For over a year the Lake Union Opportunity Alliance has been fighting proposals from the city to raise allowable building heights to 300 feet between Denny Way and the South Lake Union waterfront. Currently the height limits are 125 feet along Denny and 40 feet at the waterfront. If these heights were to be raised, many say it would significantly alter the live-ability of the still young South Lake Union neighborhood and block lake views for those living on the facing hillsides in Queen Anne and Capitol Hill.

Anyone invested in the future of South Lake Union, or the views of the lake from Queen Anne, is encouraged to attend a public meeting on Tuesday, January 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Seattle Unity Church Fellowship Hall, located at 200 8^th Ave N, to review and comment on the revised Environmental Impact Study alternatives and voice their opinions on the development of South Lake Union.

At the meeting the city will present the draft design framework for the development of South Lake Union for the public to comment on (download PDF copy here). The Department of Planning and Development will also discuss the revised height and density Environmental Impact Study reports (download PDF copy here), and will answer any questions the public may have about the study and rezoning process.

LUOA, which represents 500 South Lake Union residents, believes that all three EIS alternatives provide excessively high building heights that would hinder the neighborhood’s growth, arguing that the first alternative, which allows for 300 foot towers along the waterfront of South Lake Union, would ruin the pedestrian experience in the area in addition to blocking views in nearby neighborhoods. LUOA says that views of the Space Needle would be blocked for many living in South Lake Union, while views of the lake would be blocked for many living on the east and south slopes of Queen Anne. The Capitol Hill Times reported last week that higher towers on South Lake Union would significantly block views from the west side of Capitol Hill.

According to LUOA board member Diane Masson, many living in Queen Anne who would be affected by the zoning changes have not even heard about the issue yet. Which is why, she says, it is so important for Queen Anne and South Lake Union residents to attend Tuesday’s meeting, voice their opinions, and send an email or letter to Mayor Mike McGinn.

LUOA is working to ensure that the final rezoning recommendation include the following:

Responsible, measured density growth that preserves the character of the neighborhood, provides for housing, income diversity and local businesses.

Step down in height across the South Lake Union basin from 240 ft at Denny Way to 40 ft at the Lake to preserve views of the Space Needle and Lake for all.

No increase in current height allowed for commercial buildings.

Tower spacing above 85 ft no less than 150 ft.

Limit podium heights to 20-40 ft.

Complete the Concurrency Plan for public amenities before rezone is approved, including community center, branch library, public school location, transportation and parking.

Provided for parks and open space to meet the Seattle Comprehensive plan of 1 acre of parks or open space per 1000 residents.

Maintain current zoning in all of the Cascade Neighborhood, including to Fairview Avenue.

Protect View Corridors toward Lake Union on Westlake, Terry and Fairview Avenues.

Although the meeting tomorrow will cover the EIS alternatives, the issue of development in South Lake Union is two-fold: Two weeks ago, the city approved a Land Use Amendment that allows building heights of up to 120 feet, plus an additional 15 feet of rooftop mechanical equipment, in the area zoned for Phase III of the UW Medical Campus. (Read what Councilmember Tim Burgess, who voted for the Amendment, has to say here. Read LUOA’s opinion here.)

To read up on the plans for South Lake Union click here, or contact Jim Holmes at jim.holmes@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8372.

Being the oldest neighborhood in Seattle, Queen Anne-ers may sometimes forget what it’s like living in a community that is still very much in development. Our neighbors just southeast of us in South Lake Union, on the other hand, know exactly what it’s like. The Lake Union Opportunity Alliance has been fighting for months to persuade the city to reconsider current plans to allow 160 ft to 300 ft towers to be built between Westlake and Aurora. They’re holding a meeting tonight (apologies for the late notice – we just found out) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Seattle Unity Church, located at 200 8th Ave N, and are asking the Queen Anne community for support.

“This is happening quite quickly,” wrote LUOA board member Diane Masson. “If Queen Anne does not speak up now, it will be over before we know it.”

As part of South Lake Union’s Neighborhood Plan the Department of Planning and Development has been looking into ways to height and density to bolster the neighborhood’s growth. In September 2008 the DPD proposed three alternatives for increasing height development in SLU that were evaluated in an Environmental Impact Study. However, according to LUOA, none of these alternatives are an acceptable option for South Lake Union and most of the public comments on the plans, the majority of which were against this kind of growth, were ignored. Masson writes,

What about SLU streets by Lake Union becoming wind tunnels like downtown? How is this going to affect sailing on the lake?  SLU will become an extension of downtown with two towers per block.  NO more sunlight on the sidewalks and people that depend on food from the Cascade Neighborhood P-Patch will get no sunlight to grow food. SLU park will have shade from 125 ft – 300 ft buildings across the street to the South blocking the sunshine most of the year. Will a family want to move to SLU if kids can’t run and play in the sun at their local park? Now let’s talk views.  Almost all of Capitol Hill will have their views of the Space Needle and Sound taken away by a cement wall 160 ft to 300 ft tall from Mercer to Denny. Eastlake residents, houseboats residents and Wallingford could lose their view of the Space Needle. I-5 is supposed to be view corridor to the Lake and to the Space Needle.  What about our forgotten Seniors at Mirabella?  Are they going to be surrounded by tall buildings that will block light for seniors who have limited vision?

The issue, according to Masson, is very complicated, which explains why it is hard to find comprehensive explanations in the media. The plan deals with both the rezoning of UW’s Phase III Medical Center, which City Council will be voting on on Monday, January 11, and the new draft EIS Alternatives. For more information, check out the LUOA website, the South Lake Union Neighborhood Plan,

DPD will be holding another public meeting on Tuesday, January 26 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Seattle Unity Church Fellowship Hall, 200 8^th Ave N, to review and comment on the draft framework and learn about the revised EIS alternatives.