Urbnlivn - Latest Comments in My first design review board experience

Re: My first design review board experience

Peckham — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:44:21 -0000

United States law recognizes U.S. Dual Citizenship, but the U.S. government does not encourage it is as a matter of policy. My statement about renouncing former citizenship was totally incorrect. Time for a new set of glasses.

Re: My first design review board experience

uptown — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:36:16 -0000

Yes, you can (and I do) have Dual Citizenship with the USA.

Read page 5 - paragraph 9 of your USA passport if you don't believe me; it's titled 'Dual Citizens'.

Re: My first design review board experience

peckham — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:56:24 -0000

"Are you able to get dual citizenship and then run for office."

No. You must denounce your former citizenship when you become a US citizen. Dual citizenship is not officially recognized in the USA.

Re: My first design review board experience

EconE — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:24:41 -0000

ditto on what dunno said.

Are you able to get dual citizenship and then run for office. I have no idea how it works for "aliens"...jeeze...what a dumb word...but if Arnold can take over California I don't see why you can't deal with Seattle. And I don't think that you give yourself enough credit for your abilities outside blogging.

Three cheers for the future Mayor Goyer!

well...at least I'd vote for ya.

Re: My first design review board experience

seattle67 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:33:33 -0000

Here's a really good first person account of a Design Review Board meeting that took place about a project in Ballard last November.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/ballard/arch...

I think the big problem with the entire Design Review Board process is that the city promotes it as a bigger opportunity to voice concern and make significant design changes than what it really is - an opportunity to polish up the edges.

And I bet that's why you are seeing this reflected in lower attendance at these meetings, 'why bother showing up for something that's going to get built anyway?' (Actually, you see better attendance in Seattle's 'single-family' neighborhoods where they're not having to deal with as much development as a neighborhood like Capitol Hill.)

The reality of the whole design review process in Seattle is that the DRB is limited by the city to focus its efforts on recommending changes to the cosmetic details of a project (cornices, landscaping, color palettes, signage, lighting). Unless there's a clear code violation, don't expect the DRB to tackle significant issues (bulk/scale, usage, traffic, environmental) because the city does not give it that power. (And yes, the DPB and DPD could tackle these issues if they were permitted to more aggressively interpret state SEPA regulations)

However, that said, if cosmetic issues are important to neighbors (and they should be), the DRB meetings can be an effective way to push those ideas through. In Wedgwood we had some luck through the DRB process of improving the exterior of the building so that it better fit into the neighborhood.

Re: My first design review board experience

mattgoyer — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:57:50 -0000

As a resident alien I can't vote so I doubt I could run for office :). But thanks for the kind suggestion. However I also don't really feel qualified. I feel like so many more of you commentators know the issues much better than I do. All I know how to do is blog.

Re: My first design review board experience

dunno — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:32:06 -0000

I posted this on Cliff's Cosmo blog as well but what do you think about running for local public office? You certainly know of the issues that face those who live in urban Seattle and would make a better rep than most I know of in office now.

Re: My first design review board experience

nitsuj — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:24:41 -0000

"I was expecting PowerPoint but it was all big poster boards like a high school science project."

That made me chuckle. I think I'm going to go to one of my pitches with poster boards one day in lieu of ppt and see the looks I get.