http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/Notice.aspx?id=9501
The difference between projects and types of Design Review opportunities is not completely clear to me. But, I received notification in the mail today indicating that the comment period ends on March 4, 2009 and that this may be the only opportunity to comment on environmental impacts of the proposal. While there seemed to be support for and no resistance to the project, a few people seemed to have comments on the design impact on traffic.
The letter references the City’s SEPA Ordinance as amended in 1998 regarding something called Early Review Determination of Nonsignificance Process which DPD is now using to review all applications as a threshold for the process of the environmental reviews.
Others may understand better the meaning of this, if this a change and how and when it is used. Understanding this better would be helpful to citizens.
It’s probably worth getting someone from DPD to come to explain it at a community meeting. (Guess I’m pointing at myself and others interested in Land use Yikes!)
They changed the ‘thresholds’ in 2008 and I still do not understand it all:
http://www.seattle.gov/DPD/Planning/SEPA_Environmental_Revie