STATE NEWS State Legislative Session Update The state legislature adjourned for the year on March 10. Thank to you all of you who supported AIA’s efforts in Olympia. Here is a list of AIA’s highlights from the session (you can…
Blog Archives
Seattle Tree Ordinance
In February, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) and the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) released a draft SEPA ordinance on tree protections. The ordinance would expand the types and sizes of trees that are regulated, require…
Posted in Advocacy
Advocacy Update – February 2022
NATIONAL NEWS National Building Performance Standard Effort At the United States Conference of Mayors winter meeting in January, President Biden announced a new partnership with state and local governments to reduce carbon emissions from the built environment. Known as the…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Seattle Comprehensive Plan: AIA Work Group
Seattle’s update of its Major Comprehensive Plan (2022-24) is arguably one of the most critical points in the city’s history. Required by the state to plan for how the city will accommodate growth over the next two decades, the Comp…
Advocacy Update – January 2022
STATE NEWS State Building Code Council Releases 2021 Commercial Energy Code The 2021 commercial energy code amendments have been released by the State Building Code Council; you can view the proposed rule here. Public comments can be emailed to sbcc@des.wa.gov…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Advocacy Update – December 2021
STATE NEWS Washington’s Redistricting Process Ends Washington’s redistricting saga has ended, with the state Supreme Court declining to develop its own district maps and allowing the maps approved after the deadline by the state’s redistricting commission to take effect. You…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Advocacy Update – November 2021
STATE NEWS Washington Redistricting Washington’s redistricting commission, charged with determining new state and Congressional legislative districts after the 2020 census, failed to meet its Nov. 15 deadline to agree on new district maps. The failure of the panel, made up…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Advocacy Update – October 2021
STATE NEWS Washington’s Tax System Overhaul Committee Would Like Your Feedback Are you fed up with Washington’s tax system? This is your opportunity to let legislators know what you’d like to see instead. The state’s Tax Structure Work Group, led…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Design Review Reform
*This page is not intended for your reference, not the public – please do not forward the link* Seattle Design Review Coalition Documents Seattle for Everyone issue page Seattle Design Review recommendations 7/21 Design Review talking points for…
Posted in Uncategorized
Advocacy Update – September 2021
STATE NEWS Washington’s Tax System Overhaul Under Discussion Washington has a multi-year Tax Structure Work Group led by a bipartisan group of legislators and charged with researching, evaluating, and conducting public outreach around developing a new state taxation system that…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Seattle’s City Council Takes a New Look at Policy for Affordable Housing on Property Owned by Religious Organizations
Background Earlier this year, in compliance with state legislation (HB 1377) passed in 2019, the Seattle City Council passed and Mayor Jenny Durkan signed legislation to allow religious institutions to access additional development capacity when they redevelop their property for…
Posted in Advocacy
Housing Advocacy: Neighborhood Residential
Legislation to rename Seattle’s single family zoning category from “Single Family” to “Neighborhood Residential” will be voted on at a Sept. 24th Land Use & Neighborhoods City Council Committee meeting. This legislation does not make actual changes to the existing…
Climate News Roll
AUGUST 2021 AIA Media Outreach In the wake of the “heat dome,” The Everett Herald ran an op-ed by AIA Seattle Board Member Michael Stevens AIA of Dykeman Architects about the use of heat pumps as a climate-friendly way to…
Posted in Uncategorized
Advocacy Update – August 2021
LOCAL NEWS 2020 MHA Report Released Seattle’s Office of Housing released its first annual report on the city’s Mandatory Housing Affordability and Incentive Zoning program, including long-anticipated data on housing projects’ use of payment versus performance under the program. While…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Advocacy Update – July 2021
NATIONAL NEWS California Gas Ban Lawsuit Dismissed A federal court in San Francisco dismissed a preemption challenge to the ban on gas hookups in new construction in Berkeley, California. California has more than 40 cities that have implemented gas bans…
Advocacy Update – May 2021
STATE NEWS State Legislative Session Adjourns Washington’s Legislature adjourned on April 25, ending a historic, nearly all-virtual session in which Democratic leadership focused on four key areas: COVID relief, economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change. Gov. Inslee is still…
Posted in Advocacy
Advocacy Update – April 2021
NATIONAL NEWS Housing Supply & Affordability Act In Congress, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota introduced the Housing Supply and Affordability Act to encourage cities and rural communities to lift barriers to new housing construction. The bipartisan bill would authorize…
Posted in Advocacy
Advocacy Update – March 2021
NATIONAL NEWS Biden Reverses Trump’s Classical Architecture Order In February, President Joe Biden reversed Former President Donald Trump’s move to preference classical architecture in federal buildings as part of the new administration’s review of Trump-era executive orders. Under former President…
