RNA Meeting Well Attended

The Roosevelt Neighborhood Association met as scheduled last night (5/26/09) in the Commons at Roosevelt High School. Attendance was high (100+) as the main topic of discussion was the proposed development in the 65^th and 15^th area commonly know as the fruit stand block.

Basically the populace  as a whole opposes the idea, but more on that later. Hugh Sisley and his wife were in attendance but did not make any comments.  One of the two developers was there and he responded that, Yes, he really did want and expect to get 160 foot zoning as requested. It wasn't just a ruse to make 85 foot zoning look like a fair compromise. Another gentleman (who owns property contiguous with the Sisley lots) explained that all of your property values are going down $1,000 a month. Somehow by increasing the density that would stop? No one quite understood the logic, but we all understood his.

John Adams, an architect, showed a series of slides demonstrating the possible look of what would happen to the neighborhood if any of the 5 ranges of zoning were supported. 

Dianne Haddock, whose previous experience includes work on Environmental Impact Statements at the federal level explained to the audience the need for and the process of making comments to help determine the scope of the EIS that is being done on this property.

Jim O'Halloran, chair of the Roosevelt Zoning Committee, gave a brief history of the Roosevelt Plan which is a completely separate plan created by members of the community in 2006 to embrace density along with the light rail decision for the stop in 12^th Ave NE in our village.

It was pointed out for clarification that, besides building only rental units,  the developers plan included changing zoning from NC1 and NC2 to NC3. In and urban village with a transit station two important things can occur.

1.       A building can be of one use, so it may not be ground floor commercial and upper floors residential as is common. It could be all floors offices, or all floors a hotel, or a K-Mart-type store.

2.       In NC3 in a transit zone, parking does not have to be provided.

That in itself is a lot to think about.

Questions and comments from the audience followed and there were many strong opinions about the proposed zoning changes. All of the developer's plans and the Roosevelt Plan would require a change in the Seattle Comprehensive Plan as that calls for no change in single family zoning. The developer's plan calls for incorporating parts of Ravenna into the Roosevelt Urban Village.

 Most seemed to favor one of three proposals.

1.       No change in the Seattle Comprehensive Plan

2.       No change other than cleaning up the derelict properties in the area under whatever ownership and building only to current zoning regualtioins.

3.       Adoption of the Roosevelt Plan, with refinement.

As I drove to work this morning I was thinking that the corner of 14^th Ave NE and NE 65^th Street where 2 falling down properties owned by Sisley were recently removed was looking pretty good. Something could be built there that would make for a pleasant transition from the residential neighborhoods to the east, the high school campus to the north and Ravenna and Cowen Parks' neighborhoods to the south as the people learn to migrate toward the transit station and greater density there. Then I noticed a truck piled high with garbage bags, and I realized that the landowner is not changing his ways anytime soon.