, where these groups are vastly underrepresented.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada