9-0: City Council Passes U District Rezone Unlocking MHA

New high-rises could be on the way for the University District (U District) for the first time since the 1970’s. In a significant unanimous vote yesterday, the Seattle City Council approved a neighborhood-wide rezone that could allow buildings as tall as 320 feet–at least in one pocket. Most of the rezone is much more tempered in maximum height limits, and it’s coupled with a suite of new development standards, increases in maximum floor area allowances for new development, and a requirement that most new commercial and multi-family residential development be paired with affordable housing.

Last-Minute Amendment Proposals

At the full Council meeting yesterday, four amendments were proposed to the final legislation. These included a clawback amendment for the rezones in case the MHA requirements were nullified by a court order, elimination of a rezone pocket north of NE 50th St, further increasing MHA requirements for the high-rise zones by one percentage point, and a provision for reviewing MHA progress.

• Councilmember Lisa Herbold proposed the clawback amendment, which would only be effective if MHA requirements are found unconstitutional by the courts. This would revert areas rezoned by the legislation back to their original zoning. The amendment succeeded on a 9-0 vote.
• Councilmember Herbold also proposed an amendment to remove a rezone pocket between NE 50th St and NE 52nd St slated to go to Midrise (MR) zoning. The amendment failed on a 3-6 vote (with Councilmembers Mike O’Brien, Lisa Herbold, and Kshama Sawant in the minority).
• Councilmember Mike O’Brien proposed an amendment to make a modest 1% increase in MHA requirements for the high-rise zones. The amendment sought to establish a 10% set-side requirement for affordable housing based upon total square footage and units or a fee of $22.25 per square foot, less any exemptions. The amendment failed on a 3-6 vote (with Councilmembers Mike O’Brien, Lisa Herbold, and Kshama Sawant in the minority).
• A fourth amendment signaled the Council’s intent to review the program yearly to determine how the MHA program was working and if elements need to be tweaked, such as increasing capacity or potentially upping the affordability requirements. The amendment passed 9-0.

Public Testimony

The City Council meeting included a full slot of public testimony with folks in opposition to the zoning changes donning neon scarves to mark themselves. Perhaps sensing the main legislation was bound to succeed, the Seattle Displacement Coalition (SDC) seemed to have their supporters focused on pushing Councilmember Herbold’s amendment to exclude an area between NE 50th St and NE 52nd St. They claimed 175 low-income homes were at risk, but we’ve covered the problem’s with SDC’s displacement math before. Many folks supporting the University District rezone and urban design legislation spoke, too, including The Urbanist‘s very own Owen Pickford. Ultimately, the meeting culminated in the City Council passing the proposal.