CM Stokes, who had expressed support for 3.5 FAR for both (non-)residential, actually supports 2.5 for nonresidential and was confused at the previous meeting. Says the pedestrian bridge would be nice to have, but city will need to look at cost.
Conversation
Another editorialized reminder that we wouldn't need a pedestrian bridge across 112th Ave SE if City Council was willing to prioritize pedestrian signaling in Downtown & East Main and was fine w/ cars waiting for a little bit to ensure pedestrians can cross safely at grade.
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CM Lee still wants 3.5 FAR. "I could say I want... a Taj Mahal [on the site]. But we're asking the real things that we want that benefit the city... It sounds like we're blackmailing [the developers]." Is really concerned, as always, about project economic feasibility.
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Mayor Robinson trying to get CM Lee to wrap up his testimony, only to have to patientily listen to an additional minute and a half of interjected ramblings, is probably just part of the reason why she's endorsed his opponent.
I wouldn't want to be in meetings w/ the guy either.
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Council votes 5-2 to have base non-residential FAR be 2.5. DM Nieuwenhuis, who had previously said he supported 3.5, both introduced the motion & voted in support. Now moving on to discussion around Tier 1 & Tier 2 amenities.
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Staff clarifies that Tier 1 amenities for residential developments would only be affordable housing. The discussion of moving amenities to Tier 1 from Tier 2 is only happening for commercial development.
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CM Stokes again indirectly getting at the core of the issue - by raising the bonusable childcare sq footage from 10k to 15k, you're taking away from other amenities that could potentially be filled instead. He seems opposed to raising the sq ft out of fear of diluting the pool.
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CM Robertson notes that "if the market size for childcare is 15k or larger and we don't right size the amenity points," we might not get the childcare built at all & developer chooses another public amenity. "This is a no-brainer if we support childcare."
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CM Zahn has been convinced to increase the childcare sq ft to 15k but wouldn't want it to dilute the other important priorities in Tier 1. I believe her support for increasing size would be predicated on keeping it in Tier 2.
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Ah, my misunderstanding, it's already in Tier 1, she was just raising concerns about the dilution of other priorities. Council votes to approve the size increase w/ no dissenters, though I don't believe everybody voted.
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Mayor Robinson wants affordable housing benefits to be exclusively at 80% AMI for Tier 1, even ownership. That passes 5-2, with Robertson & Lee dissenting. Robertson moves 100% AMI ownership to Tier 2, which passes 7-0 after Stokes changes his vote to yes.
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There's a final vote about modifications to DA requirements that went 4-3, although I'm unsure on the exact conditions. Conservatives + Robinson supported, progressives dissented. Since I don't know/care much about the aquatic center, I'll end my coverage there. Thanks everybody!
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