Mayor Harrell Signs Downtown Design Review Exemption Legislation to Encourage More Housing, Jobs, and Economic Activity

Seattle - Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell joined business leaders and developers to sign legislation that waives new development projects in downtown neighborhoods from the full design review process to increase economic activity and vitality in the city's center and decrease the amount of time and cost to complete projects.

"The Downtown Activation Plan is our blueprint to revitalize Seattle's downtown core as a safe, active, and vibrant shopping, cultural and entertainment, employment, and residential destination for families, workers, and visitors," said Mayor Harrell. "This legislation establishes a more efficient, flexible design review process that will reduce the amount of time and cost of development, cutting through red tape to make new projects easier and more cost effective to build. This will add more housing and employment opportunities in downtown neighborhoods, strengthening the heart of our city and supporting its continued economic growth now and into the future."

The bill creates a three-year exemption from the design review process for residential, hotel, and research & development (R&D) projects located in the downtown core, South Lake Union, Uptown, First Hill, and a portion of the Greater Duwamish Manufacturing and Industrial Center. The exemption is estimated to shave six to nine months off the planning and design process for projects to begin construction.

Design review is largely focused on building aesthetics, and development proposals would still need to obtain the appropriate permits from the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) related to land use, building code, and health and safety.

The design review holiday legislation is part of Mayor Harrell's Downtown Activation Plan (DAP) to create a safe, active, and welcoming neighborhood for residents, workers, and visitors alike. The exemption helps achieve core objectives to transform downtown into a vibrant neighborhood with more housing and jobs.

Other efforts focused on increasing development and activity include expanding street-level uses for businesses to fill vacant storefronts, supporting conversions of existing commercial buildings to residential uses, advancing rezones along the Third Avenue corridor to allow for more housing development, increasing flexibility for siting hotels in parts of Belltown, waiving permitting fees for food trucks, food carts, and sidewalk events and activities that are open to the public, and activating vacant storefronts with local small businesses and artists through the Seattle Restored program.

Under DAP, the recovery and revitalization of the city's core is reaching new milestones. In September, more than 3 million visitors came downtown; downtown averaged nearly 90,000 workers each weekday; and hotel occupancy downtown reached 100% of pre-pandemic demand.

Last year, Mayor Harrell proposed legislation to permanently exempt affordable rental and homeownership projects from design review.

What People Are Saying

Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7)

"The design review exemption is a necessary and important step in an effort to revitalize Downtown Seattle. Creating an economic draw for innovation in commercial and especially residential projects is crucial in activating Downtown and our city overall. I want to thank Mayor Harrell for advancing these efforts."

Andy Wattula, Chief Operating Officer, Hudson Pacific Properties

"We are pleased to welcome Mayor Harrell to our state-of-the-art Washington 1000 property to sign important legislation that will promote additional economic activity within downtown Seattle. We applaud the Mayor and City Council in reducing barriers and increasing predictability in the permitting process. This new policy builds on the momentum from the Mayor's already impactful Downtown Activation Plan and underscores that Seattle is open for new businesses and residents to work and live in our city."

Jon Scholes, President & CEO, Downtown Seattle Association

"Cutting through the red tape and making it easier to build and invest in downtown Seattle comes at a critical moment in our continued revitalization. We need to step on the pedal and take advantage of the momentum we've generated downtown and Mayor Harrell's Design Review Exemption will help us do that. Speeding up this process means getting projects online faster and that will bring more people and activity to the heart of the city."

Tejal Pastakia, Founder and Managing Parter, Pastakia & Associates

"This legislation will send a strong message that Seattle is serious about meeting its housing crisis and affordability needs. Over the last decade, we have seen Seattle's permitting process go from 12-18 months to over two years. This long process often makes projects infeasible -due to changes in construction costs, interest rates or other market conditions. Design review costs are often so cumbersome, projects often don't even get a chance to get started. As developers, we are committed to high quality, beautiful buildings. By focusing on the delivery of the end product in an efficient manner and making it a clear streamlined process, I am confident that we will begin to see more housing being delivered faster throughout the Downtown."

Maria Barrientos, Owner, barrientosRYAN LLC

"As a former design review board member, long-standing neighborhood activist, and multi-family housing developer, I have seen first-hand how much time and cost design review can add to housing costs. These permitting delays and costs increase the cost of rent for real people, which was never the intended result. I personally thank the Mayor and Council for working hard to address the obstacles that exist to building housing that is equitable and efficient. This three-year design review holiday pilot program is a bold and necessary step that contributes greatly to addressing our housing crisis and affordability needs."

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