Posted in Advocacy
Advocacy Update – February 2021
NATIONAL NEWS Green Infrastructure Investments During AIA National’s virtual Grassroots conference this week, AIA members from across the country met with their U.S. senators and representatives to discuss Congressional investments in green building infrastructure that can address public health and…
Posted in Advocacy
Advocacy Update – January 2021
STATE NEWS State Code Returned to Feb. 1 Implementation Date On Jan. 12, Governor Inslee reversed a Jan. 8 decision by the State Building Code Council which delayed the implementation date of the 2018 building codes from Feb. 1…
Posted in Advocacy
2020 Advocacy Actions
Local We endorsed the Seattle Planning Commission’s Growth Strategy White Paper, Evolving Seattle’s Growth Strategy. We provided feedback to SDCI on the Seattle Services Portal. We organized architect focus groups for Seattle Public Utilities’ update on solid waste planning and…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Advocacy Update – December 2020
NATIONAL NEWS AIA National Approves Rule on Justice Facility Spaces In December, AIA National’s Board of Directors approved new rules to the AIA’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct prohibiting members from knowingly designing spaces intended for execution and torture,…
Posted in Advocacy
Advocacy Update – November 2020
STATE NEWS State Energy Strategy Draft Released Washington’s draft State Energy Strategy has been released for public comment. Section D focuses on energy consumption and emissions from the built environment and can be found on pages 63-90. The State Energy…
Posted in Advocacy
Advocacy Update – October 2020
VOTE! Don’t forget to submit your ballot by Nov. 3. If you are not registered, the deadline is Oct. 26 for mail or online registrations, but you can register to vote up to Nov. 3 if you show up…
Posted in Advocacy, Uncategorized
Design After Quarantine Series
Join us for an extended look at how design is impacted by the COVID pandemic. BACK TO THE OFFICE: RETURN STRATEGIES June 2020 These town halls, one for medium-large firms and one for small firms, explored how firms and individuals…
Posted in Uncategorized
Advocacy Update – August 2020
FEDERAL NEWS AIA National Policy Platform AIA National has released a federal policy platform in advance of this year’s presidential elections. General categories include: A future economy Climate action Healthy and equitable communities STATE NEWS Clean Energy Transformation Act The…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
It’s About Time We House Everyone
Seattle needs more homes, of all shapes and sizes, for more of our neighbors. AIA Seattle is working to shape policies that rethink the city’s majority single-family zoned areas, which have often restricted access for communities of color, renters, low-income…
Posted in Design In Public, For the Public
Missing Middle Housing Reading List
The Housing Imperative Nine Totally Necessary Evolutionary Changes for Seattle’s Residential Neighborhoods The Urbanist 4.16.20 Cities turn to ‘missing middle’ housing to keep older millennials from leaving Washington Post 12.9.17 Bring Back Missing Middle Housing AARP 2019 History of Seattle…
Posted in Uncategorized
Advocacy Update – June 2020
BLACK LIVES MATTER AIA Seattle joins powerful community voices raised to condemn the murder of George Floyd and the broader system of racism, violence, injustice, and inequity that it represents. In the coming weeks, you will hear more about our…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
Reopening the Workplace Resources
As this public health crisis continues to evolve, we are committed to providing as many up to date resources as possible. Since many counties are being – or have been – approved for Governor Jay Inslee’s “Phase 2,” there is…
Posted in Uncategorized
Advocacy Update – May 2020
As we continue to navigate work in these unprecedented times, AIA Seattle and AIA Washington Council are striving to make sure you have the resources you need to take advantage of federal, state, and local programs designed to help firms…
Posted in Advocacy, Public Policy Board
More Design Review Guidance
On April 27th, City Council passed emergency legislation making temporary six-month land use permitting process changes that: Exempt affordable housing from design review Keep projects normally subject to Design Review moving forward by allowing City staff to complete review processes…
Posted in Uncategorized
Advocacy Update – April 2020
As we all work to navigate these unprecedented times, AIA Seattle and AIA Washington Council are working to make sure you have the resources you need to take advantage of federal, state, and local programs designed to help firms and…
Posted in Uncategorized
Gov. Inslee’s Shelter in Place Order
Gov. Inslee’s Stay Home Stay Healthy has been extended to May 4. The order outlines the requirements for all people to remain in their homes “except to conduct or participate in essential activities and/or employment in providing essential business services.”…
Posted in Uncategorized
Advocacy Update – March 2020
ARCHITECT ADVOCACY IN ACTION Seattle Firm Prompts New Rulemaking for Common Sense Bar Design This report is written by Joe Herrin AIA, Principal at Heliotrope in Seattle. Heliotrope is fortunate to have collaborated with many of Seattle’s most successful restauranteurs.…
Posted in Public Policy Board
AIA’s 2020 ADU Tour is Moving to an Online ADU Showcase
ONLINE SHOWCASE OVERVIEW AIA Seattle’s 2020 public tour of built DADUs and AADUs in Seattle has been cancelled. However, we are moving our tour online with a showcase of AIA member ADUs via an online tour covering a larger geographic…
Posted in For the Public, Uncategorized