Planning 2011-10-27 SOUTHCENTER PLAN - INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM

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INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 Complete the evaluation of environmental impacts from the proposed development and designate the plan as a SEPA "planned action FUTURE REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS One of the motivations for undertaking this effort to develop more detailed development standards was to ensure that the Southcenter area remained competitive with other regional shopping and employment centers. Trends point to the continuing decline of the already overbuilt retail sector, and consumer preferences for walkable, vibrant, outdoor, entertainment driven experiences as seen in the outward nature of the Southcenter Mall expansion, Kent Station, Renton Landing and Burien Town Center. When the General Services Administration put out a request for proposals for office space in our area the requirements included amenities such as retail shops, banks, restaurants and multiple bus lines within a walkable distance of one -half mile from the building. While the Southcenter area contains these types of amenities, in order to diversify into the office and housing markets we need to provide safe, comfortable pedestrian and bicycle routes to get to them. TUKWILA URBAN CENTER (TUC) PLAN PROCESS The TUC Planning process started with a public visioning exercise and was designed to allow many opportunities for public involvement. For a chronology of this process to date see Attachment B. Between May 2002 and May 2004 staff held six public workshops and three joint City Council /Planning Commission work sessions to develop the vision and priorities for the plan, much of which was based on a summary of existing conditions, issues, constraints and opportunities that was prepared for the area (see Attachment C). During that time, staff and the City's consultant FTB met with the Mall on their design and renovation project to ensure that the Mall's project was consistent with the direction the vision was taking. Staff and consultants also flew to Minneapolis to discuss the vision with the Target Corporation. FTB then took this vision and in 2005 delivered a draft plan composed of three parts: the vision for the urban center, development standards and design guidelines to implement the vision, and recommended City investments and actions. From 2005 to 2008 public review of the plan was put on hold due to other City priorities such as the Tukwila South annexation. During that time, staff convened a panel of commercial and mixed use experts from the Urban Land Institute to review the feasibility of the draft plan and make recommendations. Staff also worked to test the draft regulations on other proposed projects, sought funding for some of the implementing actions such as the pedestrian bridge over the Green River and an improved transit center, and coordinated with Sound Transit on the design of the permanent commuter rail station and the Parks Department on the master plan for Tukwila Pond Park to ensure these projects supported the City's vision for the TUC. In the fall of 2008 we resumed the public review process with mailings, open houses, multiple meetings with individual property and business owners, and presentations to interested groups. From March to May 2009 the Planning Commission held a public hearing and 3 work sessions on the draft Plan. During this process it became clear that there was not internal consensus among City Departments on a vision for the urban center that included greater building density, taller buildings, breaking up the superblocks, on- street parking and improved facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. The public comments were generally in favor of the vision but there was concern about development standards in the TOD area such as the 2 story minimum height, maximum setbacks, entrances facing the street and thresholds for compliance with the new standards. In May 2009, the Planning Commission directed Department of Community Development (DCD) staff to review the comments received from the public on the draft Southcenter Plan and propose revisions to address the issues raised. After reviewing the comments staff decided to 2