LINKS

	CITY OF SEATTLE
	MAYOR NICKELS
	DEPT. OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
	HEARING EXAMINER

7 November 2009
SECOND MAG LETTER TO SEATTLE DPD
MAG believes the developer cannot change nor raise the existing grade and, therefore, increase the effective height of the proposed homes.

See MAG's letter to DPD, dated November 5th.

26 October 2009
RESPONSE LETTER BY DEVELOPER
This response letter, also sent to Seattle DPD, asserts that the grading permit of May 5, 2008, establishes (the new) existing grade for the lots.

A four-page letter, which concludes with the following: "...MAG seems concerned that the grade of individual lots has been built up substantially. It has not. A comparison of the grades when the Briarcliff School was located on the site, with the proposed grades on the issued grading permit plans, demonstrates little difference between the two."

And further: "...the DPD grading permit, clearly established the existing grade for the lots. It is this existing grade which informs the height measurement of the future building permits, not the preliminary grades indicated on the MUP."

The Master Use Permit was made public, but the grading permit never was. At least we now know our hunch was correct.

15 October 2009
MAG SUBMITS LETTER TO DPD POINTING OUT NEW GRADING
A letter about the substantial soil build up, especially along West Dravus Street.

It is not clear whether this build up is permanent, or whether it is intended to be used as grade for the construction of the homes. MAG assumes the developer, or lot owner, will construct these new homes at elevations consistent with the Land Use Code and the existing site grade. MAG requests immediate notice if the developer submits plans that would use lot grades other than that shown on the topographic survey.

Late September 2009
MAG RESPONDS TO NEIGHBOR CONCERNS
Ever since about mid-July, many neighbors have contacted MAG about the new grading that seems to be both intentional and permanent at the old Briarcliff School site.

At 3901 W. Dravus, 39 home lots, with allowed building footprints and CHPD yards, are being platted by the Clustered Housing Planned Development provision of the SMC on the site; the average home lot will be roughly two-thirds the size of typical Magnolia lots surrounding the site.

No building permits for the new single family homes have been requested, yet the changed grade and new roads are coming along. The grade has been raised -- looks like five to six feet, perhaps even more -- probably to gain height for the homes.

MAG will discuss this option with its lawyer in the near future. Regarding pursuing such a future challenge, interested neighbors may contact MAG directly.

Note: The MCC Board has not officially endorsed this guest opinion letter.

April/May 2005, Magnolia Community Club Newsletter

The proposed development at 3901 West Dravus (the Briarcliff School), if successful, will bring in almost 40 new homes in the form of a “Clustered Housing Planned Development” that is out of character with Magnolia.

The site of the Briarcliff School was sold to Lexington Fine Homes (LFH) in 2003. LFH would like to begin construction of a cluster housing planned development in 2005. Under the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC23.44.024), a CHPD is intended to enhance and preserve natural features, encourage the construction of affordable housing, allow for development and design flexibility, and protect and prevent harm in environmentally critical areas.

LFH’s proposal (MUP 2402617 and 2403714) would place 39 homes on the 4.58 acre site, would have all traffic of the subdivision exiting directly onto West Dravus Street, and would use easements within the subdivision instead of city roads. The only intent its proposal meets, admits LFH’s counsel, is the allowance for development and design flexibility. The nearly flat site, in the heart of an established neighborhood, is surrounded by typical Magnolia lots. Most of the resulting lots, if permitted, would be much smaller than the typical lots, and most of the set-backs would be much less than current set-backs, resulting in a tight and dense development.

Cluster Development Image

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) issued a strong Request for Information and Correction Notice to LFH last September that outlined several concerns. DPD issued its Correction Notice after a public comment period and meeting. During the meeting, residents of Magnolia uniformly expressed their extreme dissatisfaction with the project. After several months LFH recently responded to the Correction Notice. In brief, LFH still intends to move forward with the CHPD as planned, with a few modifications.

In response to last summer’s meeting and the collective concerns of most of the neighbors, a nonprofit group – Magnolia Action Group (MAG) – was formed with the sole focus on hiring a land use attorney to fight the CHPD. MAG believes that the CHPD would not benefit Magnolia, but would result in traffic congestion, safety issues, parking issues (since parking would naturally spill out onto the surrounding roads) and a very tight “town-home like” development in an established neighborhood. LFH feels that homes that are within “conversational” distance from the sidewalk are preferable to wide streets and homes set back off the property front.

MAG is organized to communicate neighbor’s viewpoints to the City. To that end, it has recently asked the City to open and advertise a comment period to allow public input on the changes proposed by the Correction Notice. The details of these changes are available by contacting MAG.

Most neighbors to the site would welcome and support a development that is fitting and consistent with the surrounding neighborhood. The same neighbors would not, however, turn a blind eye to a development that uses the land use code to gain unusual privilege, or that ignores the surrounding community to the same end.

Many thanks to MCC for publishing this opinion letter.

If you wish to help us with this endeavor,
please contact us. Email us using the form below.

Dept. of Planning & Development

lucas.deherrera@seattle.gov
diane.sugimura@seattle.gov

Mayors Office

mayors.office@seattle.gov

Magnolia Action Group

magnoliaactiongroup@comcast.net

City Council Members:

richard.conlin@seattle.gov
tim.burgess@seattle.gov
sally.clark@seattle.gov
jan.drago@seattle.gov
jean.godden@seattle.gov
bruce.harrell@seattle.gov
nick.licata@seattle.gov
richard.mciver@seattle.gov
tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov