Speaker 3: The Court of the Land Use the Neighborhoods Committee Agenda Item eight Council Bill one 2121 relating to land use and zoning, adopting interim provisions by amended sections 23.70 6.004. 23.70 6.006 and 23.7 6.0 32 of and adding a new section 2340 2.0 41 to the municipal code to facilitate occupancy of street level spaces downtown during the COVID 19 Civil Emergency and adopting the committee recommends the bill pass as amended.
Speaker 0: Hank you so much. Okay. We're going to hand over to Councilmember Strauss, who is the chair of the committee to provide us the committee report.
Speaker 2: Thank you. Council President Gonzales. Colleagues, thank you again for your patience with us this morning as we added the new committee during the briefing. I want to say at the top that I'm just very appreciative of Councilmember Lewis bringing forward a revised version of Amendment three. It is it addressed the the issue, the policy issues, not philosophical, the policy issues that I had concerns with. And I really appreciate that. So this legislation overall provides greater flexibility for the types of uses that are allowed on the street level in downtown Seattle to address vacant storefronts. The land use code regulates street level uses to ensure that ground floor spaces are pedestrian friendly and to add to the connectivity and vibrancy of our downtown streetscape, for example. The land use code encourages pedestrian friendly street uses by allowing things like restaurants, shops and these types of businesses on the ground floor, which pedestrians interact with and create an interesting environment. It does not allow uses such as warehouses which create dead space along a downtown sidewalk. This is true, and this is also true of neighborhood commercial districts street level uses. Although the standards for downtown are even more narrow than throughout our city in response to downtown storefront vacancies. Mayor Durkan proposed Council Bill one 2121 to expand the list of use uses allowed on the street level in downtown so that these vacancies are able to be filled more quickly. The expanded list roughly mirrors the list of allowed street level uses in non downtown neighborhood commercial districts. So just again, more conservative downtown. These lists mirror the neighborhood commercial districts uses that are on the street level. So new allowed street level uses downtown would include art installations, community centers, medical offices, co-working spaces and gyms or other amenities associated with apartment building or hotel. The ordinance would be in effect for one year, after which new uses from the expanded list would not be allowed without further action. Uses from the expanded list are permitted within the one year window would be granted the ability to remain in perpetuity or until that use ends. It would not if if a uses in a space that use ends that that exempted use could not be reapplied if it's outside of the one year parameter and no further action was taken. The Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee adopted an amendment from Councilmember Lewis to expand this legislation to cover South Lake Union as well, which was in the initial study completed by the department. So before I turn it back over to Council President, I'd like to thank everyone who worked on this legislation in the Mayor's office. Obesity, SDI, Department of Neighborhoods. Councilmember Lewis and Daniella in his office. The downtown stakeholders who worked very hard to make this legislation work well. And Noah on the committee clerk in my office. Thank you, council president.
Speaker 0: So much, Casmir Straus for that and I appreciate the work during the in-between hours between council briefing and now to get us to what appears to be a consensus position. Really appreciate your efforts on that in that and also consider those efforts in that. I do know that consumer Lewis still has a couple of amendments you'd like to advance. So I'm going to hand it over to Councilmember Lewis to move those amendments before we have a opening of the floor for comments on the bill as a whole. So let's go ahead and consider the amendments and then we can take comments on the amended version of the bill before we take a final roll call. So because we're losing and handed over to you to move Amendment One.
Speaker 2: Thank you. Council President. I do need to at some point move to suspend the rules to substitute. Amendment three, version two C. And so do you want. Should we?
Speaker 0: Let's go. Let's go through them. Yeah, yeah. Let's go through the let's go through them in order. And when we get to the substitute version of Amendment three, we can do this suspension of the rules and whatnot. But these initial amendments don't require a suspension of the rule. So let's just take take them as they are.
Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Madam President. So I will move Amendment One to Council Bill 1 to 0, 1 to 1 is presented on the agenda. Second.
Speaker 0: Its been moved in second and the bill will be amended as presented. Amendment one has been were Lewis going to hand it back over to you to address the contents of Amendment One?
