Group of Richmond Beach Neighbors Opposes Low-Income Housing Project Near Church

Editor's note: A group calling itself the Richmond Beach Congregation Church Neighbors drafted this letter in opposition to a low-income housing project proposed on church property. 

At the January 2012 Richmond Beach Community Association meeting, the Richmond Beach Congregational Church board presented its plan to build a 24-unit low-income apartment complex on the north end of its property with access onto 15th Avenue NW. In response, church neighbors who will be most directly impacted by the project – primarily residents who live along 15th Avenue NW and its side streets – formed a group to make sure our concerns are seriously considered by the church and city.

While we understand the church's desire to help formerly homeless people in a meaningful way and its need to live out its mission in this community, we also feel strongly that the scope and size of this plan is not appropriate for our single-family neighborhood. Our concerns include the issues below.

Density Bonus

Apparently the church would take into account the entire footprint of its four parcels of land and lease all four parcels to Hopelink to take advantage of the bonus density granted to low-income housing under Shoreline Municipal Code 20.40.230.  Since two of the parcels are already completely used by the church building and parking lot, that leaves only two parcels available for the proposed housing. Manipulating the requirements for the low-income density bonus deviates from the integrity of the code. 

Traffic 

Traffic on 15th Avenue NW and the intersection of 15th and Richmond Beach Road are identified as problem areas in the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Plan developed by the Richmond Beach neighborhood and Shoreline traffic engineers. At the community meeting it was communicated that there would only be about a dozen cars difference (which seems like a conservative estimate). However, impact is based on “trips” each residence represents not the number of cars owned. The number of trips includes not only residents but guests, commercial activity, repair services, etc. as well. No matter how it is relayed, any extra traffic load on 15th and at the intersection could be the tipping point for serious problems affecting congestion and safety. 

Parking

Parking is an ongoing problem for nearby neighbors during large events held at the church, Horizon School and within the community. During these events people park on private property and park illegally on both sides of the street blocking the pedestrian walkway. The plans allowed one spot per apartment.  No matter what attempt is made to control the parking issue it is unrealistic to assume this problem would not continue to spill out into the neighborhood on a more frequent basis and become a larger problem.  

Richmond Beach Low-Income Housing Availability

King County Housing Authority (KCHA) recently purchased the 115-unit Meadowbrook Apartments in the 1400 block of NW Richmond Beach Road. KCHA's primary interest in purchasing the property, according to its Deputy Director Dan Watson, is to preserve “workforce” mixed-income housing that accepts Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. The vouchers provided to low-income families give them the flexibility to live anywhere with moderate prices that accept the vouchers. Currently there are 28 Section 8 renters in Meadowbrook. Watson said HCHA plans to invest about $1 million for improvements over the coming year and an additional $3.5 million in repairs and upgrades over the next five to seven years. 

Property Values

At the community meeting studies were introduced that showed low-cost housing had little or no impact on surrounding property values. Several studies available online showed that when the density of a project does not fit the surrounding neighborhood property values are affected.

Special Use Permits

The church obtained a conditional use permit to operate in a residential zone. Then another permit was secured to operate Horizon School and another to house cell phone towers representing several wireless companies. The church has benefited financially from each arrangement while the neighborhood has borne the impacts. Now the church proposes a 24-unit apartment complex that would require additional permits. How many exceptions to the R6-low-density residential property are allowed? Isn’t the property already in non-conforming status?

Density Load 

Although it is not a major or even secondary arterial, 15th Avenue NW already bears increased density from Maple Knolls (townhouses approved by King County right before city incorporation for an unacceptable density under Shoreline's code) and the Cottages (a residential high-density option no longer available in Shoreline). The associated traffic and parking from Kruckeberg Botanic Garden has recently been added. Adding a 24-unit complex encroaches on the very nature of this single-family neighborhood. We bought our homes and made our life investment in this specific neighborhood along 15th Avenue NW because it was zoned single-family and provided the quality of life we wanted for our families. With construction of this complex the character of our neighborhood will be forever altered.

As you consider these issues please keep in mind that we are the ones who are here every day of the week, not just Sunday. Though we understand the church's need to live out its mission in this community, we have to believe it does not mean to live it out at the expense of the very community it purports to serve. As homeowners we have made a deep commitment to this community and neighborhood. And we are against this high-density plan.  

Sincerely,

Richmond Beach Congregational Church Neighbors

http://rbccneighbors.org

Charlie Akers

Rick Ashleman

Sheri Ashleman
Bryan Cummings
Patty Cummings
Lynn Hendrickson
Chris Hopen
Sue Hopen
Bill Kopta
Sharon Kopta
Edie Nelson
Alison Neubauer
Lance Neubauer
Amy Pleasant
Susan Will
Lynn Wright
Jerre Wright
Tom Schultz
Diane Schultz
Daniel Ward
Aizaz Rasheed
Chris Serwold
Sonja Serwold
Ron Gadbois
Kyle Kimoshita
Elizabeth Staclow
Mike Ryan