HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial 2013-07-30 Item 3A - Index 6A - Southcenter Element - Summary
SOUTHCENTER, Tukwilas Urban Center
REQUIREMENTS: Goals and policies in this element must be consistent with Washingtons Growth
Management Act (GMA), King County Countywide Planning Policies, and Vision 2040. The GMA
establishes general policies, standards and procedures for local
manage growth. The City of Tukwila is subject to the GMAs provpreparing a
comprehensive plan and development regulations that are consistent with and implement the plan.
Plans may contain other elements, including subarea plans which hensive
plan. The content of a subarea plan is determined by the local juri
The GMA also requires that counties adopt county-wide planning policies to guide preparation of local
plans and regulations. The King County Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) provides this framework.
The CPPs address a wide range of issues relevant to managing growth in the region, including the
designation of vibrant Urban Centers. Centers are intended to have high density concentrations of
jobs and housing which are well-served by public investments in infrastructure and services, inc
transit.
VISION 2040 is a regional land use and transportation strategy adopted by Pu
which also designates regional growth centers. Regional growth centers are intended t
areas of high-intensity residential and employment development, with a mix of land uses including
housing, jobs, recreation and shopping. Within the region, regio
capacity transit service and investments promoting economic deve.
Both the King County CPPs and Vision 2040 designate the Southcenter area in Tukwila as an urban
center. The Southcenter element of the Comprehensive Plan provides goals, po
strategies for achieving the Citys vision for its urban center, consistent with the CPPs and VISION 2040.
The Southcenter element provides the planning framework for the Southcenter Subarea Plan.
SUMMARY: The policies in this Comprehensive Plan element support and exte
existing Urban Center/Southcenter area that have been responsible for its economic success in the past,
and expand on these characteristics. Land use polices focus on f,
including creating more opportunities for residential developmen. Urban design
policies provide a vision for the community, to be achieved through public a
and cooperation. Transportation and circulation policies emphasi
mega-blocks as key factors, as well as choice in transportation modes and routes. These policies will
reinforce the urban centers future competitiveness within the region, and will work towards
transitioning the area from a suburban to a more urban pattern of development.
KEY ISSUES:
Creating sub-districts within the Southcenter area to guide development and t
compatible land uses, character, and form;
Expanding opportunities for high quality pedestrian-oriented areas in proximity to water
amenities and within walking distance of the rail and bus transit station, coupled with an
intensive mix of retail, entertainment, housing, public spaces at;
2015 Comprehensive Plan Update
TukwilaThe city of opportunity, the community of choice
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SOUTHCENTER, Tukwilas Urban Center
Expanding and improving parks, open space and other amenities, and integrating them into the
urban environment;
Enhancing the built environment through well-designed buildings;
Creating a fine-grained street network, a balanced transportation system that serves all modes
of travel, and creation of a distinct identity for major right oces each streets
function;
Reinforcing pedestrian and transit connections between activity a
the linkage between the Mall, the Sounder commuter rail/Amtrak station, and Tukwila Pond;
Providing adequate parking, achieved through flexible regulation, strategies and programs; and
Actively promoting and encouraging development and redevelopment
through flexible regulations, incentives and public and private , while meeting the
needs of existing businesses by facilitating market-driven transitions.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES:
The policy changes primarily update, reorganize, consolidate and
implementation strategies adopted during the last Comprehensive Plan update in 2005, and i
following:
Rebranding - substituting Southcenter area for Tukwila Urban Center or TUC.
Updated the Purpose section to reflect most recent King County and Puget Sound Regional
Council policies regarding urban centers.
Revised the Issues section to make it more relevant to current issues, particularly the nee
accommodate King County housing targets for Tukwila.
Increased the visibility and clarity of the Vision Statement section, so that the vision for the
urban center is clearly stated upfront for the reader.
Goals & Policies
Refined policies expanding the opportunities for housing and mixed use development,
o
particularly in the northern part of the Southcenter area in proximity to amenities and
walking distance to transit.
Added new graphics & illustrations.
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Updated implementation strategies throughout the element removed those completed
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and added new.
Removed policy addressing the Green River since it is covered inShoreline element.
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Added language regarding the concept of complete streets and a finer grained street
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network to existing policy on Streets, Streetscape and Pedestria. Also added
implementation measures.
Added a new policy addressing orientation of buildings and parking lots to create an area
o
conducive to walking, where appropriate. Updated implementation measures regarding
parking lot design.
Revised existing policy on signage to address developing a way finding signage program.
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2015 Comprehensive Plan Update
TukwilaThe city of opportunity, the community of choice
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SOUTHCENTER, Tukwilas Urban Center
Removed Parks, Open Space, and Public Amenities policy will be consolidated with other
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parks and open space goals elsewhere in the comprehensive plan.
Moved Economic Development policy to Economic Development elemen
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policy & implementation measures relevant to issues in Southcenter.
Removed many transportation policies since they are duplicative of those in t
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Transportation element.
PLANNING COMMISSION & CONSULTANT CHANGES:
The proposed changes to this element represent:
1)Planning Commission changes. The Planning Commission has been working on the Southcenter-
Tukwilas Urban Center Comprehensive Plan element since 2009, as part of the draft Sout
Subarea planning process. In October 2012, the Planning Commission completed their revisions to
the draft Comprehensive Plan element.
2)Consultant recommendations. Earlier this year, the City contracted with a consultant to edit and
reformat all of the Tukwila Comprehensive Plan elements, which are being updated as requiredby
the states Growth Management Act. For this element, the consultant recommended changes to the
Planning Commission approved draft. Consultant revisions consisted of:
Wordsmithing or technical edits to increase clarity and readabil
Streamlining the document by deletion of goals, policies and implementation strategies that
are redundant of those contained in other elements of the comprehensive plan, such as those
related to transportation.
New policies, changes and edits that the Planning Commission pro
highlighted in yellow in the strikeout/underline document.
2015 Comprehensive Plan Update
TukwilaThe city of opportunity, the community of choice
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