Seattle looks to rein in state policy used to push back on big projects

Re:Seattle looks to rein in state policy used to push back o... by techsupporter on Monday October 07, 2019 @01:19PM (#21183402)

I don't mean to come across as argumentative, but as someone who's lived in not-Magnolia-Seattle for a long time, a lot of the points made by that neighborhood come across as intentionally contradictory. Magnolia residents have, for as long as I can remember, pushed for density to be somewhere else on the basis that "Magnolia's infrastructure just can't handle it" or some other variation on the theme of "density is great just not here why don't you try building in Ballard instead."

To wit, the Magnolia Community Council, as early as the mid-2000s, was pushing against a western light rail extension (as in, west of 15th) because it would bring more people to the neighborhood. They've also argued against trying to make a Sounder stop in Ballard, just across the Locks, because people could walk there from upper Magnolia (or Metro might make good on its "threat," in some people's words, to run a commute route on Commodore Way) and, thus, increase the number of people living in Magnolia.

The arguments have always been that more people can't possibly fit there so, well, how about Ballard?

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Re:Seattle looks to rein in state policy used to push back o... by opportune on Monday October 07, 2019 @08:23PM (#21187436)

Magnolia residents love to argue in bad faith, anything to not straight up admit they don’t want to see poor people.

They’ll tell you they can’t pay more taxes because they never get anything out of it, then shoot down every proposal to build more transportation infrastructure in their area because it will bring in people, and use that as an excuse for why they can’t build more buildings. And then complain about how it’s the city’s fault.

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Re:Seattle looks to rein in state policy used to push back o... by coryrc on Monday October 07, 2019 @04:14PM (#21185471)

Yes, why wouldn't residents of Magnolia want the same violent, unpoliced drug addicts now inhabiting the streets of Ballard and West Seattle in their neighborhood too? In other countries with dense development, those are often nice places, but in Seattle we don't lock up repeated criminals.

https://www.myballard.com/2018/11/03/man-stabbed-after-chasi...

https://q13fox.com/2017/10/13/west-seattle-mom-walking-infan...

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/from-home...

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Re:Seattle looks to rein in state policy used to push back o... by 8bitsrule on Monday October 07, 2019 @06:42PM (#21186782)

That was helpful ... because while the (blog) article gave a prominent place to an activist's opposition, it didn't explain the motives for opposition.

(Helps explain why Bullitt isn't so easy to visit. Also helps to explain why the 2001-quake-damaged bridge is still standing!)

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Re:Seattle looks to rein in state policy used to push back o... by WalterBright on Monday October 07, 2019 @03:42PM (#21185123)

Converting parks to more housing isn't really a density issue, it's more like does Seattle want parks or not?

Imagine converting Central Park in NYC to more housing.

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Re:Seattle looks to rein in state policy used to push back o... by techsupporter on Monday October 07, 2019 @04:26PM (#21185576)

The discussion is not converting Discovery Park to housing. That is a myth pushed by the Magnolia Community Council to raise people's hackles as "the Council is in the pocket of big developers to steal your parkland."

The discussion is to convert the old Fort Lawton along Texas Way W to housing (and adding a portion of it as public land to Discovery Park).

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