The Seattle Department of Planning and Development has new land use recommendations for south downtown and it has included a supporting environmental impact statement.

The two documents are the result of a study on a livable downtown, a multi-year public initiative to explore ways to facilitate the additional jobs and housing called for in neighborhood plans.

The study area includes Pioneer Square, Chinatown/ International District including Little Saigon east of Interstate 5, the east side of Rainier Avenue South between South Dearborn Street and South Main Street, and the northern periphery of the Greater Duwamish Manufacturing and Industrial Center, including the two stadiums.

The draft report proposes additional height and density for some areas of the study, as well as rezoning some areas, primarily to support more mixed-use development. The city says the proposal could support up to 16,000 new jobs and 6,000 new housing units in new development by 2030.

Overall, the area is projected to gain 24,000 new jobs by 2030.

Other provisions include a mechanism for new development to financially support existing historic buildings through an Historic Transfer of Development Rights program, and the use of Seattle's "Green Factor" for enhanced landscaping, including green roofs and green walls.

"The recommendations are sensitive to the unique historic and cultural character of these neighborhoods, which represent both the past and future of Seattle," said Diane Sugimura, director of the department. "Bringing more jobs and housing to our urban center, close to good transit options, reduces our impacts on the region's environment and the planet."