University Community Urban Center
Approval and Adoption Matrix

I. Key Strategies

Each Key Strategy consists of activities for a single complex project or theme that the neighborhood considers critical to achieving its vision for the future. While the Key Strategies are high priorities for the neighborhood, they are also part of a twenty-year plan, so the specific activities within each Key Strategy may be implemented over the span of many years.

B. LOWER BROOKLYN

Description

The Lower Brooklyn area is roughly bounded by Roosevelt Ave. NE, NE 43rd St., University Way NE, and Portage Bay and consists of an established low- to mid-rise multifamily neighborhood north of NE 41st St., the Lower Roosevelt/11th Ave. NE corridor, and the University of Washington Southwest Campus to the south. The area was nicknamed Lower Brooklyn, or "Lo-Bro," by the Planning Committee because Brooklyn Ave. NE emerged as a critical north-south link connecting the Southwest Campus area to the residential neighborhood and the commercial districts to the north. The vision for Lower Brooklyn is to intensify and solidify the residential neighborhood's character, to provide a better transition between th e campus and adjacent activities, to integrate proposed transit improvements, and to improve gateways and connections around the periphery.

Integrated Executive Response

The vision to intensify and solidify the residential character of this area is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.

This strategy consists of relatively small projects that could be implemented incrementally; individual recommendations are not dependent on one another.

Department responses included below: DCLU, DPR, SEATRAN. Compiled by SPO.

Lead Department: DON

Participating Departments: DCLU, SEATRAN, DPR

Activities Already Underway:

  1. Development of an overall conceptual design is currently underway along NE 43rd St. with a one-block demonstration project to improve the pedestrian link between the Ave and the campus on NE 43rd St.

Tasks to be Undertaken in 1998-2000

  1. Feasibility evaluation tasks:
    1. Identify any parcels for potential open space acquisition in the area between NE 40th and 41st Sts./Brooklyn Ave. NE and 15th Ave. NE.
    2. Prepare scopes of work and preliminary cost estimates for recommended transportation improvements.
    3. Based on preliminary project budget, identify which elements of the proposal (e.g., funding for green street improvements) would be good candidates for a neighborhood bond or levy.
    4. Identify alternative funding sources.
    5. Prioritize with strategies from other neighborhood plans.
  2. Coordinate with Sound Transit station area planning and City's station area planning (1998-1999).
  3. Coordinate with UW Master Plan process, beginning in 1998. Encourage the UW to enhance or expand Sakuma Park and to construct a contiguous waterfront trail extending from the Montlake Bridge to University Bridge.
  4. In 1999, address design guidelines proposals in as part of a coordinated effort to implement neighborhood-specific design guide lines citywide.
  5. In 1999, evaluate the feasibility of a "payment in lieu of open space program" as part of urban center implementation project. If deemed effective, apply it in urban centers or other villages that do not meet Comprehensive Plan open space goals that include such a program in their neighborhood plan. Begin development of a funding strategy for land acquisition with City resources. Use contributions from developers over time to make improvements to these sites. Examine other options to increase open space supply, including, for example, Transfer of Development Rights, or dedication of private land for public open space.
  6. Identify next steps for continued implementation.

