Executive summary

For 70 years, Yesler Terrace has served as a regional and national model of quality housing for extremely low income people; today it is the site of 561 public housing units. Aging buildings and deteriorating infrastructure, however, make it increasingly difficult and costly for the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to maintain safe and reliable housing at this site. In 2011, the SHA Board of Commissioners adopted a development plan based on five years of analysis and public process. The site offers a rare opportunity to rebuild an urban neighborhood from the ground up, creating a mixeduse, mixed-income community within an urban center well-served by transit, increasing affordable housing while achieving a high level of sustainability and urban design.

Building on a Comprehensive Plan designation adopted for Yesler Terrace in early 2011, the proposal summarized in this report supports SHA's vision and City of Seattle goals and policies while ensuring that redevelopment has predictable outcomes with benefits for all stakeholders: current residents, future residents and workers, surrounding neighborhoods, and Seattle as a whole. The recommended street reconfiguration is based on SHA's proposal, and proposed zoning would substantially increase development potential to allow:

* Up to 4,500 housing units, including 561 replacement units for SHA residents, and 1,240 new income-restricted units at a variety of affordability levels (affordable housing to be provided in both the rezone area and SHA properties in adjacent blocks to the east)

* Up to 900,000 square feet of office, medical services, and lodging

* Up to 150,000 square feet of retail and services

Proposed ordinances and street vacation conditions also include mitigation measures and public benefits going beyond the adopted SHA development plan, including conditions relating to:

* Pace of delivery and term of affordability for incomerestricted units

* Community gardens

* Pedestrian pathways and pocket parks open to the public

* Landscaping and protection of existing trees

Redevelopment under this proposal would protect and build on existing community assets like cultural diversity and generous space for gardening, while increasing the total amount of housing (incomerestricted and market-rate); improving transportation choices; providing more shared open space; improving the site's environmental performance; and achieving a complementary mix of uses.

SHA's development plan and the City's proposed legislation anticipate a substantial amount of market-rate development, both residential and commercial. Due to decreases in federal funding for low-income housing development, rebuilding and expanding affordable housing at Yesler Terrace will depend in large part on land sale revenues from private development on portions of the site. This approach of using public/private partnerships to building affordable housing is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.

The proposal includes Land Use Code amendments creating a new zone (Master Planned Community -Yesler Terrace) and applying that zone to Yesler Terrace through a legislative rezone, a planned action ordinance, street vacations and new street dedications, and a Cooperative Agreement between the City and SHA. It includes several new planning tools, including a planned action ordinance and development standards that encourage neighboring developments within the new zone to share parking, landscape amenities, and open space.

Abbreviations

CRC -Yesler Terrace Citizen Review Committee

DRB -Design Review Board

DNS -Determination of Non-Significance (for SEPA)

DPD -Seattle Department of Planning and Development

EIS -Environmental Impact Statement

MI -Median Income

MPC-YT -Master Planned Community -Yesler Terrace (proposed zone in Seattle's Land Use Code)

MUP -Master Use Permit

OH -Seattle Office of Housing

PAO -Planned action ordinance

SDOT -Seattle Department of Transportation

SEPA -State Environmental Policy Act

SHA -Seattle Housing Authority

SPU -Seattle Public Utilities

TMP -Transportation Management Program

Background

Built in 1941, low-income housing at Yesler Terrace has served the community well. As Washington's first public housing development and the first racially integrated public housing in the U.S., Yesler Terrace established an important precedent for quality low-income housing. But after providing homes to thousands of residents, the housing units and underlying utilities are failing; mold, pests, and leaky plumbing are common, and Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) has had to shut down some units when their sewer lines collapsed.

To address the rising costs of maintaining the housing stock at Yesler Terrace, SHA began a formal process of redevelopment planning in 2006. The Yesler Terrace Citizen Review Committee (CRC), composed of Yesler residents and other community stakeholders, developed a set of guiding principles for redevelopment :

SOCIAL EQUITY Meet the essential needs and improve the quality of life for current and future Yesler Terrace generations, regardless of racial, cultural, economic or other status. Enable access to employment, education, medical care, social services, nutritious food and quality affordable housing, especially for those with very low incomes, giving priority to those most in need.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Improve the overall economic conditions, opportunities and quality of life for current and future generations within the Yesler Terrace community. Foster access to jobs, transportation, community services and safe low-income affordable housing and financial tools.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP & SUSTAINABILITY Integrate smart "green" design and equitable environmental and economic practices. Achieve a positive and healthy community for current and future Yesler Terrace generations, while preserving housing affordability.

ONE-FOR-ONE REPLACEMENT HOUSING Replace or exceed the current number of verylow-income and low-income housing units at Yesler Terrace. Provide choice, options, site integration and affordability in a dense and culturally and economically diverse community. Redevelopment options will guarantee no net loss of very-low-income housing serving public housingeligible residents on the current site of Yesler Terrace or in the immediate neighborhood.

After dozens of public meetings and workshops, CRC meetings, and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, SHA's Board of Commissioners adopted a development plan in May 2011 .

In April 2011, the City of Seattle adopted a Comprehensive Plan policy to create a designation of "Master Planned Community" in order to establish a tool for guiding development on certain large sites in designated urban centers. Policy language specifies that Master Planned Communities should provide "a mixture of uses, appropriate urban density, cohesive urban design..., [and] a higher level of environmental sustainability, affordable housing, and publicly accessible open space than is typically provided through conventional lot-by-lot development." As part of those Comprehensive Plan amendments, the Future Land Use Map was amended to designate Yesler Terrace as a "Master Planned Community" (Ordinance 123575). The proposed bills summarized in this report implement the Master Planned Community policy in the Comprehensive Plan.

Further, the proposed legislation would allow development consistent with a variety of goals and policies in the Comprehensive Plan and the First Hill Neighborhood Plan, particularly in relation to urban center density, pedestrian amenities and open space, and affordable housing. Examples include:

UVG4 -Promote densities, mixes of uses and transportation improvements that support walking, use of public transportation, and other transportation demand management strategies, especially with urban centers and urban villages.

UVG16 -Provide parks and open space that are accessible to urban villages to enhance the livability of urban villages, to help shape the overall development pattern, and to enrich the character of each village.

LUG16 -Accommodate the greatest concentration of housing in desirable, pedestrian-oriented urban neighborhoods having convenient access to regional transit stations, where the mix of activity provides convenient access to a full range of residential services and amenities, and opportunities for people to live within walking distance of employment.

HG4 -Achieve a mix of housing types that are attractive and affordable to a diversity of ages, incomes, household types, household sizes, and cultural backgrounds;

Policy H16 -Allow and encourage greater ethnic and economic integration of neighborhoods in the city in a manner that does not promote the displacement of existing low income residents from their communities...;

Policy H17 -Encourage SHA to seek federal, state and private resources to continue preserving, rehabilitating or redeveloping its properties in a manner that best serves the needs of Seattle's low income population, addresses social and economic impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, and results in no net loss of housing affordable to households earning up to 30 percent of median income.

