CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to Broad Street; transferring jurisdiction over the portion of Broad Street between Thomas Street and Taylor Avenue North from the Seattle Department of Transportation to the Seattle Center Department for purposes of constructing, operating, and maintaining a public skate plaza.
body
WHEREAS, in September 2018 the City Council passed Ordinance 125669, authorizing renovation of KeyArena into a world-class, multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena at Seattle Center, understanding that the existing skatepark would be among the facilities that would be demolished as part of the proposed renovation; and
WHEREAS, the August 2018 Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Seattle Center Arena Renovation Project identified that demolishing the Seattle Center skatepark would be a significant environmental impact, unless the facility were replaced in or near the Uptown urban center; and
WHEREAS, funding was included in the 2019 Adopted and 2020 Endorsed Budget to relocate and replace the Seattle Center skatepark on a portion of the Broad Street right-of-way, subject to a transfer of jurisdiction to allow for the site’s long-term use as a skate plaza; and
WHEREAS, in 2014 the portion of Broad Street proposed for the skate plaza project was permanently closed to vehicular traffic as part of the Mercer Corridor Project West Phase, and it is not currently required for vehicular transportation purposes; and
WHEREAS, the nonprofit organization Skate Like A Girl has been a resident organization of Seattle Center since 2009 and has been a successful partner with The City of Seattle in providing year-round programming to activate the Seattle Center skatepark with recreational opportunities inclusive of youth; and
WHEREAS, the transfer of jurisdiction of a portion of Broad Street for constructing, operating, and maintaining a public skate plaza, subject to the conditions in this ordinance, is a desirable public use supported by the Directors of the Department of Transportation and the Seattle Center Department; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subject to the conditions and limitations in Sections 2 through 7 of this ordinance, partial jurisdiction of the portion of Broad Street between Taylor Avenue North and Thomas Street (“Designated Portion”) necessary for constructing, operating, maintaining, and repairing a skate plaza, is transferred, without charge, from the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to the Seattle Center Department (“Seattle Center”) for purposes of public recreational space.
Section 2. Seattle Center shall be responsible for all costs for designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining a skate plaza (including skateable and pedestrian elements) in the Designated Portion (“New Seattle Center Skate Plaza”). Skate plaza elements may include skateable terrain and structural features, site furniture, a roof or other structure to provide overhead weather protection, lights, a drinking fountain, lockers or other storage facilities, public art, bollards, pathways, biofiltration swales, and other vegetation.
Section 3. Seattle Center shall be the regulatory authority for planning, constructing, and managing the public skate plaza. SDOT shall be the regulatory authority for all activities affecting existing and future utilities in the Broad Street right-of-way. Granting access within the Designated Portion for repairing, replacing, maintaining, or installing utilities may be permitted by SDOT through its Street Use permit process with Seattle Center as a secondary reviewer. Applications or proposals for adjacent new development or revisions to existing buildings will be reviewed and permitted according to Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) requirements, with Seattle Center’s secondary review and comments being submitted to SDCI.
Section 4. In addition to authority conferred to Seattle Center in Section 3 of this ordinance, Title 17 of the Seattle Municipal Code shall apply to the public skate plaza. Further, in addition to the authority conferred to SDOT in Section 3 of this ordinance, Title 15 of the Seattle Municipal Code shall apply to all pedestrian pathways designed for use by the general public.
Section 5. SDOT and Seattle Center shall work collaboratively to develop one or more pedestrian pathways that facilitate walking as a safe, attractive, and viable travel mode and that meet local, state, and national accessibility requirements. The pedestrian pathways shall be designed for use by the general public not accessing the skateable amenities, shall provide for visibility through the site, and must be accessible to the public at all times.
Section 6. SDOT and Seattle Center shall work collaboratively with Seattle City Light (SCL) to provide for vehicular access to and from the SCL substation at Broad and Thomas Streets, known as the “Broad Annex,” and shall maintain access for as long as required by SCL.
Section 7. SDOT and Seattle Center shall work collaboratively to provide for vehicular access through the skate plaza to provide for alley access and service needs of the block to the north of the skate plaza. The vehicular and service access through the skate plaza shall continue to be provided until access is no longer required, as a result of an alley vacation arising from property redevelopment, or until the SDOT Director determines the alley should be closed for health or safety reasons.
Section 8. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2019, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2019.
____________________________________
President ____________ of the City Council
Approved by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2019.
____________________________________
Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2019.
____________________________________
Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)