The City's Department of Planning and Development (DPD), is hosting the meeting, following a petition signed by 400 people requesting an opportunity to publicly comment, not only on the subdivision of the property into 82 lots, but also on various environmental issues to be included in the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement prepared by DPD, such as wetlands in the critical habitat area, nesting eagles, traffic and transportation and many other important issues that could have a lasting impact on the neighborhood.
The public can also send written comments by the end of today, including the project number 3015404 to PRC@seattle.gov or by regular mail to DPD, Attention: Lindsay King, 700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000, P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019.
The Laurelhurst Community Club recently sent out a mailing detailing the two proposals put forth by the owner represenatives, as well as giving history of the property in relation to working with LCC and the neighborhood.
For more information on the proposed development and neighbor comments as covered in the Laurelhurst Blog go here.
The Seattle Community Council Federation, established in 1946 and made up of numerous city wide neighborhood community associations, and dedicated to neighborhood issues, recently submitted the below letters to DPD regarding the proposed development at Talaris:
Lindsay King, Senior Land Use Planner
Department of Planning and Development
City of Seattle
700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000
P.O. Box 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019
Re: Project #3015404, 4000 NE 41st Street
Dear Ms. King:
Over the years, the Northeast District Council (NEDC), representing 15 community and business groups, has been briefed on various issues related to the Battelle/Talaris property and the recorded settlement agreements with the property owners—agreements that run with the land. In June 2013, the NEDC unanimously endorsed the historic nomination of the Battelle/Talaris property. It was NEDC’s hope that designation of the site and buildings as historic would assure continued environmentally-responsible and compatible development and enduring stewardship. Now, however, the developer has proposed subdividing the 18-acre site into 82 single-family homes, thus destroying the majesty of the open space and urban forest and threatening public access to this decades old community amenity. The NEDC offers the following environmental scoping comments.
The NEDC urges you to include a separate single-family alternative in the draft EIS that would preserve the maximum amount of open space and tree canopy, protect and enhance the wetlands, safeguard the habitat of the nesting eagles, and preserve public access. A clustered single-family development, or planned residential development, would accomplish these goals. Study of daylighting Yesler Creek should be included in all alternatives presented in the draft EIS as well as appropriate mitigation of the impacts of site development.Gabrielle Gerhard, Co-Chair
Seattle Community Council Federation
Department of Planning and Development
City of Seattle
700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000
P.O. Box 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019
Re: Project #3015404, 4000 NE 41st Street
Dear Ms. King:
Since May 2013, the Seattle Community Council Federation, representing community groups throughout the city, has studied and monitored activities and proposed development proposals for the 18-acre Battelle/Talaris property in the Laurelhurst neighborhood.
The Federation enthusiastically and unanimously endorsed landmark designation of the Battelle/Talaris property and buildings. In July, we opposed the proposed comp plan amendment that would have changed the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) from single-family residential to multi-family and that proposed amendment was removed from the policy docket for further review and consideration by the Council.
The Federation was stunned to learn of the proposal to subdivide this critical habitat area—complete with wetlands and nesting eagles—into 82 single-family homes. This is one of the few remaining open space areas of this size in the city. The Federation offers the following scoping comments on the proposal in hopes that more responsible, appropriate and compatible options are studied in the draft EIS.
The Federation asks that a separate clustered single-family option be studied in the draft EIS that would preserve the maximum amount of open space. A planned residential development (PRD) would have the greatest likelihood of respecting the wetlands, the nesting eagles and preserving the beautiful center pond for neighbors to enjoy as they have for decades. Including this option for study in the draft EIS would also lay the groundwork for daylighting Yesler Creek.
The proposed 82-home cookie cutter option should also study these environmental issues—preservation and enhancement of the wetlands, protection of the nesting eagles and urban forest, daylighting of Yesler Creek and maintenance of public access through the infrastructure.
The Federation has learned that the property owner is interested in redevelopment of the site into an expanded conference center with a hotel, office space and commercial development to maximize his return on investment. This option should be studied in the draft EIS considering the issues listed above and the importance of maintaining public access. While this option may be consistent with the historic designation, many questions remain and deserve careful study. The draft EIS should provide direction on the pending Controls and Incentives process before the Landmarks Board.
Finally, the Federation asks that the draft EIS also consider and explore the possibility of purchase of the property, or a portion of it by the City of Seattle.
All options studied in the draft EIS should consider appropriate mitigation for proposed redevelopment of the property, including but not limited to traffic, transportation infrastructure, and the cumulative impacts of other development in the area.Rick Barrett, Vice President
Seattle Community Council Federation
Thank you for considering the comments of the Seattle Community Council Federation.
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