Speaker 2: Thank you. Madam President. So as we discussed this morning, Amendment one is the light manufacturing component of what historically was one combined amendment. My office did, based on feedback from the committee hearing, separate out the light manufacturing, which had a consensus from committee members and from city departments to be part of the ultimate bill. The more controversial discussion around street level office use was something that I thought the council would benefit from being able to have a separate vote on, given that there was consensus on the other half. So this bill, this amendment only addresses the light manufacturing of which there is harmony within the city and with stakeholders in support of as part of the considerations this morning of moving this along. The downtown Seattle Association, myself and Councilmember Strauss, agreed to no longer pursue the amendment for street level office use in the downtown neighborhoods, opting instead to leave that issue alone based on feedback from the departments and a lack of interest in stakeholders and further pursuing it given some of that feedback. So I will not be moving amendment to only Amendment one and a revised version of Amendment three based on that feedback. So I don't have anything else to add to that unless colleagues have questions that I can answer, but otherwise I will just be ready to vote whenever the council is satisfied.
Speaker 0: Great. Thanks so much, because we're lost. So right now we're just considering Amendment One. And I see the kids were stressed. You had your hand raised. Did you have a comment on Amendment one?
Speaker 2: Yes. Thank you. Council President. I just wanted to make it clear for the record. Councilman Lewis, you were more than welcome to bring Amendment two. I appreciate you being responsive to departments and working with stakeholders to make that motion to not bring it forward. My issues this morning, I just want to focus on we're regarding Amendment three. So just for the record, I appreciate all the work that you've done.
Speaker 0: All righty. So Amendment One is on the table. Are there any additional comments on Amendment One? Hearing none. Will the court please call the role on the adoption of Amendment One?
Speaker 1: Let's gather, guys.
Speaker 2: Peterson Hi. Strauss Yes.
Speaker 1: Curveballs. Yes. Suarez I.
Speaker 2: Lewis yes.
Speaker 1: And Council President Gonzalez. Yes. Seven in favor and unopposed.
Speaker 0: Thank you so much. So we're going to go ahead and move past Amendment two. As I understand from Councilmember Lewis, he is withdrawing Amendment two. Is that correct?
Speaker 2: Yes, Madam President, I'm withdrawing Amendment two.
Speaker 0: All right. So we are moving to Amendment three, which Casmir Lewis has already indicated requires a suspension of the rules since there is a substitute. So if there is no objection, the council rule relating to circulation of amendments by 12 noon will be suspended to allow consideration of a new version of Amendment three. Hearing no objection. The council rule is suspended and Councilor Lewis mean you may now proceed with consideration of version to see of Amendment three.
Speaker 2: Thank you, Madam President. And this amendment was distributed before full council. It. It just does not have significant departures on the whole from the predecessor amendment. But there are a few. And so I'll I'll do my dual impression and try to address them authoritatively. I will say that the biggest difference.
Speaker 0: Was, first of all, I'm sorry. Councilor Lewis, I'm sorry to interrupt you. I need you to move.
Speaker 2: Oh, I'm sorry.
Speaker 0: I need you to move on.
Speaker 2: Yes. No, of course. I'm sorry, Madam President. Yes? I move to amend Council Bill 120121 is presented as Amendment three, version two C second.
Speaker 0: It's been moved. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. It's been moved and seconded of the bill be amended as presented on version two C of Amendment three. Now, I'm going to hand it back over, Councilor Lewis, to address the substance of this new version.
Speaker 2: Yes, the kettle goes on vacation and I just start messing up all the procedure here. So there you go. Now, so as I was as I was going to begin to address, it's the same as the prior amendment regarding the director of neighborhoods being able to make street level use decisions while these interim controls are in place . So for the next 12 months in the Pioneer Square Preservation Special Review District, we are assessing a limit on the office space frontage in the Pioneer Square neighborhood to 30 feet of street level space. So this this is a control that was important to the Pioneer Square Business Improvement area. There is one notable carve out in the legislation, and that is for the area zoned piece 85 120 zone and that would be allowing up to 90 feet of street level usage. This change is supported, as was heard in public comments by the Alliance for Pioneer Square to address a unique condition in that area, in the neighborhood that is isolated, where the street level use recruitment has been particularly difficult and there is already a prospective tenant that this particular constituent has. So it is a was a priority for the Alliance for Pioneer Square to make that exception and one which I was happy to have for the consideration here of the council. We heard a number of folks call in urging passage of this amendment to our downtown stakeholders who are eager to start the long process of getting more folks into these storefronts and activating the storefronts. This is an important piece of legislation to or an of course, important amendment or this piece of legislation to realize its full potential with our downtown partners. And I do urge its passage today.
