RDG presents EIS 101 and Little Else

At the April 20th, (3rd Monday of the month) meeting RDG brought Richard Weinman in to give a detailed explanation of the environmental impact study (EIS) they have hired him to do for the proposed development of the Hugh Sisley properties in the east Roosevelt/west Ravenna area.

Mr. Weinman first explained that the city process for an EIS and EIS scoping lays out as follows:

1.     A developer makes and application or pre-application for a project.

2.     The city decides if an EIS will be required and notifies the developer.

3.     The developer selects and contracts with the person who will head up the EIS.

4.     Even though the developer is paying the EIS consultant, the City of Seattle manages the project.

5.     The City notifies the public of the application and EIS scoping meeting.

You can see the rest of the time line on this document provided for the audience at the meeting.

Some of the questions asked by the 20 or so citizens in attendance:

Q. Since this is  a contract rezone shouldn't there be a lot more detail?

A. Because the request for zoning changes involves over 50 different properties with several types of zoning the detail cannot be provided at this time.

Q. When will you submit detailed information to the Design Review Board?

A. Not yet. We need to know what the City will allow before we begin the design process.

Q. How can the EIS be done if you don't disclose what you are designing?

A. They will do it based on what they perceive we will do based on the request of the contract rezone application.

Q. When will we know what is in the application.

A. In about a week.

And so it goes. Maybe next week we will see a zoning plat of the area with notes as to what RDG wants in way of changes. That will provide a bit of specificity. But more is needed. We'll pay attention. You can check out the State and City's websites for  legal stuff and Elements in an EIS. The elements are important because that list contains items we can ask to be included in the study. Look for a post in a week to ten days for information on the plat mentioned above.

Search SMC 25.05.444  Elements of the environment on Google to find this document on the City's website.