HG13 -Provide new low income housing through market rate housing production and assisted housing programs.

Policy FH-P8 -Explore joint housing development opportunities with the private sector, major public institutions and other public agencies.

Urban design concept

To understand the details of the proposal, it is helpful to first understand the urban design concept that SHA and the City intend to achieve. Redeveloped Yesler Terrace would be oriented to the "neighborhood heart" at the intersection of Yesler Way and Broadway. This location would be bordered by required retail and services along Yesler Way, the existing Yesler Community Center, the First Hill Streetcar (under development), and a new 1.75 acre neighborhood park (see Exhibit A).

An improved street network would provide better connections to the Central District and Little Saigon, and a green street loop would create a pleasant pedestrian environment within the neighborhood. Large blocks would be broken up by pedestrian pathways and access drives with the character of "woonerfs," narrow streets designed to be shared between pedestrians, cyclists, and slow-moving cars.

A variety of open spaces would serve the needs of different groups within the neighborhood and the general public. Residential amenity space would serve residents of the neighborhood, and include private stoops and patios as well as shared, semi-private courtyards and roof decks. Three pocket parks located along the green street loop would provide gathering spaces and recreation outlets for residents and the public. P-patches and rooftop gardens would continue the Yesler Terrace tradition of access to food cultivation; and a central neighborhood park would be a focal point for neighborhood activities.

Buildings would include a mix of uses and incomes and come in a variety of forms. If redevelopment were to use the full zoning capacity and the maximum number of highrises, about half the floor area would be in midrise buildings up to seven stories in height, and half would be in highrise buildings ranging from 160' to 300'. Active uses and attractive frontage at the street level would help establish a safe and pleasant environment along streets, parks, and pedestrian pathways.

Exhibit A: Yesler Terrace redevelopment illustrative plan*

* Here and in subsequent exhibits that include this illustrative plan, building footprints

and locations are conceptual representations to illustrate the likely scale of redevelopment.

Actual building locations will vary.

Proposal

To implement this vision, SHA needs City support, including changes to zoning, realignment of streets, and funding. Because of State laws and the various roles of City departments, these actions are divided into several ordinances, but all the legislation is intended to authorize and support redevelopment consistent with the urban design concept while ensuring that appropriate controls and mitigation measures are in place. The four pieces of legislation included in the Yesler Terrace Redevelopment proposal are summarized in Table A and described in detail in this report.

Table A: Legislation summary

Frequently asked questions

Where will SHA developments be* What area is affected by the rezone and planned action*

The redevelopment plan adopted by SHA's Board of Commissioners includes the current Yesler Terrace site (both west and east of Boren), and portions of two abutting blocks to the east (Exhibit B). The proposed rezone, changes to street alignments, and planned action ordinance would apply only to the area west of Boren, also shown in Exhibit B. Certain conditions for development in the rezone area would be based in part on development east of Boren; for example, new affordable housing units provided between Boren and 14th would count toward the conditions to increased residential floor area in the Master Planned Community -Yesler Terrace zone (MPC-YT). No more than 140 replacement housing units in the blocks between Boren and 14th Ave would be counted for that purpose.

Exhibit B: Proposed MPC-YT rezone and Yesler Terrace Redevelopment Area

How much affordable housing is proposed*

Rebuilding the existing 561 SHA housing units at Yesler Terrace and increasing the total supply of affordable housing in the neighborhood are top priorities for redevelopment. When the SHA Board of Commissioners adopted the development plan for Yesler Terrace, they set forth the following commitments related to production of affordable housing:

* 561 replacement units (≤30% of MI)

* 290 low income units (60% of MI)

* 850 moderate income units (80% of MI)

* 100 additional extremely low income units (≤30% MI). (This last group depends on availability of vouchers and capital subsidies; if the full 100 cannot be provided at 30% of MI, the balance could be provided as ≤80% of MI housing.)

To carry these commitments into the City's legislation authorizing redevelopment of Yesler Terrace, it is important to:

* Set clear affordable housing conditions including unit count, affordability level, and term of affordability.

* Establish clear expectations regarding when affordable housing must be provided, relative to market-rate residential uses.

* Allow an appropriate amount of flexibility to respond to different funding opportunities and constraints over the duration of redevelopment.

* Accommodate the diverse funding sources that SHA and development partners will rely on to deliver the affordable housing. These funding sources carry a variety of requirements and limitations that must be acknowledged in the City's regulations.

Working with SHA, DPD and Office of Housing have developed conditions that are consistent with City policies and compatible with SHA's plans. The Land Use Code would require affordable housing as a condition of increased residential density (see discussion of Document 1, below). The code-required units reflect the City's priorities in this proposal: replacement housing, 60% of MI housing, and an amount of 80% of MI housing comparable with that required in some Seattle neighborhoods through incentive zoning.

The Cooperative Agreement includes conditions for additional affordable housing units beyond what is proposed in the Land Use Code, consistent with the numbers adopted by the SHA Board -these units carry greater flexibility in terms of delivery schedule and term of affordability, but they still must be provided as a condition of funding partnerships with the City . See Table B below for a summary of the conditions and how they are organized.

One of the City's priorities in drafting these conditions has been to ensure that production of affordable housing keeps pace with marketrate residential development. To this end, DPD and Office of Housing recommend provisions in the Land Use Code that meter out residential floor area based on the amount of affordable housing that is built. Until SHA and development partners reach certain affordable housing targets, they will not be allowed to use the full increase in residential density allowed by the new zoning. See discussion below under Document 1 for more detail.

What kinds of uses would be allowed in the MPC-YT zone*

The proposed Master Planned Community -Yesler Terrace zone (MPC-YT) allows a mix of residential and non-residential uses. The majority of MPC-YT would be residential, with up to 3.95 million square feet of residential uses (estimated to be 4,500 housing units). The blocks adjacent to Harborview Medical Center would allow up to 900,000 square feet of office space, medical services, and/or lodging. A maximum of 150,000 square feet of retail and neighborhood services would be allowed. Certain uses like human services and child care centers would be exempt from these floor area limits. Retail and service uses would be required at the intersection of Yesler Way and Broadway Ave.

What kinds of buildings would be allowed in the MPC-YT zone*

Redevelopment would include a mix of midrise and highrise buildings. Midrise buildings would contain commercial uses or ground-related residential units at the street level with apartments or condominiums above, typically reaching a maximum of 7 stories. Zoning would also allow up to 13 highrises distributed around the site. These highrises would be allowed up to 300' in height near Harborview Medical Center, 240' near Yesler Way, and 160' in the southeastern part of the site. Development standards in the Land Use Code and Yesler Terrace Master Planned Community Design Guidelines include limits on tower spacing and floor plate size, and are designed to encourage a variety of building heights and sizes.