Speaker 0: Great. Thanks so much. Are there any additional comments or questions on version to see of Amendment three? Counselor Strauss, please.
Speaker 2: Just again, thank you, Councilmember Lewis, for tailoring this bill. This amendment is in a much better place than it was this morning. And just really appreciate you working so hard with two versions since council briefing this morning. Really appreciate it. Fully supportive.
Speaker 0: So much. Any additional questions or comments on version two? See of Amendment three. I'm not seeing any additional comments so well. Please call the role on the adoption of version to see of Amendment three.
Speaker 1: Oscar Peterson. High stress.
Speaker 3: Yes. Trouble.
Speaker 1: Yes. Suarez I.
Speaker 2: Lewis yes.
Speaker 1: And council president Gonzalez i7a favor and unopposed.
Speaker 0: The motion carries the amendment is adopted and the amended bill is before the council. Are there any further comments on the amended bill? Customer. Lewis, please.
Speaker 2: Thank you, Madam President. And it's now my turn to thank Councilmember Strauss for prioritizing moving this bill. Before we go off on council recess. As we heard in public comment today. There are a lot of very interested stakeholders in the downtown Piner Square in South Lake Union neighborhoods who are eager to use these new rules to inject new vibrancy and vitality into these neighborhoods that have experienced the brunt of the impact from COVID. It's really critical, too, to note that this could be the beginning of a big reinvention and increase dynamism in these neighborhoods, which historically have had very restrictive uses for these storefronts. And this is really an opportunity to rebound from COVID in a stronger position and experiment with some more flexibility in areas that traditionally have just been for restaurants and retail. And I think that we've seen the examples of a lot of other downtowns nationally and a lot of the business districts spread around the city of Seattle, where more innovative and flexible use of the space can create new dynamism that reflects the downtown of today, which is not just a commercial space, but a neighborhood of tens of thousands of residents, a neighborhood where people are raising families, a neighborhood where people play after they go to work. And I think that this is essential to really realize that full potential and continue to room to plan in downtown as a neighborhood, rather than just this regional space of congregate, work and live performance, but also a place where people do live, work and play all at the same time like a lot of our other neighborhoods in the city. So with that, I appreciate the process that we put into this. I appreciate the work of the departments that have this legislation up fairly quickly so we can get it out before recess and look forward to voting on it.
Speaker 0: Thanks for that camera, Lewis. Are there any additional comments on the bill? I'm not seeing any other hands raised because we're stressed. Would you like to have the last word on the bill before we close that debate?
Speaker 2: Yes, just very excited to have this bill passed before council recess. And this, along with bringing business home and street cafes throughout the city, are some of the ways that I personally in this council as a whole have supported the vibrancy of our downtown and throughout our community. And this is just another one of those good pieces of policy to make downtown more vibrant. Thank you. Council President. Thank you, Councilmember Members.
Speaker 0: It's so much consumer stress. And thanks to all of the members of the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee, I'm excited about being able to support this particular version of the bill. So thanks to everyone for the hard work. That being said, the bees call the role on the passage of the amended bill.
Speaker 1: Together. I'm your son.
Speaker 2: Hi.
Speaker 1: Strauss? Yes. Herbold. S. Suarez.
Speaker 3: I.
Speaker 2: Lewis yes.
Speaker 1: And council president gonzalez i. Seven a favor and i opposed.
Speaker 0: The bill passes as amended and the chair will sign it, which is a fix my signature to the legislation on my behalf. Okay. Will the clerk please read item nine and ten into the record?
AN ORDINANCE relating to land use and zoning; adopting interim provisions by amending Sections 23.76.004, 23.76.006, and 23.76.032 of, and adding a new Section 23.42.041 to, the Seattle Municipal Code to facilitate occupancy of street-level spaces downtown during the COVID-19 civil emergency; and adopting a work plan.