Former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill was famous for his “never…never…never give up” attitude during the depths of WWII. His determination and perseverance have been an inspiration to many generations since then, and is a rallying cry for us today as we face the many challenges to downtown livability here in Seattle.

Despite the fact that Nathan Torgelson was re-confirmed for a second term as SDCI Director that he did not deserve, we will not give up in our quest for fairness in Design Review and the pursuit of long-overdue legislation to improve Alleys, Loading Berths, and Solid Waste facilities in our Downtown core. Torgelson refuses to use the authority he has under current code for fear of lawsuits by deep-pocketed developers, his “clients”. Finger-pointing between SDCI and City Council continues as legislation is “slow-walked”. But what about us? Are we just collateral damage in the city’s money grab?

Below are just a couple of the very expensive steps that had to be taken by residents recently in order to avoid disastrous adverse consequences to downtown livability.

Douglaston 5th & Virginia #3019699:

18 months after the Hearing Examiner’s Remand in May of 2018, a new EIS Addendum was posted for the project on 11/18/2019 containing their light study; this resulted in a swift response from one resident after another.

As a result, on 1/8/2020 SDCI issued a Correction Notice requiring the Applicant to "provide a response explaining the methodology and considerations in the technical studies.”

Perkins & Will (Applicant design firm) responded to the Correction Notice on 2/18/20, attempting to refute the challenges to their study.

This past week, Escala has inundated the SDCI with not just one daylight and health effects study, but also a second daylight and health effects study - both from leading experts, as well as their responses to the Perkins & Will letter of 2/18, which was rebutted by first one expert, then another, and finally summed up by residents who will be personally impacted.

Now the ball is back in the SDCI/Applicant’s court.

Altitude 5th & Stewart #3018037:

Escala appealed the Director’s Decision on this non-functional project to the Hearing Examiner, and the Hearing was held on January 28-31.Since then, the two parties have been exchanging closing arguments, with Escala as the Appellant getting the final say in their closing brief filed on 3/6.

Now they wait for a Hearing Examiner Decision. no matter how the examiner rules, it wouldn't surprise us if this case ends up in Superior Court.

There are about a dozen other projects with similar issues in various stages of development that, if completed, will have generational adverse consequences for the livability in our downtown core.

HB 2343:

On the flip side, some very good news! The latest attempt by the development community to limit appeals to ill-designed non-functional high-rises has failed.

Washington State Senator Marco Liias deserves major kudos for stepping up for residents at the last minute to strike the critical section that would have exempted appeals on the basis of aesthetics. We feared developers would try to claim daylight and health impacts were aesthetics, even though they are clearly not, just like the 5S developers have attempted to thwart the current appeal of the 5th & Stewart project using HB 1923 from last year’s legislative session to claim that alley/loading berth deficiencies fall under the new exemption for transportation impacts.

The House accepted the Senate Amendments on HB2343, so the Bill is officially passed, and is awaiting the Governor’s signature.

To all supporters and Seattle Downtown Resident Alliance members: Keep fighting the good fight — and remember, “never…never…never give up”.