What is a planned action ordinance*

A planned action ordinance (PAO) is a planning tool allowed under Washington's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA, RCW 43.21C). For typical development (not part of a planned action), environmental review is conducted separately for each building or improvement beyond a certain size. A planned action ordinance allows one indepth Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluation for the entirety of a large phased development, based on a finding that the EIS addresses the impacts of the development as a whole. If an applicant can demonstrate to DPD that a project proposal falls within the scope of the planned action, the City is not required to make a threshold determination and is not allowed to require any further environmental review.

This approach provides greater predictability, and may expedite project review, establishing a consistent set of mitigation conditions intended to address impacts of individual developments as well as cumulative effects of site development. The proposed PAO includes a mitigation document with detailed, site-specific mitigation measures, going beyond the requirements in the Seattle Municipal Code. Proposed development under a planned action ordinance still has to meet applicable standards including the Land Use Code, the Building Code, and the Stormwater Code, all subject to updates over the course of redevelopment.

PAOs have helped catalyze major redevelopment projects in other Washington cities, including Renton and Mountlake Terrace; Yesler Terrace would be the first PAO in Seattle.

What mitigation measures would address impacts to existing residents*

Any redevelopment plan will pose a disruption to existing residents at Yesler Terrace, both for those who stay on site during construction and those who leave. The position of City staff involved in reviewing SHA's plans is that temporary disruption, in exchange for new housing that will serve low-income families for at least another 50 years, is strongly preferable to risking more extensive displacement that would be caused by failing units. The legislation contains a variety of conditions to minimize the extent and duration of disruption to residents.

The mitigation document, included as part of the Yesler Terrace Redevelopment PAO, includes various provisions to minimize impacts to existing residents of Yesler Terrace. These include controls to reduce noise and protect local air quality during demolition and construction.

In the proposed Land Use Code amendments, provisions related to timing of market-rate and non-market rate housing are intended to make sure that affordable housing would keep pace with market-rate development. A variety of open space requirements, and SHA's commitment in the Cooperative Agreement to providing at least an acre of community gardens (on SHA property, rights-of-way, and/or parks) will help mitigate the loss of existing yards and garden space. The Cooperative Agreement also includes conditions for SHA to comply with federal standards for notification and relocation services for lowincome residents displaced by redevelopment.

To reduce the need to relocate residents away from the neighborhood, SHA will commit to ensuring that at least 281 existing or new SHA units remain in operation within the Yesler Terrace redevelopment area at all times during redevelopment.

How do regulations address environmental issues*

Many of the potential environmental impacts identified in the EIS will be mitigated through existing City code requirements: for example, compliance with Seattle's Stormwater Code (SMC 22.800 -22.808) will substantially reduce the runoff volumes and peak flows coming off the site from current levels, and Building and Energy Codes require a high level of energy efficiency. The proposal includes several new conditions relating to mitigation and environmental performance.

The planned action mitigation document includes water conservation, strategies to reduce single-occupant car trips, and provisions to protect air quality during construction. A tree protection plan based on an inventory of all trees on the site identifies trees that must be preserved and establishes replacement conditions for those that are removed. Through the proposed Cooperative Agreement, SHA would commit to certain public benefits like community gardens, and to pursue use of district energy, a strategy that could dramatically reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

As a condition of the street vacation and rededication, SHA will be required to provide green street amenities along sidewalks including new street trees and rain gardens. New bike facilities, better sidewalks, and a landscaped stairway to Little Saigon (10th Avenue S. hill climb) will encourage walking and biking.

The MPC-YT development standards include the Seattle Green Factor, a landscaping requirement that results in attractive and functional landscape features, habitat, stormwater detention, and mitigation of urban heat island effect. MPC-YT zoning would also apply parking maximums to prevent an over-supply of parking (and associated traffic and greenhouse gas impacts) in a neighborhood with a variety of good transportation choices.

How would redevelopment encourage transportation choices*

Yesler Terrace is already well served by buses heading downtown from First Hill and neighborhoods to the east. By 2015, the First Hill Streetcar will be available to Yesler residents, with a stop at Yesler and Broadway. Redevelopment will include new bike and pedestrian amenities including green streets, widened sidewalks, improved connectivity through the new street alignment, public pedestrian easements, a hill climb to the Little Saigon neighborhood to the south, and dedicated bike lanes. Code requirements will include minimum bicycle parking standards and maximum car parking limits.

How has the public been involved in redevelopment planning*

Representing residents, neighbors, and other community stakeholders, the Yesler Terrace Citizen Review Committee (CRC) met 30 times between 2006 and mid-2012. In early redevelopment planning, the CRC produced guiding principles for redevelopment (quoted earlier in the background section of this document). Following that, the CRC analyzed alternative site plans, provided direction for the alternatives to be studied in the EIS, and helped define the development plan approved by the SHA Board. Public comments helped SHA and the City revise and finalize the EIS.

In 2011, City staff presented preliminary draft recommendations in public meetings before the Design Commission, Planning Commission, CRC, and Yesler Community Council. During the formal public review process in early 2012, staff presented the draft proposal in a public forum at Yesler Terrace, and provided opportunities for one-on-one discussions with City planners; interpretation was available for all events. The CRC will continue to meet quarterly throughout redevelopment to monitor progress and provide guidance.

Public involvement to date is summarized below:

* 2006-2007: CRC formed, writes Guiding Principles

* 2008-2010: SHA and CRC create and analyze redevelopment alternatives

* October 2010: SHA releases Draft Environmental Impact Statement for public review and comment

* April 2011: Final EIS released

* May 2011: City Council reviews and adopts a "Master Planned Community" designation for Yesler Terrace in the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map

* October-November 2011: DPD presents preliminary draft proposals to the CRC and Yesler Terrace Community Council

* February-March 2012: Public review of draft departmental recommendations -public meetings, informal drop-in sessions at the Yesler Community Center, and written comments accepted

Document 1: Land Use Code amendments ordinance

Proposed Land Use Code amendments would allow a density and mix of uses consistent with Comprehensive Plan goals and policies. A new zone called "Master Planned Community -Yesler Terrace," or MPC-YT (SMC 23.75) is proposed to be added to the Land Use Code. In addition, amendments are proposed to Master Use Permit review procedures to clarify how planned action projects are reviewed and approved, and to provide flexibility in the application of platting standards and design review. In order to receive use and building permits for redevelopment, applicants will have to demonstrate that their proposals comply with Land Use Code regulations.

For most of the proposed MPC-YT zone, new use requirements and development standards will not be in effect for development proposals until after SHA has completed a platting process to subdivide the property and establish new rights-of-way.

