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Oct 25 • 4 tweets • 4 min read
In this op-ed, civil engineer Donna Breske demystifies SPU water hookup fees that homebuilders encounter trying to get projects approved. She argues the agency is overstepping its bounds and double charging. #PermittingReform #HousingCrisis theurbanist.org/2022/10/25/doe…
One 160-unit affordable housing project by @SCIDpda @PHPDA was held up and threatened with millions in fees for a hookup and fire hydrant relocation. It turned out Seattle Fire didn't even want the new hydrant. #PredatoryDelay seattleinprogress.com/project/3027067 A rendering of a 160-unit, ...
When The Urbanist reached out for comment in the process of reporting this story, it turns out SPU changed its mind and rescinded its requirement for a $1 million water main upgrade, which jeopardized the social housing project. #TOD #GrowTheUrbanist theurbanist.org/2022/10/25/doe… A sketch of the Pacific Tow...
Other projects haven't been so lucky given SPU's fee-happy ways. For example, Donna notes two missing middle projects seeking to make use of recent accessory dwelling unit reforms that were doomed by unreasonably high water hookup fees. theurbanist.org/2022/08/30/how…

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More from @UrbanistOrg

The Urbanist Profile picture
Oct 27
It really does make you wonder. WA Dems are sending out an SOS on the SoS race.
As senate transportation chair Steve Hobbs was highway-obsessed and a huge impediment to getting a package that focused on transit, safe streets, and climate. Hobbs simply is not a climate leader. theurbanist.org/2021/04/12/fiv…
Hobbs has tried to spin his record since, but the fact remains that it was not one of climate action or of fix-it-first discipline. #ClimateCrisis #NoNewHighways theurbanist.org/2021/05/24/sen…
Read 6 tweets
The Urbanist Profile picture
Oct 26
Great reporting on the fentanyl crisis from @andyengelson via @PubliColaNews. So far, King County has tallied 710 fatal overdoses this year. Of those, at least 473 involved fentanyl. publicola.com/2022/10/26/kin…
Clearly federal, state, and local governments need to be more nimble to respond to the opiate crisis.

One example, federal regulations on methadone treatment aren't scaled to weaning people with fentanyl-level tolerance to opiates.
“When we start people on methadone, by law we can only start them at 30 milligrams. Traditionally a therapeutic dose [for fentanyl] has been in the range of 80 to 120 milligrams.” Paul Grekin of Evergreen Treatment Services said.
Read 4 tweets
The Urbanist Profile picture
Nov 28, 2021
Seattle’s first streetcar line, since closure of municipal lines in 1941, opened in 1982 but was suspended by construction of the Olympic Sculpture Park in 2005 and later destroyed by the state’s waterfront highway project.
At least Galveston had a good reason for suspension.
Still can't believe we replaced an elevated highway and streetcar line with a massive surface highway. Alaskan Way when it was smaller and had a streetcar trackSeattle's massive surface highway today
Read 4 tweets
The Urbanist Profile picture
Nov 28, 2021
Cosign.
Seattle could encourage this with its many alleys. With a little intentional planning and repealing loading mandates, we could have many narrow streets to wander about and enjoy as people spaces. theurbanist.org/2021/05/28/rig…
In Melbourne, laneways are vibrant spaces ubiquitous in the city center. theurbanist.org/2015/09/16/mel…
Read 4 tweets
The Urbanist Profile picture
Nov 27, 2021
Some observations about Auburn’s growing downtown urbanist… #UrbanistFieldTrips
Auburn’s train station is set in the heart of the city center and has a pedestrian bridge linking both sides.

Only the east side has seen urban infill development. And only 13 trains serve the station in normal times on weekdays. ImageImageImageImage
Zoning, a stroad, and an uninspired surface parking lot has largely kept the west side undeveloped. ImageImage
Read 18 tweets
The Urbanist Profile picture
Nov 27, 2021
This new feature is a product of special state law allowing Seattle to unclog bus lanes and intersections. 🚌
And here’s an example of the “don’t block box” intersection enforcement.
Here’s our background on the program on where these are going, when they go live, and what happens when they do. theurbanist.org/2021/11/15/sea…
Read 4 tweets

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