Capitol Hill community members have successfully completed the first phase of a two-part neighborhood planning effort designed to empower citizens to shape their neighborhood's future. Phase I of Capitol Hill's neighborhood planning effort, conducted by a team of citizen volunteers, City of Seattle Neighborhood Planning Office staff, and planning consultants, focused on outreach and issues identification. Having laid the groundwork for a citizen-based planning effort, the community is now poised to commence the second phase of its planning work. Summarized below are the principal Phase I accomplishments and Phase II work recommendations.
During Phase I, the Organizing Committee educated community members about neighborhood planning and growth management, organized broad-based citizen support for the planning effort, identified key issues of concern to the community, and developed a work plan and structure for completing a neighborhood plan.
The first task of the Phase I effort was to encourage all Capitol Hill community members to participate in the neighborhood planning process and to organize local volunteers into an effective planning team. Phase I work included an ambitious community outreach program of surveys, interviews, public workshops, and small discussion groups. A total of approximately 1,800 citizens responded to and actively participated in these activities. In addition, numerous articles about the neighborhood planning effort appeared in the Capitol Hill Times, reaching a broad audience, and every resident of the Capitol Hill Urban Center Village received a flyer summarizing the neighborhood planning effort in the mail. Section III of this report summarizes these outreach and organizational efforts.
The second Phase I task involved identifying and evaluating neighborhood planning issues to be addressed in Phase II. Through the various outreach efforts, community members raised numerous ideas and concerns about the future of Capitol Hill. Their input was used to craft vision statements and objectives for each issue. Section IV of this report analyzes these community issues and objectives.
The third Phase I task involved translating the community-driven vision statements and objectives into a coordinated work plan for Phase II efforts. Section V of this report presents a work plan designed to (1) analyze how growth will affect Capitol Hill's physical structure and community character; (2) develop and evaluate ways to address the community's objectives; (3) refine a community development concept that incorporates the elements of Community Diversity and Human Services; Housing; Transportation; Employment, Shopping and Services; Architecture and Urban Design; Open Space, Recreation and Culture; and Children, Youth and Families; and (4) formulate an implementation program to achieve the Capitol Hill community's objectives.
During Phase II, a community planning team will explore actions, policies and programs to address the issues identified in Phase I and prepare an implementation program that the city will use in its future comprehensive planning and capital improvement efforts for Capitol Hill. Summarized below are key community priorities identified during Phase I and some of their major implications. These priorities form the basis of work to be emphasized in Phase II of Capitol Hill's neighborhood planning effort.
Foster a cohesive, diverse community.
Strong communities depend on a sustained, long-term commitment to the community on the part of local citizens and elected officials and an equitable balance between differing interests. Phase II planning work should address needs — such as providing affordable housing, human services, and support for families with children — that will support Capitol Hill's residents and thereby contribute to the long-term stability of the community. Capitol Hill's neighborhood plan should seek to provide opportunities and services that will enable people of all population groups to play a positive role within the community.
Provide affordable, high-quality housing to serve the needs of Capitol Hill's diverse population.
Housing affordability is critical to providing opportunities for a various population groups to live, work and shop on Capitol Hill. As the area grows, it will be important to make sure that a range of housing markets are served. Since Seattle's Comprehensive Plan targets Capitol Hill to absorb substantial housing growth, there will be opportunities to provide a variety of well-designed, well-built housing options to serve a range of income levels and special housing needs.
Preserve community character while absorbing growth.
Although Seattle's Comprehensive Plan targets extensive growth to occur within the Capitol Hill Urban Center Village, community members expressed a strong desire to protect Capitol Hill's existing physical character and the assets it offers. These assets include accessible open space, single-family residences, small-scale, historic residential buildings, and walkable neighborhood business districts. Phase II planning must identify a means to achieve an appropriate level of growth over time while honoring the community's interest in preserving its present character.
Expand open space and transportation systems to support increased population growth.
Many public facilities on Capitol Hill, such as open space and roads, are at or are reaching maximum levels of service. For example, existing open space in the urban village is inadequate for serving the current population, and a larger population will only exacerbate this deficiency. Similarly, transportation needs that will be generated by increased population and jobs will contribute to traffic congestion. The neighborhood plan should explore land use and transportation options that will be needed to accommodate increased growth and should assess their impacts on the neighborhood's viability.
Ensure representation of a broad cross section of citizens and community organizations and institutions in the planning process.
As the Capitol Hill community enters the twenty-first century, its health and viability will depend on the ability of its citizens to continue to work together effectively and to sustain a committed collaboration with the city toward achieving their goals. Numerous Capitol Hill community organizations, institutions, and interest groups — such as churches, arts groups, and business, social and political organizations — have long-established foundations in the community. Building on and incorporating their interests and activities into the neighborhood planning effort will not only enrich the plan but will help forge continuing ties within the community. Phase II outreach efforts will continue to build on the base of community support established during Phase I so that the ultimate neighborhood plan will truly reflect the concerns, desires, and character of the entire Capitol Hill community. Special outreach efforts should be made to seniors and children, who were under-represented in Phase I.
The Organizing Committee translated issues and priorities identified by the community into a plan of action. This concise summary of the community's input and ideas and the resulting work plan provides a road map of the information detailed in the rest of this document. More information is available in the work plan section.
Phase I Introduction & Contents
Section 1: Executive Summary