March 2019
Madison Park Times
Serving East-Central Seattle since 1983
Real Estate
MADISON PARK - WASHINGTON PARK - MADISON VALLEY - DENNY-BLAINE - MADRONA - LESCHI www .M adison P ark T imes . com
Parties reach tentative agreement to upgrade Lake Washington marinas Marina Management plans 2020 construction amid permitting delays with Corps of Engineers By Brandon Macz
Madison Park Times editor Marina Management and the City of Seattle have reached a tentative settlement with the Friends of Lakewood Moorage that is expected to partially clear the way for upgrading three marinas along Lake Washington. “The settlement agreement has not been signed by either party,” said Marina Management partner Dwight Jones. “We’re close, and we hope that can get done in the next 30 days.” Amid protests from residents who use the current facilities, the city council in August 2017 approved Seattle Parks and Recreation entering a long-term lease agreement — at least 20 years — with Marina Management to maintain, operate and
improve public access to the North Leschi, South Leschi and Lakewood Moorage public marinas. The private operator took over management of Seattle’s marinas in January 2018. Friends of Lakewood Moorage filed a motion for summary judgment in King County Superior Court, arguing the city failed to hold a public hearing — as required under Initiative 42 — before approving the lease. The court decided in favor of the city and Marina Management last April, but Friends of Lakewood Moorage president and attorney Jeannie O’Brien appealed. Part of the group’s challenge was that larger slips would be added at the Lakewood Moorage, pushing out longtime tenants for large private luxury ships. The settlement will maintain the “small,
Photo by Brandon Macz A tentative agreement with Friends of Lakewood Moorage will clear legal hurdles to upgrading the South Leschi marina, but construction likely won’t happen until 2020. quaint character of Lakewood Marina,” “We pretty much came to terms,” Jones O’Brien said, “how it had been since it be- said, “and now we’re dotting our Is and gan in 1953.” There is still language in the crossing our Ts.” settlement agreement that needs to be re MOORAGE, Page 3 vised before it’s signed, she said.
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MARCH 2019
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MODERN CAPITOL HILL CONDO 1420 EAST PINE STREET #E310 | MLS# 1335444
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t was beautiful. Characteristically, the city turned the event into a party It will be interesting to see if there is a spike in births come next November. My nephew, who was staying with me, ever the organized, well prepared soldier, rushed to the grocery store to stock up. The place was mobbed. Shelves were empty. He ran into the manager and sagaciously asked, “When this happens here, what sells out first?” The answer: toilet paper and booze. How can one not love this city? Then the snow started falling and falling… and falling… and piling up. Shrubs bent over, some trees came down, early blooming perennials and camellias were flattened and frozen. Will they ever be the same? Of course they will. Nature is resilient… and so, too, must be the gardener. A downed or splintered tree? Cut it up for firewood, chop up the small stuff and put it in the garden waste recycling bin. It may take several weeks to get it all in and hauled off; there’s time. Make certain the jagged and rough spots where limbs broke off are sawn smooth. Wait for spring. You can expect new shoots to emerge from the wound. Let them go. The following spring, pick the two or three strongest, prune off the others and allow the strong ones to develop. You may want to edit that even more in subsequent years, but stout new branches will replace those that were lost to the snow. Bent over or flattened shrubs? Give them a good shake. Prune off broken or damaged branches. Allow the plant some time to get erect again. You may want to put a sturdy stake in the ground next to the shrub and lasso it, pulling it upright and secure it to the stake. In three months or so, it will be fully upright. If it is hopelessly broken down, cut it to within six inches off the ground. New shoots will emerge, and in a few years the plant will be dense and bushy; you’ll likely have to thin it out a bit. Perennials? Most herbaceous perennials (the ones which die back in fall and look dead through winter) will hardly skip a beat. If you did not cut them back in autumn, cut them back now within six inches of the ground. These dead stalks leave a crown of stubs at the base of the plant, up and through which the new shoots will come this month and next. The dead stems will protect the new shoots from foot traffic and dogs until they are sturdy enough to stand on their own. Evergreen perennials? Hellebores got hit the hardest. Most were limp and forlorn. Likely you’ve watched them stand up and, while they might look slightly worse for wear, they are standing tall and blooming beautifully again. If they really got hit, you may want to cut them back as you would an herbaceous perennial. New shoots will emerge as the year progresses. Yes, it compromised your winter garden, but the snow was gorgeous. In all, trees and hardy plants are better equipped to deal with a prolonged and heavy snow than we humans are. Don’t panic. Don’t be grumpy. Your garden will likely be fine and, if you did lose anything, dig it out and know that Mother Nature has given you a spot for something new and wonderful. That’s how it works. Reward your garden early in the month with a gentle broadcasting of a complete fertilizer or a top dressing of compost and be thankful… thankful that you never had to guarantee its survival by rushing out to buy it booze or toilet paper.
Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times • City Living Seattle
MARCH 2019
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MOORAGE, from Page 1 Under the settlement agreement, larger slips at Lakewood Moorage are being removed from designs, which means more slips will be created, but all around 30 feet or less, Jones said. Initial plans were to remove 38 small slips, for boats 30 feet and smaller. All 12 of the 20 foot slips, 16 of the 24 foot slips and 10 of the 30 foot slips. A big change to the neighborhood, the public shoreline and the marina. Seven 50-foot slips would have been added, plus one 54-foot slip, two 35-foot slips and a 96-foot slip, none of which are current options at Lakewood. There are also developing plans for community events that draw in people who don’t own boats, Jones said, such as fishing derbies for kids. Plans had always been to address the more dilapidated South Leschi moorage first, but the contract Friends of Lakewood Moorage was challenging included all three marinas. Even with the issues caused by Friends of Lakewood Moorage mostly settled, Jones said, the permitting process with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers necessary to conduct work in Lake Washington will likely delay construction until 2020. “I’d love to be wrong,” Jones said, “but to represent that anything substantial is going to happen, especially Leschi South, which is our priority, that would just be guessing and hoping.” Three separate permits were filed last year, but a backlog in the Northwestern Division of the Corps of Engineers was
Image courtesy of Jon Graves Architects Seattle Parks and Recreation is also working on designs for floating guest moorage at the South Leschi Marina that would wrap around new long-term slips. exacerbated by the month-long federal government shutdown, Jones said. There is the potential another shutdown will occur next week, if President Donald Trump does not receive funding for his border wall. “It’s not just us, it’s everybody,” Jones said of the delay. “It’s really hard to get a permit right now.” Seattle Parks and Recreation is also working on its design for an L-shaped guest moorage and public access improvements at the South Leschi marina, which
is being funded by a $1 million Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office grant that the city is matching with $1.52 million. The new entry point will be ADA compliant and connect to new moorage floats on the north and east sides of the basin. There are only 237 transient moorage slips on Lake Washington, and none of those are in Seattle. The project will provide 53 side ties across an 810-linear-foot floating dock, according to SPR’s grant presentation, which states 87 percent of
Lake Washington boaters surveyed said they would use transient moorage if available. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they wanted access to upland amenities. “It’s going to be a huge amenity for Leschi,” Jones said. “Those businesses down there are going to love that dock.” SPR expects the guest moorage to also benefit boaters from South Seattle. Once complete, the guest float will be one of only two overnight options on Lake Washington. PROVEN RESULTS
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MARCH 2019
Seattle landmarks board seeks structural engineer There is an opening for a structural engineer to serve on the 12-member Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. The board makes recommendations for designating properties as landmarks and reviews and sets conditions for all proposed physical alterations to landmarked properties. The board is composed of two architects, two historians, a structural engineer, representatives from urban planning, real estate and finance, a Get Engaged member and three at-large members. The mayor appoints all members, subject to city council approval. These are volunteer positions for three-year terms open to Seattle residents. Board meetings are held at 3:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Interested applicants should email a letter of interest and resume to landmarks coordinator Erin Doherty at Erin.Doherty@seattle. gov by Monday, April 8.
More options means more market time for home sales Homes Closed in Arboretum, Broadmoor, Denny-Blaine, Leschi, Madison Park, Madison Valley, Washington Parkas of February 2019 Address
Bedrooms Bathrooms
1725 24th Avenue #302
1
0.75
Built
DOM
510
1985
2
$338,000
$351,000
3.70%
2597 East Madison Street
2
1.5
1,540
1978
120
$560,000
$556,000
-0.72%
3
3.25
1,530
2008
15
$759,000
$759,000
0.00%
210 26th Avenue East #B
3
2.25
1,680
2013
100
$799,000
$799,000
0.00%
645 Randolph Place
2
1
992
1920
145
$999,500
$904,000
-10.56%
337 Erie Avenue
1
1.75
1,100
1928
3
$1,099,950
$1,099,950
0.00%
209 32nd Avenue
4
3
2,768
1990
180
$1,199,000
$1,150,000
-4.26%
3216 East Mercer Street
3
2.5
2,330
1980
9
$1,295,000
$1,180,000
-9.75%
504 31st Avenue East
4
2.5
2,854
2014
45
$1,650,000
$1,625,000
-1.54%
2311 42nd Avenue East
5
3.25
4,457
2003
223
$2,250,000
$2,125,000
-5.88%
A
PREMIER DIRECTOR | WINDERMERE REAL ESTATE MIDTOWN (206) 972-7768 • teamtruex@windermere.com teamtruexproperties.com
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fter seemingly endless months of the same news in Seattle’s real estate market — touting record-breaking price growth, historically low inventory, and a stiffly competitive climate — many local news outlets would have you think that in 2019 our real estate market is near disaster. The latest headlines proclaim that the Emerald City is now home to a frigid housing market with dramatic declines in home prices. What these articles fail to point out, however, is that to compare price trends in the first few months of the calendar year to those seen in the spring season is like comparing apples to oranges. Historically, the first quarter of the year in Seattle marks the slowest sales period, as buyers and sellers recover from the busy holidays and work on setting their real estate goals for the coming year. In contrast, spring marks one of the busiest real estate sales seasons, as the weather moderates and winter plans are put into action. Looking at rolling 12-month data in Central Seattle/Madison Park, the months of May, June, July and August saw median sales prices well above the $1 million mark, while the typically slower first quarter garnered a median sales price well below that, at $933,000. With this in mind, let’s dive into how our local market fared in the first month of 2019, and what to expect in the months ahead.
