Will more Seattle condos and apartment buildings be constructed in order to handle the housing demand?
If the city’s leaders have anything to do with it, yes. But will the neighborhoods allow it? What happens to Open Space?
This second question came into a discussion today when we learned that Seattle City Light intends to sell off several power substations to the highest bidder. They don’t care who buys, just for the highest dollar. (Wait… isn’t City Light owned by the city?) This same city put forth a Climate Action Plan back in 2003, which calls for more open spaces, carbon reduction, tree canopy, etc. I know because I was one of those Seattle homeowners who planted a slew of trees along my street’s parking strip to help with that tree canopy!
Why is this push by developers so massive? Well, at a 6% increase in Seattle’s real estate property values and being one of the nation’s “hottest markets,” it’s little wonder that our developers are looking for in-city locations to plop more construction. Did you know that on a mere 4,750 square foot lot in a given location in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, a developer is allowed to construct 33 units? That is a huge building for a tiny footprint of land!
The neighborhoods themselves are not getting enough advanced notice of these sell-offs before they see a “Notice of Land Use” popping up and cranes moving into position. Would YOU want this next to your home?
Now a very vocal new group calling themselves “Seattle Green Spaces Coalition” is trying to save these spaces that City Light wants to auction off to (presumedly) mostly developers. The idea would be to allow for more community gardens, space for artists, allow the bees and birds to continue to have their nests and way with the plants in the old space around the City Light lots. Whatever the community in which one of these substation resides, decides they want as use for the land. It’s not privately owned. It’s being paid for all these years, by us, the residents and consumers of electricity.
How do you feel about this? Would you as a City of Seattle Resident support verbally, financially, letter-writingly (is that even a word?) the notion that we could save some of these little niches in the community to be used as WE see fit? If we don’t speak out or write letters now, then what are your options when more construction comes to your street? Will you be moving? If you DO decide to move, keep Seattle Area Homes 4 Sale in mind.
