Northgate Urban Center Proposed Legislative Rezone and Public Benefit Program

1
Northgate Urban Center Proposed Legislative
Rezone and Public Benefit Program

• Presentation to Northgate Stakeholders Group
• April 17, 2008

2
Goals of the Proposal

• Achieve Comp Plan goals for jobs and housing in
  the Northgate Urban Center
• Implement communitys vision for Northgate
• Focus and accelerate growth in the commercial
  core along NE Northgate Way and near new park
• Use CTIP as traffic mitigation strategy
• Incorporate a program for obtaining public
  benefits in conjunction with the increased
  capacity for development primarily affordable
  housing.

2
3
Schedule to Legislation adoption

• Summary of Draft EIS/Chapter 1 - this meeting
• Draft EIS Published May 1
• Draft EIS public hearing - May 28
• Final EIS published - October
• Legislation proposed - October
• Stakeholder Meeting - November
• City Council action on legislation

4
Study Area Map Existing zoning
4
5
No Action Alternative

• Capacity for
• Gain up to 2,516 housing units
• Gain up to 343,000 s.f. of commercial space 908
  new jobs
• Northgate Way and Meridian Ave N traffic, even
  with CTIP, experiences LOS F
• No incentive to create affordable housing

5
6
Alternative 1 Broad Rezone

• Most properties upzoned one increment (example
  NC3-65 becomes NC3-85)
• No change to
• Public park properties (new Urban Center Park,
  Victory Creek Park)
• NC3-85 zone west of freeway south of Northgate
  Way
• Single Family zones
• Maximum height 125 (east of freeway)

6
7
Alternative 1 Broad Rezone
7
8
Alternative 1 Broad Rezone

• Resulting change in capacity
• Residential focus (1A)
• Gain up to 735,000 s.f. of commercial space
  (3,080 jobs) above the No Action alternative
• Gain up to 1,604 units
• Commercial focus (1B)
• Gain up to 3.9 million s.f. of commercial space
  (12,000 jobs)
• Lose up to 1,588 units

8
9
Broad Rezone Traffic Impacts
All
1B
1A, 1B
1A
9
10
Alternative 2 Focused Rezone

• Upzone affects NC, MR and L-4 property north of
  proposed park
• 85-foot maximum height
• No change to
• City park properties
• Lowrise or Single Family zones
• Properties west of the freeway

10
11
Alternative 2 Focused Rezone
11
12
Alternative 2 Focused Rezone

• Resulting change in capacity
• Gain up to 501,000 square feet of commercial
  space (2,400 jobs) over No Action alternative
• Gain up to 1,100 residential units
• No Traffic mitigation required beyond CTIP

12
13
Proposed Public Benefit Program

• Primary goal is to create housing affordable to
  moderate wage workers If project is 85 or less,
  100 of contribution is for affordable housing.
  Rent and income restrictions would apply for 50
  years. Affordability levels still under
  discussion.
• Current proposal allows a portion of the
  contribution in projects over 85 to be used for
  benefits other than housing (transportation/park
  improvements).

13
14
Proposed Public Benefit Program

• No Action alternative Program will not apply.
• Broad Rezone
• Residential focus (1A) up to 193 units
• Commercial focus (1B) up to 419 units
• If projects are over 85, at least 60 would go
  for affordable housing, balance could be used for
  transportation, park improvements, or...
• Focused Rezone (2)
• 132 units of affordable housing

14
15
Conclusions

• Depending upon the economy, growth could exceed
  current Northgate Growth Targets.
• Land use pattern would become more intensive and
  more diverse more pedestrian-oriented/less
  auto-oriented.
• Minor and localized land use conflicts could
  result from larger, new buildings next to
  existing smaller buildings.

15
16
Conclusions

• More development and a broader mix of uses would
  encourage walking and transit.
• Auto congestion would increase but as CTIP and
  other mitigation is implemented along with
  growth, CTIP benchmarks are maintained.
• The Proposed Public Benefit (Incentive Zoning)
  Program could address the city-wide need for
  affordable housing and possibly other public
  benefits.

16