Earlier this month I arranged for the city council to hear the results of a study (watch the video here) we requested to get a better handle on the condition of industrial and marine-related jobs in Seattle.
At the end of 2007 we approved changes to industrial zoning. In the name of preserving industries that produce family-wage, blue-collar jobs, we put strict limits on the amount of new office and retail development that can happen in SODO and in the Ballard-Interbay Manufacturing and Industrial Center.
The limits proved controversial and the debate was heated (opponents called it a massive down-zone while proponents said it was the key to saving jobs). One thing we all agreed on was that we needed better data on which to make these long-term land use decisions.
So, we asked for a new map of current land uses; a review of regulatory tools like land use code definitions, building space requirements, and development capacity credits; and economic impact studies of what we call the marine and "basic industries" job sectors. You can check out the executive summaries for the three reports here. Please contact my office if you'd like the full reports:
- Draft Basic Industries Economic Analysis
- Marine Industries Economic Analysis
- Seattle's Industrial Lands – Regulatory Tools
The Basic Industries Economic Impact Analysis might be the most "meaty" of the reports. It shows that industrial employment levels look a little like a roller coaster between 1995 and 2007 with a net loss over that time.
On the good side, Puget Sound's industrial job numbers have grown faster than in the rest of the country. Our best assets are water and rail. Our greatest deficit, according to the industrial business people interviewed, was that we don't have enough skilled people ready to take industrial jobs.
After the hearing the briefing to council members, and after speaking with advocates on all sides of the industrial zoning debate, I don't think the data has changed anyone's mind about anything, but all parties agree this is the most complete data we've ever had on blue collar industrial, manufacturing and port-dependent jobs.
That's a good start as we look next year at how to refine zoning in places like Georgetown and the light rail stations in SODO.
