The Seattle Planning Commission says it approves, with caveats, a proposal to increase the building height in an Interbay commercial area from the current 40-foot limit, but it was unable to come up with a specific height limit.

The original proposal sought an increase in some areas to 125 feet. The mayor had proposed a limit of 85 feet. It appears the City Council will make the final decision.

At last week's City Council Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee meeting, Planning Commission representatives Linda Amato, chair of the commission and Barbara Wilson, executive director presented their recommendation for changes in the zoning code on either side of West Dravus Street along 15th Avenue West to increase the allowable building height for the purpose of a new mixed-use project in the Interbay.

"We want to stress that the rezone is a diversion from the cities growth management strategy and urban village strategy," said Wilson. "But the city is now faced with a lot of growth and we have this area on Dravus that is a great canvas that they can maybe experiment on. Perhaps they can at the same time preserve single family housing, industrial base and general community character for development."

The commission sent a letter to Council member Sally Clark that outlined minimal standards for the area to meet rezoning conditions. The commission said Interbay met the rezoning standards for five reasons, the first being transportation. Amato said Dravus is along a transportation corridor and a proposed RapidRide bus station and noted it is critical that any type of increased density have accessible transportation.

The commission also found that most neighborhood groups supported the Dravus rezone. Interviewed earlier this year, Nancy Bainbridge Rogers, president of Magnolia Community Club, said there had been general support for the upzone among her organization because the area is underdeveloped and unattractive.

The open space adjacently south of the rezoned area would provide a significant area for future residents, reported the commission. It noted that public realm improvements and other important amenities that add to making a development into a 'neighborhood' would be needed.

The proposal includes a Local Improvement District, requiring property owners to pay for traffic improvements to accommodate growth expected with upzoning. Commission members said such a program could pay for the area's necessary roadwork and other improvements at minimal cost to the city.

Lastly, Amato and Wilson said the proposal includes an incentive zoning program that focuses on housing affordable to a mix of incomes. They said that if the area were to grow, the city should emphasize a residential portion in order to maintain a job and housing balance in the city.

Currently the zoned height of the Dravus area is 40 feet, but Mayor Greg Nickels has proposed an increase to 85 feet. The commission had a lot of differing opinions about what the appropriate height should be but did not come to a consensus in time to deliver comments to the Council committee - therefore it remains unclear what exact height the area would be rezoned for.

However, in regards to considering height increase, the planning commission said the city should look at architectural form and what heights would provide the most public benefits related to the incentive proponents of the proposal.

Another issue the commission wanted the city to consider was the impact the change in height would have on the industrial uses and jobs on the west side adjacent from the non-industrial land on Dravus.

The commission advised that the city should make it clear that there would be no precedent set by any rezone of this industrial area.

Wilson said that the commission feels industrial jobs and businesses are very important to the city and hopes that they will retain and maintain those jobs. To them industrial jobs in the city provides an important sector of job base, provides mainstay of blue collar jobs and they see industrial businesses as critical to the overall economic health in the city's global competitiveness, essential to providing stability to the city.

Putting residential uses right up against industrial uses is what the commission identified as a concern and will result in conflict. The commission pointed out that when there is a mix of residential homes adjacent to an industrial area there would be many noise, light and pollution complaints. The commission felt that by putting limits on industrial businesses it would lead to more problems down the road.

"If the city goes ahead and rezones the area for residential use, which is currently not allowed on Dravus, they are inviting potential conflict with future residents and current industrial businesses," said Wilson. "There is a growing competition for land, and there is a lot of pressure to convert industrial land which we have found that the land zoned industrial is very valuable, by not rezoning that land (adjacent to Dravus) we can keep it industrial."

After the presentation, City Council member Tom Rasmussen asked if there would be any other changes in infrastructure besides streets. Amato and Wilson said there would be changes in drainage, utilities and open space.

Rasmussen also questioned plans for open space, which he felt would be most needed on the north side of Dravus. He stressed that a plan should be in place to require some sort of open space in that area. He was also concerned for the plans to build in requirements for sound, fumes and hazardous materials of the trains and trucks that go through that particular industrial area.

The Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee will continue to review the proposal before it goes before the full council for a vote.

Allison Espiritu may be reached at 783-1244 or allisone@robinsonnews.com