To support a mix of uses and a variety of building types, the MPC-YT zone combines standards similar to those that apply in other zones, including Midrise and Highrise Multifamily Residential (MR and HR) zones, Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zones, and the Seattle Mixed (SM) zone. It also includes provisions unique to Yesler Terrace. Some conditions refer to sectors and blocks in the MPC-YT zone. These concepts are illustrated in Exhibits C and D, reproduced from the proposed SMC 23.75.020:

Uses (SMC 23.75.050-090)

The MPC-YT zone is proposed as a mixed-use zone with a residential emphasis. Allowed uses include residential, office, retail, medical services, human services, and lodging. Uses that are generally not compatible with residential development would be prohibited; examples of prohibited uses include animal shelters, drive-in businesses, and large manufacturing uses.

The proposed standards generally would allow permitted uses anywhere in the MPC-YT zone, with the following exceptions:

* Uses in Block 1 would be limited to a neighborhood park and one small commercial use such as a coffee shop.

* Office, medical services, and lodging would be concentrated in the northwest sector, mixed with multifamily residential uses. The mix of uses in this area is intended to transition from the concentrated institutional uses at Harborview Medical Center to the mostly residential character on the south side of Yesler Terrace. Nonresidential uses are allowed in other sectors, but limited in size outside the NW Sector.

* To activate the streetscape and complement the Yesler Terrace Streetcar stop, building frontage at street level at Yesler and Broadway must be occupied by retail and service uses.

* Street level building frontage along the south side of Washington Street must contain ground-related residential units with stoops or patios. This surrounds the park and enhances security by providing "eyes on the park."

* Sales and services are limited to no more than 25,000 square feet of floor area per business establishment. This limit is intended to prevent large retail uses that would be inconsistent with the planned character of the neighborhood.

In addition, the amount of overall floor area that can occur within the MPC-YT zone as a whole will be capped at the following amounts:

* Residential floor area: 3.95 million square feet (approximately 4,500 units);

* Office, medical services, and lodging: 900,000 square feet;

* Other uses (including retail and services): 150,000 square feet.

Applied as maximums for the zone, the overall floor area limits encourage a variety of heights and building forms. The proposed maximum floor area is approximately 80% of the floor area that would otherwise be allowed by setbacks, height limits, and floor plate limits alone. This means that a building built to its maximum height and width will result in a smaller building somewhere else in the MPC -YT zone, leading to more varied architecture .

By allowing a wide range of uses, the proposed zoning would help create a desirable, mixed use character consistent with Yesler Terrace's context in an urban center, and encourage private/public development partnerships to provide increased affordable housing pursuant to Comprehensive Plan policies.

Affordable housing conditions (SMC 23.75.085)

The proposal increases the total amount of residential development that can occur at Yesler Terrace from approximately 2.3 million square feet under current LR3 zoning to a maximum of 3.95 million square feet. This development potential is not allowed outright, however; it is metered out in four tiers, each with its own conditions to move to the next tier, as summarized in Table C. To access additional floor area, SHA and partners must deliver specified amounts of affordable housing within the Yesler Terrace redevelopment area. If development reaches the maximum floor area allowed for a given tier, but the affordable housing conditions for the next tier have not been met, no permits will be issued for further development except for affordable housing.

For a summary of how affordable housing conditions in the code coordinate with conditions in the Cooperative Agreement, see the summary on pp. 10-11.

Development standards

Typically in Seattle's zoning, all development standards are applied at the parcel scale -i.e., development on each lot or building site must meet all minimum and/or maximum requirements. This works well for infill development projects in established neighborhoods. The same approach will apply for certain standards at Yesler Terrace, including maximum height limits. But to take advantage of the unified ownership and extensive planning at Yesler Terrace, some development standards are proposed on a site-wide, block or sector basis, to be allocated among lots as SHA and other owners may elect. Also, residential amenity area and parking may be pooled between lots. For example, a large play area in the courtyard of a building on one lot can meet the amenity space requirements of a building on a neighboring lot if it is big enough to meet the minimum amenity space requirements for both buildings and is accessible to residents of both buildings.

While this approach would allow greater flexibility and can encourage better urban design outcomes (e.g., bigger and more appealing amenity spaces, more substantial plantings and garden areas, and less overall parking), it would require ongoing coordination, tracking, and accurate reporting. To ensure that developments within a block or sector meet their cumulative development standards, SHA must allocate aggregate limits when it creates new lots through platting, and DPD must carefully review development over time to ensure that proposed projects comply with all minimum and maximum requirements. Requirements for SHA and other property owners and permit applicants to document and report the relevant information are proposed in the Land Use Code amendments (SMC 23.75.040, 23.76.010).

Non-highrise buildings (SMC 23.75.100) are limited to a maximum height of 85 feet, with exceptions for certain standard rooftop features. This would allow a maximum of 6 to 8 stories, depending on site conditions and building design.

A maximum of 13 highrise buildings (SMC 23.75.100-120) (for purposes of this proposal, structures exceeding 85 feet in height), would be permitted in MPC-YT, ranging from 300 feet in height near Harborview, to 240 feet on either side of Yesler, and 160 feet on the southeast slope facing Little Saigon (see Exhibit E). Minimum separation requirements and block distribution requirements would help reduce shadows and view impacts for any one area -upper levels of highrise buildings would be required to be separated by a minimum of 80-120 feet.

Highrise floor plates would be limited in size, with requirements varying by block; these limitations would apply to portions of buildings greater than 85' in height. Highrise floor plates are generally proposed to be limited to maximums of 11,000 or 15,000 square feet, depending on the building's height. To accommodate two commercial highrises, Blocks 7 and 8 would be allowed one larger highrise each, with floor plates ranging from 24,000 to 35,000 square feet, depending on the building's height.

The "View Corridor Height Restriction Area" shown in Exhibit E sets maximum heights based on a horizontal plane to keep views from locations along 9th Ave. and Broadway open to Mt. Rainier and the historic Marine Hospital on Beacon Hill. Within this corridor, maximum heights are based on a fixed elevation above sea level; on the uphill side of the corridor, maximum height would allow no development, while at the south end, buildings on the slope to Little Saigon would be allowed up to approximately 130 feet (although any structures taller than 85 feet would be counted as highrises). While midrise development allowed in the southern portion of the view corridor would obstruct views from the neighborhood park (views to Mt. Rainier in this location are already obstructed by lowrise development), limitations on highrise development to the south of the park would help maximize solar exposure.

Exhibit E: Yesler Terrace height limits

Buildings would be limited to a maximum width of 240' to prevent overly long or monotonous building frontage (SMC 23.75.130). Setback requirements (SMC 23.75.140) are proposed to limit adverse impacts to surrounding buildings and uses, and to provide space for a variety of urban design features, including wider sidewalks, landscaped stoops and patios, privacy for street-level residential uses, and cafe seating areas. Along streets and park edges, most buildings would be required to set back 10 feet. On access drives and pedestrian pathways, facades would be set back 5 feet. "Build-to lines" are special conditions that occur at corners where it is desirable to have the building extend closer to the property line to create an active street edge. In these areas, facades must be set back 2 feet from the property line -the "build-to line" is both a minimum and maximum setback. Throughout, midand upper-level setbacks would help to reduce the bulk of buildings and maintain openness at the street level.

