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.

D. UNIVERSITY GARDENS MIXED-USE CORE DEVELOPMENT

Description

This area, extending generally from Brooklyn Ave. NE to 7th Ave NE and from NE 50th St. to NE 43rd St. (See map III-1 in plan for better detail of planning area), encompasses the core of the urban center's western commercial district. Today, the area consists mostly of parking lots, automobile dealerships, and a variety of commercial uses sprinkled with a few apartments and old residences. While there are several landmark businesses, such as the Meany Hotel and Safeco Insurance Co., much of the land has minimal improvements and may be available for future development. Participants in the planning process recognized that the "University Gardens Core" -- so named because the early plat descriptions refer to the "University Gardens" District -- represents the best opportunity to accommodate new residential and commercial growth in a positive manner.

The vision for the University Gardens Core is its redevelopment into a more intense pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use complex, with amenities, open space, and transit accessibility supporting a wide variety of compatible activities. The plan envisions this area as an ideal location for new knowledge-based business centers that might branch off from university research, and as a likely setting for university off-campus activities. The University Gardens Core is also seen as a strong multifamily residential neighborhood, with pleasant streets, open spaces, and amenities.

Integrated Executive Response

This strategy is consistent with the urban villages strategy. One important facet of the proposal is a package of land use and zoning recommendations to facilitate an urban center type of development in this currently underutilized area. Another facet involves improvements to public spaces, the pedestrian environment and parks and open spaces. Where the land use code is a vehicle for improvements to public space, the two facets reinforce each other. This strategy represents an opportunity to bring together a variety of resources and programs to concentrate on housing to help implement the Mayor's Housing Action Agenda. Options might include: DHHS programs such as down payment assistance; working with lenders to focus attention on this area; employer-assisted housing with the University of Washington; and development of a pilot project.

This strategy could be implemented incrementally; individual recommendations are not dependent on one another.

Keys to success for this project include:

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

Lead Department: DON

Participating Departments: DCLU, SEATRAN, DON, SPO, ESD-CBO, DPR.

Tasks to be Undertaken in 1998-2000:

  1. Feasibility evaluation tasks:
    1. Prepare feasibility analysis of City participation including: a) timing and scope of KC/Metro bus layover project; and b) relationship to Sound Transit station area planning. Use this project as a pilot for partnership development with Sound Transit and KC/Metro.
    2. Develop preliminary project budget.
    3. Prepare preliminary timelines.
    4. Prepare scopes of work and preliminary cost estimates for recommended transportation improvements.
    5. Based on preliminary project budget, determine which elements of the project would be good candidates for a neighborhood bond or levy in 1999 (e.g., open space acquisition, some transportation improvements).
    6. Identify alternative funding sources.
    7. Prioritize with strategies from other neighborhood plans.
  2. In 1998, the City will investigate how other jurisdictions handle neighborhood-based or neighborhood-serving community development efforts to develop new models for Seattle.
  3. In 1998-1999, work with the community to strengthen its organizational ability to implement this and other UCUC strategies. Many experienced and highly competent nonprofit housing development corporations currently active in the city may want to participate in the UCUC Plan implementation.
  4. DCLU will work with the community to craft guidelines covering the issues of most concern to the community in relation to the proposed rezones. 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. The 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.
  5. Address balance of design guidelines and code amendment proposals, if any, in 1999-2000 as part of a coordinated effort to implement neighborhood-specific design guidelines citywide.
  6. In 1999, evaluate the feasibility of a "payment in lieu of open space program." 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.
  7. Coordinate with Sound Transit station area planning and City's station area planning (1998-1999).
  8. Identify next steps for continued implementation.

