At the May 12, 2008, meeting of the Shoreline City Council there were two controversial ordinances related to land use near Aurora and Ballinger Way. Ordinance 478 would have allowed apartment or condominium development without a density limit in “Community Business” zoned areas. Very large buildings on over 70 properties could have been constructed without further review or input from local neighborhoods. I voted “no” because I want a more deliberate process in determining the character of large-scale development. Councilmembers Way, Scott and Ryu also voted “no.”
Ordinance 504 put a temporary limit on density of 110 dwelling units per acre in “Regional Business” (RB) zoned areas. I voted “yes” on this limit, mainly because there is no evidence that unlimited density in RB zoning was ever thoroughly vetted by our citizens. In 1998, our maximum density in RB was 36 du/acre. In May 2000, Ordinance 238 approved a new development code in which density in RB was “no maximum.” Unlike all of the other important features in the new code, the “no maximum” density in RB was not mentioned in the reports by staff at that time to either the Planning Commission or to the City Council. Nor did a single citizen, planning commissioner or council member comment on it.
The council has directed staff to conduct a public process and involve our citizens in the decisions that affect our city and neighborhoods within a context of a broader visioning process for how we grow as a city. I would like to emphasize that I am not against responsible development in Shoreline. Responsible development will both provide housing and increase commerce. But I greatly value citizen input regarding where and how large development takes place.
Chris Eggen
Shoreline City Councilman
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