CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to conversions of existing nonresidential structures to residential use; adding a new Section 23.40.080 to the Seattle Municipal Code.
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WHEREAS, greater downtown Seattle has experienced significantly increased vacancy rates for commercial offices since the COVID 19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle holds it as a high priority to support economic recovery for downtown neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, on June 29, 2023, Mayor Bruce Harrell released a Downtown Activation Plan that identified numerous strategies and actions to support downtown recovery, including actions that increase residential uses in downtown; and
WHEREAS, City departments are engaging in planning processes for long-term solutions to increase downtown activity that may include programmatic actions, such as establishing a crisis care center, and capital investments; and
WHEREAS, in addition to long-term strategies a variety of immediate actions are sought to increase downtown activation and vitality in the short term; and
WHEREAS, during 2023 the State Legislature passed, and Governor Inslee signed, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1042 amending the state law to create more housing units by removing some of the state's restrictions on adding dwelling units within existing structures; and
WHEREAS, in May and June 2023, the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) sponsored a competitive call for ideas to convert Seattle downtown commercial spaces to residential use, and OPCD received 13 proposals that provided suggestions for policy and code changes; and
WHEREAS, this legislation is responsive to the call for policy changes to incentivize conversion of vacant commercial buildings to activate downtown and is intended to be narrowly tailored to achieve that purpose; and
WHEREAS, Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) exemption for commercial, Downtown, or Seattle (SM) Mixed zones...
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