Title
State Avenue (Bigelow neighborhood) Zoning
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to recommend that the Community Planning and Development Department's 2015 work plan (and - when adopted -- the Planning Commission work plan of 2016) include evaluating for revision of the City's development code to improve compatibility between new development in commercial zones with adjacent low-density residential areas. (Option 1)
Report
Issue:
Recent development has led some residents to believe the City's development code allows development bordering the south edge of the Bigelow neighborhood that is incompatible with the neighborhood, and inconsistent with the City's Comprehensive Plan. Should the City evaluate any changes in that area's zoning?
Staff Contact:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community and Development Department, 360.753.8597
Presenters:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner
Jay Elder, Secretary, Bigelow Neighborhood Association
Background and Analysis:
In the early 1960s an area of about 10 blocks of single-family housing northeast of downtown in the vicinity of Olympia Avenue was zoned for 'Commercial Services - High Density' development. This change resulted in apartment buildings gradually replacing some of the single-family homes. About twenty years later, the area was changed to a low density residential zone, effectively ending the era of apartment construction. In 2005, a portion of the area along Olympia Avenue was designated as a local historic district. During this period the zoning along State Avenue at the southern edge of the Bigelow neighborhood changed little. The result is the neighborhood now includes a variety of housing types adjacent to a mix of residential and commercial land uses along State Avenue.
In 2013, John Tanasse proposed construction of a 3-story mixed use (office and housing) building on the north side of State Avenue. This proposal led residents of the area to question whether this type of develo...
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