An Alternative Future for the North East Mission Industrial Zone

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An Alternative Future for the NEMIZ Mission Coalition for Economic Justice & Jobs TOPIC AND QUESTION Zoning & Policy What role, if any, does zoning play in the IPZ? When was the industrial protection policy/program established or adopted? What was the impetus for the policy change? What would the city do differently after the fact? How are policy areas chosen? Flexibility Is there flexibility in the program? If so, how? Is it possible to change ineffective policies? How are industrial uses classified? (Do they have a label, such as "PDR"?) The city recognizes there is an economic development component to the industrial protection policy. Preserving industrial land for only industrial uses helps keep the city’s economic base diverse. Seattle’s industrial areas are very healthy. The real estate industry reports less than a 5% vacancy rate in these areas, even though rents in Seattle’s industrial buildings are higher than in surrounding cities. Still, the city recognizes that commercial development in these areas could outbid industrial users and therefore limits those commercial uses. III.22 IPZ Literature Review & Case Studies PORTLAND, OR SEATTLE, WA BOSTON, MA Zoning maintains and protects this area as a dedicated place for heavy and general industrial uses, within the city. Various times. The Guild’s Lake Industrial Sanctuary was implemented December 14, 2001. Because of its proximity to mixeduse and residential neighborhoods and the Central City, the Guild's Lake Industrial Sanctuary is particularly vulnerable to pressure for redevelopment to non- industrial uses. Zoning is the principal tool for controlling allowed uses and their sizes. Sodo IPZ allows for up to 50,000 sqft of office and 30,000 sqft of retail in IPZ. Various times, most recently in 1999 when a neighborhood plan for one of the City’s 2 manufacturing/industrial centers was adopted with further restrictions on the types and sizes of non-industrial uses. The city wanted to restrict development in industrial areas, specifically: (size-of-use limit on commercial space) Information not available. Be clearer about how the edges of industrial areas are defined and how they should transition to surrounding The areas are historic locations of industrial activity. “Portland’s comprehensive plan undergoes major reviews every five years to assure that it remains an up-to-date and workable framework for development” uses. The city’s major industrial areas are historic locations of industrial activity. Size of use limits vary from one I zone to another and, to some extent, by sub-areas of the city. Zoning serves as a tool to prohibit development proposals that convert industrial land and buildings to office, commercial, residential, or institutional uses. N/A The city wanted to support and create conditions in which industries could grow and prosper as well as attract new manufacturing and commercial businesses to the city Information not available. Information not available. Information not available. Yes, policies can be changed through reviews that include technical evaluations, a report on the plan’s progress, and citizen involvement. Yes Information not available. Industrial Sanctuary Information not available. Boston Backstreets program Additionally, size-of-use limits vary from one Industrial Zone to another and, to some extent, by sub-areas of the city. Some commercial and residential uses were grand-fathered and are classified as non-conforming and subject to various restrictions regarding replacement and expansion. Seattle is a completely built-up city, so protected industrial land policy was implemented in historic areas of industrial activity. These industrial areas generally do not require new infrastructure. Seattle’s two major industrial areas are well served by rail and
TOPIC AND QUESTION Support /Incentives Is there an economic development component to the industrial protection policy? Does the City offer programs for infrastructure (such as utilities and transportation) investment? What role does transportation/access play in designating these areas? Enforcement Has the policy been effective? How does the city enforce the zoning code? Mission Coalition for Economic Justice & Jobs PORTLAND, OR SEATTLE, WA BOSTON, MA Yes. The city provides incentives for businesses to locate and stay in target areas, and it encourages target industries to locate and expand within industrial areas. A combination of public policy; long-term infrastructure investment; excellent highway, rail, and marine access; and the commitment to the area’s business. Yes, preserving industrial land for only industrial uses helps keep the city’s economic base diverse. Seattle’s industrial areas are very healthy. The City has recently been implementing some improvements aimed at increasing freight mobility in the industrial areas. Information not available. The two major industrial areas in Seattle are both well-served by rail and deep-water ports. An interstate highway passes through one of them. Group of 300 property owners are lobbying City to undo Sodo IPZ as major buildings are vacant, no new industrial jobs have been created. Yes, in that it has prevented large conversions of industrial land to nonindustrial uses. Information not available. Land Use Code violations are enforced on a complaint basis. Violators are subject to closures and fines. deep-water ports as well as by an interstate highway that passes through one of the areas. The city has recently implemented some improvements aimed at increasing freight mobility in the industrial areas. As with any economically healthy area, there is business turnover in the industrial areas. It’s difficult to say what role the presence of zoning protections plays in attracting newcomers. The program has been effective in preventing large conversions of industrial land to non-industrial uses. Land use code violations are enforced on a complaint basis. Violators are subject to closures and fines. Seattle has encountered problems with the implementation of these industrial protective zones: steady pressure from real estate interests, who would like to develop industrial land to their concept of highest and best use. Seattle’s two major industrial areas contain a total of about 85,000 jobs, of which three-fourths are in industrial protected zones. Yes. A low-cost tax-exempt bond financing to businesses is available as well as a financial assistance, technical resources, job training, and procurement information, among other services. Yes. $5 million over 5 years from City's capital infrastructure plan to upgrade industrial roadways, sidewalks & lighting Information not available. Information not available. Information not available. However, as discussed earlier in this report, there are critics of the IPZ policy. There is a major movement by about 300 businesses and property owners in the Sodo district to undo the IPZ in the area. Even though the area allows for office and retail development (up to 50,000 and 30,000 square feet, respectively), major industrial buildings sit vacant. According to property owners, no new industrial development or businesses have been attracted to the area. Starbucks' headquarters is located in a mixed use 500,000-square foot former Sears warehouse and represents the largest nonconforming use in the state. Property owners are currently conducting an employment and industry analysis of businesses located in the area and the industries that are growing in the region to determine if industrial space is needed to accommodate growth in the City. Based on this movement, one cannot say that Seattle’s IPZs have been completely successful. IPZ Literature Review & Case Studies III.23 An Alternative Future for the NEMIZ
Page 1: AN ALTERNATIVE FUTURE FOR THE Prepa
Page 5 and 6: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 7 and 8: The history of this neighborhood is
Page 9 and 10: The City is addressing areas which
Page 11 and 12: For non-Core PDR users, such as fur
Page 13 and 14: Any IPZ Program Needs to Be Flexibl
Page 15: EXISTING CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT This
Page 18 and 19: An Alternative Future for the NEMIZ
Page 53 and 54: PLANNING & POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS I
Page 55 and 56: C. Evaluate Each Industrial Neighbo
Page 57 and 58: NEMIZ Recommendations The following
Page 59 and 60: PDR Sub-Category Core PDR Medium PD
Page 61 and 62: D. Create a Small IPZ Focused on Ke
Page 63 and 64: Policy & Planning Recommendations
Page 65: APPENDIX
Page 68 and 69: Mission Coalition for Economic Just
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Mission Coalition for Economic Just
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