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Seattle mayor proposes change to controversial townhome design code
Calling some town homes unattractive, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has proposed changes to the multifamily-building code that would require design review for all new town homes.
The Seattle Times
by Sharon Pian Chan
Seattle's fortress-style town homes need to go, neighbors say, and Mayor Greg Nickels agrees.
Under a plan announced Tuesday, city planners would review the design of all new town-home developments. If the City Council approves the change, developers say it would devastate the town-home industry and wipe out a wide swath of affordable homes.
In addition to the new level of review, Nickels proposed code changes to address recurring complaints throughout the city: large windowless walls butting up against sidewalks, the missing front door, towering fences and a giant paved auto court.
The proposed changes come as Seattle continues to struggle with a lack of affordable housing for median-wage earners. The review process now takes six to nine months. The city hopes to shorten the additional wait time to one or two months, which would add some cost to development.
Still, he said, "This leaves the door open for affordable housing, but does it in a way that adds to, rather than detracts from the neighborhood."
The Seattle P-I
by Jennifer Langston
Bowing to complaints about ugly buildings invading neighborhoods, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels proposed Tuesday that city planners review all designs for new townhouses.
He also proposed the first major zoning overhaul in two decades of Seattle's multifamily neighborhoods. While they cover only 10 percent of the city, they've had greater growing pains as homes were bulldozed for new construction in the last development boom.
The changes would help future development fit in better with neighborhoods, provide ecological benefits and encourage more affordable housing, Nickels said.
"Condominiums and townhomes allow people an entrée into owning their own homes, so that gives them a strong stake in the community and is a good thing for our city," he said. "However, we have had some challenges, particularly with townhomes."
The proposed townhouse design standards would force builders to provide more windows, wider driveways, entrances that face the street and lower fences along sidewalks.
