There’s a proposed rezone in the Northgate area which is accepting comments now through 1/12/2011. It will change a large block along Northgate Way from MR-60 to NC3-85. This means it’s going from residential multifamily midrise with a maximum height of 60 ft to a neighborhood commercial with a maximum height of 85 feet.
It’s a great site for higher density since it’s in the middle of the Northgate area, next to the freeway, and not around any other residential. It’s also about third of a mile from where the Link Light Rail station will be. Personally, I wouldn’t mind the max height going higher and the original Northgate Rezone proposal already called for 160 ft here.
It was pointed out to me that this calls for a general rezone, not a contract rezone so that could make it harder to get specific community/neighborhood benefits out of the developers. A contract rezone would make the rezone process dependent on a larger process with community involvement. In this case the rezone will already be done so that wouldn’t be necessary. Also, it doesn’t sound like there are any specific projects in mind so nothing would be happening any time soon.
On a random note, does anybody know what the “scenic view within 500 ft” mentioned below is? I’m somewhat at a loss as to where that could be, but as long as it’s not in the middle of the freeway I’d like to stop by and take some pictures.
Notice of Application: http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/Notice.aspx?BID=581&NID=11694
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I disagree that it is not around other residential. In fact there is nothing but residential to the north. Stakeholders had blessed a CONTRACT rezone, not this. It is imperative that there is egress through this mega block or there will be traffic nightmares the likes Northgate has never seen. Also, the EIS comes AFTER appproval, SERIOUSLY!!!
I’m not very familiar with the streets around this block since I’m usually only walking along Northgate Way in that area… But I was out of town at the time and wanted to make sure people had as much time to submit comments as possible.
Looking at the map, the block that’s being proposed looks to be surrounded by other large buildings and parking lots. There’s Target/Best Buy and the park to one side and to the North there’s an area almost as large as the rezone itself that is filled with large buildings and giant parking lots. I had assumed it was commercial (I saw tax prep and Fibromyalgia Freedom House on Google maps) but you’re right that a lot of what I saw are actually large apartment complexes. I should have been more specific that it’s blocks away from single family residential, not all residential.
And I very much agree on the contract rezone. Hopefully they’ll get enough comments submitted to get that point across… And paths through large blocks are always good, especially when you’re trying to get people to the mall and the future light rail. I’m guessing that would probably be hard to request without the contract rezone…
The area in question is actually the 56 year old Northgate Apartments complex, which backs up to an assisted living facility at the rear, and faces the north end of Northgate mall on Northgate Way at the front. I actually live there and was rather shocked to see these notices up when I went out on Saturday – they were not there on Thursday, and the one on 3rd Ave does not even give a date for the comment period. I only saw a date scrawled on the notice on 1st Ave, the ending date of which is less than a week after the notices went up – not a lot of time for comments to be submitted……
It would be a real shame to get rid of these apartments, because they are comfy, affordable and have many green spaces and old established trees dotted throughout.
When you consider those hideous monstrosities called 507 Northgate and the recently condo->apartments Thornton Place, which both charge $1350 – $1500 a month for a 1-bedroom place, we really do need affordable places like these old apartments which are generally in the upper $700’s for a 1-bedroom, and include garbage, sewer, water and heat in the rent!