Councilmember Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen
Seattle City Council approves West Seattle gateway neighborhood rezone
SEATTLE – Seattle City Council approved today C.B. 117294 and Resolution 31342, enacting new land use rules and maximum building heights for the "West Seattle Triangle"neighborhood. Community advocates and city planners framed the new rules in hopes of encouraging new development in the area to be more mixed-use and pedestrian-oriented.
The zoning changes adopted by City Council encourage more housing density by allowing additional height (up to 85 feet) for residential buildings on certain blocks. The changes also ensures more landscaping and a better street-level experience for walkers.
Located at the western end of the West Seattle Bridge, the West Seattle Triangle serves as a gateway to West Seattle and the Alaska Junction shopping district. In 2007, the Huling Brothers car dealership closed leaving behind several acres of vacant lots and buildings. However, recently after the closure King County designated a RapidRide bus route on 35th Ave. S.W. and S.W. Alaska St., increasing transit ease in the heart of the Triangle. This RapidRide service, beginning in 2012, will create more opportunity for smart growth in the area.
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who sponsored the planning process said, "We want to help the neighborhood become a place where people can live, work and play without a car if they choose."
A community advisory committee worked with city planners for two years to develop a vision and specific goals for this sub-area of West Seattle. Neighbors articulated a vision of new residential and small retail development coexisting with long-loved community icons like Alki Lumber.
Councilmember Sally J. Clark said, "Through careful, sensitive development, the Triangle can become a great residential pocket in West Seattle with terrific bus connections and within a quick walk of the Alaska Junction. These rules are intended to build in more certainty for that vision."
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