On Dec. 1 a small group of Delridge residents gathered for an “Early Design Guidance Meeting” led by Jerry Suder, a Seattle Department of Planning and Development supervising land use planner, and set up by the North Delridge Neighborhood Council.

The goal was to prepare people the Dec. 8 early design review meeting for the controversial DESC Supportive Housing project in Delridge. The early design review meeting is set for Dec. 8, 6:30 p.m. at the Youngstown Cultural Art Center Theater.

DESC is in the process of obtaining a Master Use Permit (MUP) from the city and the early design review meeting is a first step, although the Delridge community has already been very active in expressing concerns over the project, primarily focused on social issues.

DPD reviews signify a shift in topic. They are focused on the project’s design - including the building’s massing, materials, landscaping, etc.

Generally, comments that the developer (DESC) and DPD review board will take into account need to be grounded in the project’s design instead of social concerns like safety in the community or access to services for DESC’s tenants (it will house chronically homeless people, often times with substance abuse, mental illness and other disabling conditions.)

However, Suder said, “I think there are aspects that could connect in. For example, are they going to design an outdoor space for the folks, and is that going to be a secure environment? It’s not so much who the individual users are or what class they are in, it’s just: Is this a well-designed space?”

“We are not going to say, ‘Who are you going to rent to?’ It’s irrelevant.”

Opportunity to comment
With the scope of concerns covered, Suder discussed the various avenues for Delridge residents to share their voice. The early design review will have a 25 minute public comment period (although he said the time will be extended if needed) when people can talk directly to the board.

The toolkit residents will need to better inform themselves on DESC’s project include the information packet available online now and the design review guidelines, comprised of 31 design elements DPD considers (those guidelines can be found here). Those links are also provided at the top of the story.

Suder encouraged anyone planning to attend the early design meeting to print out the information packet and design guidelines and head to the site for a first-hand look ahead of time.

Suder said DPD does not expect the public to become masters of Seattle’s labyrinth of codes.

“Don’t worry about the code too much,” he said, just “tell them your concerns.”

Once the early design review is finished the board will recommend changes to DESC. DESC will make changes to their first draft based on those recommendations and further input from a zoning reviewer, and ultimately submit a master use permit application with a more developed and specific design.

At that point the public notice board goes up at the actual site, kicking off a 14-day public comment period. During those two weeks public comments should go to the DPD project director Micheal Dorcy. Suder encouraged people to get their comments in early and recommended sending concerns or changes to Dorcy by email at micheal.dorcy@seattle.gov. Ahead of the public notice sign going up, Suder recommended emailing Dorcy and getting on the list to be notified when the comment period starts.

The rest of the process
Another cycle of corrections are sent to the applicant after the review board hears comments and, after the corrections are made, the review board makes their recommendation and the DPD Director makes the final decision on issuing a permit.

Once the permit is issued there is a 14-day appeal period where the public can once again submit comments. Those appeals are brought in front of a hearing examiner who makes further decisions. If appeals are denied, Suder said people have the right to take their appeal to King County Superior Court.

Once the project passes the appeal process, a master use permit can be issued.

Patrick Baer with the Delridge Community Forum attended the meeting and spoke to the Herald about where the project stands.

“This is just my take, but if people still have concerns (about social issues surrounding DESC’s project) they should write their city or county representatives,” he said.

“The reality of it is the project is moving forward and anything short of a lot of political pressure to change or modify it, or a lawsuit, this project is going to get built.”

“Is (the project) a done deal? I don’t know,” he added. “Is the monorail a done deal? Nothing in Seattle is a done deal until you actually see it, but it looks like (DESC’s project) is going to happen,” he said.