35th Avenue Business Districts - Accomplishments

Project Outcomes

We evaluated potential zoning changes intended to encourage additional ground-floor commercial space to accommodate more retail for the neighborhood business districts along 35th Ave NE (at 65th, 75th, 85th, and 95th Streets). Our evaluation was in response to the Future of 35th Ave NE plan.

Our potential changes responded to the community’s interest to have more opportunities for retail goods and services in those areas. We considered the following options:

• Rezoning some areas along 35th Ave currently designated for low rise (residential) development to neighborhood commercial (mixed use)
• Increasing the height allowed in existing neighborhood commercial zones from 30 feet to 40 feet
• Designating the business districts at 65th and 95th Streets as pedestrian zones

In response to what we heard, we submitted a Future Land Use Map amendment to City Council in order to change three areas from low rise development to neighborhood commercial.

The Mayor’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) project is currently evaluating potential zoning modifications in line with both the Future of 35th Ave NE plan recommendations and what we proposed as potential options in June 2015. Decisions made during the HALA process may rezone areas along 35th Ave.

Key Milestones

• June 24, 2015
  Community Open House
• June – August 2015
  Public comment period and online survey
• May 2016
  A Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map amendment request was sent to City Council in anticipation City Council considering the above rezoning options
• June 2016
  Mayor recommended City Council defer the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map Amendments in lieu of HALA analysis and evaluation

Project Purpose

This project evaluated recommendations for land use changes presented in the Future of 35th Avenue NE.