The Issue

STOP ZONING CHANGES IN QUEEN ANNE

This petition seeks to draw the attention of concerned residents to the inclusion of Queen Anne as a Neighborhood Center in the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan, and the accompanying zoning changes around McGraw Ave W between 4th ave W and 3rd ave N.

Official comment deadline is December 20, 2024

• Comment here : https://www.seattle.gov/opcd/one-seattle-plan
• Email Bob Kettle at Bob.Kettle@seattle.gov or 206-684-8807

While the move to increase housing availability is crucial for Seattle's long-term sustainability, the selection of Queen Anne as a neighborhood center is misguided. The proposed zoning changes will

1. Compromise public safety
2. Harm the environment
3. Stretch our infrastructure beyond its limits

We, the undersigned residents of Seattle District 7, having reviewed the One Seattle Plan and its proposed changes to our neighborhood, strongly oppose the upzone.

The city’s decision to stage the comment period during the holiday season, when many people have family, community, and religious obligations, is inexcusable. We requested an extension to the comment deadline, but it is unlikely to be granted. The following is our brief response given the limited time available:

Quality of Life: Out of Scale

The LR3 and LR2 zoning proposal will allow five-story buildings immediately adjacent to existing one- and two-story homes. The size and scale of these new developments will dwarf existing homes and are entirely out of scale with the neighborhood.

Safety & Traffic

• Increasing population density to the degree proposed on our narrow neighborhood streets will lead to gridlock. Streets in this area are single lane and there are few access arterial roads to and from Upper Queen Anne.
• Emergency Services: Increased traffic and parking congestion will hinder emergency response times, especially during peak hours. 
• Pedestrian and Biker Safety: With U.S. pedestrian deaths at a 40-year high in 2023, adding more cars to our streets without improving infrastructure will make walking and biking more dangerous.
• Public Transit: King County Metro already struggles to meet Seattle’s current transit needs. Upzoning will only exacerbate this issue.

Environmental Concerns

• The city’s Department of Construction and Inspections has shown its inability to enforce Seattle Municipal Code 23.24.040, which is meant to protect the tree canopy and maximize retention of existing trees during lot subdivisions.
• The proposed upzoning will destroy a vital portion of a historic neighborhood and its critical tree canopy. Mature trees reduce noise, improve air quality, provide shade to reduce urban heat, filter stormwater runoff, enhance property values, support wildlife habitats, and improve mental health. Losing these trees will have lasting negative impacts on the community.

Infrastructure Limitations

• The proposed population increase does not account for the neighborhood’s antiquated infrastructure, including narrow roads, limited parking, and outdated utilities such as water and sewer systems.
• A significant flaw in the One Seattle Plan is its failure to require developers of high-density buildings to contribute to improving streets, sewers, or other public services.
• Road Conditions: Our roads are already in poor condition, and increased traffic will accelerate their deterioration.

Neighborhood Character and Housing Affordability

• This area contains many homes built in the 1930s and earlier. Many of these homes are craftsman-style bungalows. The proposed upzoning will destroy these homes as developers aggregate lots to maximize profit.
• Recent density additions in area to the north have had little to no positive impact on housing affordability. Townhouses built in these areas during the last upzoning effort now sell for $800,000 and up—far from affordable housing.
• Homeowners adjacent to new five-story buildings will lose access to sunlight, which is vital for health, essential for homes with solar panels, and critical to maintaining property values.

We encourage the city to address our concerns to protect public safety, the environment, and our neighborhood infrastructure.