Zoning amendments that could allow 12-story buildings among other changes along the eastern edge of Shoreline’s Westminster Triangle Neighborhood were not popular with over 40 residents who attended an informational meeting hosted by Shoreline Planning Department staff on May 29.

While residents addressed changes such as decreased sunlight, and increased noise and traffic a new building could cause, concern over the process to decide upon zoning amendments was expressed by many residents.

One resident who spoke was Dennis Heller who said he did not understand why 200 public meetings were held for the first phase of the Aurora Corridor Project and similar attention to public process was not being given to the South Aurora Triangle (SAT) area outlined by Aurora Avenue North to the east, North 145th Street to the south and the Interurban trail to the northwest.

“We’ve always talked issues to death in this city,” he said. “This is really not a neighborhood issue, it’s a city issue. Once a precedent is set, it’s a precedent for the whole city.”

The process, set to cumulate in the form of a decision by the City Council in late August or September, includes a scheduled presentation by planning staff to the Planning Commission on June 7, followed by a public hearing conducted by the Planning Commission on July 12.

Several residents of the Westminster Triangle Neighborhood feel that is too soon.

“A couple of residents are going to put together some letters asking for an extension of time so that we have time to continue to meet and figure out what we want to do,” Kathy Marden, chair of the Westminster Triangle Network said. “We don’t want our little area to be cut off. We’re just this little triangle and we don’t want to be picked away by development.”

Planning director Joe Tovar told residents that doing nothing in the neighborhood was not going to be an option because population growth is projected to occur in the area and throughout Shoreline. He encouraged residents to write letters to the Planning Department.

“Building height is not the only issue,” Tovar said. “There are lots of other issues.”

Still, many residents were adamant about not accepting zoning amendments that would significantly increase allowable building heights.

“We’re not against development,” Fred Chou said. “But a development that high is not right for the neighborhood.”