More proof that the state needs to take over planning.

I took the 7 once and it was the only time I’ve seen someone undress on transit. Can’t imagine how awful this line must be for people who take it regularly.

One of the coolest streets in Manhattan is Stone St. A former road that's been converted into outdoor dining. Pike Place could go this route and provide so much more revenue opportunities for restaurants, and better dining options for patrons.

Why don’t bus only lanes extend down 3rd Ave S? This is such a cluster.

Sunday's email: "We need a packed room to respond to this proposal." There are fewer than 20 attendees here.

Missoula, Montana has just: - Eliminated single family zoning - Eliminated parking requirements citywide - Allows 100-125' of height in many of its mixed-use zones with no limits on density or FAR Why is Missoula so much more progressive than Los Angeles?

It's wrong that they won't let me live in a 55+ community simply due to my age. They should let you in if you match the "general vibe"

Why do we use hollow bollards? They’re just always broken

This photo of a NIMBY complaining about change is going to age like those old photos of urban renewal. Congrats to BC on making missing middle a new reality.

Senior housing doesn’t receive the discourse it deserves. I was at QFC on Mercer Island and it was full of elderly shoppers who could barely lift groceries into their cart but got right into their 4k lb cars and drove home. We need walkable communities for old ppl too.

Downtown Renton has some pretty sick Bell Bollards. Maybe we can get some, too? Much taller in person than they look here.

You probably don't know what SEQRA is - but you should know that it's slowing down the housing that we need. Deputy Mayor Leila Bozorg is here to explain why reforming it is key to cutting red tape and building more housing.

In partnership with Sen. Emily Alvarado, I’m requesting a bill to change commercial zoning to help local governments develop more housing. This bill would require cities and counties that use Growth Management Plans to permit residential and mixed-use development in areas zoned for commercial use.

Why do we have Border Patrol 300 miles from the border?

People don't realize how important this is (the retail component). Everyone wants street level retail, but there's simply not enough people and businesses to fill in the spaces we already have and that leads to endless vacancies which are terrible for the built environment. It also adds costs 1/3

Does anyone know the story behind these bike lanes in the U-District? Never seen these anywhere else. Hard rubber instead of the typical concrete barriers.

Unfortunately not unique to CA. I remember, as a kid, reading a story about a man in Minnesota who had recently received his… 23rd DUI. Driving really needs to be a privilege and not a right.

Should we expect retractable bollards throughout the city and a better building code? Some of Jon’s post is very exciting for the future of Seattle.

POV: You’re in school for a BS or MUP in Urban Planning and you see this post. Do you make plans to change the mico-manager mentality in UP, or do you think you’ll just go along with the madness?

Really, really like this. We have this treatment in Pioneer Square. No reason it shouldn’t extend all the way to Denny. (Sorry everyone, the Culture Connector is not happening).

You can almost do this at Occidental Park, having a drink on the patio at The Meyer or DeLeo’s Pizza, but you’d be quite a ways from the playground. Maybe now that The Grand Central is finally opening for businesses this could be a reality.

Absolutely no chance a Space Needle would ever be approved today and yet it’s one of the most internationally recognized and celebrated icons of buildings. We have got to let people dream BIG again.

One of the most important things we can do for housing is to get rid of public meetings for new housing developments. What an enormous waste of time and money for the city.

We don’t get real street calming in Pioneer Square, we just get construction projects that accomplish the same thing. 1st Ave S is finally flowing at appropriate speeds, and even with the roadworks it’s quieter than without.

It's me, I'm that sicko who wants zero parking spaces in new buildings.

It's... fluid... you say? I'll see myself out

This is what happens when @seattledot.bsky.social installs fake bollards. One is completely missing and the other is broken. I think these are made to break off and not actually stop vehicles.

I actually don't hate this, but any gym in an airport better be paired with a shower!!

This is *not* written by The Onion

So glad design review board is mostly on hiatus in Seattle and otherwise returned in by the state. Getting ptsd looking at what’s going on with our neighbors to the north.

Today, the mayor of Baltimore signed a bill to eliminate parking minimums. Where is leadership in Seattle and WA? Why are we routinely lapped by muni's with real Space Needle Thinking™️? This is such an easy win and shows our electeds don't care about the environment or making things cheaper.

Shreveport, Louisiana outlawed parking minimums this week. Meanwhile, Seattle and Washington state leaders fiddle around with ~just the right amount~ and pretend to be “climate leaders”. What are we even doing? We’re getting lapped by Shreveport!

Why does anyone expect brand new housing to be affordable? Brand new cars aren’t, brand new furniture isn’t. Nothing brand new is more affordable than a used equivalent product. It’s madness to treat one singular product like manufacturers can somehow make it affordable.

I can't wait to see a developer replace a removed tree with one in the ROW and then also not build any new parking 😂

Similarly, I've had two homeowners (in Seattle) reach out to me in the last month asking for updated valuations for their homes citing the impending comp plan update and an expectation that their homes would be worth more. Homeowners are more aware of these updates than we might think!

What is even the purpose of SEPA if a 594-stall parking garage is able to receive a "determination of non-significance" www.djc.com/news/ae/1217...

Something that really frustrates me about this conversation is that urbanists constantly beat the drum on safety (accurately, FWIW - transit is very safe), but fail to miss the point that security like this makes many people feel safer and likely boosts ridership. Feeling safe is just as important..

Parks N Rec was a documentary, not a mockumentary

How soon until @wilsonkatieb.bsky.social is mayor and we can get a new head of SDOT?

Kimmel: Brendan Carr is the most embarrassing Carr the Republican have embraced since the cybertruck

Photo from Seattle's ID, circa 1940's. Look how wide our sidewalks used to be. That same sidewalk is now about half the original width, plus it shares much of it's space with street trees. Ouch. But at least we 2 vehicle lanes running in either direction 🥴

Seattle should adopt similar legislation. Imagine mini-towers like this all around Cal Anderson, Volunteer Park, Genesee, Mount Baker Park, Discovery, Magnuson, Interlaken, the Arboretum, etc.

I’m starting school at UW in a few weeks and mapped out my class rooms today

It's really disappointing that just two months ago Katie posted this thread on city-owned grocery stores, and today calls Kroger greedy for closing the Lake City FM (Kroger net profit was 1.4% in 2023). Who would want to open a biz in a city where leaders are calling owners greedy on a 1.4% margin?

If we build enough housing we don't need rent control. We don't get enough housing if we have rent control. We don't get to affordable housing with rent control, if we did SF and NYC would be the most affordable cities in America.

Does anyone here know why the Pioneer Square light rail station’s speakers are at rock-concert volume levels? They’re uniquely loud for the network and I can’t figure out why.

Genuinely so excited for a @wilsonkatieb.bsky.social administration

Come join @seattleyimby.bsky.social for our monthly happy hour! We'll be discussing the proposed amendments to the comp plan + the upcoming elections! RSVP in comments.

Ozempic Field