Appeal Ban in the Mayor’s Hands
Despite the overwhelming majority of public comments being against CB 121215, five members of Council chose to ban environmental appeals of the largest type - the mayor may not have signed it yet and the mayor has the final say. If the Mayor vetoes the bill, it would go back to council and require 6 votes to pass (instead of 5).
This means the largest city actions will no longer be subject to appeal before the damage is done. Like a labor negotiation, when talks break down you have the ability to strike. Appeals are the same way, they are used when talks break down and there are still massive mistakes in environmental documents. Appeals can still be filed after the damage is done through much more expensive and slower avenues more narrowly limited to fish habitat - this will not speed up housing.
Overwhelming numbers of people try to protect the environment as we densify and are ignored for a handful of wealthy special interest groups that mobilize canned messages. Scientific evidence shows no loss of density when protecting green space and trees. NOAA Recovery Plans recommend protecting both urban and rural areas. Salmon don't just skip over Seattle into pristine waters.
CM Juarez: "I don't believe that appeals are holding up housing production. I think it's a false narrative. I think it's a false equation. I don't think they always equal lack of housing production and to pit those two against each other to me is just I think it's intellectually not correct. I don't want to say dishonest because I can understand why people take that position but I don't agree with that. I cannot make the connection between or unequivocal statement that the appeals stop housing production... as a legislator not as a judge, not as legal counsel, but as a is a legislator for the city of Seattle, I have to err on the side of more because that's due process and that is that's what the people want."
CM Saka: "Housing and accountability are not competing values, housing and public trust are not competing values. We can build more homes while preserving confidence that the city has done its work carefully transparently and lawfully, In fact, public trust helps make lasting durable housing policy possible. This amendment serves to address the concerns about significant delays... hundreds and hundreds, 756 emails my office received sent that specifically mentioned CB121215 received... Hundreds more, hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds mention SEPA and the appeal process. The overwhelming majority of those roughly 80% are oppose the underlying legislation... I haven't done the tally but the perception of the public that is that these the base legislation erodes a right and whether we agree with that perception or not... I think my proposal strikes a balanced approach."
We have been harassed, threatened with dwelling protests, veiled death threats, and mischaracterized without supporting information.
While the Orca Appeal was verbally spared from this ban, the city is embarking on yet another larger rushed phase of zoning than what was already not studied in the original environmental impact statement… that still stands uncorrected.