AN ORDINANCE relating to land use and zoning; amending maximum size of use limits and minimum parking requirements for indoor sports and recreation uses; amending Sections 23.50.027 and 23.54.015 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
Agenda Item 14 Council Bill 120 149 relating to land use and zoning amending maximum size of use limits and minimum parking requirements for indoor sports and recreation uses amending section 23.50 point zero 27 and 23.50 4.0 15 of the sentiments of the code. The committee recommends the bill pass. Thank you so much. I'm going to hand it back over to councilmember strauss walks the. Council president last bill of the day council bill. I'm just double checking to make sure I have this right. Yes. Council Bill 120149. This legislation increases the maximum size limit for indoor sports and recreation uses in industrial general two zones. It also places certain restrictions on the higher size limit, including that the site must be 500 feet from shorelines close to neighborhood, commercial or mixed use, mixed zones and not within a mile of another such facility. Indoor sports and recreation uses are defined in the code as including things like practice facilities, but not including spectator venues. That could drive large increases in traffic and visitation. In total, this legislation could allow for the development of such a facility on one of about 45 different parcels throughout District six and District seven, mostly in Inner Bay and in Ballard as well. There have been some speculation in the press that this proposal constitutes a spot rezone. After consulting with the city attorney's office of PCB, the mayor's office and my colleagues, I'm confident that this does not meet those criteria. This legislation does not rezone any land. It does not allow, and it does not allow new uses. So, again, does not rezone land. It does not allow new uses in that zoning. It simply adjusts the maximum size of a use that is already allowed in this zone and applies that change to many properties across the area. As a strong supporter of protecting our industrial areas, I have spoken about with stakeholders in the bid make about this proposal to ensure that they were aware of it and do not have any concerns. In addition to these conversations, we have received many letters of support, including from Todd Rickey, the CEO of the Seattle Kraken. Chuck Arnold, president of the Seattle Seahawks. Diane Sycamore, the former director of planning and development for the city of Seattle for over 14 years. Louise Cherney, former president of the Greater South Business Association, as well as from Swedish Health Services Symetra BCU, the Pacific Science Center, Carter, Subaru and rise above an organization focused on empowerment of Native youth through basketball. As we have heard in public comment and elsewhere, the Seattle storm could apply for permits to build their own practice facility if this flexibility is established, while a different party could ultimately submit the proposal. I do believe that a storm practice facility or any other practice of practice facility would have a positive impact on our city. Creating more spaces for sports and recreation benefits all of us the kids, families, neighbors and fans alike. Local governments oftentimes support the Seahawks, Mariners, Kraken and Sounders, and it is important that we as the city also have the storm, the Seattle storms back as they are the most winningest team and they have had Seattle's back for so long. As Sue Bird shared at public comment in committee. Teams can lose their star players when they don't have the infrastructure to support their players. For instance, practice facilities. If teams do not have a good place to practice and hone their skills off of the competition court, they may lose those star players. Currently, the Seattle storm is practicing at Seattle Pacific University's gym facilities. And if a player wanted to spend extra time shooting, practicing or playing, they could have that time interrupted by a university student hoping to also use that facility. This month, the Seattle Kraken's new facilities and Northgate in that climate pledge arena are a reminder of the positive impacts that sports and sports facilities can have on the city when they are done right. When we are using private dollars to create these institutions so that the public is not spending money, and the city of Seattle and the general public are benefiting from these programs, players and teams. This is another opportunity to allow for a sports facility that will benefit Seattle and to allow our women's professional sports team to invest and deepen their roots in Seattle. This is another moment where we get to tell our four time championship team that Seattle's got their back. Thank you. Council president. That is the committee's report. Thank you so much. Are there any additional comments? All right. I'm not seeing any hands raised. Oh, there we go. That's memorable. I just want to say, for the record, when I first heard about this legislation, I have concerns because how it was described, it made me think that we were we were changing the zoning in contradiction . Several votes of the councilor began as related to proposed changes from industrial zone for the slot in the comprehensive plan. And when I learned that the legislation does not change the underlying zoning and maintains the current industrial zone, my concerns were addressed and I just wanted to kind of get that on the record. Thank you so much, Councilmember Old. Appreciate it. Any additional comments you write, any closing remarks? I'm going to stress? Just a sincere thank you to my colleagues, and especially Councilmember Juarez, who is a longtime supporter and champion of the storm. Excellent. All right. I'm not seeing any additional hands raised. So will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill? HERBOLD Yes. Suarez I. Lewis. Yes. Morales. S mesquita. I. Peterson. All right. So what? Yes. Strauss. S President Gonzalez high nine in favor and unopposed. The bill passes and the chair will sign. It will occur. Piece affixed my signature to the legislation on my behalf. Sir, any further business to come before the council? All right. I'm not seeing any hands raised. So colleagues, colleagues, this does conclude the items of business on today's agenda. Our next regularly scheduled city council meeting is on Monday, October 11, 2021, at 2:00 PM. I hope that you all have a wonderful afternoon. We're adjourned. Thanks so much about.