Slog - Comments on In Case You Were Wondering if Plans to Rezone South Lake Union Are Being Driven By Developers http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r At last night’s meeting of the South Lake Union Friends and Neighbors Community Council (SLUFAN), the group assigned to draft a new neighborhood plan for taller buildings, the city’s Jim Holmes gave an update. Under three incremental proposals, developers could construct taller buildings (the tallest plan would allow 400-foot towers), allowing them to build more sellable square feet. But before the council enacts such a proposal, the city must study the effects of increasing density—estimating traffic impacts, demands on utilities, blocked views, need for public facilities, etc.—in the South Lake Union neighborhood. That impact study will cost $350,000. So who... Copyright 2008 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:58:28 -0800 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:42:13 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Trevor "Private funds going into a city function"? In South Lake Union? Never! Who could have forseen such a thing?

But then, the redevelopment of SLU isn't a "city function." It's a "private function" that the city is subsidizing. Just like Vulcan's fundraisers for the Mayor serve a public function, or is it private, or is it public... Let's just call it a "partnership"!

]]> Trevor http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1136928 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1136928 City Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:15:34 -0800 Comment by SP Interesting, in a Seattle kind of way. Last year during the industrial zoning legislation debate, there was an offer for private funds to pay for an impact study and the Council (Sally Clark, specifically) said it was a conflict.

I guess it's only in South Seattle and not in special earmarked neighborhoods like SLU and South Downtown.

]]> SP http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1136958 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1136958 City Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:18:33 -0800 Comment by Just a thought I like this option. If the property owners pay for the city to conduct the study it's more likely to be honest than the old system where the city just reviews the Impact Statement created by those property owners and their contractors.... AND I'm not on the $ hook for researching someone else's moneymaking scheme.

]]> Just a thought http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1137454 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1137454 City Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:42:03 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle It's a shame nobody is willing to use the State Constitution to sue to stop this.

But you're all wusses.

Long on talk. Short on action.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1138057 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1138057 City Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:12:41 -0800 Comment by Erik I hope they remove all height limits on that SLU zone, Seattle needs to build big, build high, and grow up as a city! We won't get anywhere by trying to half-ass our way to getting a real downtown. Continuous half-measures are Seattle's specialty but higher density is good all around.

Remind me again why so many SLOG readers claim to like density and all its benefits, but claim to hate people who are trying to densify downtown?

]]> Erik http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1138406 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/in_case_you_were_wondering_if_plans_to_r#c1138406 City Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:42:13 -0800