If we isolate median sales prices for January, we see that home values appreciated on a year-over-year basis, growing 6.6 percent, from $919,000 in January 2018 to $980,000 in January 2019. In line with these trends, the average price per square foot also increased, settling at an average of $538 per square foot. Signs of a slightly more balanced market (in contrast to the frenetic conditions of 2017 and 2018) may be found in the number of homes available for sale and the average cumulative days on market, both of which increased on an annual basis. There were just 48 homes on the market in January 2018, while this year there were 102 homes. More options mean buyers are taking their time in making a purchase, contributing to slightly longer market times of just over a month (compared to 22 in the year prior). Though we are still decidedly in a seller’s market, 2019 continues to provide more options for buyers than there have been in the recent past. As of this writing, there are three condominiums for sale in Madison Park, priced from $425,000 to $649,950, and seven single-family homes, ranging in price from $1,188,000 to $5,450,000. Madison Park remains one of the most coveted communities in the region; this, paired with strong market fundamentals and sustained growth projections, indicate that we can expect sales activity to spike over the next few months, as we say goodbye to winter and welcome the spring. If you are considering making your move this year, now could be your time. Neda Perrina is a broker at the Madison Park office of Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty. She can be reached at 206-218-8589 or Neda.Perrina@rsir.com. Find out more at PerrinaRealty.com.
Accessory dwelling unit FEIS challenge cleared to proceed City loses argument to dismiss portions of QACC appeal By Brandon Macz
Madison Park Times editor
Presha Sparling 206.799.2851 presha@gbk.com
Riley Sparling-Beckley 206.799.1572 riley@gbk.com
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The Seattle Hearing Examiner has ruled in favor of letting the Queen Anne Community Council proceed with most of its appeal to a final environmental impact statement that eases regulations for creating accessory dwelling units, but also agreed to strike out some language considered too vague. After QACC filed its appeal of the FEIS, the document generated after the neighborhood group
argued for more environmental review, the City of Seattle filed a motion for partial dismissal in November. The city’s main argument was that much of what QACC was challenging in the FEIS had been addressed in its appeal of a previous Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) for the ADU proposal, so the city shouldn’t have to defend itself again, citing the doctrine of res judicata. “The doctrine of res judicata bars several of Appellant’s claims in this appeal that were raised
by Appellant or should have been raised in its earlier appeal of the DNS and cannot be re-litigated here,” the city’s motion for partial dismissal states. “Specifically, the doctrine bars Appellant’s claims that the FEIS failed to adequately address the following purportedly significant adverse impacts of the Proposal: cumulative impacts of the Proposal ‘in conjunction with other significant land use changes as proposed within HALA, MHA, and other legislation;’ impacts to APPEAL, Page 11
Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times • City Living Seattle
MARCH 2019
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MARCH 16TH | SAINT PATRICK'S PARADE
MARCH 14TH-17TH | EMERALD CITY COMIC CON
MARCH 9TH-10TH | WOOF BY WOOFWEST
St. Patrick’s Day Parade includes Irish bands, pipers, dancers, and 2,000 marchers going north on 4th Avenue (from James Street to Westlake Park). After the parade participants are invited to travel for free via the Monorail to the Seattle Center for closing ceremonies during the Irish Festival in the Armory.
Emerald City Comic Con is the destination comic and pop culture show for the Pacific Northwest. ECCC delivers the best that the comics and pop culture industry has to offer directly from the creators, bringing super fans interaction with quality content, guests and an inclusive space to celebrate their fandom.
The Seattle Kennel Club Dog Show attracts 11,000 spectators and 2,000 dogs competing at CenturyLink Field Event Center. For decades, it’s been known as Seattle’s biggest—and oldest—pet event of the year. This year it will have a new twist and a new name.
