Seattle Advances Zoning Package Spurring Towers, Mass Timber, and Passive House

In a 4-0 vote last week, the Seattle City Council's Land Use Committee advanced a targeted upzone program seeking to spur the construction of towers, affordable housing, and eco-friendly mass timber and passive house buildings. The proposal will go to full council on June 2 for potential passage.

Dubbed the Housing Opportunities Program or HOP, the program would only apply in limited areas where dense mixed-use buildings are already allowed. However, the zoning boost is intended as an extra nudge to get projects to actually materialize in these areas, and provide more housing when they do.

In addition to added height and density allowances, the bill would create a safe harbor from certain appeals under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) as a further enticement for builders to move forward.

The affected zones are in portions of the neighborhoods of the University District, Fremont, Madison/Miller, Rainier Beach, and Downtown.

https://www.theurbanist.org/seattle-advances-zoning-package-spurring-towers-mass-timber-and-passive-house/