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Wednesday, March 22, 2006 · Last updated 6:00 p.m. PT
Going up: Downtown building height increases approved
A majority of City Council members approved plans to dramatically reshape Seattle's skyline and encourage more downtown housing by raising building heights there.
Five council members approved the zoning changes at a key committee hearing Wednesday, with one abstaining until other details are worked out.
Five members also agreed in principle on a compromise plan to create more affordable housing downtown, requiring residential developers who want to build taller buildings to pay between $17 and $19 a square foot for low-income housing.
But they agreed to negotiate more details on how that charge would be applied. Mayor Greg Nickels had supported charging $10 a square foot, while Councilman Peter Steinbrueck pushed to double the fee to $20 a square foot.
Seven council members unanimously passed resolutions to explore locating a major park in Belltown, and to develop strategies to help make downtown neighborhoods more attractive.
Those include creating more open space, increasing housing affordable to all incomes, exploring the possibility of a downtown school, protecting historic buildings and addressing public safety and nuisance issues.
Those approving the downtown zoning plan were Peter Steinbrueck, Tom Rasmussen, Richard Conlin, Richard McIver and Sally Clark. Jan Drago abstained.
The full council will vote on the plan next month.
More headlines and info from Downtown.
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