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MARCH 2019
Emergency preparedness a community effort
SEEC issues second cycle of Democracy Vouchers
Margie Carter Guest column
W
hy prepare for a disaster? I confess: it took me a while to embrace the idea that our household should have supplies and a plan in place in case of an emergency. I’m one who always snickers during those airplane safety announcements that, in case of emergency, lights on the floor will guide you to safely evacuate. Yeah, right! That’s pie-in-the-sky thinking. But then, in 1989, friends in California gave me firsthand reports of the 6.9 quake, and a 6.0 again in 2014, but by then they were far more prepared and it was less emotionally traumatic. So, our family reviewed the suggested supplies listed for earthquake survival and began to gather essential items. Still, we made jokes about it (e.g., I need to know what time of year it will hit, so I can plan my spare clothes accordingly; which will bring more comfort, hot chocolate or whiskey?). I’ve always been unsettled to think our household might have water and food for a few days, but what about our neighbors? How would that play out? Fast-forward to 2019, and I am far more persuaded that the big one may likely strike anytime now and probably in my lifetime. According to Seattle Times science writer Sandi Doughton’s 2013 book, “The Full Rip 9.0: The Next Big Earthquake in the Pacific NW,” it could be significantly more disastrous. While the city has been putting systems in place for disaster response for big infrastructure issues, they expect neighborhoods will need to be on their own to cope for quite some time — weeks, if not months. How prepared are you in the event of a major disaster? Do your family members have grab-and-go basic supply bags, a plan for how to communicate and where to meet if you aren’t together? Do you know where and how to turn off your gas and have the tool to do that? Do you have a way to filter water, an adequate supply of medicines, source of power for lights and recharging/running devices? You can take advantage of the valuable resources on the Office of Emergency Management website — seattle.gov/emergency-management/prepare — and perhaps attend their series of disaster skills workshops to get your own household, family and neighbors prepared. Thanks to earlier planning a few years back, the Madison Park neighborhood has a basic HUB communications system set up at the tennis courts. It is not set up to provide/distribute supplies. For neighbor-to-neighbor assistance and emergency response we need to form ideally two-block neighbor SNAP groups (Seattle Neighbors Actively Prepare). The City of Seattle has suggestions and resources to learn more and get started at this shortened link: https:// bit.ly/2BJXKWL. To start this process, the Madison Park Community Council is holding a community event at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 18, at the Parkshore Senior Living Community, 1630 43rd Ave. E. Come hear Sandi Doughton’s presentation and learn how to assess needs and organize resources and responses with your immediate two-block neighbors. For questions about this event, contact madparkhub@ gmail.com. We hope you will make every effort to attend this meeting or send someone from your block to represent you. This is a great way to learn more about and get connected to our wider neighborhood, resources, needs and next steps. To stay abreast with our neighborhood updates on our emergency preparation work, look for follow-up information in the Madison Park Times and connect with and post on the Madison Park Nextdoor Emergency Group page: https://bit. ly/2V6mTDx. Let’s connect and stay connected.
Image courtesy of City of Seattle Every registered Seattle voter will receive four $25 Democracy Vouchers they can use to support candidates for city government.
$4.2 million in publicly sourced campaign contributions available in 2019 By Brandon Macz
Madison Park Times editor Seattle voters have received their second cycle of Democracy Vouchers, with participation expected to surpass the program’s 2017 launch. The Democracy Voucher program was one of several campaign finance reforms voters approved in 2015, supporting Honest Elections Seattle Initiative 122 by 63 percent. Each Seattle voter is provided with four $25 vouchers they can use to make campaign contributions to qualifying candidates for city government. The program launched in 2017. The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission began issuing 2019 vouchers on Feb. 12. “I think one of the things we learned is that people were not too happy with them coming out as early as they were,” said SEEC executive director Wayne Barnett. This year’s vouchers were issued six months later than they were in 2017. “Those four vouchers are the ones you can use for both elections in 2019,” Barnett said. Voters can spread their contributions out, or give them all to one qualifying candidate. The vouchers provided this month are for both the primary and general election. Candidates for city council and city attorney are currently eligible to participate in the program. There are seven council seats on this year’s ballot, and the mayor’s race will be added to the voucher program in 2021. In order to qualify for the Democracy Voucher program, a candidate must collect 150 signatures and qualifying contributions of $10 or more. “Once you’re in the program, you’re in the program,” Barnett said. “You don’t have to requalify for the general.” Participating candidates are limited to accepting campaign contributions up to $250, but Barnett said that does not include the voucher. If a voter wanted
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to contribute $250 and all four of their vouchers to a candidate, that would be a total contribution of $350. The program is funded by a $3 million property tax levy, which costs an average homeowner around $9 annually, Barnett said. This year’s program is providing $4.2 million in vouchers. “It was a 10-year levy put into place, so it is set to collect $3 million a year for another seven years,” Barnett said. “If enough people persuaded the city council to rethink it, that could always happen.” City council candidates using the Democracy Voucher program are limited to collecting $75,000 for the primary and $150,000 for the general election; anything above $75,000 collected in the primary can be rolled over to the general election. Voters can make contributions by signing their vouchers over to a candidate or representative, which are then redeemed by a campaign through the SEEC. Barnett said about 2,200 vouchers had been returned as of Feb. 21. About 80 percent are mailed to the SEEC using a return envelope provided with the vouchers. Each voucher has an identifying number, which can be used to make contributions online starting Thursday, Feb. 28. “Whether or not people will switch to online is an open question,” Barnett said. One concern raised when the voucher program was being debated was the potential for bundling, where a third party collects multiple vouchers for a candidate that could be used to curry political favor. Bundling is illegal under state law. “Luckily, we did not see any that I was aware of in 2017,” Barnett said. If anyone is concerned about a bundling scam, they can file a complaint with Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission. The SEEC checks with the King County Elections office every six weeks for an updated list of registered voters. “People who register to vote will receive their vouchers,” Barnett said. Even if not qualified to vote, legal permanent residents and U.S. nationals are still eligible to participate in the Democracy Voucher program, Barnett said, and should inquire about obtaining their vouchers with the SEEC.
Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times • City Living Seattle
MARCH 2019
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Team assessing possible transfer of The Central to nonprofit Administration still determining best uses of city-owned properties By Brandon Macz
Madison Park Times editor Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan expects an interdepartmental team to produce a report in March assessing whether the Central Area Senior Center property should be transferred to its nonprofit operator. The Seattle City Council passed a budget last year that includes a resolution calling for the transfer of several municipal properties to nonprofits using them to the benefit of residents. Among those properties is the Central Area Senior Center, operated by Sound Generations (formerly United Way’s Senior Services) in Leschi. The Central director Dian Ferguson has been working on righting the center’s finances and meeting all of the criteria requested by the city before a property transfer can take place since starting there in 2014. While The Central has a lot of value to the Central District’s senior population, Durkan has been pushing for the creation of more affordable housing in Seattle using cityowned property when feasible. “For many years, these organizations have operated important community programs and Mayor Durkan recognizes and appreciates the valuable services each provide to our neighborhoods and residents,” said Mark Prentice, a spokesperson for Durkan, in a statement provided to MPT. “As part of Mayor Durkan’s commitment to evaluate the City of Seattle’s entire real estate portfolio for more affordable housing, the Mayor is evaluating the best long-term use for these valuable City-owned properties. Before any
Photo by Brandon Macz A decision about whether to transfer The Central property to nonprofit operator Sound Generations is still pending an assessment by an interdepartmental team formed by Mayor Jenny Durkan. transfer would occur, the City must ensure any property is evaluated for community benefits and the ability to successfully operate and maintain the property. In addition, the City will be working closely with non-profit organizations to also see if affordable housing can be developed at or near the properties.” The gross square footage of The Central building is 9,748, but it is located on 57,600 square feet of city-owned land. Ferguson argues the redevelopment potential for the
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property as affordable housing is minimized by the significant slope south of the building. She told MPT in January that around $180,000 has been spent to meet the city’s requests for exploring a potential property transfer. There is the ability to possibly develop an additional floor above the dining hall, but The Central currently can’t obtain grants and other financing because it does not own CENTRAL, Page 9
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MARCH 2019
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Committee assessing greatest public benefit for Seattle Armory site Washington National Guard seeks to relocate outside city; first open house set for March 19 By Brandon Macz
Madison Park Times editor An Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee is in the early stages of strategizing what could be the best option for repurposing the 26-acre site where the Washington National Guard’s Seattle Armory has operated for more than 40 years. Whether anything pans out is contingent on the National Guard’s ability to relocate outside the city. “It is not a given that the National Guard will move,” said Interbay project manager Sean Ardussi with the state’s Department of Commerce. “It’s a given that the National Guard wants to move.” The armory was built in 1974 on land granted to the state by the federal government at 1601 W. Armory Way. Armories are now referred to as readiness centers, Ardussi said, and the Interbay armory suffers from many deficiencies under current guidelines for such facilities. “There’s a long list of requirements for a current readiness center,” he said. Some of the deficiencies outlined by the National Guard include too small training, administrative, kitchen, arms rooms and assembly hall space. The field maintenance shop is also too small for its assigned vehicles, and convoys are limited in their movements due to the armory’s location, degraded parking, roads, and exits being too small for larger vehicles. Insufficient lighting on the site is also a security concern, according to the National Guard. There are more than 600 personnel that use the armory, and most guardsmen are reporting from Thurston, Snohomish and South King counties. “They feel as though if they can be outside the city limits, it’s actually going to help them with their mission,” Ardussi said. The Legislature passed a proviso last year to form the Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee, which is tasked with forming recommendations for new uses for the armory site that would provide the greatest public benefit. The group began meeting in mid-September, and one its first decisions was to extend the deadline to provide the Legislature and governor’s office with a report from late June to Nov. 15. “We have a strong advisory committee,” Ardussi said. “They’re just starting to look into this now.” Among them is Washington 36th District Rep. Gael Tarleton, former Washington governor Gary Locke, Col. Adam Iwaszuk, construction facilities management officer for the Washington National Guard, and Port of Seattle Commissioner Courtney Gregoire.
