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Backyard Cottages: Seattle recenly approved a new ordinance making it easier to gain approval for a detatched accessory dwelling unit, or "backyard cottage." How much are the following statements in accordance with your views?
#Response DatePlease specify
1Mar 2, 2010 6:02 PMWe are more concerned about rentals that have 5-6 cars parked all over the street. Should be limited to 2 cars, at the most.
2Mar 2, 2010 6:45 PMGood for Seattle for taking this important step to increase the availabilty of affordable multigenerational housing. The backyard cottage pilot program conducted by the City before it adopted this city-wide ordinance was very successful and showed no adverse impacts to the neighborhoods in which cottages were permitted.
3Mar 3, 2010 2:25 PMlook to evanston illinois model for zoning / developpment
4Mar 3, 2010 4:23 PMWhat negative impacts?
5Mar 3, 2010 5:13 PMtoo many cars on streets where these cottages are.
6Mar 3, 2010 5:38 PMPotential for more cars parked and traffic on streets
7Mar 3, 2010 6:16 PMI think it will be OK if the standards are clear
8Mar 3, 2010 10:40 PMIt is not a good direction. More density we do NOT need.
9Mar 4, 2010 12:38 AMThere is a lot of space in many houses going to waste. Allowing rental of rooms or cottages will allow Seattle to be the family friendly place it pretends to be.
10Mar 4, 2010 1:51 AMincreasing population density is not desirable
11Mar 4, 2010 1:58 AMBackyard cottages are very site specific in impact
12Mar 4, 2010 2:25 AMI don't want increased density; it's supposed to be single family. If you want to "live dense", get an apartment in Belltown!
13Mar 4, 2010 2:42 AMParking for cottages should be on site or owners of cottage should provide bus pass
14Mar 4, 2010 3:36 AMThere should be an idea of problem solutions - noise, parking
15Mar 4, 2010 5:13 AMpotential for noise and disruption
16Mar 4, 2010 8:04 AMReduces single family characteristic of neighborhood
17Mar 4, 2010 8:12 PMI like the flexibility that this offers, but there are some potential risks and negative impacts.
18Mar 5, 2010 3:55 AMMay lose more trees
19Mar 5, 2010 4:51 AMrenters, parking etc..
20Mar 5, 2010 8:19 AMcottages also make housing affordable in a two fold way: mortgage helper for the family, and, an increase in rental stock for the renters - which provides them with more choice and possibly lower if not stablized rents as the overall mount of rentable stock goes up -- also, of course, it is the exact opposite of the absentee landlord, which everyone hates. infill is an excellent strategy for the environment, preserving the rural zones out in King county, and, making the neighbourhoods safe by having more people around.
21Mar 5, 2010 7:34 PMBackyard cottages are fine for hobbies or occassional guest rooms, but should not be allowed to increase density (used as a dwelling unit.)
22Mar 5, 2010 10:26 PMi dont have a strong opinion on these
23Mar 5, 2010 11:41 PMConcerned about extra cars parked on the street
24Mar 6, 2010 4:52 AMThey're usually not "cottages"; but garages for rent.
25Mar 6, 2010 3:44 PMThe devil is always in the details. It should preserve tree canopy.
26Mar 6, 2010 5:18 PMThere could be conflicts over issues with parking. I.e. The single family home gets a backyard cottage and that person brings their car(s) and wants to park them on the street/in the yard etc
27Mar 6, 2010 8:53 PMthere is already too much density in Wedgwood
28Mar 6, 2010 10:00 PMI don't know what the negative impacts would be.
29Mar 7, 2010 11:08 PMSex offenders renting very unappealing!!
30Mar 8, 2010 3:47 AMCase by case basis obviously. If tenants are a problem, they need to go.
31Mar 8, 2010 5:28 AMwould it pose a problem for on street parking- higher number of cars
32Mar 8, 2010 9:52 PMI would mainly be concerned about on-street parking issues
33Mar 9, 2010 3:24 PMI'm not aware of all the issues, but approve of higher density and spaces for extended families.
34Mar 9, 2010 10:08 PMParking concerns for extra people living on a parcel
35Mar 10, 2010 4:16 AMbecause of the disproportionate rise in house prices over the last 5 years, it is reasonable to allow these structures, with guidelines
36Mar 10, 2010 4:55 AMThe land plots in WW are already small; increasing density might instead call for careful additions of congregate structures in the community
37Mar 10, 2010 3:59 PMA way to help seniors remain in their home.
38Mar 11, 2010 2:22 AMbackyard cottages have been utlized successfully in many other cities, without any negative concern.
