Seattle Press on Line - Ballard/ Greenwood townhouses violating building code?

Ballard/ Greenwood townhouses violating building code?

Feb 04, 2003 --

I HAVE lived in the Ballard/ Greenwood area for 12 years. Over the past three years, I have seen dozen of generic townhouse complexes spring up around the area. Currently, my street only has four houses left. The rest are townhouses.

I believe that these new townhouses are in violation of code. These buildings clearly advertise that the units have three bedrooms yet there is clearly only one parking space per unit. According to DCLU code rules: All multi-family uses who average gross floor are per dwelling unit, excluding deck and all portions of the structure shared by multiple dwelling units exceeds 500 square fees, ad additional .0002 spaces per square foot in excess of 500 shall be required up to a maximum additional 0.15 spaces per dwelling unit; and when at least 50 percent of the dwelling units in a multi-family use have three bedrooms, an additional 0.25 spaces per bedroom for each unit with three bedrooms shall be required..

If these structures are indeed out of compliance, the ramifications are huge. I have written to the DCLU and have tried unsuccessfully to get answers. Builders sometimes skirt the rules by calling the third bedrooms “offices,” but lately some new construction is plainly listing the units as three bedrooms.

What can I do to get the word out?

Alison Braun

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Keith Gormezano	Nov 04, 2003	Seattle (Phinney Ridge), WA	If I told you, I would have to
Since you have communicated with DCLU, Alison, you might try e-mailing members of the city council and the mayor's office. To e-mail the mayor, you will have to go to his web page on http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/citizen_response.htm. He doesn't accept direct e-mails. I had a similar situation with an office building across from the Erotic Bakery in Wallingford which is leased by architect Stuart Silk who did numerous tenant build outs and building improvements but without the required permits. Only after I complained to the city council members, all nine of them and the mayor's office did the required permits get applied for. My two complaints to the evil DCLU were barely responded to and the inspector never got back to me. I have found that our city council members have become very responsive this year due to the election. I suggest that you do the same and enclose a copy of your correspondance to the evil DCLU to show that you are following the chain of command. You might also find out who is running in 2005 and see if they want to use it in their campaign. The city elections office http://www.seattle.gov/elections/ can tell you that. Keith Gormezano bb822@scn.org http://www.scn.org/~bb822