We, the undersigned, request that Seattle OPCD and Seattle City Council make the following changes to the One Seattle Plan for Madrona that are line with WA State HB 1110. We strongly suggest delaying council votes on OPCD rezoning proposals that go beyond the state legislation until their potential impacts and community feedback can be fully reviewed.

1. Limit zoning to NR for Environmentally Critical Area (ECA) known and potential slide areas, known slide events, steep slopes, and wetlands, including Madrona Drive, Grand Avenue, E. Denny Way, 36th Avenue, 37th Avenue.
2. In addition, ECA steep slopes exist on 38th Avenue south of E. Olive Street, the east side of 35th Avenue, and 31st and 32nd Avenues between Marion and E. Pine Street, so zoning should be limited to NR in these areas as well.
3. Limit zoning to NR for the other residential areas of Madrona east and west of 34th Avenue in order to balance housing needs with other documented city goals and principles such as tree and climate change protections, infrastructure needs and investments, and public and private views.
4. Limit building height on 34th Avenue to 40 feet or four stories to keep this tiny business area in scale with the rest of the small, hillside neighborhood.
5. For NR zoning - allowable lot coverage, open space, and setbacks should be restored to their current form, not OPCD's proposed amounts, to protect our tree canopy and shrubbery that stabilize our slopes, protect against climate change, and aid the city tree canopy goals.
6. Prior to any proposed additional density, infrastructure investments and improvements must be made based on anticipated future population size: increase fire hydrant flow rates to safe levels, improve the sewer system to prevent overflow into Lake Washington, increase water and electrical capacity, repave roads, and help homeowners to replace broken sidewalks that have tripping hazards. Increased seismic risks should be studied and addressed as well.
7. To encourage NR development, the city should add provisions for homeowners who build ADU/DADUs offered as rentals below a certain Area Median Income (AMI) that ensure access to city assistance equal to that of large developers, streamline city permitting and related permitting fees, remove existing financial barriers to access utilities, and provide tax breaks in conjunction with King County.
8. Conduct sub-area planning with community involvement before finalizing any plans.

Who We Are 

We are District 3 residents who are home owners and renters in Madrona, including families with young and older children, couples without children, retirees, and single individuals. Some of us have lived in Madrona for a few years or a decade and others have lived here twenty to fifty years. We are also people who work at and/or own small businesses in Madrona. And we are residents of impacted neighboring areas.

We support increased housing density and affordability throughout Seattle, including in Madrona, and welcome collaborative engagement with our D3 Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth and all city councilmembers on identifying appropriate housing affordability solutions. However, we are deeply concerned about the One Seattle Plan’s proposed upzoning changes to our neighborhood that go well beyond those outlined in WA State HB 1110.

Our Concerns:

• The current OPCD plans will not bring affordable housing options to Madrona. This is one of the most expensive and geographically difficult Seattle neighborhoods in which to build. The land and property lots in Madrona are very expensive. Geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, and seismic services to stabilize steep slopes during construction are very expensive. Therefore, the new LR3 construction will have to be high-end, luxury housing, rather than the affordable homes that are truly needed.
• The OPCD plan will increase property taxes in the proposed upzone areas and therefore put residents and small businesses at risk of displacement. This is inconsistent with the goals of HB 1110 and the stated purpose of the One Seattle Plan. State-mandated NR zoning, however, will allow substantial owner-driven density increases that provide more diverse affordable housing options.
• Much of Madrona is in Environmentally Critical Areas (ECAs) with steep slopes, slide areas, and past landslides. For this reason alone, significant portions of Madrona should be excluded from the plan entirely. Other areas of the city were excluded due to their steep slopes, and Seattle’s One Seattle Plan specifically states that “the intent is to allow development outside ECAs.” 
• Many of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement’s assertions appear incorrect as they pertain to Madrona, for instance “no significant unavoidable adverse impacts to earth and water resources are expected.”
• Madrona lacks basic amenities to serve a larger neighborhood center, such as: a grocery store, post office, pharmacy or drug store, bank, healthcare clinic, EV charging station, or dry cleaner. The tiny business area, consisting of mostly small, Seattle-owned restaurants and very small shops, is a steep climb from surrounding streets and a long, steep climb from Madrona Drive.
• Rather than enhancing walkability, increased density is likely to exacerbate the area's existing dependency on automobiles. Even for energetic walkers, the steep hills and distance from the proposed Madrona Neighborhood Center pose significant challenges for accessibility, including for people with mobility issues, the elderly, or families with children in strollers.
• Residents will also require cars because Madrona does not have direct or easy access to rapid transit. There is no north/south transit. The nearest light rail stations are 30-40 minutes by either the #2 or #3 bus. Bus transit to key employment hubs is inefficient, time-consuming, and requires at least one transfer. For example, a bus ride to the University of Washington takes 54-71 minutes, while driving takes just 11 minutes. 
• Madrona has narrow, winding roads with minimal through-streets that are already challenging for fire trucks, ambulances, waste collection vehicles, mail trucks, delivery trucks, and residents to navigate. Parking is very limited and congested. Our roads and sidewalks badly need upgrades. Prior to adding further density, the roads need to be repaved and the city needs to offer financial help so homeowners can repair sidewalks.
• The existing sewer system and other infrastructure is inadequate. Even now sewage overflows into Lake Washington during peak conditions, posing risks to public health, compromising access to Madrona Beach Park, and adversely impacting plant and animal life in and around Lake Washington. Increasing density will exacerbate this issue. Most of the fire hydrants in Madrona have poor flow rates currently, before any added strain, and need to be upgraded. Water and electrical capacity issues are also predicted with greater density.
• There are serious, unknown seismic concerns related to Madrona infrastructure safety and to existing residences when adding substantially taller and larger buildings on steep slopes. For example, would these new LR3 buildings put our infrastructure at greater risk of earthquake damages? And how would smaller homes fare on steep slopes just below LR3 / five-story buildings in the event of a significant earthquake? 
• Madrona has a substantial tree canopy that residents deeply care about preserving. It's the highest category the city records at 40-68%, helping with stated city climate change and tree canopy goals and stabilizing our slopes. Under the 2023 tree ordinance, even giant trees can be removed for development, and the proposed small setbacks and hardscape allowances in this plan will also destroy trees and destabilize our slopes.
• Madrona contains several ECA wetland areas, and under the proposed plan, one of these could now be surrounded by LR3 / five-story buildings. Several other wetland areas are directly downhill from potential new development, risking contamination. The same is possible for Madrona’s riparian corridors.
• Contrary to the expressed goals and policies of the Municipal Code, the proposal to allow LR3 / five-story buildings will restrict renters’ and homeowners’ private views of greenery, valleys, hills, the Cascade mountains, Lake Washington and Mt. Rainier, and it will negatively impact public views from many areas of Madrona, including of Lake Washington, the Cascade Mountains, and Mt. Rainier along the Madrona Drive view corridor and the 35th/36th Avenue walking loop.
• Property resale values for homes outside the upzone area could decrease significantly due to blocked views and light, causing hardships for owners who didn't ask for these changes and no longer want to remain in Madrona due to them.
• LR3 zoning would forever alter and potentially erase the historic character and charm of the existing, tiny business district and neighborhood, where many homes are over 100 years old and lovingly maintained.

For these important reasons, we respectfully ask that the Seattle City Council downscale the rezoning proposals for Madrona, as outlined above, and meet us at the table before initiating any further changes.