CENTRAL, from Page 7 the building. The Central is one of six properties the city owns and leases to nonprofits, according to the mayor’s office, but their market value has not been assessed. The state Legislature eliminated the need for revaluation of government property in 2013. The Greenwood Senior Center, which is another city-owned property the city council wants to transfer to its nonprofit operator, was assessed at $1.9 million in 2013, and a nearby property was sold for $5.6 million in 2018, according to the mayor’s office. Even if The Central property is not feasible for affordable housing development, it could still be sold to generate revenue for creating affordable
Photo by Brandon Macz he Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee is exploring the best way to repurpose the Seattle Armory site should the Washington National Guard relocate outside the city. The Department of Commerce is leading the process with the Military Department, and lead consultant Maul Foster and Alongi was hired just before Christmas. An existing conditions report is forthcoming, Ardussi said, addressing the site’s environmental constraints, seismic analysis, transportation infrastructure and cultural resources. “That’s part of what we’re going to be looking at in March,” he said. The next Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee takes place 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at the armory. The public will have an opportunity to weigh in during the first open house for the project from 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, at the VFW Hall, 2812 NW Market St. Under the proviso the committee is required to hold at least three open houses, but members voted to add one on Oct. 1, when a draft report will be provided before being finalized for consideration in Olympia. A public development authority will likely be formed to carry out the committee’s recommendations that provide the greatest public benefit. “Housing is just one of many different issues that the committee will be looking at,” Ardussi said. The armory is in the Ballard-Interbay Industrial Center, just southwest of a Whole Foods and growing commercial corridor, so creating affordable housing would require a
housing elsewhere. An interdepartmental team that includes the mayor’s office, Office of Economic Development, Office of Planning and Community Development and Finance and Administrative Services was formed in September to determine organizational readiness for property transfer of Mutually Offsetting Benefit (MOB) buildings. Criteria are expected to be transmitted to the city council in March. The green sheet approved by the council in November called for a report on The Central and two other properties it wants to transfer to nonprofits to be provided by the mayor’s office by Feb. 1. Another potential hindrance to transferring these properties relates to how they were initially acquired. If state or federal funds were used, there’s a possibility that those funds would have to be repaid if the properties were sold or transferred.
rezone. The land value of the 26-acre site was appraised at $32 million in 2017. “There’s been a lot of interest in that (property) and I think a lot of people are following this process to see what the recommendations are,” Ardussi said. But a replacement National Guard Readiness Center must be operational before any recommendations can go forward. “They can’t be down for even a minute,” Ardussi said. “It’s a seamless transition.” Iwaszuk provided the Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee with the National Guard’s North Bend proposal, which would involve purchasing property from Puget Western Inc., during its last meeting in December. “I’ve seen estimates somewhere in the range above $90 million for the acquisition of the land and to build the new readiness center,” Ardussi said. But the relocation is not a high priority for federal funding, he said, and the National Guard doesn’t anticipate it would receive that funder any sooner than the mid-2030s. Ardussi said it will likely take multiple partnerships to expedite the process. Learn more about the Interbay Public Development Advisory Committee and sign up for project updates at this shortened link: https://bit.ly/2SVwpMm.
Midtown Center redevelopment project getting fourth look Lake Union Partners’ design team will be back before the East and Central Area design review boards this month to make a better case for its art-loaded Midtown Center redevelopment project. EDRB invited the newly formed Central Area Design Review Board to weigh in on the superblock project after community members complained they lacked representation on the board filled with mostly white Capitol Hill residents. The board also directed LUP and architecture firm Weinstein A+U to come back in December with a project more representative of the CD. But heavily covering the project — a seven-story mixed-use development that would spread about 430 residential units across three buildings with ground-floor retail anchored by a 12,000-square-foot drug store — with art on the facade concerned the boards. They didn’t know how it would fit in the project at the corner of 23rd Avenue and East Union, and how the to-bedetermined art celebrated the community. It will be the largest focus when LUP’s design team makes its fourth pitch at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at the Garfield Community Center, 2323 E. Cherry St.
