North Highline Urban Design Standards
North Highline Urban Design Standards
The King County Department of Local Services (Local Services) is seeking your input of the draft North Highline Urban Design Standards between now and March 28th.
What are the North Highline Urban Design Standards?
The purpose of this project is to create urban design standards for new commercial, multi-family, and mixed-use developments in North Highline. North Highline is a 2.7 square mile urban area in unincorporated King County that includes the communities of White Center, Top Hat, Glendale, and the South Park “Sliver by the River.” Like many neighborhoods in the Seattle area, North Highline is experiencing development pressure and the community has expressed a strong desire to have urban design standards in place to protect and enhance the community’s character.
The King County Council has directed Local Services to study and develop urban design standards that prioritize the pedestrian environment, encourage human-scale design and reflect the character of the North Highline community. The new urban design standards are expected be transmitted to the King County Council by June 30, 2022.
Meaningful public engagement is key to this project’s success. It’s how we’ll make sure that the design standards reflect the community’s values. To date we have had several opportunities to engage with the public, shown in the draft Equity Impact Review below. This is now the time for you to share your thoughts on our complete draft.
This is your main opportunity to share with us your thoughts and ideas, so they can be addressed before Local Services transmits this to the County Council on June 30th.
March 7th Meeting Presentation Link Is Here
The Draft Design Standards
Design Standards Document Explained
This document (named DRAFT NorthHighlineUrbanDesignStandards.pdf in the downnoadable documents to the right) is the main body of work and apply to new and substantially improved buildings that are commercial, multi-family, and mixed-use. These proposed standards are made to reflect what the project team has heard from the community, focusing on: cultural expression that reflect the community, preserving the current scale of the historic portion of White Center, making the neighborhood safer, and increased landscaping and environmental considerations. Design standards are a tool within a suite of regulations that can help new developments meet the needs of the community. It is a tool to help gather your feedback to help with future designs.
Design Standards Explanation and Survey
The standards are broken down into four basic sections: explanation of the intent and how values of the community are incorporated, how the standards are used, the standards themselves, and the forms that would be used during the permit review process. Each section of the suvey (accessed in the tabs above or green 'Continue' button below) explains each section and has questions. It helps to have the draft design standards document open at the same time (download to the right).
Please feel free to skip any section, or complete the whole survey, starting with the demographic questions below.
For any additional comments or questions beyond this survey please email Jesse Reynolds at jesreynolds@kingcounty.gov.
How To Share Your Thoughts...
- Complete survey on this page by following the tabs to the left or clicking the green 'Continue' button below. This website also provides information and accepts comments in multiple languages.
- Email to subareaplanning@kingcounty.gov. Please make sure that the subject line contains "North Highline Design Standards."
- US Mail:
Jesse Reynolds
King County Permitting Division
35030 SE Douglas Street, Suite 210
Snoqualmie, WA 98065-9266 - Phone/voicemail: 206-263-3000
Questions? Please contact Jesse Reynolds.
Documents Explained...
DRAFT NorthHighlineUrbanDesignStandards.pdf
The urban design standards and guidelines to be followed by future development projects that need to comply. The standards are required, the guidelines are for guidance. The final version of this document will be adopted as part of the ordinance.
DRAFT Ordinance.pdf
These standards will be a part of the King County Zoning Code. In order to adopt the standards in to code, they need to be cited in the proper section and referencing the standards document. In addition to referencing the standards, this code also prescribes the process of public input, and creates an amenity provision/developer bonus program where developers may pay into a “Local Business Fund” to receive a bonus in density for commercial space.
DRAFT Ordinance - PLainLanguageSummary.pdf
The Ordinance explained in plain language.
DRAFT EquityImpactReview.pdf
This document outlines the demographics of the existing community and how the project team has done engagement. Findings from engagement is summarized, as well as how it has led the creation of these draft standards. A summary of findings from this public review period will be included in the final version of this document
DRAFT SEPA Checklist.pdf
Per State Law, all changes to a County’s code must undergo an environmental analysis. The attached checklist is the standard form for such analysis. It explains this potential action in terms of anticipated environmental impacts.
Public-Notice-Of-Intent-To-Amend.pdf
Per State Law, an official notice in specific formatting must be provided stating King County's intent to amend its code, in this case adding these design standards to the Zoning Code (Title 21A).