Development would be required to provide residential amenity area (SMC 23.75.150) equal to at least 5% of gross residential floor area, consistent with multifamily residential standards. Required amenity area may be shared between residents of one building or between residents of multiple buildings, but must be big enough to equal 5% of residential floor area of all participating buildings. Building setbacks and design guidelines (see below) work together to require private stoops and patios along residential frontages. Shared rooftop gardens are also likely solutions to meeting amenity area and landscape requirements -these features can provide functional and attractive spaces for residents to relax and socialize.

Development at Yesler Terrace would be required to meet a minimum Seattle Green Factor (SMC 23.75.160) score. Green Factor is a landscape scoring system that awards credit for trees, shrubs, green roofs, permeable paving, and other landscape features . Individual development proposals would be required to meet a minimum score of 0.30. Through the Cooperative Agreement, a minimum Green Factor score of 0.50 would be established for each sector, including landscape features in pocket parks and required pedestrian easements.

In addition to specific street level use requirements described earlier, the lower portions of buildings are subject to street level development standards (SMC 23.75.170) where they abut streets, parks, access drives, or pedestrian pathways. A high level of transparency (windows and doors) and a limit on blank facades would make buildings more attractive and engaging for passersby, and help activate the public spaces that connect the neighborhood.

To prevent excessive parking and traffic, prevent negative visual impacts of parking structures, and encourage walking, biking, and riding, the proposed code includes parking maximums and standards (SMC 23.75.180). Office parking would be limited to no more than 1 space per 1,000 square feet, consistent with downtown parking standards, and other non-residential uses would be limited to no more than 1 space per 500 square feet. These ratios generally apply as development proceeds, so that parking can't be provided in advance of the uses it supports; a special provision for the Northwest Sector, however, allows some parking to be built before other uses. Residential parking would be limited to no more than 0.7 spaces per unit, with one additional space allowed for units with three or more bedrooms to facilitate development of family-sized units.

Aside from on-street parking and a limited number of off-street surface parking stalls, all parking would be underground or, if aboveground and facing a street, park, access drive or pedestrian pathway, set back behind an active residential or nonresidential use.

Design guidelines

Proposed Yesler Terrace Master Planned Community Design Guidelines supplement code standards and would serve as the backbone of the design review process, together with the Seattle Design Guidelines. The Yesler Terrace guidelines provide detailed conditions for particular locations and uses, as well as qualitative direction about the character and design of buildings and open spaces. The proposed guidelines focus on two themes: building frontage (how buildings meet streets and open spaces) and how site-specific improvements relate to a site-wide network of pedestrian amenities and open space.

Building frontage standards focus on how residential and commercial buildings can create activity and an attractive environment along the edges of streets and parks. While they include provisions about all aspects of how a building looks, they focus in particular on the bottom 30 feet of buildings, the area most people will experience as they move through the streets of Yesler Terrace or enjoy the parks and pathways. In particular, detailed standards focus on creating an urban residential character, orienting residential uses at ground level to adjacent streets and open spaces through use of features like stoops, patios, and/or landscaped areas. Standards for nonresidential frontage focus on how facades can create variety and encourage activity at the street level. Many of the details and dimensions relating to frontage are based on analysis of successful redevelopment areas in Portland and Vancouver, B.C.

Guidelines for pedestrian pathways, access drives, residential amenity space and public open space are all aimed at creating safe and inviting open spaces, encouraging non-motorized transportation around the site, and providing recreation opportunities for the wide range of user groups at Yesler Terrace.

Legislative Rezone

The new zone described above (MPC-YT) would be applied to SHA property between Boren and the freeway (see Exhibit B). As an areawide amendment to the Official Land Use Map, the proposed action would be a Type V legislative rezone under Seattle Municipal Code 23.76.036.

Procedural changes

Yesler Terrace is the first application of the Comprehensive Plan's "Master Planned Community" designation, and is the first area in Seattle to pursue planned action status under State and City regulations. Responding to the unique character of this site and development plan, the proposed Land Use Code amendments include new rules for platting, design review, and other review processes.

First, the ordinance proposes new procedures that would allow greater flexibility for platting (SMC 23.22.020-074) of Yesler Terrace blocks. Platting is the process through which an applicant subdivides larger properties into discrete lots for sale or redevelopment. In the case of Yesler Terrace, platting will be an important part of establishing the new street network. Preliminary plats establish proposed lot boundaries, and may establish conditions for how development of the property must proceed, subject to final plat approval. The final plat must be approved and recorded before the owner can complete the sale of lots using the new lot boundaries. Often, improvements must be made or bonded before the final plat can be approved; this can include installing water supply lines and side sewer connections, construction of sidewalks, and designation of public easements. Because the exact phasing of Yesler Terrace redevelopment is not yet known, SHA has requested changes to procedures that would allow the final plat to take place in stages. The proposed language would authorize phased final plats for the MPCYT zone, but any final plat phases would have to be identified and approved as part of the preliminary plat process.

The proposed Land Use Code amendments also establish a new procedure for Master Planned Community design review (SMC 23.41.004-23.41.020), allowing a simplified, non-appealable design review process for proposals not requesting departures from development standards. Midrise buildings would be reviewed administratively for consistency with the Yesler Terrace and Seattle Design Guidelines, and highrises would be required to go before the East Design Review Board (DRB) for review of consistency with both sets of design guidelines. Highrise projects would be reviewed at no more than two DRB recommendation meetings following one early design guidance meeting; if the DRB does not recommend for or against the proposal, any outstanding issues would be resolved administratively. Any proposal that requests development standard departures, regardless of size, would be required to go through the standard DRB process.

Many of the development standards proposed in Chapter 23.75 allow compliance on a block, sector, or zone basis rather than lot-by-lot review. These "aggregate standards" would allow some development potential to move around the zone; for example, maximum limits on residential and commercial floor area, the number of highrise structures, and maximum parking all allow some flexibility to move development around the site based on project-level plans. SMC 23.75.040 establishes procedures that property owners within the zone can use to allocate this development potential to specific lots for development.

The ordinance also includes revised procedures for planned action review (SMC 23.76.004-23.76.010, 25.05.172). DPD's determination that a proposal is consistent with a planned action ordinance would become a non-appealable, Type I decision, taking the place of standard SEPA review (see below for further discussion of planned action ordinances). The PAO establishes thresholds and conditions for what does and does not qualify as a planned action, and what mitigation is required. Determining whether an application meets the thresholds is intended to be a straightforward administrative procedure.

Document 2: Planned action ordinance

Planned actions, pursuant to SEPA (RCW 43.21C), allow a unified environmental review process for a set of actions implementing large, phased projects in a defined geographic area. In the case of Yesler Terrace, the planned action EIS covers various actions including the proposed rezone, street vacation and dedication, replacement of existing housing, and additional residential and commercial development.

