Taller buildings win key Olympia council vote

By Matt Batcheldor | The Olympian • Published October 01, 2008

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OLYMPIA – The City Council voted 5-2 Tuesday night to begin the process of raising building height limits on part of the strip of land between Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet, where a local developer wants to build 5- and 7-story mixed-use buildings.

It wasn't the council's final decision on the controversial issue, but it was the first time it expressed its position on the topic. The council directed city staff to draft two laws, which the council would make a final decision on later, perhaps in December.

One would raise height limits on 3.92 acres of the isthmus south of Fourth Avenue. Height limits would be raised from 35 feet to 42 feet throughout, with an opportunity for buildings as tall as 65 feet in part of the area and 90 feet in another part.

Another law would require the eventual developers to sign an agreement with the city covering specifics of the buildings.

Voting in favor were council members Joan Machlis, Rhenda Strub, Jeff Kingsbury, Craig Ottavelli and Mayor Doug Mah. Voting against were council members Karen Messmer and Joe Hyer.

Decision in December

Mah said a final decision on the height limits will likely be made in December.

Triway Enterprises, a South Sound developer, asked for the taller building limits so it could build 141 upscale mixed condominiums and office and retail space on 2.3 acres.

Council members discussed the topic for about three hours. Kingsbury made a motion for two ordinances, Ottavelli seconded it, and then, one by one, council members explained where they stand.

Kingsbury said raising building heights for housing meets the city's comprehensive plan goals of bringing more housing into downtown.

The city has a goal of bringing 2,500 new housing units by 2025.

"To date, we've added 69 to our inventory," he said.

Incentive programs have had little effect, noting that downtown wasn't effected by the housing boom of the last few years.

"It's time," Kingsbury said.

Ottavelli echoed Kingsbury's sentiments, saying that urban housing is needed to prevent sprawl.