Seattle Courant Archive

City Council Watch: Rezoning Proposal on Dearborn Street

City Council Watch: Rezoning Proposal on Dearborn Street

By Anastasia Moro
February 06, 2009

The committee returned to the petition of Darrell Vange of Ravenhurst Development to rezone the area of 1400 S. Dearborn St. from industrial commercial to neighborhood commercial to allow for new retail and housing space.

The rezoning request was approved in October by the city’s hearing examiner, and opponents of the measure were denied a citizen appeal of the measure last week.

The committee worked to set conditions for the approval of the rezoning proposal. The timing of the project was the first consideration. Citing the need to balance difficult economic climate for real estate development with the need to provide the community with a fair timeline, the committee unanimously passed a motion that would change 10-year term of rezone to five years, with a two-year extension.

The question of street vacations, which involve the public right-of-way for private use, was also discussed as they were essential for the project to proceed. The committee decided to combine the two elements, and it passed a motion to defer the effective date of the rezone until the approval of street vacation and adopting a combined property use and development agreement for both the property rezone/street vacation petitions. They voted in favor to pass the council file with the amended conditions.

The committee then discussed the concept approval and waiver of development standards for the construction Fire Station No. 30 that will be located at 2931 S. Mount Baker Blvd. The modifications included a change in the height limit of the building from 25 feet to 30 feet 11 inches and changes to the street front facing façade.

After a brief discussion, the committee passed a motion to approving the measure, although there was a lack of enthusiasm regarding the aesthetics and design of the station.

“It’s not the building I’m most excited about,” Councilmember Clark said. “But hopefully it also will be a good addition to the development changes we’re going to see around that station area.”

Both measures will come to a vote before the full council on Feb. 17.