The PAO would establish conditions, including mitigation measures, that proposed projects must meet in order to be a "planned action." If a given development proposal meets these conditions then the City is not allowed to require further environmental review under SEPA. If a development is similar to the development described in the EIS and PAO, but includes a use or structure beyond what is covered in the PAO, it is not considered to be consistent with the planned action ordinance; further environmental review and mitigation may be required. If a proposed project is found to be consistent with a planned action ordinance, it still has to go through standard review and permitting decisions under the Land Use Code, Stormwater Code, and technical codes.

Adoption of a Yesler Terrace Planned Action Ordinance would do the following:

* Confirm that necessary environmental review and planned action procedures have occurred, designating future development proposals at Yesler Terrace as planned actions under SEPA;

* Establish limits on what development will qualify as a planned action;

* Provide detailed mitigation conditions for planned action status; and

* Set a 2o year life span for the planned action.

PAO mitigation document

The planned action mitigation document is an attachment to the PAO, containing conditions to planned action status beyond those in the body of the PAO, including detailed mitigation requirements based on impacts identified in the Yesler Terrace EIS. To be consistent with the Yesler Terrace planned action ordinance, a proposed project must meet all relevant conditions contained in the PAO mitigation document.

Many of the provisions in the document are written to reduce or prevent impacts to current Yesler Terrace residents and their neighbors. Conditions relating to air quality and noise establish specific best management practices to reduce localized pollution and noise impacts during construction. HEPA air filters would be required for new buildings close to the freeway to improve indoor air quality. Noise mitigation provisions also include limits on interior noise for new construction -developers would have to use materials and construction techniques to reduce impacts of freeway noise inside residential units.

The section on transportation mitigation identifies several intersections that are likely to be adversely impacted by increased density. Required improvements, such as new traffic signals or turn pockets, are identified to mitigate those impacts. Developments containing 20 or more residential units or 12,000 square feet of nonresidential uses are also required to submit transportation management programs (TMPs) that use various strategies to reduce the need for parking and single-occupancy vehicle trips; recommended approaches include transit passes for occupants, shared parking provisions, and car-sharing programs.

The EIS also identified a number of intersections in and around Yesler Terrace that would be significantly impacted by development, for which no mitigation was recommended. In these cases, there is either not room to add new lanes or turn pockets for automobile traffic, or improvements to prevent delays for cars would decrease pedestrian safety. These intersections where no mitigation is recommended are all along the First Hill Streetcar alignment; modifications already approved by SDOT for the streetcar construction will likely cause some delays for automobile traffic, and Yesler Terrace redevelopment would slightly increase the delays.

The document also conditions planned action status in some areas on the existence of easements for pedestrian pathways to allow movement through and around large blocks and the improvement of the portion of a pathway abutting proposed development. In certain locations, starting and ending points of the pathways are fixed, and alignments would be finalized through platting and development processes (see Exhibit F). In other locations (see dotted arrows in Exhibit F), pathways are also conditions to planned action status, but the starting and ending points and the alignment would be determined at the time that a block is redeveloped; in these cases, the pathway would be required to connect at least two streets. The pathways would allow public access by easement.

Exhibit F: Pedestrian pathways

Along with the mitigation document, the PAO includes a tree protection plan based on a thorough inventory of existing trees by SHA and the City during the EIS process. This plan identifies large, healthy trees in locations that can be protected during redevelopment, and requires preservation of these trees on a development site as a condition to planned action status. It allows the removal of unhealthy trees and trees in locations that can't be protected during the planned redevelopment, and establishes a minimum 1:1 replacement requirement for any removed trees.

Document 3: Street vacation Clerk's file

Today, the street network at Yesler Terrace creates barriers for movement within and through the neighborhood. The site's location at the junction of two grid systems presents one set of challenges, and the construction of Interstate 5 through the middle of the original Yesler Terrace development compounded the problem. Dead ends and poorly aligned intersections are common. Redevelopment offers an opportunity to correct these problems and provide an improved street layout. To this end, SHA has requested to vacate the existing streets and dedicate new ones. Action is required by City Council to approve the street vacation and to accept dedication of new streets and other public spaces.

In addition to improving connectivity, the proposed street network would provide a net increase in public right-of-way (approximately 28,000 square feet) -see Exhibit G. Pursuant to City requirements for street vacations, the proposal includes required public benefits (Exhibit H):

* Three pocket parks totaling at least an acre, open to residents and the public.

* A landscaped stairway (10th Avenue S. hill climb) from Yesler Terrace down to Little Saigon, designed to be an attractive, inviting, and functional connection between the neighborhoods. The top of this hill climb will include a connection to S. Main St., and the bottom will connect to 10th Ave S.

* A green street loop providing generous sidewalks and landscape amenities, improving internal circulation for pedestrians.

* Pedestrian-scale lighting in various locations.

The Seattle Design Commission reviewed SHA's proposal and recommended the vacation and proposed public benefits for approval in May 2011.

Exhibit G: Proposed street vacation and dedication

Exhibit H: Street vacation required public benefits

Document 4: Cooperative Agreement ordinance

The proposed Cooperative Agreement is a contract to be entered into voluntarily by the City and SHA, establishing clear expectations and areas of collaboration between the two entities. It includes commitments relating to existing residents, funding of affordable housing, sustainable infrastructure and development of the neighborhood park among other issues. City funding of various aspects of redevelopment is contingent on SHA and development partners meeting conditions of this agreement.

Affordable housing

As a condition to receive the full increase in residential floor area in the MPC-YT zone, SHA must replace or cause to be replaced all 561 housing units that exist today at Yesler Terrace. The Code also establishes conditions for 290 units of housing affordable to those with incomes of 60% AMI or below as well as new moderate income units (80% of AMI) at a ratio tied to market rate (non-income restricted) units. In addition to affordable housing conditions in the Land Use Code (see the full summary in FAQs and discussion of code provisions under Document 1), the Cooperative Agreement would commit SHA to providing additional housing, as follows:

* The Board's plan included 850 moderate income units, affordable to residents earning up to 80% of median income. Approximately 160 of these units would be provided under Land Use Code conditions, with a term of affordability of 50 years. SHA commits to the remaining moderate income units through the Cooperative Agreement, with a term of affordability of 20 years.

* SHA's development plan also calls for 100 new extremely lowincome units, affordable to residents earning up to 30% of median income, in addition to the 561 SHA replacement units proposed to be required in the Land Use Code. The Cooperative Agreement establishes conditions for these units, with a term of affordability of 50 years, with the acknowledgement that their production is contingent on funding availability. If sufficient funding is not available, the Cooperative Agreement would allow these additional 100 units to be provided at the up to 80% of AMI affordability level and a term of affordability of 20 years.

Distribution of replacement housing

In order to ensure an equitable distribution of replacement housing in the redeveloped neighborhood, the Cooperation Agreement states that a minimum of 50 Replacement Housing units shall be located in at least five of the eight blocks in the MPC-YT zone (the area west of Boren).