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Hearing Examiner’s office issues decision on The Madison project Save Madison Valley loses bulk of appeal; drainage, P-Patch protections remanded to SDCI By Brandon Macz
Madison Park Times editor The Seattle Hearing Examiner’s Office has issued a decision that could allow construction of a six-story mixed-use development with a PCC Market in Madison Valley to proceed later this year. The decision follows a lengthy hearing that started in December and was extended for two days in early February. Appellant group Save Madison Valley argued that the director of the Department of Construction and Inspections erred in its issuance of a Determination of Non-Significance for The Madison project and the design review approval that took two years for developer Velmeir Properties to acquire. The Madison would replace City People’s Garden Store and includes 82 housing units and a PCC Market. A tree canopy sloping down from East Madison to Dewey Place East would also be removed; six townhomes are planned to front Dewey. The East Design Review Board cleared the project in September 2017, after four meetings. Each time architecture firm Studio Meng Strazzara made multiple tweaks to the design, including an increased setback on East Madison Street. The SDCI director’s decision approving final plans for The Madison was published last July, and Save Madison Valley filed a timely appeal in August. The appeal hearing lasted seven days, and began on Dec. 10. Save Madison Valley had also appealed a land use code interpretation, but the deputy hearing examiner dismissed it back in November. In her Feb. 26 finding and decision, Deputy Hearing Examiner Barbara Ehrlichman found that Save Madison Valley failed to meet its burden of showing the project did not comply with applicable design review guidelines. She noted multiple modifications were made to the project as requested by the EDRB that addressed height, bulk and scale. That included facade changes on East Dewey and the addition of townhouses to better blend with the residential community adjacent to the project. Former Seattle city councilmember and architect Peter Steinbrueck was among the expert witnesses Save Madison Valley called on to testify about the design review process and issues of height, bulk, and scale; he is now a Port of Seattle commissioner. “While Mr. Steinbrueck is certainly qualified to express an expert opinion on the adequacy of the design of the project, one opinion differing with the unanimous decision of the Board (which is in part comprised of design professionals), the decision of the Director, and the expert opinions of two other witnesses ( Magda Hogness [SDCI planner] and [project ar-
Image courtesy of Studio Meng Strazzara The Madison developer Velmeir Properties hopes to begin construction of the six-story mixed-use project at 2925 E. Madison St. this summer.
chitect] Charles Strazzara) is not enough to reverse the decision, given the deferential standard of review,” Ehrlichman writes in her decision. “Mr. Steinbrueck is correct that height and bulk are measurable, but the opinion about whether the building is out of scale with the neighborhood in the (Mercer) bowl is still a matter of professional opinion.” Ehrlichman also found that attempts to mitigate height, bulk and scale impacts were adequately addressed, Save Madison Valley having long fought the loss of the tree canopy. While the aesthetic impacts were obvious, Ehrlichman’s decision states that the developer made “reasonable attempts” to save a portion of the tree canopy. “The building was even redesigned to allow a portion of the grove and the exceptional tree to remain,” her decision states. “It was, however, the arborist’s firm conclusion that these trees would not survive the trauma of the building construction process and the changes to hydrology related to the construction. This is due in no small part to the fact that this slope was artificially created, and the hillside is constructed of fill.” SMV argued in its appeal that there are at least 39 trees on the site that are significant by city definition. Removing the canopy will have “severe stormwater, aesthetic, environmental, and other impacts on members of SMV,” and the size of the new development will also “tower over SMV members’ homes,” according to the appeal. The deputy hearing examiner found that there is no sensitive habitat within the site, “such as a wetland or stream,” and “the isolated habitat on the site is not part of a habitat corridor, and there are no uncommon or exceptional species using the site.” Ehrlichman conceded that the testi-
mony of resident and engineer Tom Spangenberg “may well be correct” — that city infrastructure improvements made since a massive flooding event in 2006 were insufficient —but “it is not up to this developer to fix this problem for the entire 170-acre area of uplands above the Madison sag.” But Ehrlichman did find the DNS was erroneous in its threshold determination related to drainage, and that decision was reversed and remanded to SDCI for further action. “The code requires designing for a 25year storm event. The storm that occurred in December 2006 was over a 100-year storm event. According to the University of Washington, one of the projected changes due to climate change is that winter precipitation extremes are [stet] will increase,” Ehrlichman writes. “Specifically, the heaviest 24-hour rain events in western Oregon and Washington are projected to intensify by 22% on average and occur more frequently — up to 8 days per year from a historical average of 2 days per year.” The deputy hearing examiner determined the conceptual drainage report submitted by Velmeir to be outdated, which states the drainage system would discharge into a 15-inch pipe under Madison Street. Velmeir’s engineer Joe Taflin provided testimony that it would actually go through a newly located eight-inch pipe. “The evidence in the record is conflicting regarding the details of the system,” Ehrlichman writes, “but the testimony is uncontroverted that the system will be brought into code compliance in the next stages of permit review.” Engineers have estimated the residences and PCC Market will generate 1,230 daily vehicle trips, with 244 new p.m. peak hour trips and 51 a.m. peak hour trips. The
Madison will have 140 parking stalls, 70 accessible for residents from East Dewey Place and 70 for retail customers on East Madison, which is also where delivery trucks will back into a loading bay with the assistance of traffic flaggers for the life of the project. Ehrlichman writes in her decision the use of flaggers will need to be guaranteed with a commitment letter recorded with King County. “The East Madison Street Proposal will also introduce significant public safety issues, especially new traffic and congestion onto the streets in the area that are used by members of SMV,” the appeal states, “including the quiet, narrow residential street, Dewey Place East.” Ehrlichman found no significant adverse environmental impacts would be presented by the project’s transportation plans and that SDOT was able to show compliance with code. The deputy hearing examiner did side with SMV in reversing and remanding a decision back to SDCI that did not consider the Mad P-Patch as a public open space that should be protected from shadow impacts. “Although it consists of cultivated beds, it is generally characterized by natural features,” Ehrlichman writes in her decision. “The Mad PPatch is protected by the SEPA policies that require the minimization or prevention of light blockage and shadows on open spaces.” SMV was not aware of the hearing examiner’s decision being published when reached for comment by the Madison Park Times, and is now assessing the document before deciding next steps, according to SMV member Melissa Stoker. Velmeir managing director Geza de Gall similarly needed to analyze the decision before offering comment, but tells MPT the development company is still hopeful construction can begin this summer.
