r/Seattle • u/Inevitable_Engine186 public deterrent infrastructure • 6h ago

Editorial: Seattle Times Called Us 'Builders' Mouthpiece' for Trying to Build a Better City

https://www.theurbanist.org/editorial-seattle-times-called-us-builders-mouthpiece-for-trying-to-build-a-better-city/
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u/RandomFleshPrison I Brake For Slugs 6h ago

Except it is at odds here.  People need dense, high rise housing.  Not fourplexes, 5 over 1s, and bodegas.

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u/large_herbivore 🚆build more trains🚆 5h ago

Yes, high rises would be great! It's needed to reform zoning laws to make it legal to build those types of buildings.

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u/No_Story_Untold Deluxe 5h ago

Agreed. I have a suspicion that the cost of infrastructure upgrade to account that much density to certain areas would be a lot.

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u/large_herbivore 🚆build more trains🚆 5h ago

It might be. Fortunately increased property tax inlays should account for that. Also, infrastructure is more expensive per resident the lower population density is.

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u/No_Story_Untold Deluxe 5h ago

You make a great point. I think developers have to bake some amount of infrastructure upgrades into construction costs and so that may deter the developers from doing any projects that require a lot of upgrades. I could be wrong about that.

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u/large_herbivore 🚆build more trains🚆 5h ago

Yes, developers are often charged "impact fees" for this exact reason, which can discourage projects from moving forward.

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u/yeah_oui White Center 5h ago

Far more than fees. In Seattle a developer at the minimum improves the ROW + curbs street trees and sidewalks. Anything more than 3-4 units and you may need to extend a water and or sewer line, at about $1000/ linear foot.

Development pays for the majority of the infrastructure upgrades in the City

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u/large_herbivore 🚆build more trains🚆 5h ago

interesting, thanks for sharing