The Seattle City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee meets at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday). Item number 17 on the published agenda is discussion of Council Bill 119173 “relating to land use and zoning…in order to promote transportation options, update the definition of ‘frequent transit service,’ update bicycle parking requirements, update parking space standards, update SEPA environmental review parking policies, and make clarifications.”
According to Livable Phinney, a neighborhood group that’s been active in trying to make sure new developments have adequate parking, among other issues, the agenda listing refers to the city’s efforts to update its term of “frequent transit service” to be based on Metro’s published schedules, not how often a bus actually arrives.
Livable Phinney had successfully appealed the proposed Phinney Flats development at 6726 Phinney Ave. N., which would bring 57 small efficiency dwelling units with no parking. Last year the Hearing Examiner ruled that the frequent transit term should be based on how often a bus actually arrives, and Metro buses were not arriving as often as scheduled. But last month, the city’s Department of Construction and Inspections issued its interpretation of the ruling to say that the published schedules are adequate.
Livable Phinney researched new development along Greenwood-Phinney avenues corridor and found permits for a total of 1,567 new housing units with 789 parking spaces currently in the pipeline.
Members of the committee are Rob Johnson, Mike O’Brien, Lisa Herbold and M. Lorena González. You can find more information about the committee, as well as contact information for committee members if you wish to share your thoughts, on the PLUZ webpage.
Wednesday’s meeting will be at City Hall, 600 4th Ave., in the Council Chamber. You can listen in on the committee meeting by calling 206-684-8566.