Tag Archives: One Seattle Comprehensive Plan

What Seattle could do – Middle Housing including Land Division in Oregon – less scattering of housing units, more space for trees

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One Seattle Comprehensive Plan needs to include Middle Housing Land Division on shared common walls like Oregon does.  It would mean less scattering  of housing units on lots being developed, allowing more space for retaining and planting trees and nature in Seattle. We need our trees and urban forests for healthy neighborhoods  where we live.
Here seems to be an option for housing construction alternatives that current city documents have not considered that Oregon allows. Oregon has allowed 4 housing units per city lot since 2020. The concept of “expedited lot splitting” based on 4 attached units on a large lot being split into smaller lots based on the common walls seems like a way to free up more land on the site to retain and plant more trees. Also would reduce building costs and heating/cooling costs with a common wall between units.
Steve Zemke
Chair – TreePAC.org
A couple of ways to open up more space for tree retention and planting.
references:
What is a Middle Housing Land Division (MHLD)? An MHLD is an expedited land division of a lot or parcel to develop middle housing. “Middle housing” is a housing type that includes duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, cottage clusters, and townhouses. MHLD provides an opportunity to increase housing supply in developed neighborhoods and can blend in well with detached single-family dwellings.
www.portland.gov
92.010 Definitions for ORS 92.010 to 92.192 92.012 Compliance with ORS 92.010 to 92.192 required 92.014 Approval of city or county required for specified divisions of land 92.016 Sale or negotiation to sell lot or parcel prior to approval of tentative plan 92.017 Lawfully created units of land 92.018 Buyer’s remedies for purchase of improperly created unit of land 92.025
oregon.public.law
Oregon City City Hall 625 Center Street Oregon City, OR 97045. Phone: 503-657-0891 Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
www.orcity.org
Courtyard housing was previously presented as a Seattle option in draft Seattle documents but not in the examples of most recent plans. This could involve the joining of several larger lots and positioning housing units such that a common area could be shared as open space – one way to plant trees or preserve a space for a grove of trees and areas where neighbors  and kids can get together other than public streets.
See Oregon City article below – “Cluster housing formerly known as cottage housing, includes group(s) of 4 to 12 smaller dwellings clustered together around a common green space; more than one such group can be developed on the same site. The dwellings themselves can be individual detached structures-often called cottages; attached structures such as townhouses, duplexes, and 3- to 4-plexes. The dwellings are clustered together facing each other across a courtyard, rather than arranged in a traditional grid along public streets. Dwellings share common amenities such as green space, parking areas, and community buildings.” See picture in article below.
Oregon City City Hall 625 Center Street Oregon City, OR 97045. Phone: 503-657-0891 Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
www.orcity.org

Big trees and more housing – we can and should have more.

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Sandy Shettler – Comment on EIS Scoping process for updating One Seattle Comprehensive Plan

We need every option in the One Seattle survey to include protection and support for urban trees. Countless studies have clearly established that urban trees give us cleaner air, cooler summers, and better outcomes on every measurable public health metric. Neighborhoods that lack trees can feel dystopian regardless of density. Conversely, neighborhoods with big trees create a sense of place, serenity and community even if extremely dense. Cohesive, canopied communities like these encourage people to put down roots in urban neighborhoods. People choosing to stay long-term in livable neighborhoods will help Seattle meet regional goals on growth management and transportation emissions.

We can create these rooted neighborhoods by thoughtfully developing around existing big trees. Big trees are valuable because their sheer size enables them to provide the ecosystem and public health benefits we need right now. Developers know how to preserve large trees through creative design and partnering with arborists to ensure trees remain healthy through the construction process. Local government can help with financial incentives to preserve and care for trees (“treebates”) as well as design flexibility for incorporating trees. Together with a stronger tree protection ordinance, programs like these would help remove incentives for developers to clearcut lots, and make tree retention the norm.

We also need to invest in our future urban forest by planting trees now. Seattle’s historically lax tree protection has stripped trees from all parts of the city, but especially in lower-income communities where people can’t afford AC needed to mitigate heat. Our comprehensive plan should right this historical wrong and plan for a future where everyone can live among big trees and enjoy the health and connection to nature they provide.