Developing a new zoning category for the Ridgecrest Commercial Area will take more time, the Shoreline Planning Commission decided on Nov 1. A unanimous decision by the commission continued public testimony about development of the four corners of Northeast 165th and Fifth Avenue Northeast to the Nov. 15 meeting.
“This is a major project, it covers a lot of area,” Commissioner Michael Broili said. “I don’t think we should give it short shrift by trying to ram it through this evening.”
Throughout the public hearing residents, including Pam Mieth, offered input on how their neighborhood should and should not be allowed to change.
“The main question the Planning Board and subsequently the City Council needs to answer as they consider the rezone is whether or not a six-story building directly abutting single family homes is a good idea and whether the benefits of the plan are enough to offset or at least justify the negative impact on the neighborhood,” Mieth said. “I would say the answer is clearly no.”
A proposed development code sets a maximum building height of up to six stories or 65 feet if a developer includes public bonus features. The plans could also include a setback of five feet from the building base along the west side and a step back of 20 feet on the south side and 10 feet on all other sides above the fourth story.
Resident Patty Hale told the Planning Commission the proposed changes would create a three story sheer wall against surrounding residential property. She also shared her concern that small units would not house families with children and school enrollment numbers would suffer as a result.
“We are purposely being forced to design higher density smaller units that then preclude the ability to house children who then feed into the public school system,” she said. “I’m excited about this potential development… but I would be negligent if I did not also bring up the concerns.”
Resident Donna Eggen said she appreciates work toward a creative plan for the commercial area but wants to see building heights within the planned area limited to three stories.
“I believe strongly that it is in the best interest of neighborhood character to limit the building to three stories – no more,” she said. “If the builder is offering to make a certain number of units for low income folks and if they are allowed to go up over three stories it is not worth it, it’s a bad trade.”
Residents also asked commissioners to address parking and traffic concerns in any new zoning recommendation.
“Transportation and parking, it is the developer’s onus to address and constrain parking to onsite but I feel the city needs to play as big of a part if not more in this issue,” Hale said, adding that traffic flow along Fifth and 165th streets would need to be monitored and Metro Transportation in the area could be restored.
Commissioner Broili said he was concerned about traffic impacting areas south of 15th Avenue Northeast and suggested the board discuss the “downstream effects” of changes to the four corners.
Planning director Joe Tovar reminded residents and commissioners a specific plan for the area was not under review and the purpose of the public hearing was to address the creation of a new zoning category.
“It’s not the past we’re trying to plan for it’s the future we’re trying to plan for,” he said.
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