39Mar 12, 2010 9:09 PMNo rentals!
40Mar 15, 2010 1:16 AMIt's all in how you do it. A high-rise in my neighbor's yard=bad! Converted garage=good.
41Mar 15, 2010 7:59 PMThe multi-generational argument is usually bogus. Adds to on-street parking congestion.
42Mar 15, 2010 11:23 PMinappropriate usage/building
43Mar 17, 2010 7:09 AMA lot of "kids" are moving back in with their parents because of financial reasons. It's understandable to a certain degree, AND for a certain length of time. But Wedgwood as a whole is really not the kind of neighborhood to have "squatters" all over the place. If one of our kids needed to come home, we wouldn't turn them down, BUT where do you draw the line?
44Mar 17, 2010 6:09 PMthe more 'apartment-style' living usually comes added increase of sex offenders near our kids
45Mar 22, 2010 12:29 AMI think these could be very positive with reasonable regulation
46Mar 24, 2010 2:27 PMI can see that careless neighbors could neglect a backyard cottage so we are called upon to maintain good releations with our neighbors and/or build good fences
47Mar 24, 2010 5:37 PMMany homes only have one offstreet parking space. With backyard cottages, will there be enough parking for everyone?
48Mar 25, 2010 9:00 PMall parking must be accommodated on site
49Mar 27, 2010 5:09 AMI am concerned about density. As Peter Steinbrueck said at a NE District Council meeting, "Seattle doesn't have to absorb ALL the growth."
50Mar 27, 2010 3:46 PMYes, but what about size of houses? Minimal size is needed.
51Mar 29, 2010 12:11 AMParking. Renters w/o concern for the community
52Mar 30, 2010 2:35 AMfilling all the property with buildings not good for water absorption area or veggie garden spaces
53Mar 30, 2010 4:24 AMI lived in one for four years! Combined with use of household facilities (we were a collective) it was a super-marvelous experience!
54Mar 30, 2010 6:26 PMSmaller footprint- yes!
55Mar 30, 2010 7:20 PMThere needs to be adequate parking for backyard cottages or else they should not be allowed. there are no sidewalks now and more cars just make it more dangerous for people and pets walking in the neighborhood.
56Mar 30, 2010 8:13 PMThere's a natural tension between backyard cottages and local food production, not only in the yard where the cottage may be sited but in the neighbors' yards. Don't shade my tomatoes!
57Mar 30, 2010 11:28 PMI see no difference between a back yard cottage and a house full of people. Really, what's the difference?
58Mar 31, 2010 3:28 AMEncourage co-housing opportunities; enforce building footprint limitations to preserve garden space
59Apr 2, 2010 3:47 PMThere will be no multi generations living in these cottages. They will be used as a money making opportunity only. We need to treat them as such.
60Apr 4, 2010 5:13 AMI need to think about this one some more. I think it would increase parking congestion. That would not be good.
61Apr 4, 2010 11:16 PMOnly government hacks want greater density so they can tax, tax, and tax.
62Apr 5, 2010 3:25 AMBackyard cottages are definitely preferable to new construction, but they may add more car traffic. I guess I'm for the cottages, since we need to address car traffic anyway.
63Apr 7, 2010 8:02 PMThough I would consider adding a cottage to my property, it would only be to help me stay in my home as an elderly person. I watch and see what other people have been doing over the last 18 years and I know for a fact that there are lots of illegal units, bad landlords and inconsiderate people living in my neighborhood. It is sad to see houses literally rotting because people can't or won't fix them up. I wouldn't want this to be multiplied as density increases. I am also concerned that back yard cottages require off street parking in the back yard. Many houses don't have sideyards wide enough to accomodate a driveway, this would require easements. I am not infavor of this because of the potential impact on an individual property. AS aperson wholives on an arterial, I think that my front yard is a waste of space because of the negative impact of traffic. Why not have a different parking policy for houses on arterials and houses on side streets.
64Apr 8, 2010 7:24 PMonstreet parking congestion, bldgs. ultra close together, bldgs not to code
65Apr 9, 2010 1:11 AMpossibilty of using as rental property
66Apr 30, 2010 3:25 AMPlaces dwellings closer to lot lines/neighbors; blocks sun
67May 3, 2010 2:03 AMmainly loss of vegetation
68May 3, 2010 2:50 AMif screening occupants there isn't a problem
69May 3, 2010 3:20 AMCrowded-density
70May 7, 2010 4:43 AMmore traffic, more noise
71May 7, 2010 4:58 AMtoo much density, more green covered with concrete
72May 9, 2010 4:13 AMI am concerned about putting them close to adjoining properties.