Specific Activities Associated with Key Strategy

B. Lower Brooklyn
# Activity Priority Time Frame (Years) Cost Estimate Implementor Executive Response
Land Use and Economic Development
A3 Rezone from L-3 to Midrise (MR) in Lo-Bro and refine design guidelines to ensure privacy for neighbors, hidden parking, visible open space, and design quality (see rezone action A3).   Implement a rezone upon adoption of the urban center plan. Staff work to implement a formal rezone process. Community will do analysis and preliminary validation. DCLU will undertake a formal process. Rezone actions may be adopted on approval of the UCUC plan.
DCLU will work with the community to craft design guidelines covering the issues of most concern to the community in relation to the proposed rezones The community's proposed guidelines need to be edited to: eliminate overlap between the existing citywide guidelines and the proposed changes; distinguish additions and changes to existing guidelines; and be written as statements of intent rather than prescriptions. DCLU staff is actively working with the community and expects to bring a proposal to the Council in late 1998 or early 1999 for Council consideration.
A4 Rezone the east side of Brooklyn Ave. NE from NE 42nd St. to NE 43rd St. and the south side of NE 43rd St. from the alley between Roosevelt Way NE and Brooklyn Ave. NE from NC-3 (40) to NC-3 (65) (see rezone action A4). Rezone the east side of Brooklyn Ave. NE between NE 41st St. and NE 42nd St. from L3/RC to NC-3 (65) (see rezone action A4a).   Upon adoption of plan. Staff work to implement a formal rezone process. Community will do analysis and preliminary validation. DCLU will undertake a formal process. Rezone actions may be adopted on approval of the UCUC plan.
A14 Refine design guidelines in NC-3 areas where the ground floor commercial use requirement is relaxed and in MR zone to increase open space visible and accessible from the street. Open space requirements could be met through contribution to a fund for open space acquisition, as in Denny Regrade.   Adopt within one year of this plan's adoption.   Community and City are exploring this now. Allowing single purpose residential (SPR) development outright in this NC-3 zone, as opposed to as a conditional use, can be accomplished with adoption of the neighborhood plan. See comment for A3 re: design guidelines. See narrative above re: open space.
Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Urban Design Features
D8 Improve NE 42nd and 43rd Sts. from I-5 to the campus as green streets. Focus special attention on sections between the Ave and the campus. (See Activities B6, B7, and B9.) High Timed with Sound Transit station development. Undetermined; de- pends on the scope of the improvements. SEATRAN, DCLU, Sound Transit, KC/Metro, UW. Both NE 42nd and 43rd Sts. are designated key pedestrian streets in Seattle's Comprehensive Transportation Program. Designation of a street as a "green street" or "key pedestrian street" does not automatically mean that physical changes to the street will occur. First, a detailed streetscape plan has to be developed, usually by the community. Other neighborhoods have used Neighborhood Matching Funds for design. Second, funding has to be found from new private development, a public agency, or a Local Improvement District for installation of improvements. If the strategy is to rely on new development to provide improvements, they may not be contiguous or extensive.
D9 Support the UW's enhancement/expansion of Sakuma Park at the foot of Brooklyn Ave. NE as part of their master plan update.   Complete. Complete. UW. This issue can be addressed as part of the UW Master Plan process.
D13 Support UW efforts to construct a contiguous waterfront trail extending from Montlake Bridge to University Bridge. High UW sets schedule. Undetermined. (See B14 and B15.) UW. This issue can be addressed as part of the UW Master Plan process.
D26 Improve Brooklyn Ave. NE as a green street and signed bicycle route for Ravenna Blvd. to the water.     Undetermined. Community, SEATRAN. SEATRAN does not routinely place signs along bike routes (to avoid visual clutter), although in this case SEATRAN has agreed that signs can be placed strategically at key decision points, pending identification of funding.
D33 Unify the area between NE 40th and 41st Sts./Brooklyn Ave. NE and 15th Ave. NE. Develop small open spaces and improve streets as parcels are redeveloped.   UW sets schedule. Undetermined. UW, Community, DPR, ESD, SEATRAN. This issue can be addressed as part of UW Master Plan process.

B. Lower Brooklyn - Council Action Taken:

Approve Exec.'s Recommended Action with following additions:

  1. Designate green streets as requested in neighborhood plan (Activity D2, etc.). DCLU shall prepare legislation for designation of the green streets for consideration by the Council. The Executive shall also work to reconcile all the City policies and regulations regarding green streets, including those in the draft Transportation Strategic Plan, and adopt a clear policy regarding how the City will respond to the green streets designation.
  2. Prior to completion of development of its annual work program, DCLU shall present a draft work program, with a listing of the issues to be reviewed under the urban center implementation project (including review of the payment in lieu of open space program issues identified above) to the Council for early feedback on policy issues and prioritization of issues.
  3. In reviewing proposed design review guideline recommended for this neighborhood plan, DCLU shall consider similar recommendations from other neighborhood plans and citywide issues. DCLU's analysis and report to the Council should summarize its consideration of such issues as well as cost impacts associated with administering numerous design review guidelines.
  4. For Activities D9, D13, D33, and all others in this matrix where the Executive response indicates that the issues will be addressed as part of the UW Master Plan process, the City shall take an active role ensuring that the issues are raised and addressed in the Master Plan process.

MUNI13.DOC