CONCEPT-LEVEL STATION AREA PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS

Background: Although Sound Transit will build and operate the light rail system itself, including the stations, it is the City of Seattle that regulates land use and owns the streets and sidewalks around the stations. To make light rail a success in Seattle, we need to plan carefully for the areas around the light rail stations to encourage transit-oriented development and to make access improvements to the light rail stations. Station Area Planning is a City of Seattle sponsored program to encourage lively mixed use development, housing, open space, and other community services within walking distance (approximately one-quarter mile) of Seattle's light rail stations. In December 1998, the City Council adopted Resolution 29867, establishing city-wide goals and strategies to promote transit-oriented development.

The City's Station Area Planning team has been at work for over a year, and has held numerous public meetings and workshops in neighborhoods all along the Link light rail line to ensure that the planning effort is responsive to the goals and ideas suggested by community members. "Station Area Advisory Committees" were established for most light rail station neighborhoods to allow interested individuals to guide the planning work. This work also built on the neighborhood plans that were developed in the past five years and adopted by the City Council.

Public Hearings: The Station Area Planning team has submitted to the City Council a resolution that would approve concept-level station area planning recommendations for each Link light rail station in Seattle. The Council's Neighborhoods, Sustainability, and Community Development Committee will hold two public hearings on this resolution:

Monday, May 22, at 6 p.m., at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center, 3515 S. Alaska Street; and

Wednesday, May 24, at 6 p.m., in room 239 of Savery Hall on the University of Washington campus.

The public hearings will begin with a half-hour presentation of the concept-level station area planning recommendations. The committee's review and vote on this legislation is scheduled to take place in late June.

For those who wish to testify, a sign-up sheet will be available at each public hearing one-half hour before the public hearing. Both of these locations are accessible. Print and communications access is provided on prior request. Please contact Councilmember Richard Conlin's office at 684-8805 as soon as possible to request accommodations for a disability.

Written Comments: For those unable to attend the public hearing, comments may be sent by May 24, 2000 to: Councilmember Richard Conlin, 1100 Municipal Building, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.

Information Available: For general information about the City's station area planning work, visit the website at: http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/planning/HomeSAP.htm. The proposed resolution and its attachments are available on-line at http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~public/leghome.htm, by clicking "City Council Resolutions," and then entering Resolution 30165. Copies of the proposed resolution are available at the City Council's offices on the 11th floor of the Seattle Municipal Building, 600 Fourth Avenue; from the Strategic Planning Office (SPO) on the 3rd floor of the Municipal Building; or from DCLU's Public Resource Center, 710 Second Avenue, Suite 200 (Dexter Horton Building), in downtown Seattle. DCLU's Public Resource Center is open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Tuesday, hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Questions concerning the proposed resolution may be directed to Jemae Pope of SPO at 684-8674 or via email at: jemae.pope@ci.seattle.wa.us, or to Martha Lester of the City Council's Central Staff at 684-8149 or via email at: martha.lester@ci.seattle.wa.us.

Questions concerning the public hearings on May 22 and 24 may be directed to Tye Ferrell in Councilmember Richard Conlin's office, by calling 684-8805 or via email at: tye.ferrell@ci.seattle.wa.us.