CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION designating the Mount Baker McClellan Street Redevelopment Opportunity Zone pursuant to RCW 70.105D.150(1) and making findings in support of such designation.
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WHEREAS, The City of Seattle’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda report found that Seattle is experiencing “a housing affordability crisis unlike any Seattle has experienced since the Second World War” and affordable housing is one of the most significant challenges facing Seattle; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor set out an ambitious goal to create 50,000 new units of housing over the next 10 years, comprised of 30,000 market rate units and 20,000 affordable units; and
WHEREAS, Mount Baker Housing Association (MBHA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit housing provider and developer with plans to build affordable and market rate housing consistent with the City’s goals for more housing choices and transit-oriented development in the Mount Baker urban village; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature has provided new tools to encourage and fund the development of brownfield properties under the state’s cleanup law, the Model Toxics Control Act, chapter 70.105D RCW; and
WHEREAS, one of the new tools provided by the Legislature under RCW 70.105D.150(1) authorizes local governments to designate geographic areas within their jurisdiction as Redevelopment Opportunity Zones (ROZ) if the zone meets applicable criteria; and
WHEREAS, a designated ROZ authorizes property owners within the ROZ to apply for and receive grant monies from the Washington State Department of Ecology’s (“Ecology”) State Toxics Fund for investigation and cleanup of brownfield properties (contaminated, underutilized properties); and
WHEREAS, Ecology has set aside and requested funding to provide to MBHA to implement environmental cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield properties within the ROZ; and
WHEREAS, MBHA requests that The City of Seattle designate a Mount Baker McClellan Street ROZ consisting of certain parcels (collectively “the Parcels”), located northeast and southeast of the Martin Luther King Junior Way South and South McClellan Street intersection in the Mount Baker neighborhood; such parcels are fully described in the map of the area that is attached as Attachment A to this resolution; and
WHEREAS, more than 50 percent of the properties to be included in the ROZ are previously developed and now vacant underutilized properties where reuse objectives are hindered by the release or threatened release of hazardous substances apparently originating from nearby dry cleaner operations and historic gasoline service stations that will require remedial action under the Model Toxics Control Act, chapter 70.105D RCW; and
WHEREAS, the soil and groundwater contamination occurred on the Parcels many years ago, and without MBHA stepping forward to cleanup and redevelop the Parcels, the contamination will likely remain for years to come; and
WHEREAS, MBHA, the sole owner of the Parcels, has consented in writing to have the Parcels included in the ROZ; and
WHEREAS, MBHA is proposing to build approximately 150 units of affordable housing once the hazardous substances located within the proposed ROZ are remediated per the Model Toxics Control Act, chapter 70.105D RCW; and
WHEREAS, the Parcels are designated for commercial/mixed use on the Future Land Use Map and such use is supported by the City’s planning documents, including but not limited to, the North Rainier Neighborhood Plan, the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan, the McClellan Town Center Development Strategy, the Mount Baker Station Area Analysis, Mount Baker Urban Design Framework, and the Accessible Mount Baker plan, all of which contain numerous provisions supporting the type of redevelopment proposed by MBHA; and
WHEREAS, the Mount Baker McClellan Street ROZ will be located within three blocks of the Mount Baker light rail station and provide transit-oriented development; and
WHEREAS, establishment of the Mount Baker McClellan Street ROZ will encourage, foster, and allow the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield properties for affordable housing in the heart of Mount Baker, one of Seattle’s most racially and economically diverse neighborhoods, furthering the City’s goals for equitable development; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Mount Baker McClellan Street ROZ meets the criteria in RCW 70.105D.150(1); NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. The Council finds that:
(a) At least 50 percent of the upland properties in the Redevelopment Opportunity Zone designated in Section 2 of this resolution are brownfield properties;
(b) The upland portions of the Redevelopment Opportunity Zone designated in Section 2 are comprised entirely of parcels of property whose owner has provided consent in writing to have their property included within the zone;
(c) The cleanup of the brownfield properties in the Redevelopment Opportunity Zone designated in Section 2 will be integrated with planning for future uses of the properties and is consistent with the City’s “Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan”; and
(d) The properties within the Redevelopment Opportunity Zone designated in Section 2 lie within the incorporated area of The City of Seattle.
Section 2. The area depicted in Attachment A to this resolution is designated as the Mount Baker McClellan Street Redevelopment Opportunity Zone pursuant to RCW 70.105D.150(1).
Section 3. The Office of Planning and Community Development is directed to consider the cleanup of the brownfield properties in the Redevelopment Opportunity Zone designated in Section 2 of this resolution in planning efforts for the area in which the properties are located.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2017, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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President ____________ of the City Council
The Mayor concurred the ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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Edward B. Murray, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment A: Area Map of Mount Baker McClellan Street Redevelopment Opportunity Zone