The Seattle City council has passed a bill that will allow the Uptown neighborhood, alternatively called Lower Queen Anne, to be rezoned for mandatory housing affordability. The bill features a trade-off in building height for housing affordability. Most of the height increases are modest, though they will more than double in a few select areas near Seattle Center. In return, developers will be required to include a percentage of affordable housing (7-10 percent for residential projects, 5-10 percent for commercial projects) or pay a fine per square foot. In addition to the rezoning, the council passed two additional bills focusing on livability and cultural space respectively. The latter establishes Uptown as the third official arts and cultural district in the city. The council hopes to incentivize theaters, arts spaces, and schools in the community.
Image Credit: Joe Mabel (CC by 4.0)
Recent Comments