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APPEAL, from Page 4 open space and tree canopy coverage; and loss of historic buildings.” QACC agreed in its December response to the city’s request that the government probably met its public outreach requirements while developing the ADU proposal, but argued the standards for a DNS are different than for an FEIS. The hearing examiner ruled that city code “does not expressly bar claims in an FEIS adequacy appeal to those that ‘have or could have’ been brought in an appeal of an DNS,” and that the two are different. “The Examiner is not convinced that the case law that was cited in support of this argument demonstrates the suitability of applying res judicata to different, albeit related, SEPA processes,” according to the hearing examiner’s Jan. 30 order. The hearing examiner also found that the city’s preferred alternative for accessory dwelling unit legislation “is more intensive than the previously-considered proposal,” and so res judicata does not apply. The FEIS for accessory dwelling units was published on Oct. 4, and a preferred alternative was identified that would allow one attached accessory dwelling unit (AADU) and one detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) on a minimum lot of 3,200 square feet in singlefamily zones, or two AADUs. No off-street parking would be required, and the property owner would not have to live on site. They would have to retain ownership of the property for one year before building a second ADU. The hearing examiner did agree with the city’s claim that a number of QACC’s objections to the FEIS were “vague, overly broad, and unspecified,” which would make it hard to know how to prepare a defense during a future hearing. The order removes language found to lack specificity while retaining most of the original objections. A hearing is still set to start at 9 a.m. March 25 in the Office of Hearing Examiner, Room 4000, 700 Fifth Ave. It is expected to continue through March 29.
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Plymouth Housing hosting March info session for Uptown development Nonprofit to build 93-unit apartment complex across from Seattle Center By Brandon Macz
Madison Park Times editor Plymouth Housing will host an open house next month to preview its plans for a 93-unit affordable housing development at Second Avenue and Mercer Street. Following a competitive bidding process, the nonprofit developer was tabbed by the City of Seattle to redevelop the site, which was donated to Seattle Center by the Kreielsheimer Foundation. The city will retain ownership of the land. Plymouth Housing serves men and women exiting long-term homelessness, and the affordable apartment development will include an on-site case manager and social workers for wraparound services. While Uptown was upzoned in 2017 to allow for heights up to eight stories, the project will stay at seven, said Tim Parham, Plymouth’s director of real estate development. The project will be partially funded with $8 million from Seattle’s Office of Housing, and the bulk of the funding will come from selling low-income housing tax credits, Parham said. The nonprofit housing developer is on the state’s list for allocation. “At this point, we’re on the list and we know we’re going to get the funding, so we started full steam ahead with designing,” he said. An open house for the project will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at the
Image courtesy of Plymouth Housing An information session is being held on March 13 to preview plans by Plymouth Housing for a 93-unit affordable housing development at Second Avenue and Mercer Street. Cornish Playhouse, 201 Mercer St. review in March, Parham said. This review is It will be a chance to not only learn about handled internally by the Seattle Department and comment on the housing development, of Construction and Inspections, meaning but also to meet representatives from the the city will not hold public meetings to future ground-floor tenant, Path with Art, a weigh in on the project, but comments can nonprofit that uses art to improve the lives still be submitted through SDCI. Plymouth of people experiencing homelessness and ad- and Path with Art have started an outreach diction. campaign, and plan to provide regular upThere is typically at least one design eledates to community groups, such as Uptown ment or amenity worked into a Plymouth Alliance. Housing buildings based on an ask from the Plymouth Housing is working with Washcommunity, Parham said, and the same will ington Holdings, which is developing surgo for the Uptown development. rounding parcels, to make sure its project “We’re going to do one thing big and do it and the Center Steps buildings complement right with the community,” he said. Plymouth hopes to have an Early Design each other, Parham said, such as with shared, Guidance package ready for administrative walkable spaces and midblock crossings.
SDCI seeks Construction Code Advisory Board volunteers; applications due by March 11 Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections is seeking volunteers for the Construction Code Advisory Board (CCAB), which reviews new construction codes and code changes, director’s rules and advises whether those codes should be adopted. SDCI currently has openings for an elec-
trical contractor, general contractor, commercial building owner or operator, and a developer and/or contractor on residential projects. Candidates should be knowledgeable about design, construction, building operations and the development process, according to an SDCI news release.
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