Chinatown-International District

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What & Why

Project Documents

Background

Timeline

The Chinatown-International District (CID) Framework and Implementation Plan effort was initiated in the fall of 2016 in response to community priorities that were identified by the CID Public Safety Task Force (see "Project Documents" tab for a link to their report).

The development of a CID Framework and Implementation Plan was conceived as a partnership between the City and community stakeholders. During the project scoping phase, two primary objectives were defined:

  1. Undertake a strategic community planning effort that results in a Framework and Implement Plan to guide public investments in the CID neighborhood; and
  2. Design and carry out a culturally-relevant and responsive community involvement process, building on and improving partnerships between the city and community members.

The illustration below shows how the CID Framework and Implementation Plan work was structured into five Elements, each with a workgroup comprised of community members and City staff working on recommendations for policies and strategies to improve the CID.

Project Elements and Advisory Committee Structure

Project Outcomes to Date

The CID Framework and Implementation Plan work to date has served as a vehicle for documenting, communicating and guiding the development of recommendations related to the five key priority areas.

The CID planning project has been going through a period of reevaluation and reorganization. Related to those discussions, the Mayor's budget in 2019 included $200,000 to support further culturally relevant outreach, in-language engagement and funds to support near-term work on under I-5 activation.

A 2018 Status Report was prepared to support the CID Framework conversations regarding next steps; to provide a summary of the work completed by each workgroup to-date; and to serve as a resource for the ongoing work to support community action and investment consistent with community-defined priorities.

The outcomes for each project Element and its Workgroup to date include:

  • Preliminary recommendations for strategies and tools to help preserve affordable commercial spaces in the CID.
  • Preliminary recommendations that enhance affordable housing strategies in the CID.
  • Development of draft ISRD guidelines that include guidelines for new development in the CID. 
  • Completion of a consultant report on the feasibility for transitioning City facilities out of the Charles Street Campus property.
  • Creation of a forum for improved communication with the community regarding capital improvement projects in the CID and better coordination of their implementation.
  • CID Public Realm maps documenting existing, planned and potential future public realm improvements in the CID and preliminary recommendations for public realm improvements.

Summary of Outcomes and Preliminary Recommendation

See the CID 2018 Status Report for a summary of work through November 2018.

Advisory Committee Meeting Notes

Workgroup 1: Community Stabilization

Workgroup 2: ISRD and Design Review

Workgroup 3: Charles Street Campus Master Plan

Workgroup 4: Capital Project Coordination

Workgroup 5: Public Realm

The CID Framework and Implementation Plan builds on the work of many as represented in these studies and plans that have captured the community's vision for the future.

Timeline

Key tasks completed within each project phase to-date include:

  • Phase One: Background and Scoping

4th Quarter 2016 - 2nd Quarter 2017

    • Project Scoping 
    • Developed overall workplan
    • Established City Interdepartmental Team (IDT)
    • Established Advisory Committee
  • Phase Two: Advisory Committee and Workgroups Launch

2nd Quarter 2017 - 1st Quarter 2018

    • Advisory Committee (AC) meetings begin
    • Established five workgroups and identified Advisory Committee members to serve in capacity as workgroup leaders 
    • Fine-tuned workplan for each workgroup's area of focus
    • Initial scoping of racial equity outcomes with Advisory Committee
    • Convened workgroups
  • Phase Three: Preliminary Workgroup Recommendations

1st Quarter 2018 - 3rd Quarter 2018

    • Community Stabilization and Public Realm Workgroups developed and refined preliminary recommendations 
    • ISRD Workgroup helped develop updated design guidelines
    • Potential areas for land use code updates were identified by ISRD Workgroup
    • Charles St Campus analysis completed 
    • Capital Projects Workgroup established as an ongoing forum for community/City discussion of capital projects in the CID
    • Draft racial equity outcomes developed for each workgroup
  • Recent Happenings: Recentering on Community Voice and Leadership

3rd Quarter - 4th Quarter 2018

    • Advisory Committee decides to disband; chairs communicate issues to OPCD and DON directors
    • Charles Street Workgroup responds to analysis findings
    • Community listening sessions launched
    • Draft ISRD Design Guidelines submitted for legal review
    • Potential recommendations/strategies distributed to the Community Stabilization and Public Realm Workgroups for further community review, input and prioritization
    • Community meeting (Nov 19) to hear community concerns and outline proposed next steps

Planning and Community Development

Rico Quirindongo, Director
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 94788, Seattle, WA, 98124-7088
Phone: (206) 386-1010
opcd@seattle.gov

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The Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) develops policies and plans for an equitable and sustainable future. We partner with neighborhoods, businesses, agencies and others to bring about positive change and coordinate investments for our Seattle communities.