The Issue:

The plans to redevelop the Wedgwood Center at 35th Ave NE and NE 86th Street have been put at significant risk following the recommendation of the NE Seattle Design Review Board to not allow a curbcut and any vehicle access off 35th Ave NE and instead funnel all traffic (residential, retail, freight, garbage/utility) solely onto NE 85th Street and/or NE 82nd Street.  Not only does this focus future traffic and parking impacts onto the neighboring residents, it kills a critical access point necessary for the return of a grocer to Wedgwood as well as a new childcare center plus other sought after retail.  

Throughout the 18-months of engagement with Wedgwood community (click HERE for a record of engagement), Security Properties has been clear and transparent that for grocery to work operationally on the site, it requires vehicle access off 35th Ave NE and a small surface parking lot, as well as curbcuts and access provided off NE 85th Street and NE 82nd Street.  With the addition of childcare as a future use on the site, along with other restaurant and retail uses, this organization of vehicular access and circulation along with the ability to better distribute traffic impacts becomes even more important.  

Security Properties intends to push ahead with a site plan that proposes a single curbcut off 35th Ave NE aligned with NE 84th Street and small (12-stall) surface parking lot that includes ADA parking (plus structured parking for 300+ stalls below ground), despite the NE Design Review Board’s disapproval.  This site design is necessary for a future grocer to return to Wedgwood along with a new childcare center. The Wedgwood Community Council believes Security Properties’ plan will dramatically improve the pedestrian environment on site, which currently has 3 curbcuts on 35th Ave NE and 120 surface parking stalls, while mitigating unavoidable traffic and parking impacts from the neighboring residents. 

This petition is solely intended to show that Security Properties has the support of Wedgwood for a single curbcut off 35th Ave NE with a small (12-stall) surface parking area.  This petition does not imply support or opposition of other design departures or other design elements which the NE Design Review Board has already reviewed. 

Get Involved:

There are several ways to get involved.  

First, in addition to signing this petition, a great way to show your support for this access (as well as note any other comments of support or opposition) is to leave a formal comment on the project.  To do so, CLICK HERE to the City’s Public Comment Tool. You’ll need to use either the SDCI Record Number (3039950-LU) or site address (8400 35th Ave NE) to leave a comment.
If on-line public comments are you thing, you can write a formal letter to the project file (include the SDCI Record Number and address in your letter) and send it by mail to:
Seattle Department of Construction and Inspection.

ATTN: Public Notice
700 Fifth Ave, Ste 2000
P.O. Box 34019 Seattle, WA 98124-4019

An example public comment follows:

“I am writing to express my support for a single curbcut off of 35th Ave NE with a small surface parking area, as Security Property has designed and in opposition with the NE Design Review Board’s recommendation following EDG-2.  I believe pedestrian safety is an extremely important concern and trust Security Properties, SDCI, and SDOT will prioritize the pedestrian environment and traffic safety design along 35th Ave NE, NE 85th Street, and NE 82nd Street as the site design advances.” 

Second, Security Properties intends to submit their permit (Master Use Permit) application with the curbcut and small surface parking area in the coming weeks, after which there will be a large white sign mounted on the site.  There will be an SDCI contact email address on the sign which is another way to register your support for the curbcut and surface parking, as well as any other project feedback.

Finally, Security Properties estimates that the project will be in front of the Northeast Design Review Board (virtually meeting) again in mid-Spring 2025.  Once that virtual meeting is scheduled, the Wedgwood Community Council will ensure that the community is informed and there is a 20-day notice period before the meeting.  Public comment (written or stated) at this virtual meeting would be hugely valuable.  
 
To stay aware of these updates and other community news and events, we encourage you to sign up for the Wedgwood Community Council’s monthly e-newsletter (link). 

Key Concerns:

The NE Design Review Board is an all-volunteer board of well-meaning residents in the broader Northeast Seattle area with a background or interest in the built environment.  No criticism of them as individuals or as a body is intended.  However, we take issue with their denial of Security Properties request for a single curbcut off 35th Ave NE with a small surface parking area.  Below are those key issues of concern that we have with the decision. For more information on our concerns, please see click here (link):

• The second Design Review Board meeting (EDG-2) included 2 new volunteer members who were not present for the first meeting (EDG-1). Therefore, they did not have the benefit of both the context and reasoning for the curbcut that Security Properties provided in EDG-1.  As these 2 new members were the deciding votes in opposition, this absence of context seems notable.
• When Security Properties attempted to provide this context in response to questions from these new members, the City’s planner intervened and prevented Security Properties from doing so.
• The rationale provided by the NE Design Review Board members to not recommend a curbcut off 35th Ave NE was their concern that this curbcut would impact pedestrian safety. A great concern for the board, obviously, which is appreciated. However, this decision was made prior to any discussion on transportation and frontage improvements which would be required by SDOT.
• Transportation circulation is not in the purview of the NE Design Review Board; it is solely an SDOT issue. Our understanding is that SDOT is not opposed to a curbcut on 35th Ave NE.
• It is our opinion that focusing all vehicular traffic to curbcuts on NE 85th Street and/or NE 82nd Street increases the risk of conflict with pedestrians on these residential side streets and degrades the pedestrian environment within these residential neighborhoods.
• The single, proposed curbcut off 35th Ave NE provides a mid-block break of this otherwise megablock and could allow for better-organized, marked pedestrian crossings at NE 84th St when aligned.