Unit size

Yesler Terrace is an important source of affordable family size housing in the city's urban core. Generally, the percentage of Yesler Terrace households with children is closer to the national, state and county figures than to the percentage for Seattle. Typically, anywhere from one third to one half of Yesler Terrace households have children compared with one in five citywide. Children account for about 35% of the total population of Yesler Terrace. The nearby presence of Bailey Gatzert Elementary School adds to the importance of Yesler Terrace as a place for families with children.

SHA commits, at a minimum, that the replacement housing units will contain a similar mix of unit sizes to the existing housing, including a minimum of 86 replacement units with 3 bedrooms and a minimum of 19 replacement units with at least 4 bedrooms. The remaining 456 replacement units would be made up of one and two bedroom units. In addition, SHA commits that a minimum of 40 units of the 290 units affordable to families at 60% median income will have 3 bedrooms and 10 will have 4 bedrooms.

"Phase One" housing development

A portion of SHA's redevelopment will occur to the east of Boren Avenue, where no rezone is proposed. Construction of replacement units in this area will provide opportunities for some current residents to move directly to new housing within the neighborhood, reducing the number of residents displaced during construction west of Boren. SHA has been awarded $10.27 million from HUD's Choice Neighborhoods implementation grant program to begin redevelopment in the east of Boren area. SHA will produce 98 replacement units and 20 low-income units (≤60% of AMI), and 20% of the units produced by market-rate developers on the site will be moderate-income units (≤80% of AMI). As a part of the application process, the City committed up to $2,400,000 towards the development of replacement housing and neighborhood improvements. This amount includes $545,000 from the City's federal Community Development Block Grant allocation and up to $1,855,000 from the Seattle Housing Levy or other City housing funds. Construction in the east of Boren area is anticipated to begin in 2013.

The Phase One funding will allow SHA to implement additional projects and programs including:

Providing community garden space at Horiuchi Park

Construction of a 10th Avenue South hill climb

Affordable retail space at 12th & Yesler

Education support for Yesler Neighborhood residents

Adaptive reuse of the historic steam plant in Block 2 to house Head Start and employment support services (through a HUD Community Facilities Capital Fund grant)

Public safety data collection

"Phase Two" housing development

Phase Two of Yesler Terrace redevelopment is intended to occur from 2013 through 2019. SHA submitted a second application for Choice Neighborhoods funding to HUD on April 10, 2012. If awarded, funding will support the production of replacement housing units, low-income units, other community capital improvements and social service programs. The City is supportive of this grant application and will consider committing $500,000 of Community Development Block Grant funding and up to $4,720,000 in other housing funding.

Relocation and "right to return"

The federal Uniform Relocation Act (URA) requires benefits for persons or organizations involuntarily displaced as a result of federally funded projects, such as Yesler Terrace redevelopment. Some HUD funding requires compliance with the URA as a grant condition. In other cases, HUD will require compliance with HUD regulations on relocation of residents as part of the disposition of land process. In addition, section 104(d) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 shall apply to specific City-funded projects awarded federal HOME Investment Partnership Act ("HOME") and/or Community Development Block Grant ("CDBG") funds. Such Cityfunded projects will also be subject to provisions related to the City's Residential Antidisplacement and Relocation Assistance Plan, as it may be amended. SHA SHA will develop a Relocation Plan that identifies the policies and procedures to assist Yesler Terrace residents with relocation, and will submit that plan to Office of Housing. When demolition and construction activities necessitate relocation of residents, SHA will strive to place those residents in new housing within the Yesler Terrace Redevelopment Area. A full complement of relocation options and services will be provided, as described further below. Phase I does not require relocation of any existing Yesler Terrace residents, and the Relocation Plan will govern relocation of Yesler Terrace residents for the remainder of the redevelopment.

All residents who have not been evicted due to noncompliance with a lease agreement and who maintain their eligibility for public housing will have the option of returning to the redeveloped Yesler site as new units become available. SHA will notify residents 18 months in advance of planned demolition and relocation activity. Since construction would be phased, some residents would be able to move directly from their existing unit to a new unit without having to leave the site. Residents may choose to permanently move from Yesler Terrace.

As required by the URA, residents will be offered a range of relocation assistance options. Specifically, SHA will:

* Provide written notice at least 18 months prior to relocation;

* Provide reimbursement for moving expenses; and

* Provide payments for the added cost of renting comparable replacement housing.

Depending on the availability of resources, SHA will provide the following relocation options for comparable housing to residents:

* Relocation to a Replacement housing unit within Yesler Terrace if a suitable unit is available.

* Relocate to other SHA Public Housing or SHA-owned housing with Federal Operating Subsidies.

* Relocate to private market housing with a Tenant Protection Voucher if awarded by HUD or other rental assistance as required by federal law. For Residents that choose to move to private market housing, SHA shall assist with locating comparable housing in low-poverty, high-opportunity areas.

SHA will involve residents in relocation planning decisions and will communicate information about the timing of and resident choices related to relocation. SHA staff will also provide one-on-one counseling to residents who will be relocated in order to help them identify and understand options for relocation assistance, including the overall package of benefits that they will receive. Residents will have a minimum of 6 weeks from the initial counseling session to determine the benefit package they prefer, and will have the option to select a different benefit package prior to receiving benefits.

In conjunction with placing residents in comparable assisted housing, SHA will also provide relocation benefits for residents to assist them with the actual task of moving. Regardless of the type of relocation that residents receive, an SHA relocation team will assist residents with their moves, reimburse the resident for the cost of the move, and/or provide a fixed moving expense and relocation allowance.

Annual reporting requirements

SHA will be required to submit annual reports to the City that track the progress of redevelopment. SHA will provide reports to DPD tracking the permitted and built development in order to ensure that cumulative development is consistent with code and planned action conditions, floor area by use, number of highrise buildings, Green Factor landscaping, parking maximums, and mitigation actions. These reports are in addition to ongoing reporting as part of each Master Use Permit and building permit application. SHA will also report annually to the Mayor and Council regarding replacement housing and other affordable housing production. The report will also track the number of existing units taken out of service, the number of replacement units under development and put into service. The report will include the number of replacement units of each bedroom configuration and will track the location of replacement units by block.

In-home childcare facilities

SHA has committed that every tenant operating an in-home daycare will have the right to return to the redeveloped Yesler Terrace provided they remain in good standing with their lease. During the period of redevelopment and once redevelopment is complete, SHA will provide comparable or better housing units -with regard to location, size, configuration, amenities, etc -that meet standards of the Washington Department of Early Learning for qualifying in-home daycares. To qualify for such a unit, in-home daycare providers must have been licensed by the Department of Early Learning to operate in Yesler Terrace for at least 24 months prior to any actual moves at Yesler Terrace. In addition, in-home daycare businesses will be compensated for any losses they may incur during relocation caused by redevelopment, as authorized by applicable federal, state and local regulations.

