South Lake Union

We proposed to amend the Seattle Municipal Code to strengthen the incentive to preserve open space in the South Lake Union Urban Center. This amendment will preserve the Seattle Times Park as publicly accessible open space as part of the development project proposed on the site of the former Seattle times Building.

An appeal period for a Environmental Impact Statement Notice of Determination closed on June 29, 2019. Please take a look at the Project Documents page to review the Determination of insignificance, the Directors Report describing the proposal in detail, and the legislation.

Project Documents

• South Lake Union Open Space Amendment (May 30, 2019)
• South Lake Union Open Space Incentive Director's Report
• South Lake Union Open Space Ordinance
• South Lake Union Determination of Non-Significance
• South Lake Union SEPA Checklist

• South Lake Union Revised Design Guidelines (February 15, 2018)
• South Lake Union Design Guidelines DNS (February 15, 2018)
• South Lake Union Design Guidelines Notice of Determination (February 15, 2018)
• Approved South Lake Union Rezone Map
• Adopted South Lake Union Rezone Ordinance (effective June 13, 2013)
• South Lake Union Urban Center Neighborhood Plan
• South Lake Union Urban Design Framework
• Director’s Report for South Lake Union Rezone Legislation
• South Lake Union Street Concept Plans

Environmental Impact Statement

South Lake Union Height and Density Alternatives Environmental Impact Statement (95 MB)

• Introduction and Fact Sheet
• Chapter 1: Environmental Summary
• Chapter 2: Description of the Proposal and Alternatives
• Chapter 3: Clarifications, Corrections, and Expanded Discussion
• Chapter 4: Comments and Responses
• Chapter 5: Public Hearing Responses
• Appendix A: Distribution List
• Appendix B: Growth Targets and Zoned Development Capacity
• Appendix C: Cultural Resources
• Appendix D: Aesthetics
• Appendix E: Transportation
• Appendix F: Additional Flight Path Analysis

Draft South Lake Union Environmental Impact Statement (27 MB)

Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program

Implementation Legislation

• LCLIP Implementation Director’s Report
• LCLIP Implementation Ordinance 1
• LCLIP Implementation Ordinance 2
• LCLIP Implementation Interlocal Agreement Ordinance
• LCLIP Implementation Interlocal Agreement
• LCLIP Funding Plan

Background

In 2004, the Seattle City Council designated the South Lake Union Neighborhood as one of the City’s six Urban Centers. This designation reflected the recent growth in both jobs and housing in the neighborhood and signified that South Lake Union will continue to receive a regionally significant share of growth in the future. Since 2004, we have updated the South Lake Union Neighborhood Plan, worked with the community to develop the South Lake Union Urban Design Framework, and developed an incentive zoning ordinance that was adopted by the City Council in 2013.

Through the incentive zoning program, projects may gain extra floor area or height by providing affordable housing and participating in a regional transfer of development rights program. This program will provide capacity for up to 12,000 households and 22,000 new jobs over the next 20 years. This program is expected to generate approximately $45 million for affordable housing and $27 million in new infrastructure investments, and will preserve 25,000 acres of rural farm and forest land over the next 25 years.

2013 Schedule

Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program

• July 8
  Legislation Introduced to Council
• July 10
  Seattle Council PLUS Committee Discussion
• July 23 or 30
  King County Council Budget Committee Discussion
• August 14
  Seattle Council PLUS Committee Hearing
• August 20
  King County Council Budget Committee Vote
• August 24
  Seattle Council PLUS Committee Discussion
• August 28
  King County Full Council Vote
• September 11 or 19
  Seattle Council PLUS Committee Vote
• September 16 or 23
  Seattle Council Full Council Vote