Is the Urban Village concept Dead?"As part of the Comprehensive Plan's growth management strategy, the City of Seattle designated geographic areas to accommodate future population and job growth. These areas were defined as Residential Urban Villages, Hub Urban Villages, and Urban Centers." - City of Seattle Website 2008 Now the City of Seattle plans a new Jail as the centerpiece of one Hub Urban Village? That's right, the city of Seattle has narrowed their list of locations for a new jail from 35 sites, to just 4 sites. One of these sites is smack dab in the middle of the North Seattle Hub Urban community. Not only is the site less than a mile from seven schools, it borders directly residential property in the Haller Lake area, and would require dislocating existing businesses in the area. See the links with all the Hub Urban Village city maps below. The Jail is planned for the North edge of the Northgate Hub Urban Center which you can see puts it right in the middle of both the Licton Springs Urban Village, and the Bitterlake Urban Village, as well as the Northgate Urban Center that serves all of North Seattle. The area around Haller Lake is not officially considered an Urban Village, but a visit to the area will show you that the Haller Lake community is just as much a residential community as Bitterlake and Licton Springs.
Responsible Planning?
If you've lived in North Seattle as long as I have, you may remember reading this:  We were told that the cities decisions would be guided to "enhance the character and function" (their words not mine) of our Hub Urban Village. I ask: How does a plan for dislocating businesses to make way for a jail in the middle of our Hub Urban Center fit the mission of "enhance the character and function of that area"? Plans for North Seattle. Below is a list of links that show what we were told the Urban Village Concept would mean for us in North Seattle. If you are concerned, and would like to send a letter to the Mayor, click here.
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