Community services

SHA's Development Plan calls for, and proposed zoning would allow, up to 65,000 square feet accommodating a range of supportive services such as educational programs and providers of various human services. SHA has created a social infrastructure plan that will serve as a guide in the provision of services for residents in the redeveloped community. SHA anticipates that organizations currently located onsite would be offered the opportunity to return to any available space in the redeveloped community, assuming that SHA and service providers who are currently contracted for services enter into a new contract after current agreements expire. A range of educational services, including Head Start, along with job readiness training programs will be housed in the historic steam plant, to be renovated through a grant from HUD.

Compliance with planned action conditions

Through the Cooperative Agreement, SHA would commit to have all project proposals comply with the Planned Action Mitigation Document and Tree Protection Plan, whether or not they are proposed as planned actions. For projects undergoing individual SEPA review, additional mitigation beyond the Mitigation Document and Tree Protection Plan conditions may be required.

Neighborhood scale sustainable infrastructure

Yesler Terrace provides one of the best opportunities in the city to implement a neighborhood scale (district) thermal system to meet the heating needs of the community. The City has issued a "request for qualifications" to assess the interest of private utility companies in developing a system to deliver thermal energy in the First Hill area, including Yesler Terrace and nearby medical campuses.

It is the intention of the City and SHA that new buildings within Yesler Terrace be designed and built to connect to a district heat system if it becomes available; this requires that buildings use hydronic heating systems that can connect to a neighborhood-wide hot water loop. The Cooperative Agreement establishes conditions related to district heat, specifying the point in negotiations with a private utility where proposed Yesler Terrace development would be required to include a hydronic system.

Neighborhood park

The City and SHA share an interest in developing a new neighborhood park as a part of Yesler Terrace redevelopment. The agreement will state SHA's intent to transfer ownership of 1.75 acres adjacent to the City-owned Yesler Community Center for development as park space. Seattle Parks would develop, own, and maintain the park, assuming that the use of Levy funding is approved as referenced below. Seattle Parks and SHA will collaborate on the design for the neighborhood park; the Seattle Design Commission will review the design. The design process will include opportunities for public involvement.

Seattle Parks will request up to $3,000,000 in 2008 Parks and Open Space Levy funds for the development of the neighborhood park in Yesler Terrace, an action that will require a recommendation from the Levy Citizens Oversight Committee and approval of the City Council. The combination of the community center and park will create an integrated recreational amenity for Yesler Terrace residents and others in the nearby First Hill, Squire Park and Central Area neighborhoods.

Community gardens

Gardening is a cherished part of the existing Yesler Terrace community. As SHA has engaged residents over the past 5 years to plan redevelopment, the community has repeatedly stressed the importance of having garden space in the new neighborhood. In recognition of this, SHA has committed to provide a minimum of one acre of community garden space within the MPC-YT zone, the right-ofway of S. Main Street, and/or Horiuchi Park (on the east side of Boren). There are approximately 0.3 acres of community garden space in use at Yesler Terrace currently, plus a number of private yards that residents use for gardening.

In addition to the 1 acre commitment in the agreement, the design guidelines and development standards for Yesler Terrace encourage development to include garden space in private and semi-private amenity space like rooftops and courtyards, and as qualifying space to meet Seattle Green Factor requirements.

Past agreements

The City and SHA entered into a "Cooperation Agreement" in 1939 that was amended in 1940 and again in 1961 that pertained to the relationship between the City and SHA and its activities. The new Cooperative Agreement clarifies that development under the new zoning is not subject to the prior agreement or its amendments

Future City funding commitments

SHA has an interest in ongoing City financial participation to further Yesler Terrace redevelopment. The Agreement articulates a process whereby, on an annual basis, SHA will work with City departments during the annual budget process to explore opportunities where departmental priorities align with Yesler Terrace redevelopment. For housing development funding, no rental housing capital funding that is in addition to City funding commitments for housing development in Phase 1 and Phase 2 will be awarded unless explicitly authorized in an amendment to the Cooperative Agreement.

Yesler Terrace Community Workforce Plan

In the Cooperative Agreement, SHA commits to providing employment and training opportunities to income-eligible persons in the redevelopment process. The Agreement also lists conditions related to equal employment opportunities, non-discrimination and compliance with applicable prevailing wage standards. To achieve this, SHA sets goals in a number of areas such as resident hiring, apprenticeships and Women and Minority Business Enterprise subcontracting utilization. SHA will work in good faith to include organized labor in the development of a community workforce agreement on housing and infrastructure construction performed by SHA.

Green Building

SHA will ensure that all new development on the MPC-YT site qualifies as meeting the standards of LEED Gold or higher rating, a 4-Star or higher Built Green rating, Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard, or the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria Checklist.

Miscellaneous provisions

The agreement contains a number provisions related to such things as the procedure to amend the agreement, severability, and nondiscrimination. It also documents SHA's commitments relating to hiring current residents, Women and Minority Business Enterprise goals, apprenticeships and prevailing wage.

Conclusion

With over 30 acres of contiguous property on the edge of downtown and a comprehensive redevelopment plan that emphasizes equitable and sustainable development, Yesler Terrace offers an unprecedented opportunity for Seattle. In drafting legislation to facilitate redevelopment, the City's priorities have been:

* Ensuring that SHA replacement units and additional affordable units are delivered at pace or faster than marketrate development.

* Mitigating environmental impacts of redevelopment and incorporating a high level of environmental performance in the new buildings, landscapes, and streets.

* Achieving a mix of uses and residential density appropriate for a designated urban center.

* Incorporating urban design strategies to achieve attractive buildings, improved circulation for all modes of transportation, and a coordinated open space system.

* Providing an adequate level of predictability for redevelopment while allowing the flexibility that the project needs to be successful, responding to changing market conditions and funding opportunities over the course of a 15-20 year buildout.

The public, SHA, and the City of Seattle have shaped this proposal through five years of visioning, analysis, and debate. A project of this scope and duration will require revisiting and adjustments over the course of redevelopment, but the current proposal charts a clear path forward, allowing SHA and partners to begin translating the vision for Yesler Terrace into physical change.

For the full guiding principles report, see www.seattlehousing.org/redevelopment/yesler-terrace/principles/ Read the full SHA development plan at http://www.seattlehousing.org/redevelopment/yesler-terrace/. In previous SHA redevelopment projects, affordable housing has been required through agreements only. In the case of the Yesler Terrace rezone, DPD and OH recommend the inclusion of affordable housing code requirements comparable to incentive zoning programs used in certain zones in Seattle. For more on district energy systems, see www.seattle.gov/environment/district_energy.htm. The proposed floor area limits that apply to the MPC-YT zone are comparable to a site-wide floor area ratio (FAR) of 6. For comparison, midrise multifamily residential zones allow an FAR of 4.25, and highrise multifamily residential zones allow an FAR of 14. For the Green Factor scoresheet and more information, see www.seattle.gov/dpd/Permits/GreenFactor.

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