Category: Councilmember O’Brien

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/6/2014

Council Creates Regulations for "Small Efficiency Apartments," Allows for Innovative Affordable Housing Choice

SEATTLE - City Council adopted regulations today that set consistent requirements on a new type of housing class called "small efficiency dwelling units (SEDU)," formerly known as "micro-housing," or a more trademarked name "aPodments." The legislation prescribes requirements for SEDUs, including design review, minimum unit size, zones in which future buildings can be located, and sanitation requirements as recommended by Seattle/King County Public Health.

"This bill is a compromise that allows these units to be built while addressing some of the concerns Council has heard over their impacts on neighborhoods," said Councilmember Mike O’Brien, chair of the Planning, Land Use and Sustainability Committee. "We struck a balance between preserving an affordable housing choice, making the units more livable for renters and maintaining neighborhood character through design review."

The legislation comes after months of outreach and a stakeholder process where issues from the perspective of builders, renters and neighbors were heard. Work of the group informed recent legislation to establish permanent regulations for this type of in-demand housing.

The legislation replaces the existing model of micro-housing with SEDUs.  Each SEDU would be treated as an individual unit for purposes of counting towards permitting, growth targets, and fire and life safety requirements. The minimum unit size in a building must be 220 square feet.  Congregate housing, where very small units or sleeping rooms share common kitchen and living spaces, can be built, but only in higher density zones in Urban Villages and Urban Centers.

The legislation also prescribes variable levels of design review for SEDUs and congregate housing, based on the square footage of the residences. Design review provides the public the opportunity to share their perspective on how the buildings are designed and fit into the neighborhood. The larger the building, the more thorough the design review process.

The legislation also prescribes parking requirements for SEDUs and congregate housing. In Station Area Overlay Districts, Urban Centers, and commercial and multifamily zones within Urban Villages near frequent transit service, no minimum parking requirements would apply. In all other areas, one space will be required for every two small efficiency dwelling units in a building or for every four units in congregate housing buildings.

The legislation only applies to permits submitted after the legislation takes effect. Current micro-housing buildings are not affected by the newly adopted requirements.

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[View in Council Newsroom]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/30/2014

City Commits $1 Million to Regional Affordable Housing Fund, Explores Backyard Cottage Expansion

SEATTLE - City Council unanimously approved a resolution yesterday committing to allocate $1 million toward a regional fund to expand affordable housing near light rail and transit stations, and also requested the Department of Planning & Development (DPD)to explore the expansion of backyard cottages and mother-in-law units. These efforts are part of the Council's and Mayor's ongoing work to expand the availability of affordable housing at all income levels.

The regional fund will be used to purchase properties near light rail and high capacity transit stations while the land is still reasonably affordable. The land will be preserved for future higher-density, mixed-use affordable housing development. Money from the fund can also be used to preserve and rehabilitate selected existing affordable housing buildings that are near transit stops and at high risk of being converted to market rate housing. This fund-referred to as the Regional Equitable Development Initiative (REDI) Fund-is a regional collaboration of public, private and non-profit stakeholders being led by Puget Sound Regional Council as a part of its Growing Transit Communities initiative.

"By buying properties near light rail now, we can ensure greater affordability near transit in the future and help prevent displacement when those land values eventually increase when light rail comes online. Transit-oriented development also means easier commutes and less congestion as well as more vibrant, walkable neighborhoods," said Councilmember Mike O’Brien. "By exploring how to create more backyard cottages and mother-in-laws, we are looking for market-oriented solutions to provide more housing at all levels of affordability."

City Council also requested that DPD develop a report on regulations regarding accessory dwelling units (ADUs or "mother-in-law" units) and detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs or "backyard cottages"). The report would provide analysis of possible new policies or programs that could be implemented to make accessory dwelling units easier to build, including pre-approved, pre-fabricated designs to streamline permitting, incentives like waiving of permit fees for affordable units, reviewing parking and owner-occupancy requirements and more.

The report will inform the work of the Seattle Housing Affordability and Livability Advisory Committee and is due to the group by March 15, 2015.

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[View in Council Newsroom]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9/25/2014

Council Bans Neonicotinoid Pesticides on City Land

SEATTLE - City Council prohibited use of neonicotinoid-based pesticides on all city-owned and operated land Monday, as this class of pesticide is linked with harm to critical pollinating insects, like bees. Washington's agricultural economy and Seattle's local gardens are dependent on bees and other pollinators, so City departments will seek to use only pollinator-friendly methods of weed and pest control in the future.

Seattle joins the Spokane, WA, Eugene, OR and other cities in its municipal-use ban.

"This is a modest step to help protect bees and other pollinators, which help make the Emerald City blossom every spring," said Councilmember Mike O’Brien. "I hope the City's move helps raise awareness about what we can all be doing to promote the health of pollinators through sustainable pest management practices."

Neonicotinoids, one of the most widely used classes of insecticides in the world, are systemic, persistent neurotoxins that spread throughout a treated plant including to the pollen that is gathered by pollinators. An independent review of more than 800 scientific studies concluded that neonicotinoids are causing significant damage to a wide range of beneficial invertebrate species and are a key factor in the decline of bees.

In August 2014 the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans to phase out use of neonicotinoids on National Wildlife Refuges across the country, and the US Geological Survey released information on the pervasive appearance of neonicotinoids in aquatic environments throughout the Midwest.

Resolution 31548 was unanimously adopted by the Seattle City Council on Monday, September 23, with the Mayor in concurrence. The Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Center, Finance and Administrative Services, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Libraries all made the recommendation to eliminate the use of neonicotinoids at City facilities.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Oil Train Response Report to be Presented at Tuesday Council Meeting  Seattle – Councilmember Mike O’Brien’s Planning, Land Use and Sustainability Committee will host the Seattle Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Seattle Fire Department (SFD) at a Tuesday evening meeting to discuss emergency management response plans in the event of an oil train derailment....