Thumbs Up to Waterfront Rezone

The Planning Commission recommended approval of all the proposed Waterfront Rezone changes they reviewed - increasing building heights and 100% lot coverage -  with a single exception.  

They lowered ONE block -----  by 10 feet!
This is the block that includes KFC, the Old County Health building, and the  United Way building  (from the bridges to Simmons Street). The height would be lowered from 65 ft. to 55 ft.

This was a 6 - 4 vote  (but 2 of the "no" votes wanted to keep the 65-foot height recommendation.)

They also recommended future consideration of the Olympia Center Waterfront parking lot block (that we all fought so hard to keep in public ownership 2 years ago).

In technical terms:

Planning Commission's Final Recommendation

Approval to amend:
     - the Olympia Urban Waterfront enviroment Shoreline Master Program.
     - the Olympia Comprehensive Plan
     - the Unified Development Code (heights, site coverage, building design and  configuration,and pedestrian street requirements)
      
Approval to add an Urban Waterfront Housing District on 9 blocks of Waterfront Property Downtown.

Approval to add the Olympia Center Waterfront parking lot back into any study of future rezoning for waterfront housing.