Specific Activities Associated with Key Strategy

D. University Gardens Mixed-Use Core Development
# Activity Priority Time Frame (Years) Cost Estimate Implementor Executive Response
Land Use and Economic Development
A6 Rezone the commercial area on the south side of NE 45th St. from 9th Ave. NE to the freeway from NC-3 (40) to NC-3 (65) (see rezone action A6). Community will do analysis and preliminary validation as part of the NPO process. City will undertake a formal review process.   Upon adoption of plan. Staff work to implement a formal rezone process. Community, DCLU, SPO. Rezone may be adopted upon 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 a contribution to an open space acquisition fund, as in Denny Regrade.   1 yr., Community and City are exploring this now.   Community, DCLU, DPR. See comment in narrative above.
Transportation
B8 NE 47th St. between 7th Ave. NE and 22nd Ave. NE. Install pedestrian bulbs and other amenities including improved sidewalks, lights, and street trees, where possible. (See B11)     Development pays a portion of it. SEATRAN. Pedestrian amenities must be designed to permit emergency vehicle access. The Univer- sity area is the busiest district for emergency services outside downtown (e.g., 739 incidents in 1996 in the 20-block area between NE 42nd and 50th Sts. from NE 12th to 19th Aves.). Since this is a local street, no federal or state money is anticipated to be available for this type of improvement. Therefore, "local" funds need to be allocated to this project to supplement funds from private development. These improvements could be candidates for either the matching fund or the neighborhood bond or levy.
B11 Upper UCUC East-West on NE 47th St. Establish an east west bicycle street between 8th Ave. NE and 22nd Ave. NE with signage linking it to other bicycle streets.     In conjunction with Sound Transit station planning, campus master plan, and the Ave improvements. Potential Sound Transit mitigation. SEATRAN. It is City policy not to sign most streets used by bikes. Many signs create visual clutter and increase ongoing maintenance costs. Direction signs can be placed at key junctions. The over-use of signs creates visual clutter that reduces the effective use of signs for transmitting information (they eventually become unnoticed due to the competition for attention). SEATRAN does not believe this is the most effective use of scarce resources for sign installation and maintenance. Physical improvements that make streets better for bikes are more of a determining factor in mode choice than signs.
B17 Transit Staging. Provide adequate (preferably off-street) staging facilities to serve transit demand. Pursue mixed- use transit staging facility between 11th and 12th Aves. NE and NE 45th and 47th Sts. High   Development in conjunction with demand. KC/Metro, with meaningful input from community. Beginning in 5-7 years, KC/Metro Transit's University Transit Staging Project recom- mends two off-street staging areas be devel- oped near the urban center: a) Husky Stadium and b) between 11th , 12th Aves. NE and NE 45th and 47th Sts. The second site will require collaboration with private property owners and developers.
B21 Consolidation of parking. Modify code requirements to permit community-parking structures in non-residential and MR (for residential uses only in MR) zones only west of 22nd Ave NE. Community will do analysis and preliminary validation as part of the NPO process. City will undertake a formal process.       Council, SEATRAN, DCLU. DCLU will evaluate this potential code amendment in 1999 as part of an urban center implementation project.
Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Urban Design Features
D24 Partner with KC/Metro to develop open space in association with KC/Metro's bus staging/parking structure (see B16, B17 in The Ave/15th Ave NE Key Strategy)     Undetermined (see B17). DPR, KC/Metro, Community. See comment for H2, below.
D31 Identify key open space opportunities associated with new development. Institute workable development incentives for developers to provide open space. High   Staff resources only. Community, DCLU, DPR. See narrative of Task #5 in Tasks to be Undertaken in 1999-2000 above. Neighbor- hood should consider a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant to continue open space planning.
D32 Create a local neighborhood open space fund to provide a pool of money to secure open space as opportunities arise. Pursue Conservation Futures funds and other grants to contribute to the account. Seek City and other resources to establish and increase the amount. Evaluate the feasibility and desirability of having project proponents contribute to the account a specified amount as partial fulfillment of open space requirements, in addition to ground-related open space. High   $500,000 for open space purchase revolving fund. Repaid through a LID or by grants, bond issues, and contributions in lieu. DCLU, DPR, Community. See narrative of Task #5 in Tasks to be Undertaken in 1999-2000 above re: payment in lieu of open space.
Community Coordination, Communication, and Participation in Decision Making for Plan Implementation and Redevelopment Activities
H2 Determine the need for a nonprofit community development corporation for management of complex, mixed-use housing and other development projects (such as envisioned in University Gardens Core) working with area property owners and the community. High Urgent. Key for University Gardens Core. Start-up money needed (approx. $100K/year for 3 yrs). Community, OED, and local organizations and institutions. The City and community representatives have started discussing options for achieving the goals of a CDC, such as partnering with existing CDCs, PDAs and non-profit housing providers. OED can work with developers to identify and provide development incentives for mixed-use development projects in this area, and to explore use of HUD Guaranteed Community Development Loans (Section 108 Loans) and CDBG Float Loans, as long as projects benefit low- and moderate-income Seattle residents, aid in the prevention of slum and blight or meet particular urgent com- munity development needs.

D. University Gardens Mixed-Use Core Development - Council Action Taken:

Approve Exec.'s Recommended Action with following additions:

  1. 1. The Council supports SEATRAN's current policy of only signing key intersections for bike routes, but directs SEATRAN to make sure that the policy is in writing and is shared with all neighborhood planning groups so that they can be aware of the policy and anticipate the Executive's response to requests for bike signs.
  2. 2. As the Executive reviews and responds to Activity H2 (CDCs) and similar requests from other neighborhood plans, the Executive shall provide a report and recommendations to the Council with a summary of the options for addressing these requests from the various neighborhoods by June 1999.

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