Our Recommendations

Thoughtful alternatives for the North Magnolia Neighborhood Center

1. Gradual Density Transition

  • Limit taller buildings (55+ feet) along arterials and transit corridors like W Government Way and 34th Avenue W.
  • Reduce the extent of proposed LR3 to reduce the risk of economic displacement in areas now zoned NR.

2. Infrastructure-First Approach

  • Ensure that infrastructure improvements precede or are made concurrently with density increases, rather than following them.
  • Have developers pay for at least a portion of any necessary public facility (water, sewer, storm water) improvement costs.
  • Implement traffic flow improvements at key bottlenecks, such as the intersections of W Dravus and Gilman Ave W and Gilman Ave W and W Emerson Pl.
  • Upgrade public facilities (water, sewer, storm water) and public services (fire, police, emergency medical) to support proposed increased density.

3. Anti-Displacement Measures

  • The displacement analysis does not appear to meet the intent of the state statute for all kinds of displacement, including economic displacement.
  • Identify potential measures that could be included in the next implementation progress report required by the state statute that will help prevent displacement of existing residents in NR zoned lots.

4. Affordable Housing

  • Developers should be required to provide a minimum number of affordable housing units to rent and own for each development.
  • Allowing developers to charge market rate will not increase diversity as extremely low, low, and even most middle income households will not be able to afford them.
  • Developers should not be given the option to pay into a fund, which is likely not to result in development of affordable housing in the North Magnolia Neighborhood Center.